Options for 2015 SHO

[SeeYouThere]

My new 2015 SHO is on order, it looks like delivery will be late April. It has the Performance Package. My Ford dealer also owns a tuner shop, and has made some recommendations. I have been reading here to educate myself, but I am hoping the experts might comment. This is my first SHO, after a 2002 Mustang GT, 1990 5.0 Mustang, a Lincoln MKX, some F150s, offshore race boat, etc.

The first recommendation is a Diablo InTune, with a 93 Octane tune. Based on what I have read here, this seems like something I should definitely do.

The next suggestion is a Magnaflow catback exhaust, and cold air intake. I do not want to lose the converters, my question is whether the catback performance gain is worth the price.

The dealer has recommended a Gtechniq Crystal Serum and EXO, which I gather is a paint protection coating. I am generally sceptical of this kind of thing, has anyone done this?

I appreciate any suggestions anyone has.

 

[SHOdded]

Welcome, and congrats on your new ride of choice! What color did you pick? Got pics of your other rides?

1) As far as tunes go, the most established/reliable ones come from Unleashed & LME. Diablo is new to the market, I believe they only do 2013+? If your dealer provides great support, feel free to try and report back on the Diablo Don't expect to make any adjustments to it for free though, unless the fine print says so. Read the warranty very carefully also.
2) The catback means exactly that: cats are untouched, so you are good2go. Yes, you can gain performance with them, but you need to free up airflow at the front first, i.e., the intake (which Ford already does a stupendous job with), and the downpipes (which Ford does NOT do a great job with). If anything, I would upgrade the downpipes first to get that extra torque down low. If you go with catted downpipes, get ones with hiflow cats (Magnaflow) in them. They work really well.
3) Paint protection coatings are great when applied by people who are good at it. Don't know about your dealer, but there are plenty of detailing professionals in Canada, and probably close to you who will do it right. The top 2 choices are CQuartz and OptiCoat, GTechniq products are also very good. If you want shine, longevity, dustfree behavior, CQuartz Finest/UK is the one to beat. BTW, your new vehicle will need at least one pass at polishing the paint before applying the coating. Cars are never swirl-free from the factory. And protect the wheels along with the paint (same product). You will really save on regular cleanup time!