MotorWeek | Retro Review: 2000 Dodge Plymouth Neon

A mainstay of high school parking lots across America.

[@BP23BP23]

At 3:56, It's cool to see Shia Labeouf use to do car reviews. Considering where he's at now, he didn't let his dreams be dreams.

[@Len1977gt]

lol that was funny. Although he has gotten in some trouble as of recently (2017)

[@scoutandscooter]

Hmm. Bit of a rough ride, so to speak. Still not s good actor.

[@davidaubin3902]

That's Actually Brian Robinson, Motorweek's producer and Two wheelin' reporter

[@tonyw973]

I owned a 2000 five-speed with A/T. It was an extremely reliable, fun to drive and comfortable little car that never broke down or left me stranded. (It had only one recall due to a binding/noisy clutch cable) It was easy to maintain and cheap to run. It had a few options such as an up-graded tire/wheel package, up-graded stereo with 4-disc CD player and AC. That's about it. I still kind of regret trading it in, one of the best cars I ever owned.

[@rsuffridge1]

@@davidaubin3902 No shit, Sherlock.

[@Doobie1975]

I'm surprised how quick this car was for it being a 4 cylinder compact sedan built in the early 2000's

[@dochvtech22]

Look up Gene Kim

[@weedmastersr]

Especially for only having 130 something HP. Most cars today needs 160+ for the same acceleration times.

[@honkhonkler7732]

@@weedmastersr You could get 150HP with the later SOHC Magnum heads.

[@amsterdamgeorge2]

My 2000 Neon with the 5-speed manual has 211,000 + miles on it and it's been amazing. We've been through a lot together these last sixteen years - and it's never failed me even during a blizzard with over seven inches of snow on the ground it got me home. I'll never sell my Neon because it was built right and it's still tight. Sure I take good care of it, such as 3,000 - 5,000-mile oil changes, but everything else is done at either my mechanics or at factory recommendations. I've owned Toyota's, Oldsmobiles, Fords and even a Lexus IS but my Neon has been the most reliable car I've ever owned. It's never broken down on the highway and only failed to start twice in sixteen years - both times this was due to a dead battery.

[@DeltaOps3]

amsterdamgeorge2 neons are reliable and cheap fun cars

[@lakeshorerides]

It seems most neons are either really really bad or really really reliable

[@gzuzsavz]

now here's an honest dude who actually didn't thrash tf outta his car, maintained it & enjoyed it (& whoah..still does?!? so much for the shade casters! lol!!) a long time. even over some hoity toity brand x cars? you deserve an award..for caring for that cool car and for this post.

[@AdolfHitler-xp1nx]

only 7 inches of snow?? i'm canadian and my car that is used most in winter is my 2001 540i sportwagon, 4.4L v8 and RWD in the winter, totally necessary :D going up snowed in hills with summer tires on the car feels hilarious too

[@JeffKing310]

Three years later- how’s it holding up?

[@spletest8977]

This was unironically the best car Dodge made and a good option for the time period. My cousin had one that made it to 310k miles before she traded it in for a new car. Besides some missing non-essential engine bay pieces it was still a solid and fun car 17 years later. I was actually surprised when I first drove it because it didn't feel like any Chrysler product I had ever driven.

[@ekop1778]

MY 97 NEON JUNKED AT 165K IN THE GARAGE ALL THE TIME LAST CHRYSLER I GET

[@davidthehondaenthusiast]

@@ekop1778that’s because it’s a 97, the 2000 dodge neons were the total opposite, actually very reliable, but you have to maintain them like any car.

[@theKevronHarris]

A 3-speed automatic on a 2000s car...What's going on at the House of Chrysler?!

[@boogts]

They were fast, economical and didn't break (unlike the A604s). So were the supposed to gain nothing and add cost to the consumer by adding a gear?

[@hzzlrp10]

Toyota did it too. They didn't offer a four speed automatic on base model Corollas until 2003.

