1997 Dodge Neon base sedan review from North America

Headgasket replaced, cylinder heads machined, timing belt replaced at time of purchase, ~$1100.

Rear main seal blown.

Engine mounts badly worn.

Paint on bumper peeling.

Body paint began to peel, repainted by previous owner.

Trunk leak, repaired by previous owner.

Has eaten 2 batteries in about a year and I don't yet know why...

As I expected based on reviews I read before I bought this car, Neons tend to be hit-or-miss on reliability. The headgasket and peeling paint are very common problems among Neons of this vintage; if you're buying one, expect to have to deal with both.

Having driven this car about 20k miles, I really do want to like it. But I find myself making excuses for it.

What I LIKE:

-Pedal feel is excellent. Stick shift feel great.

-Steering wheel is large and fat, power steering is a little stiff, but steering is tight.

-Good power starting in the midrange and thru till redline, surprising grip from the stock tires (185/70/R14 Khumo's for me).

-Gas mileage is excellent.

- 0-60 in 2 gears is kinda nice.

-Lots and lots of aftermarket parts available.

What I Don't like:

-The car fits together like tupperware, and as a consequence, stuff rattles. Lots of stuff rattles.

-Cockpit is hard black plastic.

-Seats (except in R/T models) have very little lateral support.

-The windows in this generation are not framed, and will rattle and, if not aligned correctly, let air in at highway speeds.

-Gearing with the SOHC engine (the 3.55 final drive 5spd) is very tall. This is nice for the fat powerband 3000rpm and up, but starts from a standstill are un-inspiring and almost never smooth. Also, highway power is lacking unless you travel over 75mph. Passing almost always requires at least one downshift.

-Standard equipment is barebones. Meaning, no passenger-side mirror; no floor mats; no tach; heh, forget A/C or ABS.

What I will immediately say for this car is that it's very fun to drive fast. The gearchange is smooth, power is predictable, grip is surprising. Rear seat room is abundant for a car this small, better then a same-year Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla, and about on par with my friend's Saturn SL1. The trunk will fit a good amount of bags, or a double 12" sub enclosure, with ease. Folding rear seats are optional. Audio system is decent stock and easy to replace with aftermarket player and speakers.

The things that bug me about this car might pass completely by other people, but the low gearing and the rattling dash really bug me. Driving this car, I always feel like I had to settle for it. For what you pay I think it represents a very good value, but a quick look into auto classifieds will show you just how little used Neons sell for.

Having said all that, I would buy another Neon, BUT, I would look for a 2000+, as the second generation addressed a few of the things that bug me about this car.

Consider the Neon, by all means, but drive it first, take it on the highway and over some railroad tracks, see what rattles, and weigh the price against a more expensive, but more bolted-down, Mazda/Honda/Hyundai/Toyota etc.