1999 Dodge Neon R/T review from North America
"No better value for a small performance car"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The Head gasket blew probably at about 75K. I noticed oil spots on the driveway. I had heard about the gasket problem, but thought I was impervious. At about the same time, I have had a scenario where the throttle RPM's do not dive back to idle immediately when I step off the pedal about 2/3rd's of the time. I figured it was a "chip" or a vacuum leak and have asked the "5 Star" dealer twice to please fix, but they have been unable to duplicate it, they say. I also had a situation where the key would not turn the tumblers in the ignition at about 25K. This required a new tumbler to be installed.
General comments?
I originally had a '95 baseline model which I put 80K on before trading for the R/T in 1999. I prefer the wider torque band of the SOHC 132Hp engine, but the acceleration of the DOHC at 40MPH onto an expressway is great. I recently bought a 2002 Neon SXT for my daughter. All three are manuals. For the most part, the three cars have been bulletproof. The rear seat area is enormous for a small car. With 83K, I have not required a brake job yet and I drive hard. The front disks were way over engineered for such a light car.
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| The last attempt to compete with the foreign makes was a failure |
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| A good choice that handles great, and has some attitude when needed |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1999 |
| First year of ownership | 1999 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2002 |
| Engine and transmission | DOHC Manual |
| Performance marks | 9 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 7 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 5 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 0 miles |
| Most recent distance | 83000 miles |
| Previous car | Plymouth Neon |
| Date of Entry | 30th December, 2002 |