[@theKevronHarris]

@@hzzlrp10 I'm glad that Toyota erased the 3-speed automatic option on the 2003 Corolla CE base model. 😊

[@theKevronHarris]

@RockabillyFox Right,

[@theKevronHarris]

@RockabillyFox facts

[@Disasterpiece5150]

I have been driving my 03 neon for 10 years now. 204,000 miles!

[@NewJerseyPhiladelphiaDelaware]

Disasterpiece5150 still driving the neon after 12 years?

[@noahbender2147]

Love your peep photo

[@RallyLancer95]

Who tf spends 10 years in a Neon?

[@avdcrx5441]

i wonder how many times the head gaskets blew..

[@hondamanvtec2894]

How many miles does it have now ?

[@robsrandomness7824]

I worked at a Dodge dealer back then. We sold a ton of coupes on the 1st gen. Hate that they only offered sedans for gen 2.

[@jakey20022]

How about the SRT4 ?!?!

[@DeltaOps3]

i know a lot of people shit on the neon but having owned a 2002 gold manual dodge neon, and rolling it right after lovingly washing it, it is a charming car, and with the rare interior, it was the cleanest neon ive ever seen. even without the e brake pulled, it would lay rubber for over 30 feet. i was also able to keep up with my bosses v8 grand prix upto 45 mph. it was a fun car and always handled well. i never got complaints about room, and passengers always complimented the space it boasted over others. i didnt have any rattles or squeaks. and in the roll over crash into a ravine near where I live, I was able to walk away from it without a scratch. i now own a 2006 hawkeye subaru and even still I would rather be driving the neon, although people bash on its interior, ive you have ever sat in a pre 2007 WRX, it is a cheap nasty experience, with seats tht stain easily and components that chip, break and scratch paint easily. the neons was always spartan and quiet, and I never had any issues with reliability. my Subaru however is in the shop right now.

[@gabrielttenroc2906]

Liam at this point anything can “ keep up” and pass a v8 Grand Prix neon is still trash

[@AdolfHitler-xp1nx]

my 2001 540i sportwagon is my "worst" car hehe i feel lucky, 0 FWD in my garages

[@hakeemsd70m]

Yeah, those 00's Subaru interiors were pretty cheap, but slightly better than Nissan.

[@bjornr9801]

I bought one $700 with 310,000 miles, still runs fine

[@joeydrumstix]

yeah i have a 2000 dodge neon with 78k miles on it. i absolutely love this car, its so easy to work on and as long as you maintain it properly, this car will never leave you stranded.

[@ScubaSteveM45]

I took driving school in a '95 Neon in 1996 and I just picked up a 2002 Neon yesterday the 2nd gen is tighter and agile than the first was

[@unknownunknowns]

$12890 in 2000 would be about 18K. The equivalent would be the Dart priced at 17K. So you'd be getting more bang for your buck overtime.

[@mikemorales1725]

Motorweek has never tested a car that they did not like. Manufacturers must love them.

[@mph5896]

The 2000+ Neon was MUCH improved over the 95-99. There was a lot to be desired, but the 2000+ was actually pretty reliable.

[@misamisatv]

+m ph Bahahahahahahaha!!!! :P

[@nodak81]

The Neon is one of those mythic cars that you hear people tell stories about and they are polar opposites from each other. One guy will tell you it was the most unreliable POS he ever owned and the other guy will say it's the most reliable car he's ever owned and he's still driving it to this day.

[@ScubaSteveM45]

Some people let their cars go to shit and curse the car when it has trouble like it's the cars' fault, other people maintain theirs to get the maximum lifespan possible. 🤷 Some people eat well and exercise and do sports and other folks sit on their ass all day eating cookies and fast food. You see what I am getting at here. Most anything will fall apart if you treat it like crap, and most things will last a long time if you're good to them

[@michaelburke7978]

So many memories with this car...

[@misled1982]

Such a cute car and it aged so well, just like the Honda Civic

[@mwells]

Has MotorWeek *ever* disliked a car? Watching reviews like this, it's hard to tell.

