2014 Suburu BRZ - A Service

2014 Suburu BRZ - A Service Pawlik Automotive Podcast · Jun 8, 2026

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Car

2014 Subaru BRZ

The 2014 Subaru BRZ is a small sports car from Subaru. It uses a Subaru engine and sends power to the rear wheels, which helps it feel fun and controllable. It was also made in nearly the same form by Toyota/Scion, so parts and design ideas overlap a lot.

Brand

Toyota

Toyota is brought up because it makes a very similar version of the BRZ. So if you’re looking at one, you’ll often see the same basic engineering ideas across the Toyota and Subaru versions.

Brand

Scion

Scion is mentioned because, back then, Toyota also sold a version of this same sports car under the Scion name. It’s basically the same idea as the Subaru and Toyota versions.

Term

rear-wheel drive

Rear-wheel drive means the back wheels get the power. Cars with this setup often feel more “playful” when you’re trying to slide or rotate the car.

Term

traction control

Traction control is a safety feature that helps prevent the wheels from spinning when you accelerate. For drifting, you often want some wheel slip, so traction control can make it harder unless it’s adjusted or disabled.

Term

gas systems

“Gas systems” here means how the car responds to your accelerator pedal. Modern cars can limit power delivery to help with stability, which can make sliding harder than it used to be.

Term

A service

An “A service” is a basic maintenance visit. It usually includes an oil change and a quick look over key areas to catch problems early.

Term

B service

A “B service” is the next level of scheduled maintenance after an “A service.” It’s usually more thorough, but this clip doesn’t explain what’s included.

Term

two post hoist

A “two post hoist” is a car lift with two posts that raises the car. It lets the shop look underneath more easily than if the car stays on the ground.

Term

variable valve timing

Variable valve timing is an engine system that changes when the intake and exhaust valves open during operation. That helps the engine make better power and efficiency across different speeds and loads.

Term

overhead cam

Overhead cam means the camshaft sits up in the cylinder head. That helps control the engine’s valves more precisely.

Term

boxer

A “boxer” engine is a type of engine where the cylinders are laid out flat. The pistons move sideways, and the left and right sides work against each other.

Term

horizontally opposed engine

A horizontally opposed engine is another way to say “flat engine.” The cylinders are arranged left and right, and the engine is built to work smoothly with that layout.

Brand

Porsche's

Porsche is a car brand known for using a boxer-style engine in some models. In this segment, they’re mentioned as an example of a modern boxer-engine maker.

Car

Porsche 911

The Porsche 911 is a sports car made by Porsche. It’s famous for its engine design and for being built for driving performance. People mention it a lot because it’s one of the most recognizable and respected sports cars Porsche makes.

Brand

Volkswagen Beetles

The Volkswagen Beetle is brought up as an old, widely produced car that used a boxer-type engine. It’s a historical example of this engine layout in everyday cars.

Car

Volkswagen Beetle

The Volkswagen Beetle is a small, classic car made by Volkswagen. It became well-known for its unique shape and for being produced for many years. People bring it up because it’s one of the most recognizable early compact cars.

Term

normally aspirated

Normally aspirated means there’s no turbo or supercharger. The engine breathes using air pressure and the throttle, not extra “boost” from a compressor.

Term

port injection system and a direct injection system

This engine uses two ways to deliver fuel. One system puts fuel into the intake passages, and the other sprays fuel directly into the cylinders, helping the computer fine-tune how the engine runs.

Term

computer control

The engine has a computer that constantly adjusts how it runs. It controls things like fuel delivery so the engine can perform well and run efficiently.

Term

injecting fuel

Fuel injection is how the engine computer sends fuel into the engine. It controls the timing so the engine burns fuel efficiently.

Car

Hi, it's Mark.

I'm here with Bernie Pawlik, Pawlik Automotive in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and we're talking

cars.

How are you doing, Bernie?

Doing very well today.

So today's guest is a 2014 Subaru BRZ.

What kind of a what the heck is this?

I'm not familiar with this car.

Yeah, it's not a super common car, but it's a neat little sports car.

It's a Subaru with Subaru engine, but Toyota makes exactly the same car.

I come with what they call theirs.

And there's also a Scion model as well.

And all three of them, they're basically the same car.

It's a Toyota Subaru collaboration car.

It's got a Subaru engine, a Subaru drivetrain with a rear-wheel drive, not all

wheel drive like Subaru's.

So it's a cool car and for people who like to drift cars, in other words,

have the back end spin around if you can still do that in this modern day of

traction control and gas systems, which I'm sure you can still do that.

These are a desired car for that fee, that driving.

So there's our vehicle 2014.

