American Shop Accused Of Selling Stolen S2000 Parts
J-Spec Auto Sports has reportedly been selling all kinds of JDM parts taken from stolen vehicles.
Alarming Claims
Many people seeking JDM parts for their rides have come across J-Spec Auto Sports, a U.S.-based parts and tuner shop that sells all sorts of goodies via their web site. Problem is, the site recently came under fire by a host of enthusiasts who started a private Facebook group called "Expose J-Spec autosport," with multiple claims that stolen parts are being sold via the site. Jalopnik recently reported on this situation with some alarming discoveries.
Photos: J-Spec Auto Sports
Farming Out
J-Spec sells both parts and whole vehicles, which are imported from Japan through a legal process. But J-Spec claims that it doesn't handle its own parts sourcing or importing and that those tasks are managed by JDM Racing Japan and other various suppliers located in Japan. Regardless, quite a few folks have come forward after spying cars and/or parts from their stolen vehicles on the site.
Photos: J-Spec Auto Sports
Looks Familiar
One user reported to Yahoo News in Japan that he was searching through J-Spec's site for parts a couple of years after his S15 Silvia was stolen, only to shockingly discover that his car had been sold via the site. Apparently, he knew the car was his because it had the same Nismo sticker he used to cover up a crack in the bumper in the same exact place.
Photos: J-Spec Auto Sports
Damning Evidence
There are many more similar tales present in the "Expose J-Spec" Facebook group, including one from a member that came across the front clip of their stolen EK9 Civic Type R, as well as the bucket seats in a separate listing. One of the most damning pieces of evidence related to the very custom front end of an STI WRC widebody replica, which showed up on the site after it was stolen last summer.
Photos: J-Spec Auto Sports
Gathering Evidence
And then there's the case of two Honda S2000s, one white and one yellow, which were stolen last summer as well, only to show up on J-Spec's site just months later. The Facebook group has been gathering plenty of evidence on these incidents, including videos and pictures of what they claim to be stolen parts and vehicles for sale.
Photos: J-Spec Auto Sports
Addressing the Issue
Several members have also contacted their local law enforcement agencies, but nothing has apparently come of any potential investigations just yet. For their part, J-Spec denies having any knowledge or ties to where these parts and cars come from. J-Spec also posted a very long statement addressing the matter, which mentions that the company is cooperating with an ongoing investigation with Japanese authorities.
Photos: J-Spec Auto Sports
More Claims
If all of that isn't bad enough, there have also been claims that vehicles sold by J-Spec were completed with under-reported mileage numbers and faulty documentation. Things certainly aren't looking good for J-Spec at this point, but there's no way of knowing if or how much they're involved in any potentially illegal activities at this point. Regardless, we'll be keeping a close eye on this story moving forward.
Photos: J-Spec Auto Sports