Man, don't see those in decent shape almost ever anymore. We used to buy them for $100-200 with broken timing belts all the time. Put in a used engine because that was cheaper than fixing the engine in the car and send it on it's way for $1500. Good ol' days for sure.
I had a burnt orange 2005 Neon SXT. That little car, outside a handful of nick-knack issues, got me through college and all over Texas. Loved that little POS lol
I had a 2004 Dodge Neon SXT for 11 years bought it with 14,000 original miles The most I ever had to put in it was timing belt and water pump tires brakes and oil changes That's it The car never broke down never left me stranded alongside the road and I got 250,000 mi out of her I had to give her up because of the salt that they put on the roads That car was the best car I ever owned! I don't care anybody that hates on them they are good cars and I had original transmission and original engine! Miss my old girl
@@peachyclean93 my neon had rust all over it and my Acura TSX had zero rust. Both were 2005, same driving conditions, both sat outside and both washed on the same days. So yes, there was something specifically about Dodges that rusted way faster than other cars.
@@anthonykiedis1765 I don't know my aunt's Honda Accord rotted out pretty quick same thing with my grandfather's Camry my neon outlasted all of their cars and the Toyota that I own now I don't even think my Toyota will pass inspection next year so something you must have done something different I don't know
@@peachyclean93 I did always keep up with washing my cars weekly during the seasons that had lots of salt on the road. But I washed both of them on the same day using the same method. My neon rotted real quickly and my TSX was still perfect when I sold it a few years ago.
When talking about the design, you aren't realizing that this is one of the cars that reintroduced round headlights for the first time in decades and it was absolutely revolutionary and so different, looking like eyes rather than the slim rectangular or pop-up headlights on so many cars of the time, you could recognize these cars a mile away and they really did help usher in a styling feature that appeared on many cars that followed it.
When that AM/FM CD radio was introduced by Chrysler in 1998, it was considered a high-end option. You could only get it on the LH cars or full-size pickups at top trim level. By 2004, it was available in even the basic Neon.
I went on a tour of the Belvedere plant back when theywere still making this generation of Neon. I remember seeing a Chrysler Neon and being confused. lol
They were sold badged as Chryslers here in The UK,Ireland & mainland Europe. Plymouth & Dodge brands weren't here,until Neons stopped being made...then for several years we did get Dodges here,Avenger,Caliber,Nitro & Journey. Now Dodge has disappeared from Europe again,although you do see a few gray import full size Ram pickups here,as you do F-150s...Rangers are sold here.
We had one in our auto tech class when I was in high school probably the most luxurious and neon I've ever sat in my life the Chrysler versions comment were tailored to a point where it felt like a 300M of the times interior quality
I have an aunt that had both Neons, the 1995 and the 2000 version and both in Puerto Rico were branded as Chrysler Neon. Although they were marketed as Chryslers the equipment was on par with the Dodge branded Neons. When the redesign 2003 Neon appeared and later the SRT-4 they started to brand it locally as Dodge Neons until they stopped making the car mid or late 2005.
How old were you when this car came out? I never understand why people complain about how basic or boring a car is from that time period, but that was the end of when anyone could afford a car. We didn't need flashy things back then. It's a shame we have forgotten about minimum wage people.
I had a Silver 2005 Neon SE (the base model). 4 crank windows, 4 manual locks, and no tachometer. Simple, efficient, reliable fuel sipper (30 mpg easy with 12 gallon tank).
I definitely like the first gen Neon a whole lot better (it's far cuter) but my Aunt had an orange 2005 Neon which she dailied for 15 years. It eventually fell to my little brothers. They had to put up with putting a new motor mount in (which was a royal rotten pain in the ass) and really the only weakness of Neons is they are a bit of a colossal pain to work on. Apart from that, rock solid economy car and a worthy competitor to any Honda or Toyota of the period. ...but Chrysler couldn't let solid success continue, naturally, that would be very un-Chrysler of them. So they replaced this thing with the CALIBER. If I were to steal old Top Gear's gag of putting a piano on a car, it'd be onto some Calibers.
@@peachyclean93 It was a while back and I wonder what my (and my brothers') perspectives would be now that we've worked on a few other cars (FWD and RWD). I just remember them having a hell of a time with it. A real trial by fire...
@@Doctor_Robert Right that makes sense well after I lost my neon I bought a Toyota let me tell you what I don't know how people can work on the Toyota's they are nightmare nowhere near as reliable and great as my neon was I know it sounds crazy but it's true My sister had a first generation neon and she loved it she had two of them actually! I've worked on quite a few cars The neon is by far easier vehicle to work on! My Toyota is a nightmare I can't wait to get rid of it!
