Royal Premier Motors, Dallas TX: a buyer's records
A customer review by Chris Yates, Paris, Texas. Updated November 5, 2026.
Royal Premier Motors, Dallas TX: what the records show about the faulty Pathfinder they sold us
On July 7, 2026, my wife and I paid Royal Premier Motors LLC $10,992.56 cash for a 2020 Nissan Pathfinder SV. Six weeks before that, a Nissan dealer had diagnosed the engine with sludge and misfire codes and written that it needed a complete engine. Within days of buying it, the check engine light came on. Three months later we traded it in for $3,000.
Everything below links to a record you can read for yourself. Where something is only what we were told, or something we don't know, it says so.
Vehicle
2020 Nissan Pathfinder SV
VIN
5N1DR2BN5LC591467
Seller
Royal Premier Motors LLC
Bought
July 7, 2026
Paid, cash
$10,992.56
Got back at trade-in
$3,000.00
Same repair visit, two records
May 2026, Trophy Nissan, Mesquite TX
What the Nissan dealer wrote Repair order 1493296
Customer states check engine light has been flashing at times. Check engine light: complete engine long block assy and needed gaskets, seals... has misfire codes, and engine has sludge...
Nothing about sludge, misfire codes or a needed engine. This is the report the dealer offered free with its listing. See the CARFAX entries
The mileage trail, from the sludge diagnosis to our driveway
Every stop below comes from a dated record with an odometer reading. Between the Nissan dealer's diagnosis and the day we bought it, the car traveled 46 miles.
We paid cash in full. No financing, no add-ons; every product line on the Buyer's Order reads N/A. When the engine couldn't be repaired, the only way out was a trade-in at a Nissan dealer.
Paid, July 7
$10,992.56
Back, Oct 13
$3,000
Lost
$7,992.56
The records from our Royal Premier Motors purchase
Tap any record to see it full size. Private details are blacked out: the prior owner, our address and phone, the buyer's name and signature, a service advisor's name, and the registration sticker numbers. Nothing else is changed. Yellow highlights are ours.
The CARFAX listing
Email we received, July 5, 2026
How we found the car: $9,995, marked "Great Value," with "No Accident or Damage Reported" and "Service History," and a note that Royal Premier Motors was making the full CARFAX report available free.
Trophy Nissan repair order 1493296
Opened May 18, closed May 23, 2026. 112,556 miles
The customer said the check engine light was flashing. The diagnosis: complete engine long block assembly, misfire codes, engine sludge. The only charge was $199.99 for the diagnosis. The oil and tire lines were reminder-light resets at $0.00.
The CARFAX report for the same car
CARFAX report pulled October 19, 2026
The Trophy visit appears as "Vehicle serviced," with an oil change, tire rotation and alignment check. Royal Premier Motors offered the car for sale on June 21. The July 7 inspection shows only "Passed emissions inspection." A ProGuard service contract was issued the same day.
AutoCheck: sold at auction
AutoCheck report pulled October 19, 2026
"Sold at Auto Auction" on June 16 at 112,567 miles, 11 miles after the diagnosis. CARFAX doesn't list the auction.
Texas state inspection, day of sale
July 7, 2026, 4:32 to 4:35 PM. 112,602 miles
The dealership took the car for its state inspection at H&M Tires and Auto while we waited in the lobby, then handed us the keys. The record lists stored fault codes P0300 (random misfire), P0223 and P0123. It passed, because Texas fails a car only when the warning light is commanded on. The inspections in January 2025 and January 2026 showed no codes.
Buyer's Order
Royal Premier Motors LLC, July 7, 2026
$9,995 plus tax and fees, $10,992.56 cash. Every additional product line reads N/A. The odometer is written as 112,567, the auction figure; the state test that afternoon read 112,602.
Buyers Guide: As Is, with coverage written in
July 7, 2026
The top line reads: ask the dealer to put all promises in writing. We did. As Is is checked, and in the Dealer Warranty section the salesperson wrote "3 month, 4500 mile, see docs." The service contract box is left unchecked.
Mathews Nissan scan
September 25, 2026
The same P0300, P0223 and P0123 codes from the July 7 inspection, plus P0011, P2101 and P219E. Mathews Nissan found the sludge and would not repair the engine.
Our registration sticker
Envelope postmarked October 13, 2026
CARFAX shows the title issued September 18, 73 days after the sale. The registration sticker came in an envelope addressed by Royal Premier Motors and postmarked October 13, 98 days after the sale, by which time the car was already at the Nissan dealer.
The listing, taken down
Captured October 30, 2026
CARFAX: "Listing removed by seller on 10/23/2026," 108 days after we bought the car.
Royal Premier Motors on CARFAX
Captured November 2, 2026
The dealer page shows a 2025 CARFAX Advantage Dealer badge. CARFAX describes the program as recognizing dealers "committed to transparency."
