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Dodge/Plymouth Neon

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Comments

  • bugswestbugswest Member Posts: 3
    Hey all-
    Just nor everyone's notice- I am not "ricing" out my Neon. I am planning to put modifications on it that will enhance performance, because I feel that this car has tons of more potential than any Civic, Protege, or any other popular over-hyped import out there. I am planning a dual tip exhaust from Thermal, it's a very understated, high quality system (much like the Neon itself). I will also be lowering the car 1.5 Inches with Eibach springs to improve the handling (which is great in stock form, but not as grippy as one would like). After that, I am not sure which route to go. I love the car itself. I used to own a VW Passat VR6 with an EIP tuning turbo system. That car had a whopping amount of HP at the wheels, but sadly enough it was falling apart. I looked at newer Vee-Dubs, Ford Focuses, and Honda Civics when the time came to get a new car. When I drove the Neon, I fell in love with the white guages, the 4-Disc CD changer, and the peppy ride. I knew the car was a bargain, but not that BIG of a bargain!! :) I am very happy with my car, the only problem I have noticed is that the windshield wiper fluid doesn't work, but I plan on having the friendly dealer remedy that ASAP. I am looking forward to having many stories to share for this board, and I will take all the Protege drivers at the track and smoke each an every one!! :) (nothing like a little friendly competition)
    Thanks,
    Elias
  • ochoaochoa Member Posts: 9
    Well my men i still been a workaholic person but in the way to my job i take time to listen my music !but¡ I don’t have a cd. In the car so I have to buy a cd changer and is going to cost me an eye of my face.

    The dealer sell this changer but is only for 4 cd and I want more.

    The car is like a rocket in the hi way and in one occasion I was stop by a police but I get free with a little money. (remember is Mexico.) But is ok because in Mexico they stop every one for money. But that is otter history.

    The only problem that I fill is a preoccupation is because the cup holders are bad distributed the car have 2 cups in the bottom and one in the upper part and when aim driving with my beer and aim in a company of a lady is uncomfortable to get the beer with out look the bottle.

    Note: is bury common to do this in Mexico is the land of the tequila, tequila, TEQUILA.

    SALUDOS DE SU AMIGO.
    ALEX.
  • protegextwoprotegextwo Member Posts: 1,265
    Alex, thank you for the update from south of the border. Enjoy your beer and your car!

    Larry
  • fc3grrlfc3grrl Member Posts: 3
    Wow and thanks hersbird! I just sent my hubby the link, and am waiting for his excited voice to reverberate throughout our house. I had no idea that anything new was coming down the pike for 2001, so my heart beat a little faster when I read the specs on the ACR. All I can think is "juicy!" LOL

    I'm not as knowledgeable as most guys, being a fluffy-headed female, but my husband has carefully cultivated my appetite for performance, and I think when he sees the ACR he's going to call the salesman we met with to see if he can get an ETA on these babies. We've already sent him on an errand to find us a 5spd (and boy are they reluctant to accomodate that request, it's weird, really), but now I want to wait and see the bottom line on the ACR's. I might be risking the possibility of us having to buy two if they feel as good as they look, but for the price, how could I complain? *eg*

    Much Thanks!
    Bev
  • hersbirdhersbird Member Posts: 323
    Well people have actually taken delivery of 2001 Neon R/T's (with 16" wheels, a good looking rear spoiler, 150 HP motor, and even leather interior available). I haven't heard of any ACR's that have been delivered although I'd be surprised if you couldn't place an order for one.

    The one think that bums me about the ACR is you can't get those awesome new 16" wheels from the factory. I bet they actually don't help in handling, just as going to a lower profile tire on the old ACR sometimes hurt handling, but boy do they look good. Same thing for the spoiler, I know it has zero affect on aerodynamics but this new spoiler looks good too. The ACR has alway been a sleeper, I guess they are keeping that legacy intact.