[@75aces97]

They've pointed out certain things about particular cars that they didn't like, but if you mean, have they ever said, "this is a total piece of crap, and everybody will laugh at you for buying it," then no, I don't think so. For a show like this you want to keep getting access to new vehicles, and if you badmouth too many of them, the maker will stop loaning them to you. What is interesting in watching these old episodes is seeing certain road tests for models that were suspiciously missing from road tests and comparos in the pages of Car & Driver, Road & Track, etc of the times. The Starion/Conquest, 2nd generation Toyota Supra, Dodge Daytona, and second generation Mazda RX-7, to name a few, were hard to find in the road test section in the late 80s-early 90s.

[@nodak81]

Didn't they do a Yugo review that wasn't very flattering? Might be thinking of something else though.

[@theKevronHarris]

They used to have the list of hits & misses near the end of the review which I found it to be interesting.

[@justynkevlar3031]

Have a 02 five speed neon. That thing is a beast.

[@gabrielttenroc2906]

Justyn Kevlar I doubt that but okie doke

[@redneckhillbilly8788]

Gabriel Ttenroc you like it

[@rickcstein]

My 2000 with a manual had 166,000 until I neglected the oil too much..

[@danielc1417]

It must suck to be on welfare.

[@XenomorphLV426]

@@danielc1417 maybe he's a HS student.

[@MrGoldenwaffler]

I had one as a loaner car when I was 20, at that time I really enjoyed driving it. It really did have a fun carefree nature

[@recpro7847]

I had an SRT-4 stage 3 this color. What a rocket.

[@CamaroAmx]

Rec Pro a friend had a silver SRT4. Good car, ate wheel bearings for breakfast though.

[@jakey20022]

@@dr.jillalicecooper2587 you don't understand that point of the SRT4. It was about building a cheap fast car.

[@shadowinist]

Had this little car for 6 years! Great little car/ Gas saver no problems with mine yet??? 235,000 miles on it

[@monkeywkeys3916]

Wow

[@MatrixDiscovery]

This is one of those car that you want to forget.

[@butterflies9383]

I had a 2006. i had it for 7 years and it neve gave me any trouble until the transmission mysteriously got a crack in it. I had to get rid of it. I had the sxt. it was a fun little car.

[@dabnisbrickey6527]

They didn't make the neon in 2006. 2005 was the last year

[@patrickmichaellangan576]

Thanks for posting these retro reviews, Motorweek. These late 90s and early to mid Y2K (2000s) reviews are what I grew up watching.

[@USNavyVet_STG]

I had this car, bought it brand new in 2000. Handled LA traffic like a champ. I finally sold it last year with 142,000 miles on it. It never gave me any issues until the end (it needed a new radiator, brakes, and had developed an oil leak). The repairs were going to be more expensive than the value of the car so I gave her up. Overall, a great little car.

[@Banshee617]

My Mother's owned 2 of these and neither have had any problems. First one was a 2000 written off after 5 years by a drunk driver and she's still driving her 2005 after 230,000KM, brand new off the lot with no maintenance other than fluid changes and cleaning. Everyone bitching about these in the comments are just puking up what their antique fathers and uncles told them as kids. These little cars have great throttle response and handling with a great engine note with the right exhaust set up. BUY ONE OF THESE FOR YOUR TEENAGE AND THEY'LL THANK YOU.

[@armandoquinonez4135]

i own two 2000 dodge neons ive had them both for well over 12 years and they have been great little cars very reliable still driving them on the daily

[@ottodob]

cant wait for the neon srt4 retro review in a few years.

[@catsspat]

1:28 What!? 150 inch wheelbase!? Didn't anyone catch that error?

[@subeyguy66]

Lol good catch. The Dodge Neon F-350

[@Matt_Dagostino]

Yeah, I was gonna call bull on that. It's actually 105 inches

[@jimmbobb]

I did lol

[@jimmbobb]

That was the limousine trim.

[@kupidzheart]

i was thinking in my head like that can't be right

[@russelmcfarland9521]

My 2005 neon is currently at 270,xxx miles

[@MitsuUltra]

Do you still have it?

