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- Avoid cheap bolt-on spacers. The lug nuts on them can be soft and round out easily. Also, on cheap spacers, the studs can be pressed in not securely enough. If you're going to get bolt-on spacers, make sure to get ones from a reputable mfg or vendor.
- Avoid plasti-dip if you're going to do a shit-job. Use it if you're going to learn, prep, and apply properly. Also avoid it if you have poor taste cause it can look cheap if not part of a cohesive design.
- Avoid external wet carbon fiber parts if you're not going to wax them monthly (for U.V. protection). It needs care to keep from oxidizing.
- Avoid cheap coil-overs (less than $600), they'll fuck up both your ride and handling and will probably wear or break prematurely.
- Avoid rod-ends in suspension parts if you don't plan on servicing them as wear items.
- Avoid the TRD quickshifter kit if you're not ok with using loctite to secure it.
- Avoid hood vents that unintentionally reinforce collision crumple points under the hood. You might regret this (dearly) in a collision.
- Avoid titanium exhaust piping unless you don't mind rasp and noise. They're light, expensive and beautiful, but man are they loud.
- Avoid lowering your car more than 1.6" - 2" in the rear without considering axle/diff geometry. Easiest way to have axle issues (even with aftermarket axles) is to run low without correcting this issue (diff risers work.)
- Avoid custom intakes on N/A cars as they generally don't add any power that a drop-in filter won't also add. Many mfgs that produce intakes compare the stock intake vs. their custom intake + a tune. "Secret" is, most of the 0-10 WHP power gains are coming from the tune not the intake. A Drop-in filter + tune nets roughly the same gains over the stock CAI give or take a 1-3 WHP "margin of error" as an aftermarket intake + tune.
- Avoid the 1st gen Innovate S/C kit (according to some. Personally, idk)
- Anything from vendors that rip on other vendors or try to outsmart customers by spreading FUD about competitors. It's painful to watch them do this. Pet peeve to no end.
- Avoid vendors that don't have a communication process that they stick to. This is tough to find in this industry, but there are vendors that do communicate well and regularly on things like drop-ship, back-orders, and order status.
- OFT is fine if you're not really going aggressive F.I. If you want ECUTek later, OFT's resale reliably for $400.
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