1997 Dodge Neon Highline from North America - Comments

I lost the automatic transmission at 87,000 miles and replaced it with a manual (much better!).

Head gasket changed when pourchased at 37,000 miles along with recalled exhaust donut.

Changed head gasket again at 110,000 miles when I blew the timing belt. Also changed head with a head from a 1995 Neon (once again much better).

Radiator fan relay died at 120,000 miles.

I bought this car for the whopping sum of $10,500 (US) in 1997. It was used as a pizza delivery vehicle over the next few years, hence the extremely high mileage. The abuse it received was next only to that of a city taxi. Doors slammed, stop and go driving, hard braking, adverse conditions (snowy in the winter, hot in the summer), and general "race car driving". This car has outperformed any other compact I have owned (Nissan, Pontiac, and Honda). With 132 hp from the factory it accelerates very quick and pulls strong all the way to th 6500 red line. The automatic is gutless! If you have the chance get the manual, you'll see great increases in the performance. For the abuse this car has taken it is amazing the doors are even still attached! In conlusion this car is about the best car for the money on the road! I highly recommend it to anyone looking for cheap, reliable commuting.

Ok you wanna know why his timing belt blew so urly, because you were probably trying to beat some late honda model in a race,, and just loot at how many thangs went wrong with that car, so folks dodge neon will never beat a honda both back to back brandnew noway in hell. hes talking out his ace...uhh..i evan have the little brother of the dohc I have the sohc vtec si and before I did anything to it it would destroy any dodge, and try actually trying to drive fast in that car and take corners yea right before the tires buckel I drove one and brand new one for a month for a rental and I wore the spark plugs down in one day of just seing what it would push on the highway on a straightaway. so there you go.

My honda has 235,854 miles and I've not had any of the problems you've had with the Chrysler product. In fact besides a front cv axles I've not had any problems.

I have some comments for you guys out there with your sohc hondas that you think they are so fast. I have a plymouth neon highline 95 that would blow away an honda around. I know because I have raced and beaten them. I have a lot done to my car it has 160,000 miles the ony thing I have done to it was a head gasket a thermostat and a fuel pump. If you take care of the car it will take care of you. So you people out there that think your stock honda is faster need a reality check so wake up dodge has more horsepower and in most cases a bigger engine than most hondas on the market with the exception of the 2.2. I like my neon and would take it up against any sohc honda you guys have. So you guys should really do your homework before writing about somehting you have no clue about.

Word to the guy who posted before this, my neon eats almost everything I come up against. sohc, dohc, vtec, vvti, don't matter, drive it hard and shift fast, the neon loves it. I have the sohc, and 3.55 manual tran. minimal problems, only thing I can't fix myself is the head gasket leak, which is so minor that I don't have to put ANY oil in it between changes. wait, scratch that, my headlights suck (MAJOR UV fading, common on most american vehicles) other than that, if you got a honda, bring it. I run at new england drag almost every friday night. black 2 dr with red psychopathic records vynls (spelt wrong, I know) having said that, PEACE OUT HOMIEEEZZZZ.