1997 Dodge Neon Base review from North America
"Buy a Honda"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
A week after I bought this car from the dealership, it began to leak coolant at 60,000 km's. The mechanic said it was the O-ring. Replaced O-ring, problem was still there. Turns out it was the "head gasket", a well known problem with these cars. Got head gasket fixed. at 80,000 km's brakes began to squeak at complete stop. Problem seems to never go away, yet another trait for these cars. At 85,000 km's I began to have electrical issues when I opened the drivers door, dome light fails to come on. Yet another regular neon occurance. Car ran flawlessly up until 135,000km's. Then all hell broke loose. Spark plugs are accumulating oil on the ends and no one seems to know why. Engine light is permantently on, covered with black tape. Car doesn't overheat, but definitely has lost its power. Tires are always out of alignment. Water is always accumulating on the rear floors. All in all, a complete nightmare. Oh, and the paint flakes off like nail polish. And the transmission squeaks and slips. Oh did I mention the speakers don't work. And the headlight casing is as yellow as the sun. I could go on for days, but whats the point?
General comments?
The worst car ever conceived. Looked like a good deal at the time. Being a student, I wanted something that was good on gas and stylish enough to tour around in. What a mistake. The amount of money I could put into this car could be enough for a down payment on a house, but I'd rather just drive this pos the way it is and hope that it explodes. I have nothing positive to say about this car other than it is roomy enough for a homeless person to live in.
Recommended Reviews:
![]() ![]() | A reliable car, but you get what you pay for! |
![]() ![]() | An economic sports sedan |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Model Year | 1997 |
| First year of ownership | 2005 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2006 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.0 litre Automatic |
| Performance marks | 2/10 |
| Reliability marks | 5/10 |
| Comfort marks | 7/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 2/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 0/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 59000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 147000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Chevrolet Cavalier |
| Date of Entry | 2nd May, 2006 |

