What do you think? 2001 Aurora, 260,000 kms (160k miles) has new serpentine belt, brakes, struts, front rotors. needs tune up and o2 sensor. Was asking $2500, now we're at $1000 and since the car is from out of province, it needs a certified mechanic to state (and sign) that the car is safe and roadworthy to be licensed. I said he'd have to pay for that ($80). If the car passes I'll buy it (haven't committed yet) and if not I won't. Would you buy it? Everything works (air, traction control, heater mirrors, heated seats, power seats, etc. It's parked at the airport (where he works) because he doesn't have room at his house since he bought another car, hence the willingness to drop the price.

 

Few more shots........colour is Polo Green.

 

Well, it looks like a 9-year-old car with 160,000 miles on it. $1000 doesn't seem like a bad price, but you should recognize that, right now, this is nothing more than a high-mileage used car. It'll probably be another 15 to 20 years before it would start to see any appreciation as an historic or collector vehicle. If you buy it, buy it because you want to have fun with it.

 

A good beater car, finish using it up and then throw it away.

 

I'm not looking to keep it for a collector vehicle. As you say, just for a fun daily driver and if it starts costing me money, I'll dump it. My Intrigue was purchased because it had every available option but needed an engine. I bought it, put in a "new" engine with 62,000 miles on it and it drives like a dream. If I get the Aurora, my wife wants the Intrigue. Good bye Montana mini van. I'll pressure him to see if he'll take $800 for the Aurora.

 

800 to 1k sounds like a fair price for good performance and comfort.

 

The wheels and tires as parts are probably worth $500. I don't think there's a lot of risk here. And I'll have another Oldsmobile.

 

This is exactly the point. At $1000, there's not a lot at stake here if the car turns out to be a disaster. Even less is at stake if you can get it for $800.

I just now went to the Kelley Blue Book site and put in a 2001 Aurora with 160,000 miles on it. You don't say if it has a V6 or a V8, but a V8 2001 Aurora in "fair" condition has a trade-in value of $1,675 and in "good" condition it's $2,275.

For the V6, those values are $750 and $1,275. So you'd be paying at worst trade-in value and at best less than half of trade-in value as your retail price.

Buy it! Then you can start appreciating Ralph Braun's "Frontwheeling" column each month in JWO. I've never owned a Toronado or an Aurora, but I do enjoy his writing.

 

Hey, thanks for that info. The car is the V6 3.5 The body and the interior are in very good condition, and since everything works, it's a good deal, I think. I always liked the Aurora. Someone told me the Aurora had an aluminum hood...is that true?

Always enjoyed Ralph's column too. He was a member of our club in the mid 90's.

 

Ken, OOP? Be very careful especially if it came from ON or QC. My 95 98 'was perfect and everything worked' too when i first laid eyes on it back in 2003. (Came from Barrie ON) It had some of the trademark rust issues that you would see on the surface from minor neglect. Those issues turned into major repairs: full rocker panel replacement, including partial A,B,and C pillars, both side quarter panels, Trunk deck and minor door rusting. 260000 k? I'm thinking that's close to the lifespan you can get from that 3.5. Not sure if I'd want to buy it and have to replace the motor, then the trans etc. Oh yeah, level ride suspension, intake manifold gasket, AC and exhaust are not small potatoes to replace or repair. Ask me how I know.

Word to the wise..find out where the car was licensed for the past 9 years, and make sure you've got some evidence of maintenance done to it. I wouldn't hang all my eggs on a mechanics report. Gotta say it looks really nice, and the interior doesn't look abused. Right now all I can say is good luck and I hope it works out.

BTW is this the car in this ad: http://edmonton.kijiji.ca/c-cars-veh...AdIdZ213539261

 

That's it Allan. I'm going to find out how bad he wants to sell it. I'll offer $500 and see what happens. He's been trying to sell it for a while. I'll check it out before I buy it. Worst case, I could sell the engine and tranny, wheels etc and still get $200 to scrap the rest of the car. If the car checks out though, I'll buy it and hopefully enjoy it for 5 years or more. I won't be spending big money on this to buy it, so I won't spend big money on it if later it turns out to have serious issues.

