New Jersey dealer gutted by $20,000 mistake after buying used Infiniti and is forced to learn a hard lesson

This dealer in New Jersey had to find out the hard way that sometimes looks can be deceiving.

And that you can make a mistake even with the best intentions.

This dealer made a five-figure mistake with a car because someone else had made a mistake and hadn’t reported it.

And the mistake in question was related to one of two things automakers absolutely hate.

It was all fun and games until the engine ‘failed’

In one of his latest YouTube videos, George Saliba of JS Autohaus explained how a previous owner’s mistake ended up affecting the current owner of this Infiniti.

To cut a long story short, the previous owner modified the car and invalidated the warranty.

But – there’s a crucial ‘but’ – the previous owner failed to mention that and include it in the paperwork.

And both the dealer and the current owner found out the hard way when the engine almost literally exploded.

Here’s why the New Jersey dealer had no idea

The problem was that modern engine control units (ECUs) can be tuned in ways that are not immediately obvious during a standard visual inspection or a test drive.

Unless technicians specifically perform an in-depth diagnostic scan looking for modified software parameters, these traces can easily remain hidden.

Translated: you won’t know unless the owner/seller tells you, which, clearly, in this case, they didn’t.

Dealerships often rely on Carfax reports and service histories provided by the owner.

In this case, the owner didn’t mention anything about the mods, and when the engine exploded – causing $20,000 of damage – the dealer found itself in an awkward position.

Infiniti wouldn’t do anything about it because modifying a car automatically invalidates the warranty.

That’s the thing that automakers hate the most, possibly along with the breach of a no-resale clause.

You live, and you learn.