    Look at the dodge website for a few pictures of the wheels, spoiler, interior, etc.

    www.4adodge.com
  • 71charger71charger Member Posts: 116
    I'm a little nervous about letting the master tech wizards at Fitzgerald's Auto Mall screw with a car that's running perfectly fine. Does having this recall affect drivability at all? Any one have any real world experience to share on this one? I let the Dodge boys do an emissions recall fix on my Shelby back in the 80s and it never ran right again (until I undid it that is). Anyone in cold climates actually experience the problem this is supposed to fix. I believe in the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" school.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    My friend's 2000 Neon has a problem and I want to know if anyone else's does have the same thing. When locking or unlocking the doors (with switch or remote, not the door lock thing itself), this metal-on-metal noise comes from the driver's door. I have to take it in for repairs and it's covered under warranty, but I was still wondering if anyone else had the problem. Also had the recall fixed and the whining power steering pump needs to be fixed too because it's affecting power assist now. And of course, the cassette player has to be changed out for eating tapes. All this and the car hasn't even cracked 20,000 miles. Starting to get exasperated quickly!
  • copperhead1copperhead1 Member Posts: 157
    I read at Autoweek that the new ACR will have 160 HP and 180 of torque,they already tested,could this be true?
    How could the gained more torque and more horses?
    This must be a blast to drive.
  • mobaymobay Member Posts: 45
    Hi.

    160HP from the 2.0l NEON engine is not terribly hard to do, but the 180 FT. Lbs. of torque leaves me a little bewildered as torque is hard to produce than HP.., bear with me.

    By manipulating the intake and exhaust,camshaft revision, and , engine computer re-programming the NEON engine can flex it's otherwise tied up
    muscles.Just ask any owner of a modified NEON,the base engine is largely understressed.

    The 180 ft, lbs of torque is absolutely incredible if true, as I would have guessed only about 169-170 of torque based on the HP figure.

    Dunno how they're gonna produce it, but I'll cheer them if they actually make the ACR 2K available. Heck! I can't even find a 2K R/T here in Maryland where I live.

    A blast to drive would be an understatement! With that type of power,many a six cyclinder car will
    be see the rear end of a ACR as it pulls away.

    The 2K with simple air and exhaust, and better plugs and wires runs very, very, well.I know cause'I drive a modified 2k ES 5sp..., it's a sleeper
    fast car.

    Lemme know when you buy your ACR so I can beg a test drive from you for an hour or so..,hahhah
  • copperhead1copperhead1 Member Posts: 157
    HAHA! I wish I could also have my hand on that beauty,I´m now about to order a new R/T,but I have to find out first if the ACR has 180ft,torque
    I´ll buy the ACR,and you have your LONG test drive OK?

    Take care,I´ll let you know!
  • ktondraktondra Member Posts: 4
    Real brief comments (don't mean to interfere with ongoing conversation) ...

    Love the comfort and ride of our 2000 Neon.

    However, have had the 2 following nagging problems -- and was wondering if anyone could relate:

    1) Hubcaps (which have been replaced 2x) which make all kinds of clicking and squeaking noises (especially front tires). Replacement caps solve the problem for only a short while, then the sounds return.

    2) When braking 60 - 75% of the time, hear a clunking noise -- like there is some sort of a problem with the calipers. But, which shouldn't surprise me, the service people could duplicate when I had the car in.

    Thanks for the feedback ....
  • copperhead1copperhead1 Member Posts: 157
    You need to tight more your hubcaps and no more problems,BUT don´t break the screws!
  • abaltoabalto Member Posts: 22
    Rodney here is that site...

