1997 Dodge Neon Sport review from North America
"A high performance economy car"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The car definitely experienced some teething problems from when it was new to two years old.
The head gasket blew on it after 13 000km.
The paint "fogged" on the hood and had to be repainted.
The air conditioning compressor had to be replaced the second year. It still worked, but produced a horrible metallic grinding noise when switched on.
But the biggest problem has been with the factory sunroof. It failed at least once a year every summer and some component was replaced which would cure the problem anywhere from one month up to the following summer. During the third year (and final year for warranty coverage) it failed three times. The next year (when out of warranty) it failed again, but kudos to Chrysler for recognizing the faulty roof and they looked after the replacement parts. I paid for the labour to intall them.
General comments?
Although I did have to take it back for warranty repairs many times during the first couple of years, the car has been very well behaved the last four years, aside from the sunroof. I was seriously considering selling it after the first two years, but I'm now glad that I didn't.
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| First year of ownership | 1997 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.0 Manual |
| Performance marks | 8/10 |
| Reliability marks | 6/10 |
| Comfort marks | 7/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 5/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 7 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 90000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Toyota Corolla |
| Date of Entry | 13th January, 2003 |