1995 Dodge Neon Sport from North America - Comments

Rear shocks replaced at 70K for about $400.

Alternator replaced after the car drank too much water. Total cost was about $350.

Car is currently in shop because the starter quit with absolutely no warning. A $200 part.

I can't change the fog light bulbs because the screws to get at them are rusted out.

Air conditioning compressor bearing seized, causing a nasty sound and an equally nasty smell until it was disconnected.

Dome light no longer illuminates when the driver door is opened.

Paint is starting to chip pretty bad.

Rust is forming under the doors and under the weatherstrips just below the windows.

The trunk qualifies as a swimming pool when it rains hard enough.

Tie rod end broke in a grocery store parking lot.

This is my first car and a learning experience. I know that every car has it's problems and every car breaks down, but my mom's Toyota has never had any problems.

I rarely change the oil because it burns up as fast as I fill it so I just change it that way.

The Neon has good performance and normally stellar gas mileage, but I wouldn't trust it on a long trip.

My next car will be a Honda or a Porsche 944.

AMEN BROTHER

I have a 1995 "Plymouth Neon"

I've had three years of hell!! It all started with a sudden stop of the engine one day while in traffic, I had to push it out of the way to the side of the road. The next day I found out that the pulley supporting the timing belt had sheared and the timing belt broke causing the pistons to come up and bend all my valves!!

Needless to say I had to have a head job done ($800.00) and a new pulley with belts and gaskets (another $300). I also had a severe oil leak which I had fixed, I replaced the oil pan seal, the the and cam shaft seals ($200).

As I was doing this I noticed my engine mounts were bad ($130) then my transmission went bad (another $800), oh yeah then the brakes which I did myself ($100). Then the alternator of course died ($150), and also some sensors ($25). In sumary I could have bought a new car!!!

So if you are reading this "STAY AWAY FROM NEONS AND TELL OTHERS"!!!

All I'm gonna say, is you went to the wrong place for parts. if you need a part, go to ebay motors. you can get a reconditioned head for less than $200 american. motor mounts, $35 american, pretty much a complete suspension if needed, for under $400 american. you just have to know where to shop. oem parts on ANY car are going to be rape. get good aftermarket, youll save litteraly hundreds, maybe thousands.

It sounds to me that all of your neons problems stem from driving your neon into a lake or some other large body of water...rust, seized moving parts, funny smells... it is a car, not a boat. I have 169,000 on mine, and on the original cardboard gasket to boot. Granted, it is not perfect, but I am NOT losing coolant and I have good compression. I think people just beat the daylights out of things without understanding what they are doing. Like driving into a river with their cars.