Top performance upgrade recommendations for the Chrysler 300?

Question

I just got this 2018 Chrysler 300S and I really love how it looks but it feels a bit slow when I'm merging onto the highway here in Columbus. I saved up about 1200 dollars from my summer job and I really want to make it faster or just sound cooler but I honestly have no idea what I'm doing. My brother mentioned a few things but I dont know if they are actually worth it:

cold air intake

better exhaust

something called a tuner chip

Sorry if this is a super basic question but I've never even changed my own oil before so everything under the hood looks like a puzzle to me. I've been watching some videos but everyone uses so much jargon like stage 1 tunes and cat-backs and it just makes my head spin. I dont want to ruin the car or make it undrivable since I need it to get to class every day but I definitely want a bit more pep in its step.

If you had a small budget and literally zero mechanical skills what are the first things you would actually buy to get more performance out of a 300?

DragonWhisper · Accepted Answer

Late to the party but I gotta chime in here because I went down this exact rabbit hole with my first car. Honestly, I have to disagree with your brother about the cold air intake. I spent a few hundred bucks on one back in the day and it basically just made a loud sucking sound under the hood without actually making the car faster. It was kinda disappointing tbh. You also gotta be careful with those generic tuner chips you see online... most of them are total scams that just mess with your sensors and can actually trigger a check engine light. If you want it to actually feel more responsive when you're merging, I would suggest looking at a Pedal Commander PC31 Throttle Response Controller. It doesnt technically add horsepower, but it gets rid of that annoying lag when you step on the gas so the car actually moves when you tell it to. Just make sure you leave your car door open for about 10 minutes before you plug it in so the computer stays asleep, otherwise you might throw a code. For the sound, maybe look into the Flowmaster FlowFX Cat-Back Exhaust System and just pay a local muffler shop to bolt it on for you. It'll give you that growl you want without being so loud it drives your neighbors crazy.

RockyMountaineer · Answer

Wait, is it the 3.6L Pentastar or 5.7L? TL;DR: Engine matters. Grab a used Diablosport inTune i3 Platinum Chrysler to save cash; usually adds 15-20hp with a 93 tune.