Fun fact: Dodge is selling the Neon again - just that it is a completely different car, sold as the "Dodge Neon" in Mexico and the Middle East & Arabia - and as the "Fiat Tipo" (or Aegea) in Europe & Turkey. Also fun fact: I am driving such a Fiat Tipo.... as a Station Wagon config.
Had a blue one EXACTLY like this for a work car, but with a stick. Among the most reliable work cars I ever had, and I've mostly had 3800 Buicks for that purpose, so big shoes to fill. Cheesy, rattly plastic interior and not exactly a sports car, but it never needed anything but fluids and consumables til an alternator at like 130,000 and hub assemblies around that same time. Averaged like 29 mpg (34 on a highway trip from Huntington, WV to Fountain, CO and back) and went GREAT in the snow (acted like it had an LSD, but I know it didn't because it would FRY the inside tire in the dry if you drove it like an asshole). Just an awesome economy car, in my opinion. PLENTY of trunk for a full-size spare and all my tools and other crap I carry in my work cars. In high school, I also had a Neon ACR (first generation), and in anything but a straight line it had NO trouble keeping up with or occasionally outrunning (if it was twisty/loose enough) my good friend's SRT4. It was way too stiff and unpleasant for long drives for someone over about 24, though, haha!
I saw one of these as a valet. Entite dash was exploded with tons of warning lights. Theyre all gone now. This would make a good 1000$ car for a couple months
I'm surprised whenever I see a Neon still moving under its own power. This one is probably the nicest one left. It's really not a bad-looking design, it was different and cute. Neons used to be everywhere. A Neon was what you bought if you couldn't afford a Civic. Those climate controls are strange, why not just have a button for A/C and a button for recirculate instead of a separate fan scale and dial respectively? A lot of Chryslers from the 90s and 00s could store two presets per radio button. As a fun fact, no Neon ever had power back windows. Regardless if the front windows were power, the backs were always crank.
I disagree about the climate controls, having a switch for recirculate is no different than having a button, by using a dial switch it provides symmetry in the climate controls. It is a bit unusual to have fan speeds for vent and different fan speeds for AC but they seem very logical easy to use and look great, remember a large part of this car was about style and looks and this also seems very functional at the same time. Plus, if you live in a hot part of America it would be very easy to just reach down and grab that dial and turn it all the way to the left without even looking and not having to fumble with buttons and other finicky controls.
I wouldn't say a Dodge Neon is what people bought when they couldn't afford a Civic mainly if referring to the first generation Neon - The Civic was never known as a "looker" in that era and sold mainly on its reputation for frugality and reliability, where the Neon sold primarily based on its "cute" styling.
This brings me back, I had a 2005 Silver Manual SXT Neon pretty much that car without cruise control, the manual made it a fun little zippy car i took that car down the Alcan from Alaska to California and it took it like a champ
I love my neon! It’s been through a lot. It’s my “real” first car. It’s been in multiple accidents as I was a lot more aggressive dare I say reckless when I was younger, but it’s still moving working running. It definitely has some permanent alignment issues now, because I was a reckless kid, but it has been so easy to work on and each part has been cheap and easy to replace. 8/10 wish I still had the celica my actual first car.
When I was a kid my neighbor drove like a ‘95 neon in white. I remember looking at the wheels and thought her rims were inspired by soccer balls 😂. She had it for like 15 years too
I remember those "bubbly" hubcaps lol it's funny how when the Dodge Neon came out in the early 90's the styling literally turned heads when people saw them on the road, from kids and adults alike - I can't think of any cheap economy car with that same visual impact today.
My wife and I both had first gen Neons. Loved them, light, stripped down. Got the job done on a tight budget. Really wished Dodge would bring it back and not as a crossover.
Just picked up a 2004 R/T. Great shape. These things are super easy to work on which is rarely. People bitch about the timing belts, long as you change them every 100k, your good to go. Only takes 2 hours to change with a beer break. Just did the heater core in mine, took 20 years to fail. Took little over 3 hours to change that. Parts are cheap and super reliable, can't beat the 5 speeds, I wasn't fond of the automatics but the R/T with 150 hp is a fun little car with its close range gear box, it keeps up with modern traffic no problem and I get 30mpg all day long. I had a twin to the one I just picked up, and it made it a hair over 300k before someone crashed into it.
I rented a Neon with the front-only power windows, and always wondered whether Dodge offered rear power windows as an optional upgrade. When driving alone, the one window I most often want to use is the right rear.