[@gzuzsavz]

..i clicked on this, knowing there'd be shade. bucket loads. so many ppl have lost a street race to these things & they go online to talk bs. cool, ya'll didn't disappoint :) anywhoo, these are great cars, tough, reliable, got 42 mpg hwy with the 5 spd and were the basis for the world killa, best FWD sports car ever, SRT-4.

[@lfsracer79]

a 3-speed automatic...

[@DBLA]

+talldude123 Jeep Wrangler had it too

[@LukeO-1234]

+j pt slow??

[@DBLA]

***** According to Wikipedia, yes. Incidentally, Toyota and Nissan each make a car that still comes standard with a 4-speed automatic at the base trim.

[@LukeO-1234]

+BDofNLA Toyota has the corolla but nissan has cvt no 4 speed anymore

[@DBLA]

Luke Hoisington Nissan Versa still has the 4-speed in the base level trim.

[@chevyblock550]

Comfortable, efficient economy car. Not made to see a lot of high miles but great if you need something cheap and a good ride. Only gripe I have is the automatic transmission is less than adequate.

[@fernandorocha6486]

Confortable, great car, economic and very nice performance this Dodge Neon

[@nigelsayah2827]

Not made to see high miles? My 2000 neon lasted 300000kms and had no issues when i sold it

[@fernandorocha901]

Great little car the Dodge Neon

[@lunartwilight]

Dont know, my first car is a 2000 plymouth neon 3 speed auto. had it for five years now and up to 160,000 miles. besides the fact im a mechanic and have replaced every wearable item, besides the engine and trans, The car is good for as long as the body lasts. not a bad car if maintenance is done. The three speed does aggravate new car drivers cause its slow from a light. highway, the things a rocket ship because of no overdrive.

[@slickman4426]

I had my 1998 Dodge Neon for 10 years. replaced brakes, tires, O2 sensor. that was it. It was a fun car.

[@mikefromvernon]

I had a base neon with the 3 speed auto. Got 18 years and 160,000 Km before trading it in because of rust issues. Some days I miss that car because it had very few electronics to go wrong. Sure I had to replace sensors, belts and hoses due to age but those repairs were not that expensive either. The not so secret secret is maintenance. That car had a fall/spring service where my mechanic swapped tires, changed fluids as required and gave it a good going over.

[@JeezyFoke]

Mine has been in the family and now it’s mine! Been driving it for a few years it now has 285,000 miles! Doesn’t have as much power but still runs great

[@danielleanderson2171]

My brother had a '97. It's fuel pump went out on the way home from the dealership. After that though, he never had a problem with it. Drove it 'til he sold it, then it got wrecked by the friend he sold it to. I recall sitting in the back of it many, many times.

[@pachord1]

My 95 neon was in the shop for 12+ times during the first 36k miles

[@parkourpotato6066]

My grandma had a Plymouth variant when I was growing up, the last of Plymouth’s existence.

[@luvr381]

The reflection of the clouds on the hood at the beginning look a lot like it will after 4 years and the paint is coming off.

[@LakeHowellDigitalVideo]

That 150 inch wheelbase must be great in parking lots :)

[@jamielehr8076]

I had a 2000 ACR. I ran it hard for 170k miles and the only issue I ever had was a broken shift linkage. It was a fun car and rough daily driver. Memorable car

[@bobwalsh3751]

These Neons were built an hour ish west of where I live, in a MASSIVE factory in Belvidere, Illinois.

[@hellbound64]

I loved my neon lol, had 3 of them

[@csmith6237]

I love the discription, so true.

[@smithraymond09029]

A friend of mine used to drive one of these back in the late 90's. Was brand new car at the time. It started overheating on the way to Vegas, lol. The tiny radiator couldn't handle the hills on the I 15 . Total P.O.S.

[@domlimited1264]

I've owned 4 neons over the years they were fun to drive

[@michaelbandeko3519]

Both my kids learned to drive in a Neon. I still keep one around for running errands and keeping the mileage off my pickup truck.

