[suge]

Hi All -

New member here and hopefully owner as well. I'm looking at an '05 ESV for towing a boat (4800lbs + plus gear).

This particular car is very clean up top with 150K miles, but the trailer receiver had quite a bit of rust (pic below). The outer layer of black paint is flaking. How bad does this look?

There's also some brown discoloration on the two middle parking sensors...any ideas what caused that?





Hi Res image:
http://i.imgur.com/pahYDCb.jpg

 

[the cadillac man]

The rust on the hitch is normal as its not protected like the truck's paint is

The sensors being dis colored could be from the sun or elements

 

[suge]

How do you determine the extent of the rust damage and if the hitch and weld joints are strong enough to tow?

Thanks

 

[the cadillac man]

They are pretty durable
I paint mine in the warm weather and most times before winter

I wouldn't worry about the weld joints as they are heat treated

I know my uncle had never painted the hitch on his gmc and he towed a trailer trailer with it many times with no problems

 

[wesyder]

How do you determine the extent of the rust damage and if the hitch and weld joints are strong enough to tow? Thanks

there is a device that can do an ultrasound on metal to check its integrity.. Eventually the rust is gonna compromise the integrity of the hitch, if there is any doubt replace it, its probably cheaper and easier than finding or paying someone with an ultrasound machine, it must snow where you are, my hitch has no rust

 

[the cadillac man]

there is a device that can do an ultrasound on metal to check its integrity.. Eventually the rust is gonna compromise the integrity of the hitch, if there is any doubt replace it, its probably cheaper and easier than finding or paying someone with an ultrasound machine, it must snow where you are, my hitch has no rust

Yep it's common in areas with snow

I plan on replacing my hitch at some point if needed

 

[godsdiablo]

That bumper looks rigged and maybe he towed a boat and that's from dropping it in the water. My hitch doesn't look anywhere near that and I live in New York. Brown discoloration in paint is most likely from sitting in water. How's the underbody look?

 

[wesyder]

My bad didn't see the snow in the pics, i tow a boat and my hitch doesn't get wet, but i have seen when people try to launch off the shore and the water is almost running inside the truck because its not that steep of a grade

 

[the cadillac man]

^ same here

My dad had a old pickup we used to tow our boat and I have seen him get it in to almost where the gas door would be within a few inches of being in the water

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Also is it just me or does the bumper look like its hit something????
I didn't notice it when I first looked at the pics but after taking a second look it looks like the bumper has a spot of paint missing

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Also it's pushed onto the hitch(note the plastic above the hitch)

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It looks as if the bumper has been pushed in either by backing into something or getting hit by a rear ending

 

[suge]

It's a one owner and was driven in Medfield, MA. Some rust underneath, nothing major that I could see. Clean carfax. I was trying to figure out what happened to the bumper...it's pushed under, near the receiver. No cracks. Maybe they were backing up to a trailer and hit the bumper.

I was also looking at a one owner '04 that is really clean underneath, 120K miles, but had minor front damage reported years ago on carfax. No signs of major repair, felt solid on the test drive.
This dealer will allow me to bring it to MD for inspection prior to purchase.

 

[the cadillac man]

Given the paint spot I guess it's been backed into a pole
My mom's 02 is like that

 

[suge]

It was backed into something big...I noticed the rear wiper mount is slightly dented in.

 

[the cadillac man]

It was backed into something big...I noticed the rear wiper mount is slightly dented in.

Had to be a pole
My guess they had the back up sensors turned off and didn't realize they backed into the pole till it was too late

 

[wesyder]

Maybe some other obstacle since the bumper sits out past the rear wiper

 

[the cadillac man]

Maybe some other obstacle since the bumper sits out past the rear wiper

Possibly