From 1995 to 2003, the Oldsmobile Aurora was a top-of-the-line luxury sedan. It would later supersede both the Toronado and Ninety-Eight in the lineup. Two generations were in production, resulting in sales of more than 213,000 units. This beautiful example from 2002 is a one-owner car with 72,000 miles and is priced at just $4,999 by a dealer in Lynnwood, Washington. If you’re looking for a nice second car that isn’t bare-bones transportation, this one could be viewed here on craigslist.
Times had changed beginning in the 1970s, so larger-than-life rear-wheel-drive automobiles began to fade from being in vogue. The Aurora was sensibly sized, using a Buick Riviera base that was developed from the Cadillac G-body platform. V6 and V8 engines were offered, paired with a 4-speed automatic transmission. Demand for the car tapered over time from a peak of around 50,000 annual units to less than 11,000 in 2002.
We don’t know if this car was “not your father’s Oldsmobile”, but it could still be yours if you’re in the market. It’s clearly been babied by its owners of 24 years and likely has recently landed on this dealer’s lot. With FWD, this Olds has the 3.5-liter V6 engine, which should be tolerable on gasoline consumption, at least according to the standards of its era. The seller isn’t going to dicker on price, so bring five crisp $1,000 bills, and he’ll give you a dollar in change.
From what we can tell, everything seems original, from the sheet metal to the paint and leather interior. It’s said to have been well serviced, and we hope the seller was presented with copies of the car’s records since the day it was first delivered. If you were to run a CarFax on this Olds, it is not going to turn up any accident reports, per the dealer. And thanks for the tip, “Curvette.”
These were great cars. I had the opportunity for a free week rental of a slightly older version. Later found out that my brother’s girlfriend was hiding it from repo men. I had a car but she was weirdly insistent that I take it out of town.