[@Anderson-ky6ps]

Motor week esse é o maior arraso nesse canal só carros da hora pra curtir de montão 😁👍

[@rebelcowboy5.7l98]

Got an 03 sx 2.0 manual neon great car 440,000km still going strong. Really like the taller tranny gearing for fuel economy, lot taller that my old civic manual

[@oldtwins]

wow what a blast from the past although it hasn't even been that long. just seems so since I haven't seen any of these on the road in a while. for a mass produced car, that's just really a testament to its quality.

[@ScubaSteveM45]

They were cheap cars so they were bought by folks that didn't want to spend money on maintenance and whatnot. What happens to most anything you own when you neglect them? They fall apart and work like shit. Neons fell into that same trap Kias and Nissans fall into. You hardly see them since they were driven by the poorest of the poor who don't really do oil changes and keep good tires on their cars too regularly so by the time the motor seizes or they total it crashing on bald tires that's all she wrote 😭

[@chrislemaster2695]

Its a variet of Chrysler's Torque flite automatic bullet proof transmissions used in wide applications since the 1960's and AMC used Chrysler's Torque flite 3 speed auto transmission in all of their cars until the Renault garage sunk AMC

[@michaelwolflake4918]

They are great still have my 2002.

[@bh2155]

The later generation of the Neon were good cars and people brought them like crazy. This was proof that Chrysler could make a desirable, reliabile, high volume small car.

[@scootermann83]

I sometimes wonder if JD still has his extensive windbreaker collection. He would be a hit at radwood!

[@gmman010983]

the power windows in front and manual windows in the back didn Make sense to me..lol

[@eltonjohn3236]

+keri “KJ” ellerbe I'm surprised that wasn't noted in this review.

[@kupidzheart]

+keri “KJ” ellerbe guess it was more or less to save money. pretty much screw the people in the back (more than likely kids) and just add convenience up front

[@eltonjohn3236]

It was a very bizarre setup for 2000. My god, maybe 1965 or something.

[@theKevronHarris]

+keri “KJ” ellerbe Lack of power rear windows is a huge inconvenience, but I can't live without them!! But I know the Australian versions of the Toyota Corolla and Seca models didn't have 'em!

[@ronaldderooij1774]

+keri ‘KJ’ ellerbe I don't like power windows at all. Why? Well, you cannot use them when the engine is shut off or when your car drives into the water. Then you are trapped. In my country (the Netherlands) that is a real danger.

[@TorqueEffect]

My girlfriend has an 2005 SXT, folks bought it for her in highschool since her dad worked for the local Chrysler factory. She said at the time that her folks, could have got her a Honda Civic instead. Honestly that would have been the better choice obviously, but her Neon seems to be holding up pretty well, but she doesn't drive much so it only has 16k miles on it, and last time I drove it, everything worked, even the cruise control worked.

[@dodgeguyz]

A car is only junk if you treat it as such! I've seen way more neons that were taken care of last longer than a high end car that was neglected.

[@ianthompson2867]

100% correct

[@melrose9252]

dodgeguyz = Some cars break even if you baby them so your attempt to create logic failed.

[@RemixedVoice]

My 2000 Neon died when the subframe completely rusted away when I had to brake pretty hard to avoid hitting a car that pulled out in front of me.

[@dchawk81]

RemixedVoice That's not how rust works.

[@danielc1417]

Cars don't rust from using the brakes, idiot.

[@archivedamputeeadventure]

I had a 95.. TERRIBLE excuse for an automobile

[@dhoffnun]

+Chris Bowman The steering... so bad... and how about all the blue ones losing the paint?

[@archivedamputeeadventure]

David Hoffnung mine was blue. paint was good but i only had it till 2000. trans and head gasket problems

[@principeraphael4859]

+Chris Bowman Me Too Chris...a wretched car.

[@eltonjohn3236]

+Chris Bowman So did I. What a horrible car.

[@principeraphael4859]

Wasn't it just? Smoke and mirrors. Cute styling and great handling. But after two years, they start to fall apart. Just like my Sundance did before. I should have learned my lesson then. Chrysler makes wretched cars.