Ive owned three dodge neons (not by choice) 2001 SE 2002 SE 2005 SXT Water Pump, Timing Belt was all I did on all three; did it around 80k on each. No major issues. Except the 2005; where I needed to replace the radiator and the A/C compressor went out that I never bothered to fix. Great little cars as long as you do do oil changes and fix normal wear and tear items. Clapped solid cheeks in all of em when I was younger. ;)
I love when a sports type car driver, get upset that I 'beat it at the gate' without intending to, at all...then hear them hit the gas and burn rubber trying to pass me once I left them behind) just to see them speed to pass me🤣🤣
I had a 2004 SXT with sunroof and spoiler way back when.. mines had a 4 speed auto. i found this online fyi " A four-speed automatic (41TE) was offered in the Neon for the 2002 model year, and the 03-05 received an updated 40TE four-speed auto, replacing the earlier 3-speed 31TH " mopar site said this
Forgot to mention that the lid to center console...just happens to open all the way back and serve as a convenient cup holder and tray for those rear seat passengers. I just found this out this month while I was detailing it. I initially thought that I broke it, seeing... (after leaning on it) that it opened all the way back and laid flat at 90° and saw the handy cup holder in it. 😃
Great review, I've had 2 neons and they were surprisingly good cars, fun to drive and quite reliable. The 2000 was an LE with 5 speed manual. Should never of sold it, it had 350,000 kms and still didn't burn oil. Biggest thing I learned with this one, don't use water pumps from NAPA, they only last a year. Spend the extra and use a Mopar one, they last alot longer. My second one, a 2001 LE with 3 speed automatic. Had to let that one go as a deer jumped out and totalled it. It only had 180,000 kms and ran perfect.. The only thing other than normal maintenance was an intake gasket. They are easy to work on for DYI and parts are cheap. Wish they still made them.
I remembe when the first gen Neon came out , the "Hi!" car. It was reasonably 'cute' in a fugly way and for the time and class it competed in, decently peppy. I had a rental for several days in SF - and it did fine. Granted it was very basic (you could not ever option power windows originally), but this was 95 or 96 and lots of things were basic then.
A four speed auto? In 2000 they had a three speed and I had the misfortune of driving one on an onramp for driver's Ed. It shifted into first gear with four of us in the car and it SCREAMED. 😂😂
I had a red 1995 Plymouth Neon Highline sedan with rainbow dot cloth seats and a grey interior. Only drove it a couple years but I remember it being very nimble and great on gas. It actually felt nice to drive to high school in it in 04
Now that I think about it, I haven't seen a non SRT4 Neon in a while. They were treated as disposable cars so I only see the nice ones around from time to time
I own 5 different Neons! Overall they were good cars and relatively easy to change the spark plug wires & oil! Neons were notorious for worn motor mounts! The Dodge Neon SXT had a very solid suspension in that it drove rather nicely over various types of road types!
I had such a car! Very cool car!))) Here in St. Petersburg it was difficult to find a new ECU unit, I had to sell it with the brains in which water got in ((((but it drives briskly!)))
Did you US guys get a version called the RT ?... in the UK it was the sportiest version we got but it had same 2.0 engine as all the others but I always like the look of it but never got to drive one before they all disappeared... I've not seen one here for years
We did get an rt but not for this generation, previous generation did have an rt trim with a pinstripe. Only the srt-4 started to exist for this generation with its 2.4L turbo engine.
@@Slow.S55we did get the rt for the 2nd generation neon in the US from 2001-2004. It was my first car, bought a 2003 from a coworker for $1000 back in 2018😅
Used to hate on these until my family had one. Gas prices in California 07-08 were insane so we got one of these. Lots of space for such a small car. I can sit behind myself at 6’4. The Focus was much more reliable & offered more features than the neon and cavalier of these era.
Dang, what's with all the snow? I kid, but last time we saw snow it made national headlines (DFW area, February 2021). It hit 80 degrees here today (2/20/24).
No joke... I think i recognize the car in this video. It belonged to my uncle at one time. I remember some of the cosmetic defects that this car shows and his was sold at approximately 60k something miles years ago.
I rented a Neon like this once, and it was very decent. For another rental (2005), I had a choice between a Mitsu Lancer and an Olds Alero; took the Alero, which was definitely the better choice (more HP). I do like the older Mitsu stuff, though.
You can laugh all you want but I actually love these little cars. Especially the models post-facelift with the cross hair grille, I think it really sets it off. When I was a kid I always wanted one of these as my first car, but things didn't work out that way lol. I think they're cute little cars and the last of what I call Chrysler's "K car mindset" where they offered small, affordable, efficient and simple cars that were easy and economical to own. I really don't get why these cars are so hated. You mentioned the Focus...this is a WAY better car than the focus everywhere from styling to efficiency and even reliability. If I was closer I would seriously consider buying this car. It's not necessarily a "dream car" of mine but it's one that I'd definitely like to own just to say I did, especially if I could find a well maintained, clean, rust free, lower mileage example such as this. I can't really put into words why I've admired Neons for so long, could be nostalgia, idk. Regardless these are solid little cars, not as reliable as the Hondas and Toyotas they competed with at the time but not as far off as some would think. The Neon definitely beats those cars in style and personality, and are closer to them in regard to reliability than one may think. Most Neon owners used and abused these cars and didn't maintain them for shit, partially leading it to its bad reputation. Glad to see you review one and happy to know there are still people out there that appreciate these. Great video as always man keep it up.
my sister had a yellow 2004 neon sxt she bought in 2010 as a rebuilt title, engine kept overheating at times and it was eventually sent to the scrapyard
I was seriously considering buying a manual SXT new back in 2003. But the side impact ratings were terrible, so I skipped buying one. The well used Saab that I had back then had to soldier on.
