Dodge Charger Mods & Accessories Guide (2015–2023): Cheap, Easy and Worth It
The best Dodge Charger mods to start with are the cheap, reversible ones: tail light tint, tail light decals and extended paddle shifters, all under $50 and done in an afternoon. After that, V8 owners get the biggest change for the money from exhaust tips and a mid-muffler delete, and every trim benefits from good tires before any power mods. For more horsepower on a Hemi, an intake with a tune is the best value, and a supercharger is the big step.
We design and sell parts for the 2015–2023 Charger, and we have fitted most of what is in this guide on our own cars. This is the list of upgrades we give friends who just bought one: what fits which trim, what each mod costs, what is worth it, and what to skip. Everything here applies to the 2015–2023 car (the facelifted LD generation). Older and newer Chargers are different cars.
In this guide
Before you start: Charger trims and engines
Your trim decides two things: how much power you start with, and which mods give you the most for your money. Find your trim in this table first.
| Trim | Engine | Factory power (approx.) | Where mods pay off most |
|---|---|---|---|
| SXT, GT | 3.6 Pentastar V6 | 292–300 hp | Looks, wheels and tires. Power mods add very little on the V6, so spend on what you see and feel. |
| R/T | 5.7 Hemi V8 | 370 hp | Sound and power: a mid-muffler delete or cat-back, then an intake and tune for about 25 to 35 hp. |
| Scat Pack, SRT 392 | 6.4 (392) Hemi V8 | 485 hp | Power: an intake, tune and long tube headers add about 40 to 60 hp. |
| SRT Hellcat (incl. Redeye, Jailbreak) | 6.2 supercharged Hemi V8 | 707 hp and up | Grip first. After good summer tires, a smaller pulley and a tune add 50 to 80 hp. |
The engine is what matters most. On a V6, the mods worth doing are about looks, comfort and grip. On a V8, sound and power mods start to pay off too. Tail light, vinyl and interior mods fit every trim from SXT to Hellcat.
Cheap Charger mods under $50
These are the mods we recommend first, because they change how the car looks every day, cost very little and can all be undone.
Tail light tint
The Charger’s full-width “racetrack” tail light is its signature. Tinting the tail lights dark gives the back of the car a much meaner, more finished look, and it is the single most common first mod we see. A pre-cut vinyl overlay goes on dry in about 30 minutes with no cutting required, and can be removed easily if you change your mind. Our pre-cut tail light tint for the 2015–2023 Charger comes with Charger-specific install instructions, a squeegee, a microfiber towel and spare pieces to practice on.
GridReady product
Dodge Charger Tail Light Tint Kit
- Fits every 2015–2023 Charger, SXT to Hellcat
- Pre-cut dark vinyl with air-release channels
- Squeegee, towel, practice pieces and install instructions included
One honest warning: tail light tint laws differ by state, and a few states are strict about how dark a rear light can be. Check your state’s rules before you go dark. This is not legal advice, and the rules change.
Tail light decals
Decals add gloss black graphics over parts of the tail light, which breaks up the red and makes the light look custom. They pair well with tint, and on their own they are a subtle change that most people assume came from the factory. Our gloss black tail light decal kit for the 2015–2023 Charger comes in two styles, needs no tools and removes without residue.
GridReady product
Dodge Charger Tail Light Decal Kit
- Fits every 2015–2023 Charger
- Gloss black, two styles to choose from
- Peel and stick, removes without residue
Extended paddle shifters
The factory paddles on the Charger are small and sit behind the wheel where your fingers have to hunt for them. Extended paddles are longer, so you can reach them at any steering angle. It is the cheapest mod that changes how the car feels to drive, not just how it looks. They only fit cars that already have paddles from the factory: look behind the steering wheel for two small paddles, minus on the left and plus on the right. They are a direct replacement, the install takes about 15 to 30 minutes, and you don’t need to remove the airbag. Our extended paddle shifters for the 2015–2023 Charger come in Majestic Black or Sublime Silver, with the tools in the kit.
