Where to begin....gs 300

[dbluchtefeld]

I bought an '03 GS300 last year.
I'd like to upgrade the engine. Nothing monstrous, but would like to gain 100-200HP. --with the simplest, cheapest mods possible, and hopefully without risking burning out the transmission. I use this car for trips that take me 12-16 hours away from home. With that in mind, LOUD exhaust is something I'd like to avoid.

What are the cheapest, simplest mods I should start with, and what is the most expensive, most complicated project(s) I need to expect to HAVE to do between now and say, 350 HP?

If I need to stop adding power, at say, 250HP to avoid degrading the ride quality and transmission longevity, please make that suggestion. This isn't my only car, but I can't really afford for the transmission to be trashed on this thing 20k miles down the road.

I've been browsing through the posts and it seems like many want to swap the 2JZ GE for the GTE, but I'm really not willing to do something that extensive, I'd settle for less power first.

What can be done with valves, cam, intake, and how much can be done before the computer needs to be bothered?

How do the upgrades affect the traction control mechanism?

I'm hoping I might be able to do all mechanical upgrades and the computer can be left alone?

so, Turbo? Stoker kit? valve kits? extrude honing? superchip? torque converter?

Does anyone have an idea of how much power can be added before the drivetrain starts saying 'uncle'? Any suggestions on methods to buffer the transmission/get it ready for the extra power?

Thanks a bunch