No. It's not a Dodge Neon. It's a Dodge Neon with a turbo wedged in that's souped up to eat practically anything in it's path for thousands less. That's the appeal. And while I think the WRX (or EVO) is light years ahead in regards to quality, you've got to respect a $20,000 Neon that can obliterate practically everything on the road within reason.
I see your point, but the fact is that you have to live with the car, and a Subaru or Evo that doesn't break down will cost LESS in the long run than the Neon that will require endless repairs.
I'll buy a fiero with the 2.5 iron duke engine and throw a turbo in there and kill you japped up neon.
Don't even get me started on what a hunk of junk fieros' are and how can you compare the mechanical reliability of an SRT-4 to a neon. Yes they have the same body, frame, and interior make-up, but that's it. Engine, transmission, suspension - all different and none have been around long enough to judge the reliability of this car. Not saying that this car is rock solid, but give it a chance to fail before bashing it.
Agreed with the comment above. the SRT-4 is completely different with the drivetrain and a little with the interior. like for one it has a 2.4l 4-in-line, performance 5-speed, and brimbo brakes. non of which were offered on the Neon.
Fiero is a much cooler car than the jazzed up neon. I mean how many american manufacturers made a mid engine RWD sports car? And also the the fact that you can buy one and put a v8 in just makes it worthwhile.
I bought a Fiero 2.5 v6 for 60 dollars at a police auction with the 5 speed transmission. It was a DOG. Real piece of crap. I really would not like to get into a wreck with in a car made up of more plastic than steel. The fire wall is made of plastic.
The SRT-4 is one of the baddest 4 bangers ever made. The fastest car under 20,000. And if you know anything about MOPARs 80's turbo reputation, you wouldn't talk about the srt-4. For less than 300 dollars you can produce 16 psi of boost and 165 hp.
I saw the previous comment about the omni GLH and the GLH-S'. They were great little cars. Weighing in at a mere 2200 lbs and a 2.2 turbo I engine producing 174 hp, they were very quick cars. Garrett t03/ Mitsubishi td04 turbos set them off. They are the cars to get if you want power for cheap.
You can trick the MAP sensor to think the turbo is making less boost. Which in turn is fooling the ECU. You can make up to 18 psi, also running 2 and 3 stage boost options for taking off out of the hole and not smoking the tires. Set ups for less than 150 bucks.
I'll race anyone in my Omni. They truly were a "race car". The way you get them, you can't pull your head out of the seat until 3rd gear.
When you buy a car for $60 its going to be a dog/piece of crap, end of story.
Well gang, I am a 2004 Electric Blue SRT-4 owner. I bought the car brand new in 2004 and now have 46K miles on it. I think I have driven it long enough to provide input on reliability. And, since the 2005 is virtually identical, it should be compared pretty similarly. I had the TPS sensor go at 10K miles, cheap to replace, but was covered under warranty. The A/C expansion valve just went, I'm disappointed at this, but I almost expected it with Dodge, they are notorious for bad A/C systems. Other than these two problems the car has performed amazingly well! I throughly love driving it, it's fun, handles like it's on rails and blows the doors off many other more expensive "performance" cars. All in all, I'd give reliability a 4.5/5 for my two cents. My stock tires lasted 40K miles, gas mileage is true at 25 cty and 30 hwy, no strange noises, ticks clicks or knocks. I did just fine eating up a WRX on the interstate last week as well. And for the record, I'm a 30 year old married man with more than adequate income to purchase a much more expensive performance vehicle, including the coveted EVO VIII or WRX Sti (I paid cash for this toy, my 4th vehicle). I chose this car due to it's VALUE, not simply because it was cheaper. Value being defined as performance+reliability+tune-ability+price=Value. I encourage any one interested in an SRT-4 to do some digging on others experiences and test drive a few to make up your mind. It has been a great car and worth every penny. No matter what, SRT-4, WRX or EVO, they are all a lot of fun.
Chrysler Mopar makes some of the best turbos out there. I'm serious, I run the 2.5 Turbo in a J car and it is the epitome of bang for the buck and reliability. Seriously, $130 gets me 55 hp for chipping it, and all those other "dumb" mods get me a buttload of horsepower. I drive this car pretty dang hard, and I've had no problems other than maintenance with it. 102K and I was just going 100 mph up the canyon blowing past overheating Honda's and other "fast" cars. A big radiator, chip, K & N air filter, new gaskets, 240 hp and 280 ft/lbs of torque with the Chrysler bomb proof engine, at the cost to me of $1300, bang for the buck. But, this car is really crude with little or no refinement (maybe the wood grain trim).
I think that's exactly what the SRT-4 is supposed to be. Reliability and bang for the buck. It's still a crude looking Neon, but it sure it fun.
All this arguing is silly. The SRT-4 is the best "bang for the buck" if you want to go in a straight line. Only drawbacks: don't try to take it around a corner. It's by no means a sports car. I realize it's whatever floats your boat here, but if you want something fun to drive, go drive a miata around some twisties. See if you can keep from smiling.
I saw earlier a comment about comparing a WRX to a srt-4. First of all, dodge did make an AWD version of this car. Second, I watched an srt-4 race a wrx on a curvy back road about two weeks ago and yes the WRX won, but the srt-4 was only about 5 feet behind. Keep in mind both of these cars were stock, and the guy who had the srt-4 payed much less for his vehicle then the guy with the wrx. Third, to the person who said you can't depends on regular neons. I have a 1997 neon. It has 257,000 miles on it and its still running strong, and I haven't had to replace any major or expensive parts except the clutch.
Where do you get this stuff? Dodge NEVER made an AWD version of this car for consumer purchase. You are thinking of the Neon replacement, the Caliber, which will ultimately be available in AWD.
And as for your Neon reliability, you're just another example of American "craftsmanship". Every now and then they produce an example that works, but 99% of them are awful. Having known a few people who've owned Neons (and quickly got rid of them) I can speak from experience.
They did make an AWD version of the srt-4 but it was not made for consumers. BTW, the caliber is a FWD car with 300whp and does a 1/4 mile similar to an srt-4.