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Cheap Auction Cadillac Escalade With 34k Miles Is a Possible Case of a Crash Cover Up

Car flippers, like everyone else, understand if a deal is too good; think twice (or don't even think, just take for the hills). This simple rule is often ignored, and most bidders would rather play an exciting game of Russian roulette with their finances – sometimes paying dearly. But with the proper mechanical experience and industry knowledge, you'll have the upper hand, winning against the house.
2015 Cadillac Escalade 11 photos
Photo: YouTube Screenshot/Samcrac
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Sam of Samcrac's YouTube channel has made a successful career flipping cars on a budget. Uploading his experiences in the nasty auction market has earned him a significant following on the platform. Also, his ability to get his hands dirty gives him an edge over other blue-collar flippers.

He recently acquired a cheap auction 2015 Cadillac Escalade with 34,000 miles (54,717 kilometers) at $10,000 off wholesale auction price. It had a clean title with no accident history and impeccably clean exterior but also had a few errors popping on the dash due to a malfunctioned parking sensor.

"This is definitely one of the stranger ones because it was really cheap, but it looks really good, and it has no accidents on the record, but it is definitely hiding a few secrets," Sam revealed this in the recently uploaded video.

If we learned anything from watching Sherlock Holmes, there's no mystery too hard to solve with a little investigation. And what Sam discovered snooping around his bumper triggered the worst of his fears.

Since the parking sensors were causing the issues, he began his investigation on the front bumper. After some scrutiny, he discovered the bumper on his recently acquired Escalade came with six sensors instead of four.

"I think the dead giveaway here that tells us this was probably an assembly purchased off a wrecked car or spare car is the fact that the grille has a tag for a platinum trim. This is not a platinum trim. I think they call this a premium trim," he said, explaining why he suspected the bumper might have been sourced.

That meant that the grille of his recently acquired vehicle came off an entirely different car which pointed to a possible fender bender cover-up.

Still, there was another issue. The front sensor module was clogged, and the wiring harness was also a bust. After some research and servicing material from his friend, he discovered these Escalade SUVs had issues with the harnesses straight from the factory.

Over time the harnesses could rub up against the car's frame, chafing some of the wires and causing the system to go haywire. Luckily, he was able to get a complete replacement with a new module from a local chevy dealership for $150.

After replacing and fiddling with the sensors, the radar system finally worked. There are still a few electrical errors on the screen, including a seat belt warning that needs servicing. Sam thinks the entire fix on this car will be about $600 given the main issue is already fixed.

We recommend watching the video below, especially for readers looking to buy cheap auction cars. You could learn a thing or two about diagnosing them on a budget.

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About the author: Humphrey Bwayo
Humphrey Bwayo profile photo

Humphrey is a car enthusiast whose love and passion for automobiles extended into collecting, writing, driving, and working on cars. He got his passion for cars from his Dad, who spent thousands of hours working on his old junky 1970 E20 Toyota Corolla. Years later, he would end up doing the same with a series of lemons he’s owned throughout his adult life.
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