ShopKiaStinger.com/Vivid Visual Strut Brace Fitment Issues

[AdrianG]

I figured this is probably the best place to post this in

Not sure how familiar y'all are with this company (shopkiastinger.com or they appear to market themselves as Vivid Visual on social media), but
I just received this new strut brace from them and upon install learned that it fits like hell.
Firstly, you'll have to pull up the front trim piece in the engine bay (plastic trim piece what fits around the latch) to get the front of the strut brace underneath, perhaps a minor inconvenience.
Secondly, the brace fits very tightly against the map sensor on the charge pipe, maybe not a big deal, but nonetheless.
Thirdly, and best of all, the hood does not appear to close with the strut brace installed.
So, at the current time, I cannot recommend anyone purchase the strut brace in question until at least some resolution is come to.

 

[AdrianG]

Just wanted to provide an update in case anyone else reads this thread. I was able to get the hood to close using this brace by messing with the rubber boots a bit on the hood, and by essentially letting the hood drop shut, not gently like the OEM braces allow. It is a tight fit, but doable.

 

[Deviate]

Who makes that brace?

 

[AdrianG]

Who makes that brace?

These guys. And I just realized what @MerlintheMad titled that jpg. LOL

 

[Deviate]

Thanks, more outta dumb curiosity.

Yea he does that....it was a big deal for him to get the CF plate frame. Hahahaha! Thats right i buddy i said it.


Just fun @MerlintheMad

 

[MerlintheMad]

^^^You guys are in funny moods. So am I. All good. Goodnight.

 

[AdrianG]

Thanks, more outta dumb curiosity.

Yea he does that....it was a big deal for him to get the CF plate frame. Hahahaha! Thats right i buddy i said it.


Just fun @MerlintheMad

It's certainly a unique brace. I'm kind of on the same page as Merlin, honestly, but I'm far from a purist, haha.

 

[Deviate]

Just wanted to provide an update in case anyone else reads this thread. I was able to get the hood to close using this brace by messing with the rubber boots a bit on the hood, and by essentially letting the hood drop shut, not gently like the OEM braces allow. It is a tight fit, but doable.

I just looked at the page. Im wondering if the angles that the bolt tabs are welded a little off angle. In turn fitment issues

 

[AdrianG]

I just looked at the page. Im wondering if the angles that the bolt tabs are welded a little off angle. In turn fitment issues

You can see here that this joint juts up pretty sharply, I believe this joint on both sides of the brace (this is where it bolts to the forward portion of the engine bay) pushes the plastic trim upwards and causes a very tight fitment against the hood, but it will close if you let it slam shut, more or less. A less dramatic and more low profile angle of a joint would allow for superior fitment.

 

[playerbase]

You can see here that this joint juts up pretty sharply, I believe this joint on both sides of the brace (this is where it bolts to the forward portion of the engine bay) pushes the plastic trim upwards and causes a very tight fitment against the hood, but it will close if you let it slam shut, more or less. A less dramatic and more low profile angle of a joint would allow for superior fitment.

Hopefully the store is willing to fix it, or return the brace if you can. Wouldn't recommend purchasing from that store though..

 

[AdrianG]

Hopefully the store is willing to fix it, or return the brace if you can. Wouldn't recommend purchasing from that store though..

Have you dealt with them before?

 

[playerbase]

Have you dealt with them before?

I haven't dealt with them before, but I might be wrong but in one of the FB groups someone found that store/Vivid Visual is reselling the akrapovic and using their pictures just blurring out the logo on a picture they use. They're claiming that all orders are "custom made products" so you get my point... If you're manufacturing/sourcing a product why can't you take pictures of your own product? Not only that but they're charging an arm and leg when compared to the actual price of the exhaust tips themselves. This is just one example, there's another that I know of, but I'm not here to bash on them.

 

[Deviate]

My .02...if you're not happy with how it fits see if you can return it. If it's supposed to be a 1:1 replacement then there shouldn't be an issue on install. Let alone the hood not shutting easy. Other option if they want to do business badly (IMO) maybe you can tweek it enough to slide in like it should.

I can't say anything from personal experience on the company, so can't help there.

 

[AdrianG]

I haven't dealt with them before, but I might be wrong but in one of the FB groups someone found that store/Vivid Visual is reselling the akrapovic and using their pictures just blurring out the logo on a picture they use. They're claiming that all orders are "custom made products" so you get my point... If you're manufacturing/sourcing a product why can't you take pictures of your own product? Not only that but they're charging an arm and leg when compared to the actual price of the exhaust tips themselves. This is just one example, there's another that I know of, but I'm not here to bash on them.

I appreciate you bringing attention to that. It certainly appears they are doing exactly that. Why they are trying to sell Akrapovic tips at such a massive mark up is beyond me. Definitely not making for a good look.

 

[playerbase]

I appreciate you bringing attention to that. It certainly appears they are doing exactly that. Why they are trying to sell Akrapovic tips at such a massive mark up is beyond me. Definitely not making for a good look.

Crazy thing is, the dude literally said "your an idiot" when someone tried to call him out on it on FB. He has a tendency to get an attitude anytime you call him out, not really professional if you ask me. Wouldn't wanna deal with someone like that, let alone give them hundreds of dollars of my money.

 

[AdrianG]

Crazy thing is, the dude literally said "your an idiot" when someone tried to call him out on it on FB. He has a tendency to get an attitude anytime you call him out, not really professional if you ask me. Wouldn't wanna deal with someone like that, let alone give them hundreds of dollars of my money.

Mind sharing a link to the Facebook page in question?

 

[playerbase]

Mind sharing a link to the Facebook page in question?

Log into Facebook

Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

www.facebook.com

Post about the exhaust tips, just scroll through the comments in there. I can edit this post with a screenshot of it if you'd like. It's a private group though if I'm not wrong, so you won't be able to see it unless if you're in it.

 

[AdrianG]

Log into Facebook

Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

www.facebook.com

Post about the exhaust tips, just scroll through the comments in there. I can edit this post with a screenshot of it if you'd like. It's a private group though if I'm not wrong, so you won't be able to see it unless if you're in it.

Sounds good. I'll join the group. Thanks man

 

[AdrianG]

Log into Facebook

Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

www.facebook.com

Post about the exhaust tips, just scroll through the comments in there. I can edit this post with a screenshot of it if you'd like. It's a private group though if I'm not wrong, so you won't be able to see it unless if you're in it.

Haven't seen the post. I would honestly love to call them out on their BS, at least in the hopes that it will save someone from paying over 400 for some 100 dollar tips.

 

[playerbase]

Haven't seen the post. I would honestly love to call them out on their BS, at least in the hopes that it will save someone from paying over 400 for some 100 dollar tips.

Search for “Anthony Tortoriello” in the group and the first result should be about exhaust tips. Go through the comments and you’ll see pretty much everything I was talking about.