 

There's another kijiji ad I sent the guy an email on but haven't heard back on. He's moving OOP and has a 96 Ninety Eight (Green by coincidence) but with 144K on it. Wants 2500 OBO and it's in Sh. Forest actually not too far from you. I'm sure he would go down from 2500. I'm at that stage where I might just get rid of my blue 98. I'll know better after Wednesday. That's when I have it booked for AC repairs. My attempt to fix it didn't work even though I followed all the directions I had for it. I don't know how much vacuum the darn thing needs to draw to move and hold the diverter doors in place. I did replace the vacuum line and it has vacuum - not a ton - but it's there. Anyway, I digress. Here's the web page http://edmonton.kijiji.ca/c-cars-veh...AdIdZ210047039 If you see this car in your wanderings, LMK what you think...

 

On Monday I'll give one of the GM dealers a call and give them the VIN to see what work has been done. Of course, I don't suppose they'd know for work done outside a GM dealer.

When I bought the engine for the Intrigue, I gave the VIN of the potential engine to a GM dealer and they told me the intake manifold gasket was changed at 103,000 kms. The donor car (2002 Grand Prix) was wrecked with 109,000 kms and I bought the Series II 3.8 V6 engine.

 

Personally

I've seen 1000x worse for $1000 dude. That car is mint for that price. Not a fan of the dash, but the car is sweet for $1000
I would STRONGLY assume it's got some serious problems for him to sell it for just $1000 so quickly.
I already am assuming the drivers seat is FUBAR since they avoided it in the pic......happens alot.
You can put a whole new motor in there for less then $3000 and rock it for another decade.

For $1000 I'd take it, then go look for a lower mileage motor to put in it so I didn't have to worry about it.
As for it holding some kind of future value ?? Not even close to likely.
It's a beater , it will never be anything more then a beater.

But it's a VERY VERY VERY nice beater if you ask me. Aurora's are sweet luxury quality vehicles.

 

http://www.everdrive.com/partdetails...paign=shopping

http://www.everdrive.com/partdetails...paign=shopping

or put a GM 3.6L V6 motor in it from a wrecked new Camaro with a 6 speed.
That would be ideal IMHO. But some of you purists don't like that. LOL

here ya go.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2010-...Q5fAccessories

 

He bought another car and this one is parked at the airport because he doesn't have the room...or so he says. The car IS at the airport however. He said it needs a tune up and an o2 sensor. So I'll see. BTW, here is a shot of the drivers front seat. For $1000 or less, I don't think I can go wrong.

 

That would be very cool. Thanks for the idea. driving.gif

 

Dude, even if the drivers seat was missing, you can't go wrong.
If he is saying it needs an O2 sensor, it might not be running good.

If it's not running good, it could be a million things. You should get an OBDII
scanner on it and have it checked before you buy it if you really want to keep
that engine in it. Me personally though, I'd junk the drivetrain and get a scrapper in
there IF and ONLY IF that drivetrain is fubar'd.

The car could be a roller and it's worth it to me.

It's already fuel injected so you'll save a chunk on the plumbing of EFI.

 

The car runs and drives. he says it needs new spark plugs to run better. The problem is that the engine light comes on. There are no strange noises. It was hooked up at a garage and they said the code says it requires an o2 sensor and it could use new plugs and probably wires. I can drive it home, but the gas milage won't be very good until it's tuned. H's getting pressure from the airport to move the car and so he just wants it gone.

 

So what are you waiting for ???

Jeez I'd be on that like white on rice. ESPECIALLY if you've already test driven it yourself.

 

The guy is out of town for the weekend. (he said he be gone til Sunday). Have called and left a message for him to call when he gets back.

 

Go for it, Ken!!

 

Going to see him tonight to discuss. We'll see.

