Finally Bought Another MoPar. 2004 Dodge Neon.

[Lizey]

Well, after 3 horrible experiences with Fords in a row I finally bought another Chrysler product. My job for the summer requires me to drive 60 miles round trip so I needed something for gas mileage. 2004 Neon SXT. 2.0 automatic. 119,000 miles. Just repainted a year ago. It could lose a drag race to molasses in January but hey, it's a Dodge and it gets high 20s on the freeway. Says my pictures are too big to post, so the one in the picture isn't mine. Mine has the same rims/spoiler/etc as this one, but mine was repainted "PBS Deep Water Blue Pearl" which is a 2010 Dodge Charger color I am told.

[charge69]

Congrats on a "new-to-you" MOPAR and it is not a bad looking ride. The Neons are getting harder and harder to find around here (SE Texas), probably for good reason.   Hope yours turns out to be a nice reliable ride. Surely, you must have got it cheap.

[Indygenerallee]

It may be a Mopar but "good luck" I have never had good luck with any Neon.

[A383Wing]

Be careful with the 2.0, they like to eat head gaskets....sorry to tell you that after you got it

Bryan

[Lizey]

I'm not terrified of having to put some money into it. The hood, trunk, rear doors, rockers, and fenders were replaced when it was repainted so the body is basically brand new. And for $2100 with less than a year old brakes and tires I wouldn't feel screwed if I had to do a head gasket on it or something.

[JB400]

It's cheap enough and dependable enough that you can spend a buck or two and upgrade it if you wish.  Make your own SRT.  Nice buy

[Fred]

That's a nifty little car. 

[XS29L]

We've got a '97 neon sport , bought it new , and that little bugger refuses to die .  It's a winter beater now but a good old car.   

[odcics2]

I assume you have a the 4 speed automatic? My wifes 2003 would get 40 on the highway, driven e-a-s-y-.   So, you have potential there....
I have had many Neons over the years and NEVER any head gasket issues.  But did have a trans cooler fail.
The manual Neon 2000 I had for 6 years never had any issues.  Not one.   

[Silver R/T]

Bad head gaskets are issue with first Neons, newer ones don't have that issue according to some reading I did. Good luck to you with new car, hope it lasts a long time. Just do your regular maintenance on it and it should last a while.

[ACUDANUT]

well, if your buying any brand intro Vehicle, you get what you pay for. I don't think that Neon will last long.  Good luck.

[JB400]

well, if your buying any brand intro Vehicle, you get what you pay for. I don't think that Neon will last long.  Good luck.

Most cars will last a long time if you take care of them properly.  I know of a few Vegas still running around on their original engine.

[TX9AAR]

I have an 01 Neon and have 161000 on it with no issues. The timing belt is changed at 110000 on mine do you know if yours has beeen changed? 

[Lizey]

To the best of my knowledge the timing belt is original. For the same price where I live I was looking at rusted out Silverados and 3.1 Luminas with 200,000+ miles so I'm pretty happy with it. Once I am done with school for the year I'm changing all the fluids/filters and anything else I find. Yes, it is the 4 speed automatic. My dad is driving it while I am at school (they wanted $100 for me to park it up here for 4 weeks) and he claims he is getting right around 22. That's a lot of city, but I had a '92 Plymouth Acclaim that pulled better than that in town. I know it's going to be better on the highway, but is there something I should look at to make sure I don't have an issue before I drive it the 500 miles to Detroit in May? 22 just seems really low to me for a 4 cylinder.

[Indygenerallee]

22 mpg sounds about right.

[A383Wing]

22 mpg sounds about right.

yup...sounds about right for an automatic car

get the timing belt changed soon....I forget if that's an interference engine or not, but yer on borrowed time if the belt is still OE

Bryan

[ITSA426]

I bought a yellow '03 5 speed SXT Neon so I could have a stick car to play with in the winter but the teenager took it over and I don't get to use it much without her whining about it.  I put a timing belt and water pump in it when I got it.  I'm told it's an interference motor.  It gets an occasional check engine light for emission codes but I don't panic over it.  It gets a consistent 32 mpg.  Fun, cheap to drive.  I saw an '03 R/T and an SRT 4 just came up for sale locally so I might have to go shopping.  My insurance agent would prefer I not buy the SRT and most of the ones I've seen have salvage titles.

[SRT-440]

I have a '04 SRT4...had it since new...been the best car I've ever owned...has 100K on stock clutch and brakes. It's a stage 1..which is just a computer upgrade. NEVER seen the inside of a shop and hasn't been back to the Dealer since I drove it off the showroom floor. Gets 28 MPG if u stay out of the boost and has run a best of 13.5 in the quarter.

Btw, that color is the same as mine and it was available in 04..Electric Blue. If u treat it right it won't let ya down. 

[odcics2]

22 mpg sounds about right.

If you are racing it. 

The '03 I owned got just under 30 in the city and near 40 highway.  Cracked 42 from MoTown to D.C. with 4 people in the car, steady at 65.   

[71ChallengeHer]

Shelby had a 95 Neon. It had problems. I wish we would have known the older ones had problems before we bought it. She was getting 32 mpg with. We just got tired of it breaking down all time. My son has an SRT -4 the same color as yours and he loves  Bought it new.   

[Indygenerallee]

If you are racing it. 

The '03 I owned got just under 30 in the city and near 40 highway.  Cracked 42 from MoTown to D.C. with 4 people in the car, steady at 65.   

42 MPG out of a loaded Neon.  I would say your MPG math was severely flawed!! 

[odcics2]

If you are racing it. 

The '03 I owned got just under 30 in the city and near 40 highway.  Cracked 42 from MoTown to D.C. with 4 people in the car, steady at 65.   

42 MPG out of a loaded Neon.  I would say your MPG math was severely flawed!! 

You don't know. You weren't there!   

KEY things are your speed and foot.   DON'T MOVE THE FOOT - STAY AT 65.     I guess you don't know that there is an enrichment circuit that kicks in at 70 mph
for exhaust valve durability...   At 75 you will easily drop at least 10 mpgs...