Spark plugs at dealership - aftermarket brace ok? - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

Brink · 10-09-2022, 05:03 PM

I should be getting my spark plugs changed with my next service in a few weeks, just getting it done at the dealership. I have the Hotchkis strut tower brace installed, which has a bar going directly over the engine. Should I remove this (and reinstall the OEM bars) before taking the car in, or just let them deal with it?

I'm just hesitant to have them deal with any aftermarket parts because once when I asked them to look at an exhaust issue their comments on the report were just "found aftermarket exhaust installed" (I only have a catback) and they didn't check on the actual issue so I don't want them to skip the spark plug change and just say "found aftermarket strut brace installed."

soundman98 · 10-09-2022, 05:28 PM

if your going to the dealer, keep the car oem

Grady · 10-10-2022, 10:43 PM

If the technician can not figure out how to work around a strut tower brace you don’t want him working on your car anyway.

x808drifter · 10-11-2022, 12:27 AM

But I'd tell them just to be sure.

Brink · 10-11-2022, 01:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grady

If the technician can not figure out how to work around a strut tower brace you don’t want him working on your car anyway.

I'm sure they can figure it out, what I'm not sure of is if they care enough to work around it, or if they'll just use it as an excuse to skip a time-consuming part of the service. I've left the brace on every time I took the car in for service for the past 4 years or so and nobody said anything, this is just the first time I thought it might actually be in the way.

Sapphireho · 10-11-2022, 06:21 AM

Wait..

Unless it's part of warranty work, or something you have already contracted for with fine print, a "dealership" garage is like any other garage. They do work for money.

You take your car in, ask them to do a job, they do it, and you pay them. If they say they don't want to do a job because the car has " X" installed, you say thank you, pay them nothing, and go to another shop.

10-09-2022, 05:03 PM	#1
Brink Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Drives: 2017 BRZ Location: CA Posts: 662 Thanks: 200 Thanked 392 Times in 236 Posts Mentioned: 3 Post(s)	Spark plugs at dealership - aftermarket brace ok? I should be getting my spark plugs changed with my next service in a few weeks, just getting it done at the dealership. I have the Hotchkis strut tower brace installed, which has a bar going directly over the engine. Should I remove this (and reinstall the OEM bars) before taking the car in, or just let them deal with it? I'm just hesitant to have them deal with any aftermarket parts because once when I asked them to look at an exhaust issue their comments on the report were just "found aftermarket exhaust installed" (I only have a catback) and they didn't check on the actual issue so I don't want them to skip the spark plug change and just say "found aftermarket strut brace installed."

10-09-2022, 05:28 PM	#2
soundman98 ProCrastinationConsultant Join Date: Sep 2013 Drives: '14 Ranger, '18 Tacoma 4Dr LB Location: chicago-ish Posts: 11,327 Thanks: 35,240 Thanked 13,677 Times in 6,782 Posts Mentioned: 98 Post(s)	if your going to the dealer, keep the car oem __________________ "The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time"

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10-10-2022, 10:43 PM	#3
Grady Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Drives: BRZ Yellow, Ranger, Evora, WCM S2K Location: Dallas Posts: 1,712 Thanks: 354 Thanked 1,500 Times in 786 Posts Mentioned: 14 Post(s)	If the technician can not figure out how to work around a strut tower brace you don’t want him working on your car anyway.

10-11-2022, 12:27 AM	#4
x808drifter LMGTFY Join Date: Mar 2016 Drives: 13 FRS, 91 Miata Location: Lava Town, HI Posts: 2,776 Thanks: 5,561 Thanked 3,650 Times in 1,625 Posts Mentioned: 15 Post(s)	But I'd tell them just to be sure.

10-11-2022, 06:21 AM	#6
Sapphireho Famous Potatoes Join Date: Mar 2016 Drives: '15 ultramarine Location: Idaho Posts: 14,097 Thanks: 5,833 Thanked 19,732 Times in 9,284 Posts Mentioned: 163 Post(s)	Wait.. Unless it's part of warranty work, or something you have already contracted for with fine print, a "dealership" garage is like any other garage. They do work for money. You take your car in, ask them to do a job, they do it, and you pay them. If they say they don't want to do a job because the car has " X" installed, you say thank you, pay them nothing, and go to another shop.

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