Since purchasing this vehicle we have come to the conclusion that it is a money pit.
From the get go it had bad spark plugs, took 2 or 3 times for the dealer to figure it out.
Front brakes were replaced with less than 36,000 miles on it in Year 2000.
In 2001 we had to take it in for an oil leak (O-ring for the oil sensor failed- less than 40k miles.
Now in 2003 is when all the major bad stuff has started, transmission leak X2,
2 stripped transmission pan bolts, front and rear struts replaced, Broken motor mount replaced. And best of all, the cars suspension feels like it's going to fall apart at any time. It's been checked 2 times for the same noises (rattling and popping when hitting even small bumps in the road) but can't isolate the problem.
All this with just hitting 50,000 miles.
If it weren't for the problems with the car it wouldn't be that costly to maintain, but even with all that has been done with the car so far the suspension still rides rough and makes the rattling and popping noises. Unfortunately I feel that my money pit nightmare isn't over yet, so far this year over $800.00 in repairs and maintenance. My wife and I both do not feel very safe in the vehicle especially after reading the crash test reviews form credible organizations.
$800 a year? that's nothing, try owning a chevy truck and spending about $2000 in 3 months.
You do know that the Neon got a 3 star rating on the front and side crash tests right? (that's from the government) and that's better than some other more "highly" praised compacts...
What good is a 3 star NHTSA rating if you're broken down on the side of the road?
Because if you're sitting waiting for the tow truck and somebody rear-ends you on the shoulder, you'll be safe. Duh!
Exactly. Sitting on the side of the road.
Please explain how getting 3-star FRONT and SIDE crash ratings in any way makes a statement about the car's rear-end crash worthiness.
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