GridReady product
Dodge Charger Extended Paddle Shifters
- Fits 2015–2023 Chargers with factory paddles
- Direct replacement, no airbag removal
- Powder coated, Majestic Black or Sublime Silver
Other small things under $50
- Badge blackout: vinyl overlays or plasti-dip for the grille and trunk badges. Cheap, but take your time, because a badly cut badge looks worse than chrome.
- LED interior and license plate bulbs: the factory dome and plate lights are dim and yellow. LED swaps cost a few dollars each.
- All-weather floor mats: WeatherTech and Husky Liners make fitted mats for the Charger. Not exciting, but they keep the carpet looking new, which matters at resale.
Mods under $200
These cost a bit more but change the car a lot. Exhaust tips and a mid-muffler delete are for V8 cars, and window tint works on every trim.
Exhaust tips (V8)
On a V8 Charger, the factory tips look small inside the big round openings in the rear bumper. Bigger tips fill those openings and change the whole look of the rear. A bolt-on set goes on in about 1 hour with the factory clamps, with no cutting or welding required. Our 5-inch black exhaust tips for the 2017–2023 V8 Charger are sized to fill the round valance openings on the R/T, Scat Pack and SRT. They also fit every 2015–2023 Hellcat. On other 2015–2016 V8 cars they don’t, because Dodge upgraded the V8 exhaust for 2017.
GridReady product
Dodge Charger 5-inch Black Exhaust Tips
- Fits 2017–2023 V8 Charger (R/T, Scat Pack, SRT) and the 2015–2023 Charger Hellcat
- Ceramic-coated black over 304 stainless steel
- Bolt-on with the factory clamps, no cutting or welding required
Other mods under $200
- Mid-muffler delete (V8): the two small mufflers under the middle of the car are swapped for straight pipes. Parts usually cost around $100 to $200, plus labor if a shop fits them. It is the cheapest way to get more Hemi sound. More in the exhaust section below.
- Window tint: a tint shop usually charges from about $150 to $200 for the side and rear windows with basic film, and more for ceramic film from brands like 3M, LLumar or XPEL. It keeps the car cooler in summer and changes the look a lot. Check your state’s limits first.
Mods for more horsepower: what works on each engine
This is the question we get most from V8 owners. The honest answer: on a stock Charger, single bolt-on parts add less power than the boxes claim. Real gains come from combining parts with a tune, or from adding boost. The numbers below are typical gains measured at the engine. On a dyno at the wheels, expect a bit less.
| Mod | Typical gain | Rough cost | Good to know | Popular brands |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold air intake | 5–15 hp, more with a tune | $300–$500 | On its own it mostly adds intake sound. | K&N, AEM, Roto-fab |
| Cat-back exhaust | 10–20 hp | $1,000–$2,000+ | Mostly bought for sound, but adds real power on a Hemi, more with a tune. | Borla, Corsa, MagnaFlow |
| Tune | 10–30 hp on a 5.7 or 6.4 with an intake | $500–$1,000+ | Best value for power. Also sharpens shifts and throttle. | HP Tuners, DiabloSport, SCT |
| Long tube headers | 20–40 hp with a tune | $1,500–$2,500 plus install | Often not emissions legal. Needs a tune. | Kooks, American Racing Headers, Stainless Works |
| Camshaft swap (5.7, 6.4) | 50–100 hp with supporting mods | $3,000–$6,000 installed | Lumpy idle, shop job, needs a tune. | Comp Cams, Brian Tooley Racing |
| Smaller pulley and tune (Hellcat) | 50–80 hp | $500–$1,500 | Cheapest big gain on a supercharged car. | Griptec, Metco Motorsports |
| Supercharger kit (5.7, 6.4) | 150–250+ hp | $7,000–$10,000+ installed | The big step. Plan for tires, brakes and driveline. | Whipple, ProCharger, Magnuson |
Tuning a 2015–2023 Charger
The tune is what makes most power mods work, because the engine computer has to be told about the new parts. On most 2015 and later Chargers the computer is locked from the factory, so it has to be unlocked or swapped for an unlocked one before a handheld tuner (such as HP Tuners or DiabloSport) or a custom tuner can write to it. Budget a few hundred dollars for that on top of the tuner. A good custom tune on a dyno costs more than a canned handheld tune but gets more out of your exact setup.
