I would keep what you have considering it's paid off and the "upgrades" to the 17+ you speak of are minimal. If you're going to trade in go 2022 or bust.
Otherwise keep what you have, get a header and exhaust maybe if you want it to be a bit louder. Maybe some suspension. Get an ecutek flex fuel set up and have fun. These are relatively easy to install parts and should keep someone that is a novice busy for the foreseeable future. They will also give you pretty good returns for the money (20-30whp and under 2.5k for a header, ecutek flex setup, tune, and decent struts/springs).
Have fun