    Here is that Dodge site I mentioned. It has over 75000 posts on Dodge! http://www.moparchat.com
  • hersbirdhersbird Member Posts: 323
    I got a 2001 Neon booklet today and have a few observations. First the ACR will have the same 150 HP the RT has, autoweek must have misprinted those numbers. The HP is 150 at 6800 RPMs and torque is 135 at 4,800 rpm. Looking at my old 98 booklet the new motor has an identical HP curve but the torque of the new motor is better, faster. At 4000 RPM the old motor made about 121 Ft/lbs and the new makes about 133. The new motor makes 120 ft/lbs or more from 2000 to 6000 RPM. The old made 120 or more from 3700 to 6500 RPM. This torque advantage with no loss of HP must make this new RT and ACR really fly. The new 16" wheels look great (although identical to the Focus ZTS wheels, the best part of the focus), as does the ground effects and rear spoiler. The split dual exhaust tips (one out each side) is nice and the option of leather starts to make the RT cross over the compact car line. The ES also gets woodgrain inserts in the dash with the leather package. I also got the new 2001 Stratus book but it really doesn't do much for me. After seeing the neon RT I'm not sure why you'd want to spend more for the Stratus sedan, even with the 200 hp V-6 I bet it is slower and not as good in the twistys. But hey, people spend more for the Protoge so go figure. (sorry, gotta take shots while I can). This is all from the book, the real evaluation would have to come from a test drive. I hadn't really been excited about the Neon redesign until I saw this new RT and ACR, now I really need to decided between a new RT, a 4-5 year old Caddy STS, or a PT. The fact the Caddy and PT cost $5k more then a neon RT makes it a tough choice. I think I'd have to wait until the PT gets a turbo to be happy there so it really is not an option now. Oh well, at least the old 98 is still keeping me happy, maybe I should just sink a grand into wheels and tires and be happy for another few years.
  • klyde5klyde5 Member Posts: 1
    I own a 96 Dodge Neon w/55k miles and it has given me nothing but problems since I bought it used with 26k on it. I've spent $900 on a tune-up, cooling system service and a new wire cluster for the dash. Now the paint is bubbling up and flaking off and after having a tune-up done, the car loses power when going 55-60 mph. Also, had to repair a brake on the back when it broke apart while I was driving and now the back shocks are going bad. Geez........what did I ever do to deserve this crap. I still owe a ton of money on it and need to get rid of it fast before the head gasket goes . Has anyone else had a problem with the paint on their neons doing this??? I need a car god quick!
  • copperhead1copperhead1 Member Posts: 157
    Well my son sold his Beetle at the same dealership he bought it from!
    If you all remember,in August he was contacted by the general manager of a dealer,he was offered a very god price for his 98 Neon,and they sold him the beetle.
    Last week he AGAIN met the same person at the same restaurant,the manager asked him how things were going on with the beetle,he said fine,the car was running grate.
    The manager said to him they were lucky because he was about to give him a call,because he wanted to buy back the Beetle!!
    He had a customer that wanted that kind of car in the same color and was unable to find for him another like my son´s car.
    My son laughted,and said he was not interested in selling the car,BUT he couldnt refused the money,and sold the car,he made $1200.- of profit on it,so he sold it.
    This morning the manager called him and said that the customer he had for the car,declined to buy it,so he can still have his car back!
    No way,no deal this time,and now my son is looking to buy a new black neon R/T or a used 5 speed PT.
    He doesn´t know what to do,because the used PT will cost him about $12,000 less than the NEW R/T.
    The PT has 9000 miles and it´s not the top of the line,and has a after market cd changer,he doesn´t know which one to buy.