[@michaelburke7978]

Loved these cars

[@RomanM803]

love those cars

[@SataniaMcDowel]

I love any gen of Neon :3

[@paulrose6359]

Man I cannot believe these comments, I owned and had a blast auto crossing my 05 Neon. I beat the cr#p out of thatcar and NEVER had any problems. The car was fun to drive and comfortable. I added air intake, shift bushings, (5 speed),better tires/rims and SRT seats and exhaust. Loved it and put 127K miles when I sold it. NO complaints.

[@juancalzada2703]

I had a 2000 neon. it overheated a lot of times thanks to a bad radiator. replaced rad and it lasted forever. it sat in the back yard for a year because it was an ugly car and nobody wanted to drive it. one day I just replaced the battery and it started right up again. it leaked oil, had no a/c, but that thing woldnt die. the 3 speed was fun in the highway.

[@potatopotato8360]

I wish they still made cars like this...

[@LTJohn]

It sucked that the 2 door was discontinued. It's lines were really nice.

[@MacTechG4]

The second gen Neon had a major design flaw, the air conditioning drain hose drained directly on the front suspension “K-Mount” that ran directly under the engine, in areas with road salt use in the winter, the two factors caused the K-Mount to rot away in 3-5 years I had an ‘02 base model, and the two biggest failures were the catylitc converter failing and the K-mount nearly rotting in half due to New England winters, it didn’t even last long enough to blow the head gasket like my first gen ‘98 Highline, it didn’t even make 90k That said, they were both fun, nimble, zippy little cars and I enjoyed owning them ...of course, now seeing the crash test results, it’s kind of scary how badly they held up...

[@letsgonow5641]

As much as Dodge sold these you rarely see them on the road. Last time i saw one was about 6 weeks ago when i was ordering window at KFC. Before that i dont think i saw one the whole year.

[@cpufreak101]

Luis X last one I seen was probably in a church parking lot when I was in Jersey a few weeks ago

[@letsgonow5641]

Justin Noker very rarely see them and i live in a major city..these care were disposable..

[@cpufreak101]

Luis X well, I could cheat and say I see one every day, but it's a heavily riced base model that someone down the street owns :/

[@letsgonow5641]

Justin Noker Lol

[@butterflies9383]

I see them all the time

[@ndawg79]

My cousin had a 06 Dodge Neon SXT it was a cute car. It got her where she needed to go. She just recently traded in in for a 2015 Nissan Sentra.

[@ndawg79]

Her Neon was in mint condition too when traded it in. Had some spots where rust was forming. No body damage at all. She kept very good care of that car. Got her to college everyday and to work.

[@herefishyfishy6907]

Can we talk about the fact that there was no power windows in that back seat?

[@Techjunkiero]

Great fun car to drive with best looks compared to the competition!

[@adamrobledo3996]

That thing handles wow.

[@mitchellkalina8191]

I don't know what kind of drivers they have at the wheel, but I've owned both a 98 R/T and a 2001 with a 5 speed...the R/T was definitely quicker and faster if you knew how to drive. That meant revving gears all the way to the 7000 rpm redline. The 420a revved out nicely on top especially once a few simple bolt on mods were done.

[@kippaseo8027]

They definitely fell short when compared to a Toyota corolla or Honda Civic But Whenever I was given The Choice at the rental car counter of either a Dodge neon or chevral a cavalier I would definitely pick the neon. Both Cars were Choppy And rough but the neon seemed a little less crude then the Sunfire / Cavalier. The escort/tracer Twins were better than all of them. The Ford escort/Mercury tracer head nicer interiors, Better rides, End also came in a wagon version.

[@nicholasvonrhine541]

Great car when maintained properly.

[@teshomevaughn4162]

Wish i still had my neon had a bodykit on it. It was almost done

[@sirot5561]

These cars lasted about 2 years brand new before everything started GOING WRONG!!!!

[@codypendency9482]

Tommy Siro my brother owns one today he bought for 500 dollars and no problems with 10 000k

[@codypendency9482]

He put 10000k on it it already had 250

[@thejamesenglishjamesenglis4132]

Just long enough for the rental car companies.