Back in the late 1990’s early 2000’s the Chrysler Neon (as it was badged in the UK) was one of the few American imports you could buy & the idea of a automatic 2.0L engine ‘economy’ car was like luxury compared to the awful little econobox offerings common here. I really did want a Neon but the engine size forced it into the higher tax bracket band & it’s fuel economy was still to weak compared to European manual econobox cars so I never bought one. Looking back now I see they really weren’t all that special & slightly more upmarket European cars were on offer that would have suited my needs better such as the Ford Mondeo (Contour) & indeed I went in that direct eventually. Chrysler, Chevrolet & Cadillac all eventually pulled out of the market here but Chrysler was always the most common American car, especially the Neon & PT Cruiser.
Look for Info and vids on as I’m about to purchase a 2003 blue dodge neon with only a 110,000 for about $700 which is crazyyyyyyy no other car out there for the price
Dodge went the wrong way in the post-v8 era. Instead of building rebadged Italian cars and vaporware EVs, they should have brought back cheap small cars like the neon. There’s a real demand for affordable new small cars that the American big three have completely abandoned to their Japanese and Korean competition.
Gotta do a ford contour, they as commuter cars were fun yet terribly unreliable cars. The zetec 4cyl has a run at the worst motor title. V6 was fast but also has a real chance at the worst motor title.
Man, don't see those in decent shape almost ever anymore. We used to buy them for $100-200 with broken timing belts all the time. Put in a used engine because that was cheaper than fixing the engine in the car and send it on it's way for $1500. Good ol' days for sure.
We did the same with Saturn's they brought more. The neons always went into limp mode after they jumped and had to go get re programed
I had a burnt orange 2005 Neon SXT. That little car, outside a handful of nick-knack issues, got me through college and all over Texas. Loved that little POS lol
I had a 2004 Dodge Neon SXT for 11 years bought it with 14,000 original miles The most I ever had to put in it was timing belt and water pump tires brakes and oil changes That's it The car never broke down never left me stranded alongside the road and I got 250,000 mi out of her I had to give her up because of the salt that they put on the roads That car was the best car I ever owned! I don't care anybody that hates on them they are good cars and I had original transmission and original engine! Miss my old girl
I think alot of people in my area hated them because for the last decade or more almost any dodge car truck van etc rusted out waaayyy too quickly
@@greaniebeaniez3070 That's because of the salt I have a Toyota that's rusted more than my neon was
@@peachyclean93 my neon had rust all over it and my Acura TSX had zero rust. Both were 2005, same driving conditions, both sat outside and both washed on the same days.
So yes, there was something specifically about Dodges that rusted way faster than other cars.
@@anthonykiedis1765 I don't know my aunt's Honda Accord rotted out pretty quick same thing with my grandfather's Camry my neon outlasted all of their cars and the Toyota that I own now I don't even think my Toyota will pass inspection next year so something you must have done something different I don't know
@@peachyclean93 I did always keep up with washing my cars weekly during the seasons that had lots of salt on the road. But I washed both of them on the same day using the same method. My neon rotted real quickly and my TSX was still perfect when I sold it a few years ago.
When talking about the design, you aren't realizing that this is one of the cars that reintroduced round headlights for the first time in decades and it was absolutely revolutionary and so different, looking like eyes rather than the slim rectangular or pop-up headlights on so many cars of the time, you could recognize these cars a mile away and they really did help usher in a styling feature that appeared on many cars that followed it.
When that AM/FM CD radio was introduced by Chrysler in 1998, it was considered a high-end option. You could only get it on the LH cars or full-size pickups at top trim level. By 2004, it was available in even the basic Neon.
You could get a cd player as early as 93 with certain Chrysler dodge models
I went on a tour of the Belvedere plant back when theywere still making this generation of Neon. I remember seeing a Chrysler Neon and being confused. lol
They were sold badged as Chryslers here in The UK,Ireland & mainland Europe. Plymouth & Dodge brands weren't here,until Neons stopped being made...then for several years we did get Dodges here,Avenger,Caliber,Nitro & Journey. Now Dodge has disappeared from Europe again,although you do see a few gray import full size Ram pickups here,as you do F-150s...Rangers are sold here.
