e.g.r block off plate

[MA70-3.0GT]

S'pose your right, although with EGR being such a common system on cars nowadays almost anyone with previous mechanical experience is likely to have already run across a sticky EGR valve at some point or at least read about someone else's troubles with it.

Even my old Pajero has the damn thing (it lasted about ten minutes before I disconnected it, as it wasn't already stuck open I decided not to give it the chance to!).

I never even considered anyone would remove one for cosmetic reasons, simply because most people I know just remove the vac. pipe (or blank it if already stuck) to avoid/cure running issues, provided the vehicle in question can pass emissions without.

I think over here they have a worse reputation than they deserve because most stuff a few years old will easily pass our emissions test without EGR operating so people fail to see the point, and when one eventually does stick open the system in general gets tarred with the same brush.