When should I start maintenance mods?

[minameismud]

Bought my car April of last year and I already have 28k on it. I'm gettin a bit worried about my impending end-of-warranty - by my calculations, it will happen by the end of next year's summer. So, I need to work on getting Wife Acceptance Factor for some mods, and the easiest way is to prove they have true functional value. From memory, these mods have health & longevity value:


Boost Gauge - watch to make sure boost doesn't drop, indicating a bad DV or PCV...maybe also an intake temp gauge?
Oil Catch-Can - ...um...keep gunk from clogging the valve train?
Replacement turbo inlet hose & intercooler hoses - avoid degradation of factory materials that would cause stock hoses to deform under high engine load
Upgraded IC - lower intake temps allowing the engine to run cooler overall


I had my PCV replaced 4k ago, and I'm not sure what DV I have (stock, obv, but diaphragm or piston? no clue). I know I'll need to replace my brake pads before I kill someone (spent 4 hours cleaning my wheels yesterday with a toothbrush). Anything else that I should add to my list, and any suggested order for the mods?

[Big Nodge]

To me, the best end-of-warranty mod would be a full HEX-CAN compatible VAG-COM setup. Then you can diagnose check engine lights and log boost levels and other engine data. If you aren't chipped then I think that would be sufficient (as opposed to boost gauge and/or other temp gauges).

My other suggestion would be a new cam follower. I'd order one to have on hand, then pull your fuel pump and check things out. If it looks bad, you can probably get your dealer to replace any needed parts before your warranty is up. If not you could always throw the new one in to be safe, and then check it periodically when you're out of warranty.

New IC, to me that probably isn’t necessary unless you’re doing significant engine mods. Not sure about the hoses, hopefully others can comment.

I guess the downside of my suggestions is they aren’t that fun. Luckily (for me) my wife is cool with performance mods as long as I don’t slack off on this type of stuff.

Another thing that is easy to justify is new tires. Tell her you need a set of Pilot Sport PS2s, for safety reasons. Don’t want to skimp on tires after all.