    Any advice??
  • hersbirdhersbird Member Posts: 323
    how could a new neon RT (which should top out about $16000 after $1000 rebate) cost $12000 more then the PT. Hell the PT could be heavily damaged and still bring more then $4000! Good dealing on the Neon to Bug to ?. I whish all my past car deals were that productive.
  • hersbirdhersbird Member Posts: 323
    I checked invoice on a 2001 Neon RT with every possible option. It is $17353, subtract the $1000 rebate in effect now and add a $300 advertising fee and the max you should have to pay for a fully loaded RT (sunroof, CD, leather, cruise, are only options) would be $16653.
  • copperhead1copperhead1 Member Posts: 157
    Sorry,my mistake,it should read $1,200.- instead of $12,000.-
  • gatehousemangatehouseman Member Posts: 1
    I paid a $250 deductable for the repair of my headgasket, I have done some research and found out that i paid to much. Why is there no recall on the 95 neon headgasket?? The manufacturer denies there is a problem, but the dealership do and the manufacturer will refund the dealership. do i sense a consperacy?? The manufacturers have a fault peice of equipment, and I have to pay over $700 to fix there mistake, something is wrong with this picture..
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Go to http://www.lemonaidcars.com and click on "secret warranties watch". It should give you all the ammo you need.
  • copperhead1copperhead1 Member Posts: 157
    Yesterday my son picked up his brand new black Neon R/T,it´s a beauty,it feels more solid,tighter,more precise,the exhausts makes a nice "concerto" and it´s a sharp looking car!
  • ggr1ggr1 Member Posts: 1
    I bought a 2000 Plymouth Neon with just 4k miles on it only 10 days ago, and tomorrow I am returning it to the dealer. While driving between 50 mph and 60 mph, the car shakes, which is very annoying when I drive 150 miles per day at that speed. Then, the idle has dropped so low when stopped in traffic that the car has almost turned itself off, then when you give it a little gas so it does not completely stall out, the car lunges forward. Just this morning while rolling out of my garage, the rear brakes started rubbing and squealing, and I wasn't even pressing the brake pedal. This car also does not get the highway miles that Plymouth claims. I did not get over 20 to 25 mpg this past week, and that was without the air conditioning. Also, the car pulls to the right. I took it to the dealer about all its problems, and he said the car was fine. I asked about the shaking and was told that was normal for this car, and the drop in idle is also normal for this car. I can not wait to return this junky car!
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I know how you feel. My roommate has a 2000 Dodge Neon with just over 20K he bought new. It's been in the shop 7 times already for various mechanical problems from the rotors warping to the alarm and power locks not working. It's the worst car I have ever seen! Just when you think all the problems are fixed and everything is fine, something else breaks on it. When the car gets up to 10 times in the shop, it's getting traded in and that will be the end of it.
  • copperhead1copperhead1 Member Posts: 157
    Who knows the real truth behind that specific car,and C´mon,don´t play a foul with your dealer,are you a KID???
    Why don´t you test drive a brand new Neon,you will then see if what is normal and what not; I have the great pleasure,a joy,etc..etc.. to own a Neon R/T,and I have been a Neon owner since 95,I already had several Neons,and NONE of them gave me such kind of problems.
    How do you know if that specific car was not involved in a accident,or it had been abused,etc.
    Be smart,take a test drive in any other dealer,have a new one,then speak,and don´t listen to others who are not owners of a Neon,we have the right to speak if we know what we are talking about,we will have a HONEST,and TRUE opinion when we drive on a daily basis a car for a certain time,and NEVER speak about a "friends experience"
    OH GOD!! he is back flaming again,he is back!,he loves the Neon or he is a liar or he doesn´t have any better to do!!( I MEAN VOCUS!!)
    Vocus,when are you letting this go?,it´s NOT your business,I´m sorry,mind your own business,don´t speak for your friend,how is it possible that your friend(THE REAL OWNER,DRIVER of THE NEON,NEVER SPOKE,AND NEVER SPEAKS HERE).

    ENOUGH!!!
    You are free to go to Mazda they want you there,this is a NEON TOPIC,you are not the OWNER of a Neon,so please stop it,Shut-up; it´s time don´t you think so??

    Nothing personal,but enough,is enough from you already.!

    PS Is the nightmare about to begin again with you,I hope not!
  • bugswestbugswest Member Posts: 3
    Hey all-
    It's me again! Just a quick refresher: my name is Elias, I own a Y2K Neon with an Advanced Engine Management (AEM)Cold Air Intake (CAI)system on it (installed myself). I have had the car for 13K mi and not a damn thing wrong, not ONE single thing. I have gotten all my oil changes, and it has been running like a top. In the next month, I will be putting a full coilover suspension system on it that will lower it two inches. Has anyone lowered their Neon? What drop would you suggest? I can go as low as 3 inches, but I think that would destroy the handling. Let me know. Also, when lowering the car, did you replace the struts? If not, are they working fine? Sorry for all the questions, folks. I am just trying to find out some info. I have been taking every single Civic off the lights, it's amazing. By the way, I purchased my blue HID look headlights out of Import Tuner magazine. You should be able to find tons of ads with them. They typically run for about $35. Let me know if you have any questions!! My car is running great, best of luck to all of you!! I am in the Tempe, AZ area, so if you would like to cruise one weekend, let me know!

    Elias
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I saw a Neon R/T on a dealer's lot on Saturday and it was sweet looking. Too bad it was stick shift, or I would have test driven it. Definitely a nice ride. Do they come in automatic or not?

