Is Gotham Garage Still in Business? (2026 Status)

If you’ve binge-watched Car Masters: Rust to Riches and wondered whether the garage behind the wild builds is still open, you’re not alone — the shop’s fate has been tangled up with lawsuit rumors, cast changes, and the cancellation of its Netflix series. Here’s a fact-checked look at what’s actually happening with Gotham Garage as of 2026 — and what remains unconfirmed.

Current status: Operational as of 2026 · Owner: Mark Towle · Location: Temecula, California · Latest season: Season 5 (2023)

Five key facts, one pattern: the business itself has stayed alive while the Netflix show that brought it fame hit a dead end.

Is Gotham Garage Still in Business?

The short answer: yes — the garage itself is still operating. CarBuzz reported that Gotham Garage remains open in Temecula, California, and FetchBusiness confirmed the shop is actively taking on projects as of 2026. The business has not filed for bankruptcy or closed permanently, according to available records.

What is the current status of Gotham Garage?

• Open and building cars under owner Mark Towle
• Location: Temecula, California (CarBuzz)
• No indication of permanent closure from business databases (FetchBusiness)

Is Gotham Garage still open in Temecula?

Yes. The concept car at the center of the Warner Bros. lawsuit was spotted within a few miles of the garage’s Temecula address, suggesting the shop continues to operate in the same area (CarBuzz).

Future plans: Kickstarter and Season 5

Mark Towle reportedly announced a fifth season of Car Masters: Rust to Riches (CarBuzz). However, What’s on Netflix reports the show was canceled after six seasons, and Constance Nunes said the show had been “canceled a while ago.” No credible evidence of a Kickstarter campaign has been found. The implication: the garage may have sought independent funding, but details are unconfirmed.

The pattern: the business and the show are now separate realities.

Who Owns Gotham Garage Now?

Mark Towle has been the owner since the garage’s founding and remains at the helm.

Mark Towle as owner

• Identified as the owner by FetchBusiness (business database)
• Presented as the public face of the garage in news coverage (CarBuzz)

History of ownership

No records indicate any change in ownership since the business began. Towle’s name is consistently associated with Gotham Garage in both business listings and editorial articles.

What this means: all legal and financial consequences flow to one person.

Why Did Gotham Garage Get Sued?

Warner Bros. filed a lawsuit against Gotham Garage over a Batmobile-style concept car dispute, according to CarBuzz (automotive news site). The suit reportedly centered on two Batmobile replicas the garage built and sold for $90,000 each.

Details of the lawsuit

• Suing party: Warner Bros.
• Claimed amount: $20,000 (CarBuzz)
• Subject: Two Batmobile replicas sold by Gotham Garage
• Additional context: The concept car later received a new paint job (orange to white/green) and was spotted near Temecula (CarBuzz)

Outcome

CarBuzz did not report a final judgment or settlement. The case’s resolution remains unclear. HotCars (automotive blog) published a detailed account titled “Here’s What The Gotham Garage Crew Doesn’t Want Fans To Know,” but the article’s specific claims have not been independently verified by tier-1 sources.

The implication: without a settlement or court ruling, the case remains unresolved.

What Happened to Shawn Pilot?

Shawn Pilot appeared as a mechanic on Car Masters: Rust to Riches but no longer appears in the show’s later seasons. However, reliable sources have not confirmed the circumstances of his departure or his current activities.

Shawn Pilot’s departure from Gotham Garage

• He stopped appearing on the show after season 3 or 4, according to fan observations
• No official statement from the garage or Netflix explains his exit
• Online rumors range from a career move to personal reasons, none backed by evidence

Where is Shawn Pilot now?

No verifiable information exists. Social media profiles attributed to Pilot have not been updated with current employment. Until a credible source — such as Pilot himself or a major publication — provides an update, his whereabouts are unknown.

The pattern: his departure is a known gap with no verifiable explanation.

Does Constance Actually Work at Gotham Garage?

Constance Nunes is a central figure on Car Masters and is often seen in the garage. What’s on Netflix (streaming news site) quoted her saying the show “had been canceled a while ago,” but did not clarify whether her role at the physical garage continued after filming stopped.

Constance’s role at the garage

• Confirmed cast member of the Netflix series
• No public statement about leaving the business
• Her Instagram activity suggests she remains involved with automotive projects, but not explicitly at Gotham Garage

Has she left?

Unclear. The research does not contain a definitive statement from the garage or from Constance herself about her current employment status.

The catch: until she posts from the shop, her affiliation is with the show, not the business.

Timeline of Key Events

• 2018: Car Masters: Rust to Riches premieres on Netflix
• 2023: Lawsuit surfaces; CarBuzz and HotCars report on Warner Bros. dispute (CarBuzz)
• 2023: Mark Towle announces Season 5 is “on the way” (CarBuzz)
• 2024: Netflix cancels the series after 6 seasons (What’s on Netflix)
• 2026: Garage still operational per business database (FetchBusiness)

The timeline shows the gap between the garage’s continuity and the show’s termination.

What’s Confirmed vs. Unclear

The pattern: what’s confirmed is limited to basic facts; most details remain speculative.

Key Perspectives

“The show was canceled a while ago.”

— Constance Nunes, as quoted by What’s on Netflix

“Here’s What The Gotham Garage Crew Doesn’t Want Fans To Know.”

— HotCars headline, reporting on the lawsuit

“[Mark] announced that Season 5 of Rust to Riches was on the way.”

— CarBuzz, summarizing Mark Towle’s statement

What This Means Going Forward

Gotham Garage the business is alive, but the brand is caught between two stories: one of a working shop in Temecula that continues to build cars, and another of a Netflix show that ended and a lawsuit that hasn’t been resolved. For fans who discovered the garage through Car Masters, the decision is simple: you can still follow the builds on Instagram and hope for independent content. For car enthusiasts considering a project with the shop, the legal overhang from the Batmobile case may warrant caution. Until Mark Towle clarifies the lawsuit outcome and the crew’s status, the garage remains a real, operating shop — just one with more questions than answers.

Frequently Asked Questions