We had one in our auto tech class when I was in high school probably the most luxurious and neon I've ever sat in my life the Chrysler versions comment were tailored to a point where it felt like a 300M of the times interior quality
I have an aunt that had both Neons, the 1995 and the 2000 version and both in Puerto Rico were branded as Chrysler Neon. Although they were marketed as Chryslers the equipment was on par with the Dodge branded Neons. When the redesign 2003 Neon appeared and later the SRT-4 they started to brand it locally as Dodge Neons until they stopped making the car mid or late 2005.
Very good cars back in the day. Mostly extinct in North East part of the country...
How old were you when this car came out? I never understand why people complain about how basic or boring a car is from that time period, but that was the end of when anyone could afford a car. We didn't need flashy things back then. It's a shame we have forgotten about minimum wage people.
I had a Silver 2005 Neon SE (the base model). 4 crank windows, 4 manual locks, and no tachometer. Simple, efficient, reliable fuel sipper (30 mpg easy with 12 gallon tank).
I preferred the first generation ones, but these are nice
I am getting old I thought this was the first gen 😂
I love the neon! You gotta review a pre 2000 Plymouth neon! If you can find one
He reviewed a 1st gen not too long ago!
I definitely like the first gen Neon a whole lot better (it's far cuter) but my Aunt had an orange 2005 Neon which she dailied for 15 years. It eventually fell to my little brothers. They had to put up with putting a new motor mount in (which was a royal rotten pain in the ass) and really the only weakness of Neons is they are a bit of a colossal pain to work on. Apart from that, rock solid economy car and a worthy competitor to any Honda or Toyota of the period.
...but Chrysler couldn't let solid success continue, naturally, that would be very un-Chrysler of them. So they replaced this thing with the CALIBER. If I were to steal old Top Gear's gag of putting a piano on a car, it'd be onto some Calibers.
My Neon wasn't too hard to work on
@@peachyclean93 It was a while back and I wonder what my (and my brothers') perspectives would be now that we've worked on a few other cars (FWD and RWD). I just remember them having a hell of a time with it. A real trial by fire...
@@Doctor_Robert Right that makes sense well after I lost my neon I bought a Toyota let me tell you what I don't know how people can work on the Toyota's they are nightmare nowhere near as reliable and great as my neon was I know it sounds crazy but it's true My sister had a first generation neon and she loved it she had two of them actually! I've worked on quite a few cars The neon is by far easier vehicle to work on! My Toyota is a nightmare I can't wait to get rid of it!
I remember Mr. Regular loving the first gen Neon but not the second gen
Think it's his hyper noastialgia for the late 90s
@@TwoDollarGararge he also used to have a first gen neon
@@bandombeviews6035I've driven in ACR that wasn't totally worn out. They are wonderful machines on a back road.
Fun fact: Dodge is selling the Neon again - just that it is a completely different car, sold as the "Dodge Neon" in Mexico and the Middle East & Arabia - and as the "Fiat Tipo" (or Aegea) in Europe & Turkey.
Also fun fact: I am driving such a Fiat Tipo.... as a Station Wagon config.
You guys get all the fun cars. :P I loathe that wagons are just about dead in the United States and that sedans are a dying breed.
Had a blue one EXACTLY like this for a work car, but with a stick. Among the most reliable work cars I ever had, and I've mostly had 3800 Buicks for that purpose, so big shoes to fill. Cheesy, rattly plastic interior and not exactly a sports car, but it never needed anything but fluids and consumables til an alternator at like 130,000 and hub assemblies around that same time. Averaged like 29 mpg (34 on a highway trip from Huntington, WV to Fountain, CO and back) and went GREAT in the snow (acted like it had an LSD, but I know it didn't because it would FRY the inside tire in the dry if you drove it like an asshole). Just an awesome economy car, in my opinion. PLENTY of trunk for a full-size spare and all my tools and other crap I carry in my work cars. In high school, I also had a Neon ACR (first generation), and in anything but a straight line it had NO trouble keeping up with or occasionally outrunning (if it was twisty/loose enough) my good friend's SRT4. It was way too stiff and unpleasant for long drives for someone over about 24, though, haha!
My late grandmother, my mother, and I drove the same car model a few years back. It's black and has a wing on it. It has over 200,000 miles on it.
I saw one of these as a valet. Entite dash was exploded with tons of warning lights. Theyre all gone now. This would make a good 1000$ car for a couple months
Who the hell is VALET parking a NEON?
I DONT UNDERSTAND WHY CHRYSLER STOPPED MAKING THESE.
I'm surprised whenever I see a Neon still moving under its own power. This one is probably the nicest one left. It's really not a bad-looking design, it was different and cute. Neons used to be everywhere. A Neon was what you bought if you couldn't afford a Civic.
