Although I'm mechanically inclined, and have long been a fan of them, I've never had a lot of time, money, or ambition to dedicate to automotive upgrades. Even when and where I did do anything, it wasn't usually engine related, except for spark plugs or the occasional thermostat or water pump replacement.

Since buying my 2011 Avenger LUX, I'm becoming a lot more interested in making the time and squeezing out some extra money, but I'm pretty inexperienced with fewer than 8 cylinders and FWD, so I'm probably going to have a lot of questions.

First off, how durable is the 3.6L Pentastar? Are there many options for improving the performance without blowing it up? Because seriously, bone stock, this motor makes me completely forget the 5.7L HEMI-powered RAM 1500 Sport I traded in for this sexy lady. If it's a weak basis for a performance build, what would be some good swaps to consider? A friend recommends the 6G75 MIVEC he has in his Eclipse, but I'm open to whatever is viable without ridiculous cost or labor.

Second, the transmission. I'm not sure what transaxle is in it, but I already have questions about it, because I've noticed that it shifts beautifully as long as I'm ankle-deep in the go pedal, but when I take my foot out, the trans takes a while to catch up. I've never known a lot about transmissions to begin with, so I'm not even sure what questions to ask? Is there much that can be done with the existing unit, or am I going to want a better transaxle? Oh, and axles, too - Good enough, or upgrade? My buddy managed to break one at the track after he boosted his 6G75; I'd like to avoid that.

Third, aftermarket braking and suspension. Burning up the strip is nice and all, but I like making passengers grab the JC handle, too, and of course, the more go power you have, the more whoa power you need. I'd love to get some recommendations for suspension and brake upgrades, or an idea of where else to look.

Thank you in advance for any information anyone can provide!