 

I don't want to rain on your parade but the car sounds like another guy's problem and could be a major nightmare. If you're going to buy used get an Olds or anything recent with a 3.8 and you'll never go wrong.
You don't get something for nothing,the guy's probably hoping it gets stolen leaving it sit at the airport or can't stand the site of it.
Those cars are known to be lemons, my brother had one and the constant service costs ate him alive. The thing left him stranded more than a few times, his daughter broke down coming home from college 2 states away, the worse thing a car can ever do to you.
I see them for sale everywhere around here dirt cheap and they're almost always not running with some "little" major problem that shouldn't cost much to fix, there is no such thing.
Caveat emptor.

 

Thanks for the heads up, I appreciate it. The car requires an out of province inspection by a certified mechanic. Not all mechanics can certify a car in this province. It has to be a mechanic that has been certified by the province. If the car passes then it can be licensed. If not, it must be repaired first. I won't pay a lot for this car, believe me. Worst case, I have something I can tinker with at my own pace (and learn something) or part it out or sell for scrap which will cover the purchase price after a few sold parts. Body is very good, interior good, wheels good, glass good, lights, tranny good and even the intake manifold gasket has been changed. I gave the VIN to a local dealer and they verified that. Or I can buy an engine for $650 locally (60,000 miles) and drop it in. I'll see what he says to my offer. If he goes for it, it's off to the registry for a background and lien check.

 

Hmm... I would avoid it. It is a pretty car but if it doesn't run right it could be any number of things. Plus, 200+ miles is about the most you are going to get out of it. Good luck if you buy it though. Keep us posted.

 

It runs and drives. The engine light stays on however, and the code says it needs an o2 sensor. He says it also needs a tune up. Tonight I'll go over everything and see. It's not a done deal. I have to feel that I'm getting a good deal. I'll keep you guys posted.

 

Well Ken I think if it can pass the inspection and you can get it for a good price then go for it. i would not put too much faith in the idiot light , I call it that cause sometimes it's just the light or something that you can never find but does not affect the car. my girlfriends keeps coming on and usually it is the gas cap or something similar. the light on the Astro van stayed on for about the last 4 years I had it and it always ran.

 

Your girlfiend's idiot light keeps coming on... my wife's had her moments, and sometimes there's no light on at all (blond) but I would not write it down in case she saw it. You're pretty gutsy.

Back to the car. I don't plan to pay that much. I'll be covered if he goes for my offer. Tune up's are pretty expensive unless I do it myself...if I can get to the back plugs and if I have enough metric tools to actually do the job it should be ok. It'll be a good deal for me if he goes for the offer.

 

So you're trying to tell me your negotiating skills have improved from the classic: "How much?" and "ok"???

 

I sure hope so.

 

Just to give you an idea of what they are going for within 150 miles of Chicago

$4500
http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail...5&aff=national

I'd be on it for $1000 and do the drivetrain swap. You'd be into the car for ~$4,000 with a newer waaaay better drivetrain.
I'd be all over the deal myself , because the rolling body looks VERY nice. Interior is very nice leather condition still.

Trust me, the 2nd BIG wave of this recession is coming, and people are going to start learning to survive with
deals like this they can rejuvenate to high quality condition for another 10 years without having a car payment.

 

Well I drove over to the car. He started it up and there was a noise that he said was the oil pump, and said that was normal for Aurora's. True? It lasted for about 15 seconds. The car idle's a little rough, but when you rev the engine to about 1500 the car is smooth. Tranny shifts very nice and the brakes are quite good, stopping the car without noise or effort. Back brakes and rotors may need to be changed just from looking at them. The oil was clean and the engine compartment clean.

I went over where the car was parked for two months and there was no indication of any fluid. The air blows cold, all bells and whistles work as do all windows. The passenger seat is powered too and the lumbar and other stuff works. The trunk looks like it was never used, and the CV joints did not make any noise. No cracks in the windshield and the car bounces maybe once or twice over speed bumps, so the shocks won't have to be changed right away.

Acceleration was not great until the engine went over 2000 rpm. Tires have lots of tread but some small cracks are there. They were manufactured in Feb 2006. The engine light was on the whole time and as you slowed down, it flashed on and off. Then it stayed on steady. Interior is as good as seen in the pictures. He won't budge on $1000 and I told him I'd think about it.

