Reflections on GTM over the years

MMC Racing

I had a 2009 G37 for a number of years. It was then that I first became interested in GTM's big announcement, that they were working on a CARB certified supercharger kit. I sold that car in 2011 before GTM could deliver the kit. In June 2012, I was back with a new 370z and with excitement, searched for updates on the kit.. Still not out.

Over the years, there has been many inconsistencies and head scratchers in their reasoning for the delay. They supposedly went to get tested and the car didn't have enough miles on it. Then the problem was the retest costs versus the opportunity. Then the problem was finding a test car with proper miles and they wanted an M37 to get certified on - not a very popular car. Then the updates just went dark - they were supposedly working on it, but never could provide updates. Throw in a bold announcement that based on their experience with the supercharger kit, they were going to try to get a turbo kit certified. That of course went nowhere..

Over the years, GTM supporters got mad when I asked for updates and pushed them to live up to their commitments. My motives were questioned by GTM and others, like I was some plant from a competitor. As someone who understands business, I often stated what I felt was the real reason this was never completed; that people in California were still buying the kits based on the vaporware promise of eventual CARB certification. GTM felt they weren't missing many sales and it wasn't worth the investment to finish this. If they had been honest about that, there would have been no problem. As people now know, that level of honesty didn't fit into the "marketing machine" that was GTM.

Anyway, as I complete the sale of my 370z to Carmax today, GTM's unfulfilled promise has now outlasted another car for me. I feel bad for the members still caught up in the group buy with their money on the line, but I'm not shedding a tear at the demise of GTM.

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2014 F150 Raptor, 2014 Mazda 3, 2015 Nissan GT-R