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What is this discussion about? Dodge Neon, Plymouth Neon, Sedan

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#533 of 1758 150 HP and such by hersbird Dec 23, 2000 (8:27 pm)
The R/T is only available with a 5 speed in 2001, the 98 and 99 could have an auto. You can't get the 150 hp in a ES, but you must get it in the R/T and pay the extra $250 (I don't know why they just don't include it in the package and up the price a bit). The ACR ends up costing almost the same as a R/T even though the R/T appears to have many extra features. The ACR has it's money under the skin with a fully adjustable competition suspension and not much in the way of creature comforts. If you don't plan on going to the track just go with the R/T, if you want the flat out fastest and best handling neon above all else get the ACR.
#534 of 1758 What's up with the water in the trunk? by joemnc Dec 25, 2000 (3:57 pm)
I recently bought a new 200 Dodge Neon. I test drove a red car and then decided on buying green without test driving it first - Big mistake on my part! When driving home the car made a horrible noise on the passenger side whenever the heat was turned on. It was a missing screw. Now, I've looked at the spare tire and there is water all over the place. It's so bad that the bolt that holds the tire down is rusted and I can't get it to turn. Has anyone else had this problem. The dealership doesn't know it yet, but they are getting this piece of junk back.........Any responses will be greatly appreciated.
#535 of 1758 Need Neon Advice by cwopete Dec 28, 2000 (1:26 am)
Hello, I just purchased a 1996 Neon Highline Coupe with 54K miles from a "reputable" dealer (if there is such a thing, leave that for another discussion). Anyway, I stumbled across the "Neon Head Gasket Disasters" section and now I've got cold feet about this car. Don't get me wrong, the car appears to be in great shape, it's super clean and runs great, no visable oil leaks, everything (with the exception of the passenger side door key lock) works just fine. My concern is that am I just another head gasket statistic in the waiting? I would have asked this question on the other discussion but I'm sure the answer would've been "get out while you can". You all seem to have a more enthusiastic approach to the Neon, and I'd appreciate a more informed viewpoint to the car. My cousin owns one and has put 81K on it, wouldn't part with it for the world. Sure, she had to change out the head gasket a 60K miles, but she wasn't quite so annoyed about the whole process. So is my Neon a time bomb or something to keep and enjoy through the years?
#536 of 1758 head gaskets by hersbird Dec 28, 2000 (8:26 pm)
I would just enjoy your Neon. If you do end up with a problem (more likely then not it will be fine) it really is not a very costly or a problem that will leave you stranded. Chrysler has fixed many head gaskets out of warranty for $100 for people who called the customer service line. Would you feel more reliable in a 90's Honda civic? They are more likely to blow a distributer then the neon is a head gasket which costs more to repair and stops the Honda dead in it's tracks. When the neon 'blows' a head gasket it just causes a slight oil leak on the side of the motor. Not like the common early 90's Toyota V6's head gasket which often requires a whole new motor (look at 90-94 4 runners in the newspaper and see how many claim 'new motor'). If you do end up replacing the gasket you can take comfort in the fact the new part developed after mid 1998 has fixed this problem.   Water in the trunk probably comes from a leaking or misaligned tail light gasket. While some cars came like this from the factory in early 1998, it seems possible a few after the redesign may not have gotten put together perfectly. It could also have been in an accident and not repaired properly. The water has been allowed to sit and so your spare hold down bolt has gotten rusty. Isn't a 2000 still under warranty? Take it in and have it all replaced. If it is not the result of an accident then I bet you get all new trunk lining as well. Try asking in a nicer way then you have put your views here, you may get better results.
#537 of 1758 Thanks for the Neon Advice by cwopete Dec 29, 2000 (9:34 am)
hersbird, appreciate your response. Yes, we will keep the Neon and won't sweat the head gasket issue. Afterall, it's a 96' with 54K miles, we paid around $5,000 for it and it looks and runs great! Even if it eventually did blow a head gasket I suppose it would be no big deal to have it fixed.
#538 of 1758 how Tom can solve his defroster woes by buoyant Dec 30, 2000 (10:13 pm)
As a resident of the frigid and snowy city of Minneapolis, MN, I have the same problem with my current company car, a 2001 Pontiac Gran Prix. In fact, I've had that occur with EVERY vehicle I've ever owned during the winter months here.   There are a few options you have if you don't want snow to melt off the rear window:   1. Don't use the rear window defroster (it turns ice and snow into water, which has to run somewhere)   2. Buy a minivan or SUV - they typically have handles in the back so you don't have to wedge your fingers into that crevice between the decklid and body/bumper   3. Keep your stuff in the back seat during the winter months and use the trunk for warm weather hauling only   4. Move someplace that doesn't have frigid winters   Also, just a note to those of you thinking of purchasing one of those low-mileage rental/lease return Neons: rethink that.   If you're going to buy a Neon, buy a new one. All rental cars get the tar beaten out of them, and the $199/week specials seem to receive the most brutal abuse.   I already feel bad for the unknowing person who buys my Gran Prix when it comes off lease. I would never drive my personal car that way...   Seasons greetings and happy motoring to all!
#539 of 1758 Warning about those "Fake HID bulbs" by jag88 Dec 31, 2000 (12:04 pm)
I have a 2k neon in northern cali. I just wanted to warn you all about those new bulbs that are supposed to look like the HID bright-white/blue lamps on the Benz's and BMW's you see. Someone wrote above that they were installing them on their neon, like I did. They run about $20 but are just regular bulbs with blue paint on. The sellers say they are "European" and resemble the expensive HID's that cost thousands, but they suck and are illegal (I got a fat ticket)- that's all.
#540 of 1758 by eneth Dec 31, 2000 (4:22 pm)
Hersbird's advice is a little off-base. A head gasket leak is not a minor problem, and can just as easily lead to serious damage on a Neon as on any other car. Replacing a head gasket will cost several hundred dollars, which DaimlerChrysler may or may not cover (unlike Toyota, it never owned up to the faulty head gaskets and recalled the cars, and extended the warranties).   It is important to check frequently for oil leaks, since it won't be long before coolant ends up in the cylinders, or the car overheats - probably damaging the cylinder head along with the gasket.
#541 of 1758 eneth by hersbird Jan 01, 2001 (8:01 pm)
I was saying the headgasket leak does not disable the car. I had a Quad-4 motor blow a headgasket and it seized right there, filled a cylinder full of coolant and when the piston came up bent the rod, a couple of valves, and scored the crank. This all happened in a fraction of a second. I ended up getting a whole new motor, which alone cost $4500 not counting labor. Thank god it still had 5000 miles on the warranty. The neon problem may cost between $100 and $500 but that is still the same or less as the parts and labor on the Honda distributer.   PS actually there was a $100 deductable on that warranty on my Quad-4, so it ended up costing the same as my neon might if it blows the gasket even after the warranty expires next week.
#542 of 1758 One year update... by vocus Jan 02, 2001 (7:02 am)
My roommate's 2000 Neon just turned one year old with 21,500 miles on it on 12/31. It's been in the shop 8 times for various problems. All the problems are being worked out little by little though. I wish the customer service was better though. They finally did find the power steering problem though, and said it was a missing part in the system which they had to order. It's on order with a new radio (cassette died). They had to also replace and reprogram one of the remotes (broke it in a drunken state a few weeks ago). The other one doesn't work now! Have to send that one in next time I guess. Hopefully, the car will be good now since just about everything has been replaced in it that was troublesome.   Oh, and the trunk rubber ripped too. That's also on order to be replaced when the car goes into the shop for its 9th visit in a week or two.

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