V6 (SXT, GT): keep expectations low
The 3.6 Pentastar is a reliable engine, but it was not built for power mods. An intake, a tune and a cat-back together usually add somewhere around 15 to 25 hp, and most owners notice the sharper shifts from the tune more than the power. Supercharger kits for the V6 are rare and expensive. Our honest advice: spend on tires, brakes and looks, and if you want real speed, trade up to a V8. It will always be cheaper than making a V6 fast.
R/T (5.7 Hemi): intake, tune, exhaust
The classic R/T route is an intake, a tune and a cat-back or mid-muffler delete. Together that is typically 25 to 35 hp, and the car feels much livelier because the tune also fixes the lazy factory throttle. After that, the next real step is a cam package or a supercharger. Many R/T owners find that by the time they price those, a Scat Pack would have been cheaper, so decide early how far you want to go.
Scat Pack and SRT 392 (6.4 Hemi): tune and headers
The 392 responds best to an intake, long tube headers and a tune, which together often add 40 to 60 hp. Headers are the expensive part, and in strict emissions states they can mean a failed inspection. Beyond that, a cam or a supercharger kit takes a Scat Pack into Hellcat territory, at Hellcat-level cost.
Hellcat (6.2 supercharged): pulley and tune
On a supercharged engine, a smaller upper pulley spins the supercharger faster for more boost. With a tune, that is one of the cheapest big power gains on any car. E85 fuel with the right fuel system adds more again. The catch: a stock Hellcat already struggles to put its power down, so tires, and later the fuel system and driveline, need to keep up.
Before you add power
- Tires first. Every V8 Charger can spin its rear tires. Good summer tires, such as the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S or Continental ExtremeContact Sport, make the car quicker in the real world than any bolt-on.
- Brakes and cooling. More power means more heat. Fresh pads (Hawk and EBC are popular), good brake fluid and a healthy cooling system come before boost.
- Emissions and warranty. Tunes and headers are the mods most likely to fail an emissions test or cause a warranty dispute. In California and other strict states, look for parts with a CARB EO number. See the warranty section below.
Exterior mods: tint, decals, spoilers, splitters, wheels, blackout
The Charger already looks aggressive from the factory, so the best exterior mods are the ones that make it look finished rather than busy. Our rule of thumb: pick one color theme (usually black accents) and stick to it.
- Tail lights: tint and decals change the back of the car more than anything else at this price. We cover both in the cheap mods section, and you can see all our Dodge Charger accessories in one place.
- Blackout: badges, window trim (chrome delete wrap) and roof wrap. A gloss black roof looks great on light colors like white, gray and Plum Crazy.
- Spoilers: many R/T and SXT cars came with a small lip or no spoiler. A Scat Pack style spoiler is a popular bolt-on. Buy one that is pre-painted to your paint code, or budget for paint.
- Front splitters and side skirts: they lower the look of the car without lowering the car. Cheap ones crack on the first steep driveway, so pay a bit more for a flexible material and drive carefully.
- Wheels: the biggest exterior change, and the most expensive. A good set of 20-inch wheels with tires usually runs from about $1,500 to well over $3,000. Get the bolt pattern (5×115 on the Charger) and offset right before you buy.
Interior mods: paddle shifters, shift knobs, lighting, trim
You spend more time looking at the inside of your Charger than the outside, so interior mods are underrated.
- Paddle shifters: if your Charger came with paddles, extended paddle shifters are the best interior mod for the money. We cover them in the cheap mods section above.