    Also, the high-output 2.0 engine was listed as a $250 option on the price sheet, not as part of the R/T preferred equipment package. Is that engine available on the lower-level Neon ES too or not?
  • this_is_nascarthis_is_nascar Member Posts: 199
    Is the ACR model the top-of-the line model for the Neon? What advantages does it have over the R/T?
  • thomklinethomkline Member Posts: 1
    Hi my name is Tom,

    All I want to do here is state everything Plymouth did wrong with their all new 2000 Neon, oh yea I bought one (it sounded good in the catalog) Now ... let me set the scene, its winter and its cold and there is a lot of snow. So after using the rear defroster to melt the snow blowing from the roof on to the rear window at any speed, if you have a Neon you know what I mean.... you have to use the rear defroster to melt the snow right, so far so good the defroster is doing its job RIGHT ? WRONG! the water seeps into and around the decklid seal and freezes making opening the decklid a pain in the [non-permissible content removed]... oh did I forget to mention the only way to grab the deck lid to open it, is to jamb your fingers under the bottom of the deck lid between the bumper cover and pry like hell!!!! This must be what Dodge was talking about when they said this car was fun !

    Thom
  • hersbirdhersbird Member Posts: 323
    The R/T is only available with a 5 speed in 2001, the 98 and 99 could have an auto. You can't get the 150 hp in a ES, but you must get it in the R/T and pay the extra $250 (I don't know why they just don't include it in the package and up the price a bit). The ACR ends up costing almost the same as a R/T even though the R/T appears to have many extra features. The ACR has it's money under the skin with a fully adjustable competition suspension and not much in the way of creature comforts. If you don't plan on going to the track just go with the R/T, if you want the flat out fastest and best handling neon above all else get the ACR.
  • joemncjoemnc Member Posts: 2
    I recently bought a new 200 Dodge Neon. I test drove a red car and then decided on buying green without test driving it first - Big mistake on my part! When driving home the car made a horrible noise on the passenger side whenever the heat was turned on. It was a missing screw. Now, I've looked at the spare tire and there is water all over the place. It's so bad that the bolt that holds the tire down is rusted and I can't get it to turn. Has anyone else had this problem. The dealership doesn't know it yet, but they are getting this piece of junk back.........Any responses will be greatly appreciated.
  • cwopetecwopete Member Posts: 22
    Hello, I just purchased a 1996 Neon Highline Coupe with 54K miles from a "reputable" dealer (if there is such a thing, leave that for another discussion). Anyway, I stumbled across the "Neon Head Gasket Disasters" section and now I've got cold feet about this car. Don't get me wrong, the car appears to be in great shape, it's super clean and runs great, no visable oil leaks, everything (with the exception of the passenger side door key lock) works just fine. My concern is that am I just another head gasket statistic in the waiting? I would have asked this question on the other discussion but I'm sure the answer would've been "get out while you can". You all seem to have a more enthusiastic approach to the Neon, and I'd appreciate a more informed viewpoint to the car. My cousin owns one and has put 81K on it, wouldn't part with it for the world. Sure, she had to change out the head gasket a 60K miles, but she wasn't quite so annoyed about the whole process. So is my Neon a time bomb or something to keep and enjoy through the years?
  • hersbirdhersbird Member Posts: 323
    I would just enjoy your Neon. If you do end up with a problem (more likely then not it will be fine) it really is not a very costly or a problem that will leave you stranded. Chrysler has fixed many head gaskets out of warranty for $100 for people who called the customer service line. Would you feel more reliable in a 90's Honda civic? They are more likely to blow a distributer then the neon is a head gasket which costs more to repair and stops the Honda dead in it's tracks. When the neon 'blows' a head gasket it just causes a slight oil leak on the side of the motor. Not like the common early 90's Toyota V6's head gasket which often requires a whole new motor (look at 90-94 4 runners in the newspaper and see how many claim 'new motor'). If you do end up replacing the gasket you can take comfort in the fact the new part developed after mid 1998 has fixed this problem.

    Water in the trunk probably comes from a leaking or misaligned tail light gasket. While some cars came like this from the factory in early 1998, it seems possible a few after the redesign may not have gotten put together perfectly. It could also have been in an accident and not repaired properly. The water has been allowed to sit and so your spare hold down bolt has gotten rusty. Isn't a 2000 still under warranty? Take it in and have it all replaced. If it is not the result of an accident then I bet you get all new trunk lining as well. Try asking in a nicer way then you have put your views here, you may get better results.
  • cwopetecwopete Member Posts: 22
    hersbird, appreciate your response. Yes, we will keep the Neon and won't sweat the head gasket issue. Afterall, it's a 96' with 54K miles, we paid around $5,000 for it and it looks and runs great! Even if it eventually did blow a head gasket I suppose it would be no big deal to have it fixed.
  • buoyantbuoyant Member Posts: 128
    As a resident of the frigid and snowy city of Minneapolis, MN, I have the same problem with my current company car, a 2001 Pontiac Gran Prix. In fact, I've had that occur with EVERY vehicle I've ever owned during the winter months here.

