Chrysler Neon, What's up with them???

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B00ne

Platinum Member
May 21, 2001
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I was looking for used cars (germany) and it seems like ppl are almost paying money to get rid of them :). No really why are they so absolutely frigging cheap?? (there are the cheapest cars to be found by a large margin)

Are they really bad and one should stay far far away from them? If so why?: reliability, engine, suspension...?
 
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CraigRT

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
31,440
5
0
Neon is awesome..
2001 Neon R/T here... no problems at all... quick too (more powerful 2.0L with 150HP)
they as well as some other domestics, have completely horsey poo resale value. probably because they are a dime a dozen.
 
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B00ne

Platinum Member
May 21, 2001
2,168
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hmm so basically nothing wrong with them?
those dirt cheap models I was looking at were from like 96 and they were around $2500, sometimes as low as 12k km (8k miles), and all have 100kw

but I think I already scrapped that Idea, after looking at the pictures - the car is too big.... I think I am looking more for something like a Golf.... or smaller

Where I live it is already a nitemare to find a parking place with the tiny car I have now...
 
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SyahM

Golden Member
Nov 6, 2001
1,788
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Originally posted by: Yield
Neon is awesome.. 2001 Neon R/T here... no problems at all... quick too (more powerful 2.0L with 150HP) they as well as some other domestics, have completely horsey poo resale value. probably because they are a dime a dozen.
Click to expand...

Neon S R/T is gawd awful quick, 0-60 under six seconds according to Car and Driver this month issue.
 
Scarpozzi

Scarpozzi

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
26,389
1,778
126
<Triumph Voice>Neons are great........


......FOR ME TO POOP ON! </Triumph voice>
 
StageLeft

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
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The 96 will probably be a POS reliability wise, but 8k miles for $2500 you CANNOT go wrong unless it's been used in combat scenarios.
 
iamwiz82

iamwiz82

Lifer
Jan 10, 2001
30,772
13
81
i have had 2 neons, both daily drivers. My first was a 1996 that was fairly reliable. Just make sure the head gasket was replaced. Other than that, neither one has seen the shop. I sold the first one to my dad for his DD and it now has 110,000 miles. I now have a 2000 and its got 53,000 miles. Nothing is better for cheap transportation. I wouldnt exactly call it big though. Its about the size of a roller skate :)
 
iamwiz82

iamwiz82

Lifer
Jan 10, 2001
30,772
13
81
Originally posted by: vi_edit
hmm so basically nothing wrong with them?
Click to expand...

They go through head gaskets like George Clooney goes through women.
Click to expand...

Any headgasket replaced after late 1998 will not blow again. The replaced it with a new design.
 
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SyahM

Golden Member
Nov 6, 2001
1,788
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Originally posted by: KnightBreed
Originally posted by: SyahM Neon S R/T is gawd awful quick, 0-60 under six seconds according to Car and Driver this month issue.
Click to expand...
I believe it's "SRT-4." But, yea, they're quite fast.
Click to expand...

yeah, it's SRT-4 :p
 
StageLeft

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
a Justy?
Click to expand...
My mother had one. I put some good miles on that little thing. Fast as hell (not). One of the first cheap cars with a CVT I think...or something similar.
 
spaceman

spaceman

Lifer
Dec 4, 2000
17,563
150
106
my friend has pictures in his garage of a "modded" justy
i guess with a lift and a few suspension upgrades and bigger tires,they make a pretty neat 4x4 woods vehicle.
 
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B00ne

Platinum Member
May 21, 2001
2,168
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Originally posted by: Cyberian
Originally posted by: B00ne

Where I live it is already a nitemare to find a parking place with the tiny car I have now...
Click to expand...
What are you driving now?
Click to expand...


Opel Corsa with monstrous 33kw :) - but I still lost my license due to speeding on the Autobahn in Germany (for 1 month)
here is a pic of one
 
StageLeft

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Originally posted by: ncircle
my friend has pictures in his garage of a "modded" justy
i guess with a lift and a few suspension upgrades and bigger tires,they make a pretty neat 4x4 woods vehicle.
Click to expand...
It was a fun little car in the snow but my brother and I pretty well killed the transmission at 40k, but then we did treat the car like crap. Flooring it ALL day long and constantly doing neutral drops in our goal to get wheel spin.

 
Scarpozzi

Scarpozzi

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
26,389
1,778
126
My exgf from like 3 years ago had one, and my high school had a fleet of them for Driver's Ed. They are great cars until they get some miles on them. It seems they have a life of about 2-4 years....Then the transmission isn't as powerful for whatever reason, the handling and suspension both get bad, and the interior falls apart (small things break...mirrors, knobs etc.)

I suppose if you really took good care of it, it'd be an ok car, but a Honda or Nissan would last a lot longer and be a much wiser investment. My exgf's was 2 years old and had more problems than I could count. Could have just been a bad one, but I dunno....
 
vi edit

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,387
8,150
126
Opel Corsa with monstrous 33kw :) - but I still lost my license due to speeding on the Autobahn in Germany (for 1 month)
here is a pic of one
Click to expand...

Wow. Is that the Dual Overhead Hampster Cam, or the SOHC version?
 
Zenmervolt

Zenmervolt

Elite member
Oct 22, 2000
24,512
21
81
I never thought that I'd see the day when someone called the Neon "too big". Of course, I do remember that back in HS the French exchange student thought my friend's Corsica was "a huge car", and of course the we American's consider it mid-sized if we're feeling generous. As for the Neon, the one thing that really gets me about the early models is the 3-speed automatic, IMO 3 speeds are not adequate. Chrysler has since started using a 4-speed auto though.

ZV
 
C

Chadder007

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
7,560
0
0
Originally posted by: B00ne
hmm so basically nothing wrong with them?
those dirt cheap models I was looking at were from like 96 and they were around $2500, sometimes as low as 12k km (8k miles), and all have 100kw

but I think I already scrapped that Idea, after looking at the pictures - the car is too big.... I think I am looking more for something like a Golf.... or smaller

Where I live it is already a nitemare to find a parking place with the tiny car I have now...
Click to expand...

Ohhhhh...the 96 model. Run like heck from doze man!
 
D

dmcowen674

No Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
54,894
47
91
www.alienbabeltech.com
Up until the 2000 Model year the NEON was POS. They made some great improvements and it is a good small American car.
BY the Way People, the NEON chasis, engine etc is what is underneath the PT Cruiser. The Cruiser is just a NEON with a bigger shell and 17" wheels.
 
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