The $96,500 Next Level Motorsports.com Scam

Update 10-20-11 Oh my...not sure what to say about this.  I think I talked to this guy in February this year, and told him to stay far away from Next Level. He questioned me, and I told him I had no time for him if he didn't want to listen.  The guy that contacted me also mentioned the FBI connection.  If it is, then there is a new member of the Darwin society at large, $96k lighter in the wallet.
Here we go again. Another importing scamming business or two. Preying on peoples hopes and dreams, and their lack of knowledge of importation laws. Here is a clue, if its not a MotoRex car, and its not over 25 years old, ask a lot of questions. Call a lot of people before you send anyone $1.  Ask me, I have 12 years experience with importing, and I am happy to help you, IF you will listen to what I have to say.  If you are an idiot, then please don't contact me.

Next Level has gone big, putting ads in Dupont Registry, putting ads all over the place, but they are just another scam.  I could go though all the names, and all the companies over the years, but please just don't believe it, if someone tells you they can import a car newer than 25 years old. Sure Canada is 15 years, but we don't live in Canada

Here is the story, if anyone can help him or just spread the word about these guys so this never happens again!

Well This story has been going on a while, and I’m fed up and I know I’m not going to get my car now……Please spread this story around the internet so no one ends up like me…..

It’s amazing, hearing stories about people getting scammed on TV and the internet, and all you think is “well that sucks.” I’ve bought hundreds of things on the internet and never had a problem other than a shipping delay or not receiving the right order, but this has always been corrected by the company I ordered from.
I never thought in a million years that I would ever be scammed, I only thought that those who were scammed were those that lacked common sense and were naive. If that’s the case, I’ve joined that group……..
I’ve wanted a Skyline since I was in my teens. And I thought I found one through Eric Thomas of Next Level Motorsport. I thought I did my homework too. I used to work for the FBI and I had my contacts check and see if there were any complaints against this company. My aunt is also a private investigator, I had her do the same. The business checked out. I had Eric send me his business license, and Eric’s business partner Justin Pace, who owns JDM Exchange and handles all of the logistics send me export certificates, HS-7′s, and Bill’s of Lading of other cars he (allegedly) imported. I extensively googled his name, and I found one, at most two posts of people who though he was a scam, but no one who actually stated that they were scammed by him. That seemed sufficient for me (In hindsight though, I should have listened to my gut instinct), so I went ahead and pulled the trigger. Now I realize that all of these documents were forged.

Despite nearly everyone’s warnings on this site in December, I went ahead and purchased the 2002 Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R V-SPEC II Nür, the cream of the crop of skyline’s, for $96,250 USD. There is no typo on the price there. That price included the car itself and compliance work. The car only had 12,000 km on it.
My plan was to hold onto it for a couple years, and then sell it for a profit so that I could buy a cheap house along with the money I earned in those 2 years. Now I’m nearly flat broke. If I am lucky, my car was illegally imported. If it’s not in the country (legally or illegally), then this will be a long and arduous civil case.

Just a little background about this deal. I have dealt with Justin primarily, and I’ll give him credit where credit is due, he is an EXCELLENT bullshitter. He acts like he knows a lot about importing, and he seems to have all of the answers. He is very good at diverting questions you ask him. I didn’t know a lot about importing, and what I did know he mentioned to me and “explained” how it worked, and like an idiot I bought it. He even has contacts in Japan, I actually talked to them and they told me that they had been dealing with Justin for a while. These are the extreme measures he took to fool me.
When push came to shove though, and I asked for the Bill of Lading which he stated he has, I noticed he started ducking me. I’ve asked for this document over a dozen times, and he has failed to provide it, each time providing a different excuse, such as power being out, internet not working, being sick, and this isn’t even a comprehensive list.

More stuff has popped up on the internet about these guys since I purchased the car. Justin Pace, owner of JDM Exchange in San Francisco and who lives in Antioch, CA and Eric Thomas, owner of Next Level Motorsport in Williston, VT are SCAMMERS.
I am former Marine with two year long deployments to Iraq, who is a combat veteran.
If anyone else is a member of other car forums, please spread this message along, I don’t want to see anyone else get scammed. Below are the following links of where I found connections to these guys (mostly Justin), they have popped up in the last couple months after I did further research. Apparently Justin used to own a company called JapImportUSA. I can’t find anyone who was scammed by them, but there is a lot of talk about them

http://www.automotivehelper.com/topic269079.htm

http://www.automotivehelper.com/topic309019.htm

http://www.automotivehelper.com/topic227557.htm

http://www.drifting.com/forums/buy-a…t-selling.html

http://www.bizfind.us/34/137555/jap-…a-co/reno.aspx

http://www.supraforums.com/forum/sho…-Possible-Scam

http://forums.evolutionm.net/sale-ca…raigslist.html

Eric and Justins websites
http://nextlevelmotor.com (now gone)

https://jdmexchange.net/HOME.html

Apparently there was a girl in Alabama who was scammed by Justin too

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/390328…skyline/page-3

I’ve spoken to Justin dozens of times, and **** a few times, and all three of us even had a conference call last night to try to sort things out.

Message to ****. I know you locked down registration, but feel free to invite Justin and Eric onto the forums, it’s only fair to allow them to defend themselves, even though I don’t see how that is possible when I paid for the car, it was supposed to be delivered June 22nd, and I still haven’t received it, or any documentation. If you could make this a sticky it would be much appreciated.

Source: NICO and  MySkylineGTR.comhttp://charlottewoodequestriancenter.com/myskylinegtr/2011/10/07/soldier-scammed-out-of-96250-by-next-level-motorsport/