Those climate controls are strange, why not just have a button for A/C and a button for recirculate instead of a separate fan scale and dial respectively? A lot of Chryslers from the 90s and 00s could store two presets per radio button. As a fun fact, no Neon ever had power back windows. Regardless if the front windows were power, the backs were always crank.
I disagree about the climate controls, having a switch for recirculate is no different than having a button, by using a dial switch it provides symmetry in the climate controls.
It is a bit unusual to have fan speeds for vent and different fan speeds for AC but they seem very logical easy to use and look great, remember a large part of this car was about style and looks and this also seems very functional at the same time.
Plus, if you live in a hot part of America it would be very easy to just reach down and grab that dial and turn it all the way to the left without even looking and not having to fumble with buttons and other finicky controls.
I wouldn't say a Dodge Neon is what people bought when they couldn't afford a Civic mainly if referring to the first generation Neon - The Civic was never known as a "looker" in that era and sold mainly on its reputation for frugality and reliability, where the Neon sold primarily based on its "cute" styling.
This brings me back, I had a 2005 Silver Manual SXT Neon pretty much that car without cruise control, the manual made it a fun little zippy car i took that car down the Alcan from Alaska to California and it took it like a champ
I used to get those a lot as rentals when I traveled. I always liked them.
I love my neon! It’s been through a lot. It’s my “real” first car. It’s been in multiple accidents as I was a lot more aggressive dare I say reckless when I was younger, but it’s still moving working running. It definitely has some permanent alignment issues now, because I was a reckless kid, but it has been so easy to work on and each part has been cheap and easy to replace. 8/10 wish I still had the celica my actual first car.
When I was a kid my neighbor drove like a ‘95 neon in white. I remember looking at the wheels and thought her rims were inspired by soccer balls 😂. She had it for like 15 years too
I remember those "bubbly" hubcaps lol it's funny how when the Dodge Neon came out in the early 90's the styling literally turned heads when people saw them on the road, from kids and adults alike - I can't think of any cheap economy car with that same visual impact today.
My wife and I both had first gen Neons. Loved them, light, stripped down. Got the job done on a tight budget. Really wished Dodge would bring it back and not as a crossover.
In terms of looks this car's direct cross town rival would be the 1995-2005 Pontiac Sunfire
Just picked up a 2004 R/T. Great shape. These things are super easy to work on which is rarely. People bitch about the timing belts, long as you change them every 100k, your good to go. Only takes 2 hours to change with a beer break. Just did the heater core in mine, took 20 years to fail. Took little over 3 hours to change that. Parts are cheap and super reliable, can't beat the 5 speeds, I wasn't fond of the automatics but the R/T with 150 hp is a fun little car with its close range gear box, it keeps up with modern traffic no problem and I get 30mpg all day long. I had a twin to the one I just picked up, and it made it a hair over 300k before someone crashed into it.
5:20 The fact that it has power windows only in the front is just too goofy, far goofier of a deal than you make it. ;)
I rented a Neon with the front-only power windows, and always wondered whether Dodge offered rear power windows as an optional upgrade. When driving alone, the one window I most often want to use is the right rear.
Ive owned three dodge neons (not by choice)
2001 SE
2002 SE
2005 SXT
Water Pump, Timing Belt was all I did on all three; did it around 80k on each. No major issues. Except the 2005; where I needed to replace the radiator and the A/C compressor went out that I never bothered to fix.
Great little cars as long as you do do oil changes and fix normal wear and tear items.
Clapped solid cheeks in all of em when I was younger. ;)
You’re a legend
A girl I used to know had an orange one of these, hers was very peppy!
I love when a sports type car driver, get upset that I 'beat it at the gate' without intending to, at all...then hear them hit the gas and burn rubber trying to pass me once I left them behind) just to see them speed to pass me🤣🤣
I had a 2004 SXT with sunroof and spoiler way back when.. mines had a 4 speed auto. i found this online fyi " A four-speed automatic (41TE) was offered in the Neon for the 2002 model year, and the 03-05 received an updated 40TE four-speed auto, replacing the earlier 3-speed 31TH " mopar site said this
Forgot to mention that the lid to center console...just happens to open all the way back and serve as a convenient cup holder and tray for those rear seat passengers. I just found this out this month while I was detailing it. I initially thought that I broke it, seeing... (after leaning on it) that it opened all the way back and laid flat at 90° and saw the handy cup holder in it. 😃
Great review, I've had 2 neons and they were surprisingly good cars, fun to drive and quite reliable. The 2000 was an LE with 5 speed manual. Should never of sold it, it had 350,000 kms and still didn't burn oil. Biggest thing I learned with this one, don't use water pumps from NAPA, they only last a year. Spend the extra and use a Mopar one, they last alot longer. My second one, a 2001 LE with 3 speed automatic. Had to let that one go as a deer jumped out and totalled it. It only had 180,000 kms and ran perfect.. The only thing other than normal maintenance was an intake gasket. They are easy to work on for DYI and parts are cheap. Wish they still made them.
