Buying an auction car is like playing the lottery. You could win or lose. Sam of Samcrac YouTube channel specializes in buying auction cars for profit. Over the last couple of episodes, he's been on a losing streak buying one lemon after the other. In his latest episode, he featured two stolen theft recovery cars. A 2015 Cadillac Escalade ESV and a rare BMW Aplina B7.
Sam got a massive bargain on the stolen recovery SUV, and since it had low mileage (58,940 miles/94,855 km), he figured he could as well try his luck. On the flip side of the deal, the 2015 Cadillac Escalade had two VINs, a notable misfire, and a check engine light.
"I wonder if my auction losing streak is going to continue here or not, but I'm hoping not because I have really wanted a bigger truck for a long time," Sam said.
The car works pretty well, and all the electronics seem to be up to date. Sam reveals that he bought it for about $8,000 less than the nearest comp due to its theft history.
The best thing about this purchase is that he did not get it "as is," meaning that if it eventually ends up with a catastrophic problem, he can legally contact the auction for a resolution.
After plugging in an OBD II Reader, he got a P0016-00 Code or a "Crankshaft Position - Camshaft Position Not Plausible" reading. In his experience, that's never a good sign.
The P0016 error code is known to occur in Cadillac Escalade vehicles. The code will be triggered when the crankshaft position sensor and camshaft position sensor are out of alignment or when there is a sensor problem. Moreover, it could also mean that the timing chain is stretched, and it jumped a tooth or two.
This code is considered important, and Sam thinks it could be a deal breaker. The crank and cam sensors collaborate for an adequate engine air/fuel ratio. When the timing is off, it could lead to notable issues such as a rough idle or engine start issues.
Sam will have to contact the auction about the error code. The second theft recovery car was a super-rare BMW Alpina B7 (as is purchase). Even though he got it for a steal (10%of original price), it was a true nightmare. We recommend watching the video below to find out how he turned his fortune on it.
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. Full profile
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