    There are a few options you have if you don't want snow to melt off the rear window:

    1. Don't use the rear window defroster (it turns ice and snow into water, which has to run somewhere)

    2. Buy a minivan or SUV - they typically have handles in the back so you don't have to wedge your fingers into that crevice between the decklid and body/bumper

    3. Keep your stuff in the back seat during the winter months and use the trunk for warm weather hauling only

    4. Move someplace that doesn't have frigid winters

    Also, just a note to those of you thinking of purchasing one of those low-mileage rental/lease return Neons: rethink that.

    If you're going to buy a Neon, buy a new one. All rental cars get the tar beaten out of them, and the $199/week specials seem to receive the most brutal abuse.

    I already feel bad for the unknowing person who buys my Gran Prix when it comes off lease. I would never drive my personal car that way...

    Seasons greetings and happy motoring to all!
  • jag88jag88 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2k neon in northern cali. I just wanted to warn you all about those new bulbs that are supposed to look like the HID bright-white/blue lamps on the Benz's and BMW's you see. Someone wrote above that they were installing them on their neon, like I did. They run about $20 but are just regular bulbs with blue paint on. The sellers say they are "European" and resemble the expensive HID's that cost thousands, but they suck and are illegal (I got a fat ticket)- that's all.
  • enetheneth Member Posts: 285
    Hersbird's advice is a little off-base. A head gasket leak is not a minor problem, and can just as easily lead to serious damage on a Neon as on any other car. Replacing a head gasket will cost several hundred dollars, which DaimlerChrysler may or may not cover (unlike Toyota, it never owned up to the faulty head gaskets and recalled the cars, and extended the warranties).

    It is important to check frequently for oil leaks, since it won't be long before coolant ends up in the cylinders, or the car overheats - probably damaging the cylinder head along with the gasket.
  • hersbirdhersbird Member Posts: 323
    I was saying the headgasket leak does not disable the car. I had a Quad-4 motor blow a headgasket and it seized right there, filled a cylinder full of coolant and when the piston came up bent the rod, a couple of valves, and scored the crank. This all happened in a fraction of a second. I ended up getting a whole new motor, which alone cost $4500 not counting labor. Thank god it still had 5000 miles on the warranty. The neon problem may cost between $100 and $500 but that is still the same or less as the parts and labor on the Honda distributer.

    PS actually there was a $100 deductable on that warranty on my Quad-4, so it ended up costing the same as my neon might if it blows the gasket even after the warranty expires next week.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    My roommate's 2000 Neon just turned one year old with 21,500 miles on it on 12/31. It's been in the shop 8 times for various problems. All the problems are being worked out little by little though. I wish the customer service was better though. They finally did find the power steering problem though, and said it was a missing part in the system which they had to order. It's on order with a new radio (cassette died). They had to also replace and reprogram one of the remotes (broke it in a drunken state a few weeks ago). :) The other one doesn't work now! Have to send that one in next time I guess. Hopefully, the car will be good now since just about everything has been replaced in it that was troublesome.

    Oh, and the trunk rubber ripped too. That's also on order to be replaced when the car goes into the shop for its 9th visit in a week or two.
  • fc3grrlfc3grrl Member Posts: 3
    I said I'd post after our purchase of a '01, so here it is, just a little late...

    We couldn't get the 5-speed unless we ordered one and waited two months (so they said), so we ended up with an automatic ES, Clearcoat Black with the Sun & Sport package. This, combined with the fact that they gave me half of what my RX-7 was worth, was disappointing. Luckily that disappointment lasted only half an hour. It's been nothing but pleasure since.

    It's funny to me that I had thought I'd be sacrificing performance for a back seat. While I'm no longer racing Mustangs and Honda's or rolling into the curves like I did in my 'seven, I'm still zipping onto the interstate and gliding down the highway with power to spare.