So it's now at this point in time.

And if it's a fifth, no, it's a 12 year old car, beautiful shape, really good shape,

110,000 kilometers, so nice little mileage.

And it was just in for a maintenance service.

So maintenance service is basically an A service or a B.

This one was in for an A service.

And what's included in that?

So an A service is an oil and filter change and inspection.

We look at things like the air filter, under hood inspection, under vehicle

inspection, but not a wheel off inspection.

So it's a visual inspection because we do all our oil changes slash A services

on a two post hoist.

The wheels are all hanging free.

So we always give the wheels a wiggle to make sure there's nothing obviously

loose. This is an advantage of having us do the service over a loop shop where

you drive into a pit and the wheels stay on the ground.

The oil gets changed just fine in that sort of circumstance, but we do a little

more so you get more value.

And this is the engine compartment.

Is the engine compartment?

Yeah. So if you look down on it, it's basically a Subaru engine, two liter

overhead cam, variable valve timing and the Toyota.

If you pop the Toyota hood, it's got the same engine in it.

So it's again, shared drivetrain collaboration job.

Interesting.

You need. Where's the gloves?

It's a boxer.

Yeah, I don't know.

In the glove box, the gloves are in the glove box.

Yeah, because it's a fun thing to put a pair of boxing gloves in the glove box.

So literal.

So what does that mean boxer?

It basically means it's a horizontal engine.

It's a flat engine.

I don't even worry the word boxer actually came from, but I guess it's a

horizontally opposed engine.

So the pistons, instead of going up and down, go side to side.

And they're opposed.

So there's two cylinders on the left, two cylinders on the right and a complete

flat formation.

The only manufacturers that use it these days are Subaru's, a Porsche's.

Well, not all Porsches, but 911.

The Porsches you really want to own of a boxer engine.

And of course, they've made it really awesome with super high power.

And then of course, Volkswagen Beetles were the original.

I don't know if they're the original, but they were the original mass manufactured engine.

So this one's normally aspirated?

Normally aspirated, yeah.

And anything else that's unique about this engine?

Yeah, the neat thing about this, it uses a Toyota fuel injection system,

which incorporates a port injection system and a direct injection system.

Why it does that, I guess, because it's extra complicated.

You have two fuel injection systems.

And of course, computer control.

So the computer has to control when it's injecting fuel into one or the other.

I guess the advantage of a port injection system is that it will spray fuel on

top of the valves and clean them.

Whereas a direct injection system, you don't get any of that fuel sprayed

on top of the valves, but it does provide more accurate fuel delivery.

So for some reason, Toyota decided that's a good fuel system.

They use it actually on a variety of other engines as well.

It seems to work fine.

We haven't run into any problems with it.

So at some point it will, because instead of four fuel injectors on this car,

you have eight.

Oh, what else can we say about this vehicle?

It's Toyota Subaru's answer to Datsun, Nissan, similar vehicle, 300Z.

I'm not even sure what the number is.

Yeah, I don't even know what level or 350, 370.

I don't even know where they've gone with those cars.

I mean, they keep going up, but this is a much lower than this

and 300Z series is a much more high performance model than this.

This is more like a, if you remember, 240SX from the past.

This is kind of like that model.

Not so fast, but it's a nice little car, cool little sports car.

I'd say probably decent on fuel too, if you don't stomp on it all the time.

And Subaru engines are really reliable.

They are for sure. Yeah, definitely good.

It's a good reliable car.

We have the odd customer with these cars, but doing them for a long time.

And there's not really a lot that goes wrong with them, not beyond any other

Subaru, so pretty good, a good car to buy, own.

If you're looking for a little rear wheel drive, drifting car.

If you're looking for service for your Subaru in Vancouver,

BC, Canada, the people to see are at Pawlik Automotive.

You can reach them online at pawlikautomotive.com

or you can call to book your appointment at 604-327-7112.

You can book online or you can call them. It's your choice.

But you have to book ahead.

They're always busy. Pawlik Automotive in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Thanks so much for watching and listening.

Thank you, Bernie.

Thank you, Mark.

And thank you for listening and watching.

It's a pleasure.

0:00

5:25

2014 Subaru BRZ

Toyota

Scion

rear-wheel drive

traction control

gas systems

A service

B service

two post hoist

variable valve timing

overhead cam

boxer

horizontally opposed engine

Porsche's

Porsche 911

Volkswagen Beetles

Volkswagen Beetle

normally aspirated

port injection system and a direct injection system

computer control

injecting fuel

Nissan 300Z

Nissan 240SX

drifting

Vancouver, BC, Canada

Pawlik Automotive

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