NEON MENTIONED ‼️‼️‼️‼️🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
that was the last time dodge was competitive at all with corolla and civic
I remembe when the first gen Neon came out , the "Hi!" car. It was reasonably 'cute' in a fugly way and for the time and class it competed in, decently peppy. I had a rental for several days in SF - and it did fine. Granted it was very basic (you could not ever option power windows originally), but this was 95 or 96 and lots of things were basic then.
A four speed auto? In 2000 they had a three speed and I had the misfortune of driving one on an onramp for driver's Ed. It shifted into first gear with four of us in the car and it SCREAMED. 😂😂
I had a red 1995 Plymouth Neon Highline sedan with rainbow dot cloth seats and a grey interior. Only drove it a couple years but I remember it being very nimble and great on gas. It actually felt nice to drive to high school in it in 04
I remember I had a 2005 Neon in silver from my local dealership with 36k miles on it super reliable
Only car I ever knew that had power front window but crank rear windows
I miss these kind of cars. Simple, decent reliability and fun to drive.
We talk about the neon in our Last podcast episode , it was the only bang for your buck Dodge product we could think of lol
Now that I think about it, I haven't seen a non SRT4 Neon in a while. They were treated as disposable cars so I only see the nice ones around from time to time
The neons were great cars, drove a few and almost bought one in stick.
I learned stick in a blue 2000 great learning car
Grandmother had one with over 200,000 miles
I'm about to close the deal on a low-milage 2000 Plymouth Neon. Thanks for the review!
These cars are so nice it's one of my dream cars
here's my argument for the neon. I still see the neon everywhere in northeast PA. I never see chevy cavaliers or ford focuses from 1999-2005 anymore
I'll always believe the 2013+ Dodge Dart would have sold alot better if they simply named it "Neon".
I own 5 different Neons! Overall they were good cars
and relatively easy to change the spark plug wires & oil! Neons were notorious for worn motor mounts! The Dodge Neon SXT had a very solid suspension in that it drove rather nicely over various types of road types!
I had such a car! Very cool car!))) Here in St. Petersburg it was difficult to find a new ECU unit, I had to sell it with the brains in which water got in ((((but it drives briskly!)))
Fantastic
Did you US guys get a version called the RT ?... in the UK it was the sportiest version we got but it had same 2.0 engine as all the others but I always like the look of it but never got to drive one before they all disappeared... I've not seen one here for years
We did get an rt but not for this generation, previous generation did have an rt trim with a pinstripe. Only the srt-4 started to exist for this generation with its 2.4L turbo engine.
wasn't the sx2.0 basically the USA model of what they're talking about
Yes,Neons were quite common here in England,I haven't seen one in years here,either.
@@Slow.S55we did get the rt for the 2nd generation neon in the US from 2001-2004. It was my first car, bought a 2003 from a coworker for $1000 back in 2018😅
1st gen.>competition, 2nd. gen. killed it.
Used to hate on these until my family had one. Gas prices in California 07-08 were insane so we got one of these. Lots of space for such a small car. I can sit behind myself at 6’4. The Focus was much more reliable & offered more features than the neon and cavalier of these era.
The last demistic car with a 3 speed was the 2002 prizm
Dont forget about the dodge avenger. The was before the Chrysler 200 from 2007 to 2014.
Neon wasn't a good car. Cavalier sunfire was much better. Just look at whats srill on the road. Almost never see one on the road today in my area.
Dang, what's with all the snow? I kid, but last time we saw snow it made national headlines (DFW area, February 2021). It hit 80 degrees here today (2/20/24).
I never got why the neons had power windows up front and manual windows in the rear? 🤔
To save cost and weight I guess
Had one, drove it for like 4 or so months before the transmission blew at 150k miles.
No joke... I think i recognize the car in this video. It belonged to my uncle at one time. I remember some of the cosmetic defects that this car shows and his was sold at approximately 60k something miles years ago.
Eww...Chrysler had better choice for compact cars when they partnered w/Mitsubishi.
I rented a Neon like this once, and it was very decent. For another rental (2005), I had a choice between a Mitsu Lancer and an Olds Alero; took the Alero, which was definitely the better choice (more HP). I do like the older Mitsu stuff, though.
