I'm real excited; I talked my wife into letting me do a couple things just to "tune" it up a bit. Let me know if I'm on the right track. From what I've read this is the best way to go about it. This past weekend I installed a boost gauge but I'm planning to order:

coil packs and NGK's from ECS,
installing a boost regulator (already have that),
getting the fuel pressure regulator with the gauge built in,
a drop in K&N and cutting the bottom of my stock box open to create a cold air type but allow the stock box to act as a heat shield.

After that I'm going to head to a dyno and get some help tuning it. I'm not even going to think about upgrading the turbo and cooler until I do timing in about 10-15k.

Oh yeah, and an aftermarket DV.

 

chip it, you will get the most bang for your buck out of that.

 

Agreed, a chip with a K and N panel filter and a new DV would be your best bang for you buck, dont worry about your plugs and coil packs unless you are having trouble with it allready. How much boost do you plan on running?

 

A friend of mine has the software and told me that I should look at replacing them soon and with 52K I figured it would be about the right time. Eventually I would like to go with APR's Transverse Stage III+ system but it will be some time before I even think about doing that. Right now $650 for chipping (I would wont Stock and Moded programs) is a lot to spend.

 

I never thought of this before but with a chip and a mbc couldnt you lower your boost down to whatever you want? With a mbc youcan take boost pressure down to whatever the wg is set for. So those that have a chip ever try it?

 

I havent really but it makes sense, I know that the Boost Machine only raises boost it doesnt lower it any farther than what the chip will allow it, as fora MBC i dont really know. I guess everyone just wants to try to get to 20-22psi and really dosent want to lower it at all.

 

Beleive me when I say this..

You won't want the stock program back... EVER after you chip it

Seriously though, if you're not upgrading the turbo or doing anything 'major' to the car.. the stock & chipped programs won't be so much of a difference that the valet or whoever you're guarding the 'chipped' program from won't be able to handle the car. I'd forget the rest of the mods you listed and just chip the thing for $500.

Look around, $500 bucks for a ~50hp increaseis the cheapest dollar/hp ratio anywhere. Best $500 I ever spent!

If you don't believe us, go to the shop and ask for the 5 hour demo. You won't regret it!

 

Well... I wanted the stock program but that was just becasue I take it into the dealerships and I dont want them to tell me that they cant work on the car, just because its chipped. So I got the stock programonly for that one reason.

 

Oh.. I've been back to the dealer plenty of times (as currently noted in another thread ) and they've never mentioned the chip.

 

Ok, now I've got a lot to think about! You all know what's going to happen... I'm going to end up getting it chipped on top of the others. So what kind of power will I be looking at after doing all this?