1997 Dodge Neon from North America - Comments

My head gasket blew, which in turn required an engine replacement. Had to replace battery wires. Had to replace the starter. Had to replace the thermostat. Faulty wires within engine compartment, required replacement.

The "Dodge Neon" this car is the most expensive vehicle I have owned, and has cost me more problems than any other vehicle I had owned. The car is slow off the start, has good mid range speed, but you need to turn the air conditioner off to take off from a complete stop. This car blew a head gasket at approx 65,000 miles, while on a long trip (Cleveland to Norfolk) which traveling at speeds of 65-70mph and blowing a head gasket, which leaks oil everywhere on the engine, and drains the engine, has cost me $2,000

for a new engine. Since buying the car I have put on 40,000 miles and overall it has done its job, but at 75,000 miles with a rebuilt engine, the check engine light should not be on. Which means I have to take it to the shop again which they will have for a few days, and check the whole car for problems, which might be more than the Jerry Springer show, the dollars will be flowing opposite from my direction.

I think overall Chrysler had the right idea to compete with Honda Civics, but they seriously need to take a look over the many complaints of engine trouble's, they are losing many devoted and loyal Chrysler owner's. I must not complain to much the car has gotten me to work more times than not and is pretty tough, with the stress its been through, but I honestly will never buy a Chrysler product again in my life!!!

At this present time I own a 1999 Dodge neon with a DOHC, I know a lot of people with this same type of Neon, However after running into more and more people, I have found that only the SOHC Neon Blows a head gasket. The only problems you may find in the DOHC is that after 60,000 the #3 or #4 piston will start to miss fire, If you catch this soon enough it only will cost you about $75.00 to get fixed, however if you let it go you may end up replacing the pistons, which run a min. of $1,100.

I'm sorry to see this owner has had such a bad experience with his Neon. I too had the head gasket issue, but knew it was a potential issue when buying the car (honest salesman? They exist.). I overlooked this issue when looking at reliability and safety ratings which beat all vehicles in its class and price range for that model year.

I have learned that many people have blown their head gaskets and I am surprised that my neon has not blown its gasket.

I own a '97 plymoth neon (high-line) and it has a 16 valve DOHC engine and I bought it used in '99 and it had 12,000 miles. Now three years later, it has 106,000 miles and survive a 700 mile trip (during which the engine ran continually) from Denver, CO to Bartlesville, OK. I have travel at speeds of 90 to 105 mph for great periods of time and the only thing I need is a tune up and a new thermostat.

I love my little neon and I feel it will still be good after 150,000.

I own a 1999 Plymouth Neon with DOHC. I bought it new. It has 68,000 miles on it. For the past year it has been leaking oil constantly. I've taken it to 3 different mechanics, replaced o rings, now it is leaking the oil from the head gasket. I was quoted different prices to fix this, all ranging about $800. I called a friend who owns a repair shop and she faxed to me a new service agreement from Chrysler regarding the Neons. There is a head gasket kit you can buy for around $110 from the dealers. Do not let any mechanic charge you to have your head gasket resurfaced. It is not needed and it cost more.

I am seventeen years old and I own a Neon. I bought it used from a car dealer with sixty thousand miles on it. Eight thousand miles after I bought it the head gasket had blown and leaked oil all in and over the engine. It had caused me eight hundred dollars to fix. The only reason the head gasket had blown was because of abuse of the car so there never should have been a problem.

I have a 97 DOHC hi line sport and the problems with this car is is to much to take care of all the problems at once the electrical is bad the weather striping is bad when you have to replace the timing belt you have to change the vales only if it rips when you drive it a lot of money to take care of just that car neons are a headache.

I don't know I have a 1998 dodge neon high line with the sohc I have beaten the crap out of it it has 187,000 miles on it and all I replace was a purge solenoid at 164,375 miles I love my neon and the more I upgrade the motor the more I love it by the way it runs a 14 sec 1/4 mile pretty good if you ask me 0-60 in 3 1/2- 4 second, but anyway I see what you guys meen I just purchased a 95 Plymouth neon with 146k on it beautiful car bad head gasket after reading all the stuff on bad heads on 1st generation neon I'm replacing the 2.0l sohc with the 2.5l its going to cost about the same so consider that more power torque and acceleration minus the problems same price.