They destroyed my GTR so I sued them out of existence.

Short summary

The creator bought a used Nissan GT‑R in July 2023. Shortly after purchase a check‑engine light led to a two‑plus‑year saga of misdiagnosis, shop failures, warranty drama, and litigation. He eventually recovered parts, sold the car as‑is, sued AAM Competition, and won a civil judgment — but realistic collection of the award is unlikely because AAM went bankrupt.

Timeline & key events

1. July 2023
   • Bought a GT‑R from an exotic car dealership in Dallas after a third‑party inspection.
   • Dealer agreed to fix a minor head‑gasket leak.
2. Shortly after driving it home to Washington, DC
   • Check‑engine light appeared for cylinder 3 misfire and random misfires.
3. Initial attempts
   • Performed basic DIY diagnostics.
   • Several shops and dealerships either turned him away or gave inconclusive assessments.
   • Passport Nissan (Alexandria/DC) identified an intake manifold/air leak and quoted a major repair; later suggested possible engine replacement (estimates varied widely).
4. October 24, 2023
   • Took the car to AAM Competition (Odin, MD).
   • AAM found silicone in the engine and catastrophic damage on bank 1 (passenger turbo/wastegate failure → overboost → cylinder 3 scorched).
5. Warranty claim
   • AAM submitted a claim to the DOWC warranty company; DOWC paid the $25,000 limit.
   • The creator later alleges AAM concealed the silicone/workmanship evidence to obtain the payout.
6. 2024
   • Repeated delays from AAM and the machine shop (wrong pistons, shipping/machine‑shop backlogs).
   • AAM became increasingly unresponsive and eventually ghosted the owner.
7. December 2024
   • Hired an attorney and filed suit (replevin and breach of contract) in Maryland.
8. Early 2025
   • AAM filed bankruptcy and shut down.
   • The owner discovered the rebuilt engine had been finished months earlier at a machine shop that AAM hadn’t paid.
9. Recovery and sale
   • After recovering all parts and incurring significant expense/time, he chose not to finish the rebuild (would cost another $50–60k) and sold the car as‑is for $35,000.
10. December 18, 2025 - District Court of Maryland ruled in his favor, awarding roughly $30,000. - Practical recovery of that award is unlikely without further litigation to pierce corporate protections.

Diagnosis / technical findings (reported)

• Primary failure: passenger‑side turbo wastegate failure → overboosting of cylinders 1/3/5 → elevated temperatures and piston/liner damage (cylinder 3 most severely affected).
• Evidence of excessive silicone/sealant in the engine, consistent with alleged poor workmanship from the shop that replaced the head gasket before purchase.
• Machine shop work: block built with Weissco pistons and Manly rods, bored/line‑honed to approximately 95.58 mm (within GT‑R safe range).

Legal / recovery steps taken

• Contacted the selling dealership (received no meaningful response).
• Took the car to multiple shops, then AAM Competition; AAM submitted the warranty claim to DOWC.
• Hired a lawyer in December 2024 and sent a demand letter.
• Filed suit (replevin and breach of contract) in January 2025.
• After service of process and months of silence, AAM declared bankruptcy and closed.
• Recovered parts from the machine shop and pursued the civil case — won a judgment but faces practical barriers to collection.

Why he didn’t pursue the dealership or other options earlier

• The dealership ghosted him and he feared they would deny responsibility given elapsed time/mileage.
• Logistical constraints from working as a travel ER nurse (frequent relocations and inability to be onsite to manage or confront the dealer).
• Initially underestimated the severity because the car still drove reasonably at first.
• Tendency to trust professionals, be patient, and avoid being perceived as a “problem” customer.

Aftermath / current vehicles

• Sold the GT‑R as‑is for $35,000 to avoid further debt and time sink.
• Keeps other vehicles:
  • BMW E36 M3
  • 1995 Toyota Land Cruiser (imported from Japan, daily driver)
  • 1989 Toyota Supra (planned projects)

Notable locations, companies, products, and people

• Locations:
  • Dallas (exotic car dealership)
  • Washington, DC area
  • Passport Nissan (Alexandria/DC)
  • AAM Competition (Odin, MD)
  • Unnamed machine shop
  • District Court of Maryland
• Companies / products:
  • Nissan GT‑R
  • DOWC (warranty company)
  • Weissco pistons
  • Manly rods
• People:
  • Creator / speaker (travel ER nurse)
  • Mike Mafy and Randall Mafy (AAM Competition owners/operators)