What we were told at Royal Premier Motors, and what the paperwork says
Four of us were there: my wife, my in-laws and me. These are our recollections, not quotes, next to the documents.
What we were told
The car had been inspected
We were told their shop had checked the car and everything looked good.
What the record shows
A misfire code on the day of sale
The state inspection the dealership had done that afternoon stored P0300 and two sensor codes. We were never shown that report. See it
What we were told
The powertrain would be covered
We were told the powertrain would be covered, which we understood to include the engine. When asked if the price could come down, we were told it would have to be without the warranty.
What the record shows
A $0 contract that excludes sludge
The ProGuard service contract lists Royal Premier Motors as the selling dealer, 3 months or 4,500 miles, at $0.00. It excludes sludge and parts not working properly at the time of sale. We asked for the coverage in writing, and it went on the As Is Buyers Guide. See it
Royal Premier Motors' reply, in full
We wrote to the dealer on October 16, 2026. This is their answer of October 19, unedited except for email addresses.
Dear Ms. Yates,
Thank you for your email regarding the 2020 Nissan Pathfinder you purchased from Royal Premier Motors on July 7, 2026. We are sorry to hear about the mechanical issues you have experienced.
However, I would like to clarify a few important points regarding this transaction.
At Royal Premier Motors, we provide customers with the opportunity to inspect and test-drive vehicles before making a purchase decision. In your case, you and your family test-drove the vehicle and agreed to proceed with the purchase after evaluating it.
You mentioned that the check-engine light came on within a few days of purchasing the vehicle. While we understand your concern, your formal complaint was received on October 16, 2026, more than three months after the purchase date.
Regarding your allegations about the vehicle's previous mechanical condition, our dealership purchased this vehicle from an automotive auction without any mechanical defects announced to us at the time of purchase. We were not informed of the engine condition you described in your email.
The vehicle was also sold AS-IS, as disclosed in the sales documents signed at the time of purchase. As a used-car dealership, Royal Premier Motors does not provide an independent dealership warranty on vehicles sold under these terms.
We also strongly disagree with the allegations that our dealership knowingly concealed mechanical defects or intentionally misrepresented the vehicle's condition.
We understand your frustration and regret that you are experiencing these issues. However, based on the circumstances and the terms of the completed transaction, we are not agreeing to reverse the sale, issue a refund, or cover the requested repairs.
Thank you for your understanding.
What we don't know
What the dealer knew
We don't know whether anyone at Royal Premier Motors saw the Trophy Nissan repair order, or what was announced at the auction. Only the auction's records can show that. We're not claiming they knew.
What we do know
What the records show
Sludge and misfires documented six weeks before the sale. A history report that showed that visit as maintenance. A misfire code stored on the state inspection the dealership had done the day of sale. Coverage written on an As Is form, pointing to a contract that excluded sludge.
Our Royal Premier Motors story on video
Two videos I posted to TikTok. The first is me telling it; the second walks through the paperwork.
Texas agenciesComplaints filed with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles and the Texas Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division, October 19, 2026.
This page will be updated as things move. If Royal Premier Motors wants to respond, I'll publish its response here in full.
Questions about Royal Premier Motors
Where is Royal Premier Motors?
Royal Premier Motors LLC is a used car dealer at 11649 Chairman Dr, Suite 18, Dallas, TX 75243, in north Dallas near the LBJ Freeway. The phone on our Buyer's Order is (214) 945-2124; CARFAX lists (469) 658-0219. Its website is royalpremiermotors.com. It also lists cars on CARFAX, Facebook Marketplace and in Dallas Facebook car groups.
Is this the same as Royal Motors?
No. Royal Motors LLC on W Northwest Hwy is a different business. This page is only about Royal Premier Motors LLC on Chairman Drive.
Did Royal Premier Motors respond?
Yes. On October 19, 2026, the dealer wrote that it bought the car at auction with no mechanical defects announced, wasn't informed of the engine condition, sold it As Is, and would not reverse the sale, refund, or cover repairs. Read their full reply.
How do I check a Texas car's inspection record for stored codes?
Search the VIN in the Texas Vehicle Inspection History on mytxcar.org (AirCheck Texas). Open each test and read the Fault Codes line. A car can pass with codes stored, as ours did on the day we bought it.
Does CARFAX show every diagnosis?
Not in our case. A Nissan dealer repair order that diagnosed sludge and a needed engine shows on CARFAX as an oil change, tire rotation and alignment check. Before you buy, ask a franchise dealer for that brand to pull the full service history by VIN, and get your own inspection.
What would you tell someone shopping for a used car in Dallas?
Get an independent inspection before you pay, even if you're told the car has been inspected. Pull the state inspection record yourself and read the fault codes. Get every promise in writing, then read the contract it points to before you sign.