Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
For those that do tune in , i got the alternator out through the side like i suspected. Removed the tire and inner plastic wheel well cover after pulling out the electicals from underneath the car.
Lower 4 inch pivot bolt was seized in the pivot bracket due to being so low to the ground and elements. Snapped at the half way point and had to beat out the rest with a long punch.
The Neon/Dodge truck combination sounds great. So your wife likes to drive a 5-speed performance car? Does she have a single sister?
I have a first generation Neon, a 1999 to be exact. With Dodge I have noticed that later builds do not mean better quality (as is the case with other manufacturers). My 1999 Highline Coupe, DOHC, 5spd with only 65k miles has had and still has a number of problems.
Most of them are small things, such as water in the tailight, extremely loud rattling from clutch cable, diagonal scratches across the windows, passenger door lock does not work from outside, squealing belts only 5k miles after new belts installed and squealing from my exhaust donut. But some are expensive and have/will affect the driveability of the car, My rockers are cracked and knock frequently, the car stalls out when its cold, the car has failed to start on me twice, it misfires real bad at idle and the a/c compressor bangs when it engages.
Most of these are "normal Neon problems", even the cracked rockers which will cost me $1300 to fix. I am sorry but when a manufacturer still has "normal" problems 5 years after a car was introduced it shows the manufacturer in general has some serious quality control problems.
I have had some of these problems looked at by the Chryco dealership (the misfire at idle, the cold stalling and the a/c compressor) but they claimed everything was in proper working order and a tuneup or repair was not necessary.
I was happy with the car for the first couple of months, then when all these problems started showing up I just ended up hating the car. I cannot wait till I can dump this hunk of junk.
Sorry to hear of all the unfortunate mishaps with your car. I was out looking at the SX 2.0 on the weekend and didn't even get one foot into the showroom when I was pounced by the most pushy salesman. I was there for at least 30 minutes and never set foot INTO the car!!!
I was getting real pissed since I wanted to get it out on the road, but it was obvious that was not going to happen.
Anyway....After looking at several vehicles that weekend, I came to the conclusion that almost all makes have their problems...whether they are mechanical or cosmetic....
Thanks for the insight though.
My wife doesn't have any sisters, sorry however I have 2 daughters 20 and 23 who both drive 5 speeds. Actually none of our vehicles have anything but 5 speeds by choice. I am considering an automatic next time only since I mangled my left leg in a motorcycle accident and I'm not having much luck healing properly due to the trauma (been over 6 months, I can walk but have a bad limp and a titanium rod holding it all together). I don't enjoy the clutch action as much since there is still some pain when I depress the clutch but it does appear to be lessening with time.
Anyway, based on your needs I can see where the in-dash unit would be preferable. It would also be covered by warranty and insurance if dealer installed I imagine. I wasn't aware of the tie in with the Sirrus radio system. I'll have to look into it a little further.
I personally think the new style Neon is much more refined over the previous generation and has fixed many of the "problem" areas like wind noise from a frameless window. Again based on MY experience the 02 R/T has been flawless. I purchased a set PT Cruiser rims from Ebay and bought a set of Sempiert H rated directional snow tires for winter use. With these tires the R/T seems to be able to go anywhere, even in 8" of fresh snow. The car will be 1 year old next month and has had NO quality issues, only going to the dealer for oil changes every 3 months. My wife and I also drive aggressively, but not abusively. The R/T also does not have a speed cap like most "economy" cars and the SXT. I've had it up to 127 on the speedo and it felt really composed, it probably would have gone a little faster but I ran out of runway. Rick
Yesterday I had the chance to drive an R/T and SXT back-to-back, and there was a big difference in my opinion...all in favor of the R/T. Besides the tighter steering and slightly better acceleration you had talked about, the R/T was also much quieter (sound insulation under the hood and under the floor), had a more composed sound (lower exhaust note and engine did not strain). For my tastes, the ride was better in the R/T, because its extra firmness was combined with a supple quality, wheras the SXT was downright "jiggly." Also, the 5-speed of the R/T felt more crisp and smooth.
What's even more interesting, imo, was that I drove a Jag X-Type 5 speed (it's my father's car) to the test drive, and came away thinking the R/T was a BETTER drive, except in the area of interior design, because obviously the Jag is in a whole different price class. The X-Type with sport suspension hits bumps like a truck (very harsh), the 5-speed is a bit vague, the interior noise level is comparable, and the X-Type has an advantage in the smoothness of the V-6 vs. the 2.0 Magnum only at much higher RPMs. I also preferred the R/T's brakes, which are after all great. I just wish the R/T would have a more stylish interior, which would not be too tough, given the fact that the Chrysler Neon in Canada and Europe has a more 300M style interior at the same price point. Better yet, I wish they'd bring a Chrysler Neon 2.0 to States. They seem to be marketing the Dodge only to under-25s, which is a shame.
Thanks for any input.
