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@R Thorpe , that's quite a list of goodies, so let's start with just one, which may be more important than it sounds - the Gene Berg dipstick thermometer.
This gadget was designed for VW's, which had no temp gauge on the dash. It's supposed to alert the driver of impending doom while the doom is still impending.
Technically it's unnecessary in our cars, but something similar (and cheaper) sort of is.
As a seasoned VW dude, you know the importance of monitoring oil temp in our engines. Well, more so in a car with an engine compartment originally designed to handle the cooling requirements of a 70 hp engine. Generate 150 hp in that same space, and things can get toasty in a hurry.
Luckily, your car will have those neat VDO gauges, with a quality temp gauge. The only twist is learning how to read that gauge - whose face is unmarked with actual degree readings. And, it's a generic gauge that's hasn't been calibrated to your temp sender or to where that sender has been located on your engine. It's very likely that you will need to be concerned long before the needle reaches the red zone at the end of the scale.
But not to worry. The fix is simple. Instead of dropping $35 or $50 on the Gene Berg thing, find a 'candy' thermometer on the kitchen stuff website of your choice. You want one that reads accurately in the 150 - 250 degree range (fahrenheit). It also needs a probe that's long enough to reach the oil level, plus some (some thermometers claim accuracy only if the last inch or two is covererd by the liquid you're trying to measure). Finally, the dial needs to be small enough in diameter so that you can fit the thing into the dipstick hole (on most VW engines, the fill tube is pretty close to the dipstick hole).
Start your engine from cold, insert the thermometer, and compare the gauge on your dash to the dipstick thermometer readings as the engine warms up. Then, go for a drive and stop every so often to read the candy thermometer as the engine continues to warm up.
After a while, driving in different conditions, you'll learn what the gauge on the dash is actually telling you and you won't need the candy thermometer any more.
Now, looking back at the length of this post, aren't you glad I chose to rant on about just one of the things on your list?
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