- Shift knob: the 2015–2023 Charger has an electronic shifter with a release button, so a universal screw-on knob won’t fit. Only buy knobs or covers made for this exact shifter.
- Ambient lighting: LED strips in the footwells and under the dash. Keep it subtle and hide the wires. Bright colors that you can see from outside look cheap and can be illegal while driving in some states.
- Trim: carbon fiber look or color-matched overlays for the dash and console. Real carbon costs a lot more than vinyl, and from the driver’s seat most people can’t tell.
- Phone mount and charging: a mount made for the Charger’s dash vents or console keeps your phone out of the cupholder. Most 2017+ cars with the 8.4-inch Uconnect screen already support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Exhaust mods: tips, mid-muffler delete, cat-back
On a V8 Charger, exhaust mods are the most popular upgrades after lighting. Think of it as a ladder, from cheapest to most expensive:
- Mid-muffler delete. The two mid mufflers under the middle of the car are replaced with straight pipes. More sound at a low cost, some drone at highway speed. Our mid-muffler delete guide for the Charger and Challenger covers cost, sound and legality.
- Cat-back system. Everything from the catalytic converters back is replaced. Borla, Corsa, MagnaFlow and Mopar all make systems for the Charger, usually from about $1,000 to over $2,000. Borla and Corsa are tuned to control drone, and MagnaFlow is often a bit cheaper. This is the right choice if you want a big sound change that stays comfortable on long drives.
- Exhaust tips. A mid-muffler delete keeps the stock tips, and they look small in the round bumper openings. New tips finish the job. Many cat-back systems come with their own tips, so check that before you buy both.
Our 5-inch black exhaust tips for the 2017–2023 V8 Charger are sized to fill the round valance openings and bolt on with the factory collar clamps (more on them in the under $200 section). If you are not sure what size or style you want, our exhaust tips guide explains how to choose, and our article on resonated exhaust tips covers whether a tip can change your sound.
A full straight pipe is the loudest option of all, and on a street car we don’t recommend it. Our straight pipe guide explains why.
Three Charger builds and what they cost
A modded Dodge Charger doesn’t have to mean a big bill. Here is what the upgrades in this guide add up to, from a weekend refresh to a full build. Prices are rough US street prices for parts, before any shop labor.
The $100 refresh (any trim)
Tail light tint, tail light decals and extended paddle shifters, about $72 for all three of ours. Together they change the back of the car and the feel of the cockpit, and you can fit all three on a Saturday with no tools beyond what comes in the kits. This is where we tell every new owner to start, because you will see the difference every time you walk up to the car.
The $500 weekend build (V8)
Everything in the refresh, plus 5-inch exhaust tips and a bolt-on mid-muffler delete kit. Now the car looks finished from behind and sounds like a Hemi should. Budget a little extra if a shop fits the mid-muffler delete. On a V6, put that money into window tint and a good set of all-season or summer tires instead.
The $3,000+ full build (Scat Pack or R/T)
The weekend build, plus wheels and summer tires, a cat-back exhaust from Borla, Corsa or MagnaFlow in place of the mid-muffler delete, and a cold air intake. This is the point where the car looks, sounds and drives very differently from stock. It is also where it makes sense to stop and enjoy it, because the next step (a tune, suspension, a supercharger on the 6.4) costs a lot more for each extra smile.
Whatever your trim and budget, do the mods in the same order: looks you see every day, then sound, then grip, then power. Owners who start with power usually end up buying tires twice.
Mods by trim: the best first mods for an SXT, an R/T and a Scat Pack
| Trim | First three mods we would do | First power mod | Skip for now |
|---|---|---|---|
| SXT / GT (V6) | Tail light tint, extended paddle shifters (if your wheel has paddles), window tint | None worth the money. A tune mainly improves shifts. | An intake or cat-back for power. On the V6 they add sound, not speed. |
| R/T (5.7) | Tail light tint, mid-muffler delete, 5-inch exhaust tips | Intake and tune | A cam or supercharger before you have good tires |
| Scat Pack (6.4) | Summer tires, tail light tint or decals, exhaust tips | Intake and tune, then long tube headers | Cheap front splitters. They crack on the first steep driveway. |
| Hellcat (6.2 SC) | Tires, tail light tint, paddle shifters | Smaller pulley and tune | More boost before the tires can put it down |
The pattern is the same for every trim. Start with what you see and touch every day, then sound, then power.