You can buy a NEW Neon SXT with rebates now for $9500 plus taxes. You get a new car and a full warranty. With a 3 year old car you have no warranty and you may be buying someone elses problems. Newer Neons should have few problems based on MY experiences. Whatever you do I would suggest you buy new. With a new car you can determine what you should pay using the Edmunds TMV prices. Determine what options you want and get the Edmunds TMV price before you go shopping. Find out what rebates are available. Avoid the dealer's extras, like rust proofing, paint sealer and interior protection. These are only there for additional dealer profit. DO NOT fall in love with a particular car, emotions block common sense and you will end up paying more than you should. Shop around for a saleperson, you don't have to take the first person who approaches you. If the dealership doesn't treat you like you feel you should be treated, ask to speak to a manager and express your feelings. If you don't get thew results you want LEAVE. There are many dealerships in the Metro DC area who want your business. If you do your research you will know what you should pay. Check other sources of financing like Credit Unions,before you talk to the dealer. You can only be taken advantage of if YOU allow it. Good luck in your car hunting. Feel free to ask questions here, there are always helpful people with OPINIONS in Townhall.
Now if you cannot afford a new car I would recommend a used Japanese (Honda or Toyota). I have had nothing but problem after problem with my 1999 Neon which has been meticulously maintained since new. I have had the car since October '02 and the problems are just one after another. I was in love with the car when I first got it, but now I despise it and cannot wait to dump it. I thought I was getting a good deal because it was $10,000 less then a 99 Civic EX I was looking at, but all in all I wish I had just gone with the Civic.
I know 5 people that had Neons (4 had the 1st generation 95-99 and 1 had a 00). Well basically now they spit on the name Neon and Dodge/Plymouth. The 4 with the first generations all had their headgaskets blow and got rid of their cars and took a huge loss within a couple of year of purchasing them. The one with the '00 had the car taken back by Chrysler under the lemon law due to electrical problems, she then got a 01' Jeep Grand Cherokee (another Chrysler vehicle) that had the engine self destruct at 42,000 miles.
All in all, yeah there are a few people who have had no problems with their Neon but the fact is the Neon has a terrible reputation for unreliability. Just take a look around, how often do you see a first generation Neon on the road? I will venture to guess not often because most of them are either A)Sitting in a junkyard or B)Have been scrapped. Good Luck
Tune
With how bad the economy is the car manufacturers are offering great lease rates. VW just started a "Any excuse will do sales event"....$999 down gets you in a Jetta GL for $199/mo, 42 months with 12k miles a year. The total of your payments is alittle under $10k which is not bad to get a brand new car and keep it for 3 1/2 years. VW's arent known for customer service or reliability (they are down there with Chrysler), but it would be covered under warranty throughout your lease.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2003-05-06-quality_x.htm
Do a Google search for "Chrysler" and "peeling paint" and you'll turn up a wealth of information - apparently, many people have succeeded in getting their cars repainted, even cars several years old.
Do a little research before contacting DaimlerChrysler -- apparently the only solution is to strip the car to the bare metal and repaint everything, or the paint will peel again (the problem is not with the paint itself, it is with the primer system used).
Another co-worker has a 96 Neon sedan, and it looks like it has lepracy or something.
Check out a site called lemonaidcars.com, there is information there about paint problems. I think the warranty is 7 years/100K though, not sure on that one...
The new Crossfire is pretty sweet as well. Got to drive one of those today. Although it's very small inside, it's a pretty nice ride.
is a used 2003 worth that much?
I'm looking for a car for a friend whose 1995 Neon with 156K is falling apart (needs bodywork, AC work, and the ignition switch is messed up and makes the car a bear to start)...she likes her car and wanted a Stratus coupe but seeing as those are $21K new...not happening...
She of course like all optimistic first time car buyers (hers was bought for her in high school) thinks she can get a car for $200 a month and nothing down...as long as daddy co-signs...
So I told her a $4000 car would be a better choice as it would be paid off in two years and still be worth most of what was paid for it...
so my second question is, would a 2000 Neon for $4000-$4500 be worth the trouble of possible head gasket failures and transmission issues over the next 2 years and 50,000 miles (she drives a lot) and will it be worth anything at the end?
I'm guessing a 2000 Neon in 2 years will be worth what a 1998 is now? About $2500-$3000?
Also, working for Chrysler financial and writing up finance contracts every day for all sorts of Chryslers, $200 doesn't happen unless the car is 3-4 years old. Don't go older than 2 years, the finance rates are higher on older cars because of the risk factor. I would personally go for the $8450 deal, that's a pretty good one. But also be warned that rental cars are most of the time beat on and run hard...
I like Neons a lot, but you should think "price" when you buy one. They're basically commodities.
Thank You
Barry
DaimlerChrysler will sometimes cover the repairs - take it to a dealer and gently press your case - they know the gaskets are faulty and failure-prone.
A co-worker of mine just got an 03 SXT in black with every option yesterday. She has 40 miles so far, and loves it to death. Of course, her last car was a 95 Elantra whose AC had broken years ago and it had 160K miles on it.
I almost got a Neon, but wanted more room, so I got a PT. Happy with my choice so far at 3750 miles.