About to purchase a 2015 Escalade Premium

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DonnyJones

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My wife and I came across a 2015 Escalade Premium yesterday without even looking for one. It's a beautiful vehicle and has every option imaginable.

It's a 1 owner with 22,000 miles on it. They are asking $46,995. It was owned by an older gentleman that barely drove it and never used the backseat. He sold it for a truck as he didn't need all the room I was told.

So we put down $500 on it to hold it as we are suppose to go later this week and sign for it.

I know its a new year model and I believe it also comes with the 8 speed tranny, that I hear has a ton of issues on it.

Thoughts on this? The autocheck report came back excellent. https://www.slmotors.com/iframe.htm...9FR665641&width=990&height=450&scrolling=true

Link to the vehicle mentioned on the website: https://www.slmotors.com/used/Cadil...n-Bay-WI-3d4b2c4c0a0e094a1f1e525cd6dbbc71.htm

Just looking to get your thoughts and knowledge on these vehicles. I have never owned a GM before but I really like the Escalade/Denali styling.
 

dpollak81

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Drive it before you buy it and really pay attention to the transmission behavior. Make sure you get to start it cold and drive it first. The issues with that transmission is that it will have a hard 1-2 shift after first starting it. Also you want to look for surging between 2-3 or 3-4. Also pay attention for any shuddering while lightly accelerating in the 35-60mph range.

With only 22k miles it might not be doing any of these but doesn’t mean it won’t.

If you can get a service history on it see if all the tsb have been done on it, especially the updated transmission fluid.

Also check the struts/shocks for leaking based on age.

If it’s all good and checks out 46k seems like a decent deal based on my west coast experience.
 

91RS

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It looks well kept and has Michelins on it so that's a good thing. I do really like that Kona interior. I generally tell people to steer clear of a 15 or 16, because they're usually pretty bad, and get an 18 to be safe. They have so many problems and with the low mileage, it is very likely none of those things have gone wrong yet. I'm going to break away from my usual recommendation here (which is avoid at all costs). Give this thing a VERY good test drive (like 20+ miles, see if they'll let you take it home overnight would be better). Get it on the highway and make sure there is no vibration at 72mph - this body style is EXTREMELY sensitive to wheel and tire vibrations, the suspension is also much rougher on the early ones compared to an 18-20 so make sure you can live with it. There are updated steering gear bushings that make a huge difference but they still don't ride anywhere near as well as a well sorted 07-14 (read: not a worn out truck with everything blown out). Some people seem to have had decent luck deleting the mag ride and going with Bilsteins or one of the coilover setups but it still isn't a guarantee. Make sure you can live with the transmission, the torque converter shudder is really the only thing that can be fixed. They shift rough and are very busy (thus my recommendation of an 18 because they have the 10 speed). There are lots of other problems such as blown mag ride shocks, radio software updates, bad battery cables, leaky radiators (casued by the thermostat), etc. My final and most important recommendation is: this appears to be a CDJR dealer, buy the Mac Daddy MOPAR Platinum extended warranty! You WILL need it and their warranty is VERY good from my experience. They don't BS around and try and send their own used or aftermarket garbage quality parts or jerk around about the labor and screw the tech working on the car. You can use it at a GM dealer.
 

SpyShops212

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Don’t do it! Get a 2018 and up which had the 10-speed. You can get a 2018 with under 50k miles and get a GMPP warranty up to 100k miles. I bought a 2018 Lux with 48k in white with the platinum GMPP for 55k at a dealer. The difference bet. the lux and premium is no ACC and no lighted door handles which I can add for $400. The 2015 had suspension issues which gave this generation a poor rating but got worked out in 2017 and they have booming/vibration issues. The 2015 was the first year and I would never buy a 1st year model because of bugs. I seen for 50k a 2018 premium on Carvana. The 2018-2020 has the same engine and transmission like the 2023. The 2015 doesn’t have A.Auto/CarPlay, self park assist, updated wireless charger, HD cluster on some and the suspension mode button only changes the shocks not the suspension, transmission and steering from sport to tour mode also no winter mode. The 2015 had A/C condenser issues too. I think 2015 is too old, like 8 years now. The price should be 35k max for the one you want.
 

swathdiver

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Don’t do it! Get a 2018 and up which had the 10-speed. You can get a 2018 with under 50k miles and get a GMPP warranty up to 100k miles. I bought a 2018 Lux with 48k in white with the platinum GMPP for 55k at a dealer. The difference bet. the lux and premium is no ACC and no lighted door handles which I can add for $400. The 2015 had suspension issues which gave this generation a poor rating but got worked out in 2017 and they have booming/vibration issues. The 2015 was the first year and I would never buy a 1st year model because of bugs. I seen for 50k a 2018 premium on Carvana. The 2018-2020 has the same engine and transmission like the 2023. The 2015 doesn’t have A.Auto/CarPlay, self park assist, updated wireless charger, HD cluster on some and the suspension mode button only changes the shocks not the suspension, transmission and steering from sport to tour mode also no winter mode. The 2015 had A/C condenser issues too. I think 2015 is too old, like 8 years now. The price should be 35k max for the one you want.
The target car looks like a 2015.5 as it does have the wireless charger. It's my understanding that the earlier ones didn't have this and those other features you mentioned.
 

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