You can laugh all you want but I actually love these little cars. Especially the models post-facelift with the cross hair grille, I think it really sets it off. When I was a kid I always wanted one of these as my first car, but things didn't work out that way lol. I think they're cute little cars and the last of what I call Chrysler's "K car mindset" where they offered small, affordable, efficient and simple cars that were easy and economical to own. I really don't get why these cars are so hated. You mentioned the Focus...this is a WAY better car than the focus everywhere from styling to efficiency and even reliability. If I was closer I would seriously consider buying this car. It's not necessarily a "dream car" of mine but it's one that I'd definitely like to own just to say I did, especially if I could find a well maintained, clean, rust free, lower mileage example such as this. I can't really put into words why I've admired Neons for so long, could be nostalgia, idk. Regardless these are solid little cars, not as reliable as the Hondas and Toyotas they competed with at the time but not as far off as some would think. The Neon definitely beats those cars in style and personality, and are closer to them in regard to reliability than one may think. Most Neon owners used and abused these cars and didn't maintain them for shit, partially leading it to its bad reputation. Glad to see you review one and happy to know there are still people out there that appreciate these. Great video as always man keep it up.
This was good car. It was way better than its replacement. It's a shame Chrysler stopped making them.
You should definitely try and find a 2004 chevy malibu lt or a Maxx those cars are fun little starters cars
I’d rather have a Nissan with a CVT than this, and that’s not a good thing.
In Europe they sold them as the Chrysler Neon with a more “luxurious” looking front end and chrome….
This is like the first neon I’ve seen that hasn’t begun to decompose like a body
well, the focus had a hatch, like the mazda3
The 1st and 3rd gen were since they came from Europe the 1st gen was a decent simple reliable car the 3rd was okay if it was the 5 speed manual
my sister had a yellow 2004 neon sxt she bought in 2010 as a rebuilt title, engine kept overheating at times and it was eventually sent to the scrapyard
I was seriously considering buying a manual SXT new back in 2003. But the side impact ratings were terrible, so I skipped buying one. The well used Saab that I had back then had to soldier on.
Definitely a surviver
Back in the late 1990’s early 2000’s the Chrysler Neon (as it was badged in the UK) was one of the few American imports you could buy & the idea of a automatic 2.0L engine ‘economy’ car was like luxury compared to the awful little econobox offerings common here. I really did want a Neon but the engine size forced it into the higher tax bracket band & it’s fuel economy was still to weak compared to European manual econobox cars so I never bought one. Looking back now I see they really weren’t all that special & slightly more upmarket European cars were on offer that would have suited my needs better such as the Ford Mondeo (Contour) & indeed I went in that direct eventually.
Chrysler, Chevrolet & Cadillac all eventually pulled out of the market here but Chrysler was always the most common American car, especially the Neon & PT Cruiser.
Know why they called it a Neon? Cause You Hit your knee on this and your knee on that.
Hell yeah. 👍
Nice 😊
Look for Info and vids on as I’m about to purchase a 2003 blue dodge neon with only a 110,000 for about $700 which is crazyyyyyyy no other car out there for the price
They need to make this not a overpriced hornet
Great car, by far
Would you like to video a 1996 f350 460 5speed banks exhaust vortech supercharger 80,000 miles near mint??
Yes!!
I'm in Utah.... Could probably only do it on a weekend... I work a ton. I'll submit a form....
Just why?
This is american basic transportation box that smaller than a midsize sedan and its not a civic good job being different
Back when New cars could still be cheap enough to buy not $20k plus
Dodge went the wrong way in the post-v8 era. Instead of building rebadged Italian cars and vaporware EVs, they should have brought back cheap small cars like the neon. There’s a real demand for affordable new small cars that the American big three have completely abandoned to their Japanese and Korean competition.
Gotta do a ford contour, they as commuter cars were fun yet terribly unreliable cars. The zetec 4cyl has a run at the worst motor title. V6 was fast but also has a real chance at the worst motor title.
I had the 5 speed stick version. So fun to drive. Until it started on fire.
Nothing good about the Neon or it's derivatives.
Any mechanic will tell you that.
Easy to steal, easy to leave on the side of the road.
Calling modern dodge a spice implies people like them at any point before they digest their decision
These don't exist in New England in 2024, the 5 speeds are fun in Hawaii a neighbor had one would burn it TF out in our corner
Where's the 2nd Gen neon RT review 👀
I got one with 60k miles
It’s looks boring but cute simultaneously
Vs Chevy Prizm?
These are very junky cars.
ALL NEONS have low miles. Same with Kia Rio's and Hyundai Accents.
Booring, that only Toyota's and japanese cars last in cold climate. It would be nice to see other than abandon Neons.
The Neon is not as reliable as a Toyota Corolla or Honda Civic and of course Chrysler's quality isn't as good as the Japanese
My great-uncle had a base model Neon when I was a child and while I always loved seeing it, it was an INCREDIBLY unreliable car 😂
Crappy feeling suspension. Drive a neon on a long trip, anyone will see how miserable it is.
Garbage car