I thought about it and said to myself that if I was selling the car, I wouldn't budge either. So, even though he wasn't open to offers, I'm leaning towards getting it. It was $2500 and then $1500 and now $1000.

So Allan, my "How much?" and "Ok" is still alive and well after all these years. Although, I haven't said OK yet, I think, I just might. Aces...Either you are helping me out big time, or you're helping me get screwed. Oh, fiddle dee dee, after all, tomorrow is another day.

 

If someone tried to lower their offer below $1,000 and that was my car I'd tell you to get lost.
I wouldn't even entertain someone like that. Truth be told.

I won't start using nationalities , but I think you know which I'd choose if I were to say it.
The only way you'd get screwed is if you drove it off a cliff. Even a newb used car salesman could immediately resell that car for a few thousand and double or triple their profit.
But like I said, I'd go for the drivetrain swap and keep it.

 

I didn't offer anything. I asked if he was open to offers. he said no. So, I'll decide tomorrow morning. But I think it might happen. Thanks for the support.

 

Ur lucky that's not close to me, or I'd have bought it already.

U got me looking on Cars.com now LOL

 

And there is always the possability that while you are humhoing about it , it could be sold out from under you so something else to think about.

 

I always considered this a karma thing. I would never allow myself to be rushed by the "you'd better buy it before someone else does" argument, whether it's buying a car, a house, or anything else. If it sold to someone else before I had a chance at it, fine, that's karma, I'll move on to the next one.

 

Right now I still have a few questions for a garage he took the car to and it still has to pass an out of province inspection because I don't plan to change the engine. I'll fix it. An out of province (OOP) checks the driveline, brakes, glass, emissions, electrical, suspension, tires, wheels, steering, body... basically everything. So it's not as easy as just changing the engine. If the car is going to cost me 3-4k to pass an inspection I might as well buy one of the others for sale with less mileage (Kms) and less than $4k than spend time fixing this one up. I will buy this one if it passes. If it requires back breaks to pass then I'll do it. If there are more and more issues, I'll pass. Now to call the garage. If it sells in the meantime, as my mother used to say "Everything happens for a reason."

 

Well boys, I called his garage and they said the car needed a MAF sensor, (no 02 sensor) and a tune up. Tires have been rotated by the garage and are 90% front and 50% back. It turns out that noise when you first start it up is the fuel pump...that's normal for these cars. They came that way from the factory.

So even though he was not open to offers, I made him one final offer anyway...well two actually. $1000 for the car if it passes the inspection and I'd pay for the inspection whether it passes or not. If the car failed I could ask why and possibly fix it right there.

My other offer was $500 for the car as is, without an inspection. I sent the email off to him this morning. My wife called at lunchtime and asked if I received an answer. I said no and told her that he would either agree to the $1000 option or perhaps not. He wouldn't agree to the $500 option. She asked why I would buy a car that might not pass a provincial inspection. I said the car was in excellent shape and the garage that worked on it confirmed the new waterpump, front hubs/rotors and pads, as well as the rear struts. They confirmed from the codes they got, a MAF sensor and a tune up is bacially all it needs. So even if it didn't pass, I did expect to do some work on it (tune up, brakes and tires). Worst case, I could drop in an engine ($650) or sell the rims and scrap the car and get my money back.

Well, just as I was leaving work I got an email from him. Here it is:

Ken, I don't have insurance on the car and with my schedule finding the time to get it to the mechanic. I am being 100% honest with you on this car. G&P Auto in Devon quoted me 400.00 - 450.00 for a tune up. To the best of my knowledge thats all it needs...as the ad says may need rear brakes. At 800.00 it a win win situation. You're getting a solid car that needs some work. It's not an Ontario rust bucket and the car has not been abused as evidenced by driving it last night. At 800.00 and if you had to spend 1500.00 on it including whats already been done, you'd have a great car...let me know.

So I'm going for it. I'll tell him I'll take the car as is. At lunch tomorrow I'll stop by the Registries and get a lien check and a carfax report. If the car has not been been smashed up and there is no money owning on it to anyone, watch for my signature to change and a few more pictures. Now if the wife isn't working maybe she'll give me a lift to the airport?