    This car was full of surprises like that; it's roomy, and handles like a much bigger, more luxurious car. Bumpy roads no longer rattle my teeth, and I certainly don't miss the occasional cramp in my clutch-knee, either, thanks to the automatic, which I must admit is kind of nice *grin*. The much-ranted engine noise is non-existent; the 'seven was *much* louder, and I can no longer hear my husband pull around the corner and into the driveway when he's in the Neon. The auto-fading overhead light was a whimsical surprise, too.

    The biggest surprise is our friends' reactions. Suddenly the guy with the Mercedes wants to ride in my back seat. We fit four adults comfortably. They also adore the re-designed body, and everyone we talk to has a story about someone else's Neon and how happy they are with it.

    So far we've had absolutely no problems with the car, and we've got about 1200 miles on it. Mileage is averaging about 30, which is more than double what we are used to, and with regular octane instead of premium, an appreciable savings! The trunk is huge, too, and I really made use of the space when Christmas shopping, and was able to fit a new folding table into the trunk, laid completely flat with the back seats still upright. We feel that we made a smart choice, and if we had it to do over again, we'd still go with what we got.

    Thanks again for all of the information and encouragement. The decision to buy this car was left up to me, and I really would've heard it forever if my husband wasn't pleased. He brags that I did good, and that's another bonus!

    I love my Neon!
    Bev
  • enetheneth Member Posts: 285
    Hersbird,

    If you can get a head gasket on a Neon replaced for $100-400, more power to you. You must live in a low-cost labor area. Around here, it's over $1200 for a V6 for head gaskets, and more like $700-900 for a 4-cylinder model for labor and for parts. Whether it's a Honda or a Neon, labor is labor - and it's expensive.
  • hersbirdhersbird Member Posts: 323
    Well I checked more into neon headgasket costs. All factory parts required are less then $100. The actual labor involved is pretty simple, it's easy to access and goes pretty quick. Common prices paid for labor ranges from $200 at you local grease monkey shop to $500 at a five star dealer. The warranty has been extended to 5 years and 100000 miles on the headgasket with a $100 deductable. If the failure happens it almost always occures on the drivers side rear of the block and only involves the leaking of oil, seldom does a headgasket failure on a neon result in the mixing of any fluids. If you have an oil leak at this point still don't panic yet, the most common cause, (much more likely then headgasket) is the cam position sensor seal which costs under $5 for the part and 15 minutes tops to install. Many people have this slight headgasket leak for a long time before it gets worse. A few people at www.neons.org ran upwards of 50000 miles with the headgasket leaking oil before it finally started leaking collant as well, still the neon continued to march on until the fix was made. Of course a V-6 will cost more, it is exactly twice the work and parts with reduced accesibility. By your math if a V-6 costs $1200 a inline 4 cylinder should cost less then $600. Maybe other 4 cylinders are more difficult to work on then the neon, and I'm pretty sure a factory set of top end gaskets on a Honda will cost more then the $88 the neon's do. Anyway enough death and gloom about this headgasket thing. My point is there are so many other cars out there, that have more common problems, that will leave you walking in Hayward at 1 am, and ultimately cost more then the neon's headgasket.
  • edswordsedswords Member Posts: 47
    Thanks Hersbird for shedding a little light on the 'horrible' Neon head gasket problem. I ran my 95 Neon to 94,000 miles with the original head gasket and found out after I sold it that the minor oil leak at the back of the engine was not
  • edswordsedswords Member Posts: 47
    Thanks Hers bird for shedding a little light on the horrible' Neon head gasket problem. I ran my 95 Neon to 94,000 miles with the original head gasket. I found out after I sold it that the minor oil leak at the back of the engine was not from the valve cover but from the head gasket.

    The car ran fine and dint smell like coolant or lose coolant. The problem is hardly ever criticle. I have been quoted head gasket replacements for less than 400 dollars(or about the same of a good set of tires)

    If you have 50,000+ on the car its a good time to consider replacing the timing belt which wont siginficantly increase the cost of the entire job.
  • edswordsedswords Member Posts: 47
    I have a 2K Neon with the 14" wheels and 185/65 Goodyear Eagle GA's with 20,000 miles on them. The tires were barely adequate last winter at 10,000 miles and they are terrible in the snow this year.