What to avoid: warranty, legality and resale
Warranty
Fitting aftermarket parts does not void your whole warranty. Under the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, the dealer has to show that your part caused the problem before they can refuse a repair, and the rest of the car stays covered. The FTC explains this in its guide to auto warranties. In practice, tint, decals, paddles and tips cause no trouble. Tunes are different: a tuned engine that fails will usually be looked at very closely, and some dealers can see that the engine computer was changed.
Legality
- Lights: tail light and window tint limits vary by state. Very dark tint can get you a ticket in strict states.
- Exhaust: many states have noise limits, and removing catalytic converters is illegal for road cars everywhere in the US. A mid-muffler delete keeps the cats.
- Ride height: a few states regulate how low a car can sit.
Resale
Buyers pay more for a clean, mostly stock Charger. Keep your factory parts in a box, choose mods you can undo, and keep receipts. Vinyl mods, tips and paddles all come off in an hour if you want to sell the car stock.
Our Charger parts
Everything we make for the Charger is in one place: our Dodge Charger parts and accessories. Right now that is tail light tint, tail light decals, extended paddle shifters and 5-inch exhaust tips. All of them are bolt-on or peel-and-stick, all of them can be undone, and we ship free in the US.
Not sure what fits your car? Send us a message with your year and trim before you order. We would rather answer a question than handle a return.
Related guides
- Exhaust tips explained: sizes, styles, materials and how to choose
- Dodge Challenger and Charger mid-muffler delete guide
- Muffler delete: good idea or not?
FAQ
What are the best first mods for a Dodge Charger?
Tail light tint, tail light decals and extended paddle shifters. They are cheap, change how the car looks and feels every day, and can be undone. On a V8 car, add exhaust tips and good summer tires next.
What mods add the most horsepower to a Dodge Charger?
On a 5.7 or 6.4 Hemi, a supercharger kit adds the most, often 150 hp or more, but costs $7,000 or more installed. For the money, an intake with a tune is the best value. On a Hellcat, a smaller supercharger pulley with a tune adds a lot for little cost.
How much horsepower does a tune add to a Charger?
Usually 10 to 30 hp on a 5.7 or 6.4 Hemi with an intake, and more when it is paired with headers or a smaller pulley on a Hellcat. On most 2015 and later cars, the engine computer has to be unlocked first.
What are cheap mods for a Dodge Charger?
Tail light tint, tail light decals, extended paddle shifters, badge blackout and LED interior bulbs all cost under $50. Each one takes an hour or less to fit.
Can you mod a V6 Charger?
Yes. Lighting, vinyl, paddle shifters, wheels and interior mods all fit the SXT and GT. Power mods add very little on the 3.6 V6, and V8 exhaust parts such as our tips do not fit.
Do mods void the Dodge warranty?
No, not the whole warranty. Under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, the dealer must show that an aftermarket part caused a failure before refusing that repair. Engine tunes are the mod most likely to cause a warranty dispute.
What mods make a Charger look aggressive?
Dark tail light tint, bigger black exhaust tips, black wheels, a front splitter and blacked-out badges. Stick to one theme, usually black accents, so the car looks finished rather than busy.
What is the easiest mod to do on a Charger?
Tail light decals. They need no tools, take a few minutes per side and peel off without residue. Tail light tint is a close second and only needs a bit more patience.
Does a modded Dodge Charger sell for more?
Usually not. Most buyers pay more for a clean car close to stock. Keep the factory parts, choose mods you can undo, and put the car back to stock or include the parts when you sell.
