1997 Dodge Neon EX review from North America
"Powerful yet troublesome"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
My head gasket blew at 80,000km's. On the day I bought the car. It was fixed under dealer warranty.
Catalytic converter had to be replaced at 92,000km.
Broken drive shaft at 95,000km.
Car was overheating, the radiator was the problem. Replaced at 103,000km.
Starter motor fried at 104,000km.
Replaced O2 sensor at 109,000km.
Car runs rough and backfires once in a while, I think it may be the coil going.
General comments?
In general I like my Neon.
It's one of the quickest small cars around, because of it's powerful little engine, and low vehicle weight. It will keep up with or beat most near stock civic's, integra's, probe's, etc.
It looks good, especially with the flame red paint, and tints.
The reliability of this car is questionable. It's definitely not as refined as a Honda or any other import for that matter.
Overall, it is an awesome concept, which was poorly executed.
Though it offers plenty of bang for the buck.
Even though it hasn't been the most reliable of cars, I still own mine, and I don't plan on selling it any time soon. (no resale value anyways)
I would recommend this car to anyone who wants performance on a budget.
Recommended reviews
| It looks and sounds good, parked with the motor off |
|
| Cheap "beater" daily driver car possessed by demons and has gremlins living under the hood |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| Year of manufacture | 1997 |
| First year of ownership | 2000 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2002 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.0L Manual |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 5 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 6 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 80000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 110000 kilometres |
| Date of Entry | 13th April, 2002 |