Luxury car dealership Mascardi has broken its silence following the controversy surrounding Kenyan content creator Victor Karanja, popularly known as Victor Peace, who claimed that a BMW 523 he purchased from the dealership developed persistent mechanical problems before suffering engine failure.
In an official statement, Mascardi said the vehicle was purchased in May 2025 and was a 14-year-old locally used BMW with approximately 121,000 kilometres on the clock.
The dealership’s response comes after Victor shared his experience on Instagram, claiming that he was facing an estimated KSh 700,000 engine replacement bill after the vehicle allegedly developed problems shortly after purchase.
Mascardi Explains BMW’s Condition at Time of Sale
Mascardi maintained that the vehicle’s age, mileage, local-use history and condition had been disclosed to Victor before the transaction.
“The vehicle is a 14-year-old, locally used BMW, with approximately 121,000km, sold to our client in May 2025,” the dealership stated.
It further clarified that the car was neither newly imported nor brand new, adding that its pricing and payment terms reflected its condition.
The dealership also claimed that it had accommodated several deferred payments from Victor, which it said remained in arrears even before the recent developments.
Victor, however, previously alleged that the BMW was advertised on the dealership’s website as having zero defects, despite reportedly showing numerous errors during a computer diagnostic check.
He also recounted experiencing a fuel smell days after collecting the vehicle, followed by oil leaks, coolant loss and jerking during acceleration. He claimed that a cylinder misfire persisted despite attempts to address the problem.
Dealership Cites Accident and Flooding
In its statement, Mascardi said the BMW had experienced two significant incidents while in Victor’s possession in 2026: a frontal accident and exposure to floodwaters that reportedly resulted in water entering the vehicle.
The dealership argued that these incidents were important in understanding the circumstances surrounding the engine failure.
“While previous diagnostic records during pre-purchase inspections have been referenced in recent discussions, the reported engine failure only occurred a few weeks after the vehicle's subsequent exposure to flooding and water ingress and not in the year prior,” the statement read.
Mascardi added that it had consulted multiple BMW specialists over the previous two months to assess the damage and explore possible repair solutions.
Victor had previously said the car developed catastrophic engine problems after he experienced flooding and later heard a loud, gunshot-like sound while driving near the Australian Embassy.
Mascardi Addresses Engine Replacement and Resolution
The dealership said it had agreed to handle an engine replacement but acknowledged challenges in its after-sales service.
Mascardi also disclosed that Victor had proposed providing marketing services in place of payments, an arrangement it said required further discussions after the costs had been established.
“We had received a proposal for marketing services from our client in lieu of payments which we were regrettably unable to authorize immediately but had agreed to continue these discussions and payment arrangements,” the statement read.
The company added that it had received written authorisation from Victor two weeks before issuing its statement.
Mascardi further clarified that its new-car imports and locally used vehicles operate under separate business functions and quality-control procedures. It said it currently does not provide warranties on locally used vehicles but welcomes independent pre-purchase inspections.