    I still love my Neon but if anyone from Dodge reads the Edmunds Town Hall is reading this I just want them to know the Goodyears are the worst set of tires I have ever had. I was hoping to get 40-50,000 miles out of them, but now I will be lucky to get 25,000.

    One failed on me at 1000 miles (sidewall failure, not from a curb or punture) and Goodyear did nothing about it. I have to get the tires balanced every 5000 miles to stop them from wobbeling. It works for a while but the wobble always comes back.

    Has anyone else had problems with the Goodyears?

    I am also receptive to recommendations on good all weather replacement tires.
  • 71charger71charger Member Posts: 116
    I must agree with edswords about the Eagle As. They came as original equipment on our Jeep and were completely worn out before 25,000. My Neon with the 15" wheels came with Good year AS tires and, so far, I've been pleased with them. I'm at about 13K with no discernible wear on them. They got me to work and back (80 mile round trip) in an ice storm. I do have traction control though.

    On the oil filter. The Neon 2.0 calls for the same filter that most of the old 2.2s (along with many Toyotas and Yugos) called for, Farm PH3614. It's a tiny filter and doesn't provided a great deal of filtering area. The short V-8 filter is an easy fit (Farm PH43) and it holds about an extra half a quart of oil as well as the increased area of the filtration media. I'm not advocating Farm or any other filter, Fram's just seem to be the numbers most people are familiar with.

    Also, I'd still like to hear from anyone who has had the PVC recall work done. Any change in driveability?
  • 71charger71charger Member Posts: 116
    On my last post I thought I had just told it to fix my spelling of discernible and it changed a bunch of stuff. Farm should be Fram, Eagle As should be Eagle GAs, Good year AS should be Goodyear LS. Oh well, live and learn.
  • hersbirdhersbird Member Posts: 323
    This winter I got a set of BF Goodrich studded winterfires mounted and balanced for $240 at Costco. They are great studded snows and I think better and cheeper for around town driving then the 'studless' tires like Blizzacks. My Jeep had Goodyear GSA's (Get Stuck Anywhere) as original equipment as well, just about anything would be better. The neon has 23K miles on the Goodyears and although they still have over 50% of the tread left I don't think I'll put them back on the factory rims in the spring. Instead I'll get a set of aftermarket 15 or 16" wheels and tires and leave the studs mounted. Even with studded snows when you get the light neon on a solid icy hill it's pretty hard to get going with the clutch and 150hp on tap, maybe I should use 2nd gear more. Spellcheck always wants to change what's right as well as what's wrong, It's why I stopped using it long ago. At least this new format has a 'edit' button you can go back and fix stuff.
  • krzysskrzyss Member Posts: 849
    Hi !

    I am happy original owner of 96 Neon (Sport Sedan). My head gasket gave way around 50000 miles. My Five star dealer did work for (I wish I remember 500 to 700 USD) x dollars and I asked them to write on the bill that it was not due to abuse but else (typical damage was the wording). So I called the DC got the address and sent them the bill. Month later I got check which covered all the expenses. So I am paying it back by claiming how well I was treated but it should have been designed properly first.

    Now about the tires. My both cars came with Eagle GAs: Neon 185/65R14 and Passat 215/50R15. These both sets lasted around 30000 miles.
    On the Neon I had exact the same problem. Side of the tire developed air leak (no sign of damage) and it took me 3 or 4 Goodyear dealers to get one which replaced it for free but I bought from them additional service (roadhazard or something) but still cheaper than new tire.
    The Passat had different problem. Close to the end of their thread life the tires started developing cracks in the grooves. I had them patched first time but after second I bought new tires (Dunlop SP9000 and Pirelli Winter Ice).

    It is good that GAs do not last longer because I would not be able to enjoy different tires. My current Neon tires are Dunlop D60A2 and they are quite decent. My Neon has 60000 and by the end of the summer I will need new tires or sooner.

    Krzys
  • edswordsedswords Member Posts: 47
    I had the recall repair done 3 months ago and the car drives the exact same - no difference.

    I appreciate the feedback about tires. I suspected I wasnt alone. I will definately be buying a new set of tires and I am sure they will not be another set of Goodyears!
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