[@ekop1778]

JUNKED MY 97 NEON AFTER 167K EVERYTHING WENT BAD ONLY GOT 150 FOR IT

[@frankdenardo8684]

I have a Chrysler neon. it is from Canada and not have a problem with it. I bought it in Ontario Canada.

[@bohemialite6371]

So it's time to go look for a base model neon 3-speed yeah😝

[@adamtrombino106]

These were much better cars than the 1st gens ever thought of being. I had a 96 Highline. Just going from the 4dr hardtop to a 4 door sedan made it feel like a much different car, and fixed the window wind noise issues, as well as leaks in the hardtop. But these things were still crappy otherwise. Motor mount issues, headgasket failures, oil leaks, and suspension problems still plagued the newer design. Though cars fortunate enough to have that optional 4 wheel disc abs system stopped just fine, the std frt disc rear drum set up was a direct carry over from the 1st generation, and it was terrible! So was the 3 speed auto. Wide ratios and a tendency to have to have 1's foot planted to get going didn't help the newer heavier Neons 1 bit. I was surprised and somewhat puzzled at MW's acceleration results. Later models had an available 4 speed auto slush box that didn't help acceleration much, but at least the tall OD gears helped highway mileage. But gone was the bargain base model strippo that a ton of 1st car buyers purchased. And much of the kid street racer feel was gone for good too, with only the SRT versions a serious, if not crude, contender. We test drove an 01 SE auto and found it less the boy racer, nimble econobox and a more composed if not boring mode of everyday transportation. And we didn't buy it. Why? Because it got expensive with dealer mark ups that moved it into base Cloud Car territory. ( remember those?) 1 doesn't see many of either generation much today on the roads, and most are in bad shape if 1 does. But if you still have 1, take heart, the pick-a-part junkyards are full of them!

[@dristo8009]

surprised it didnt break down during tests..

[@Blue-moon12]

That 0-60 time was impressive

[@domlimited1264]

I owned 4 neons over the years best gas milage i,ve ever seen

[@lunartwilight]

I loved this car, but the 3 speed automatic was right out of the eighties and would get you killed in today's impatient traffic lol 😆 and after replacing just about everything on the car it was fine until the rocker panels fall out. All in all, I'd buy another one.

[@SweeneyJeffreyJ]

Our 2001 neon was very reliable. Not many Chrysler products are as reliable.

[@markvaltierra]

Back in 2002 I purchased a used 2001 Neon with less than 12,000 miles at a Dodge dealership. It came with an extended warranty. 3 weeks after I purchased it, the car stalled after exiting the freeway. After over a dozen times of taking it to the dealership, I decided to trade it in. It only had 40,800. They never found what was wrong with the car.

[@markvaltierra]

40,800 miles.

[@Danodie2013_Official]

0:32 i have the same neon just like that.

[@speakfreeley4473]

Sold officially in the UK as the Chrysler Neon. Not sold in massive numbers here. Today quite scarce.

[@omgwhypandaaeterna3009]

Ahh the neon, the EBT car.

[@frankburns8871]

IDK about that. Most people I see using EBT cards are loading their newish SUVs and luxury cars with premium groceries and expensive junk food.

[@Mr.Everything]

When I go to the store with cash I take my Grand Marquis, when I bring the EBT card I take the Neon.

[@KartKing4ever]

My girlfriend currently drives a 2004 Neon with 230,000 miles. It sounds like it wants to die when it does anything other than sit with the engine off.

[@rickvincent5701]

The 2nd Gen Neons were pretty good- the 1st Gen felt cheap- and the 3rd Gen had issues with the radiators- they would internally crack and the coolant and auto transmission fluids would mix - and then cause the transmission to be ruined

[@gregnixon1296]

My wife and I had one in 2003. After only 80k miles, it was in no condition mechanically for anyone to buy. Fortunately, a drunk driver helped us total it so we could get rid of it.

[@logdon17]

Glad you survived the crash, those things were a tin can

[@mitchellkalina8191]

It's funny this ran the same times as the dohc 1st gen R/T, I've owned both and the R/T will run circles around the 2nd gen. The R/T is lighter, has 20 more HP and a lower final drive ratio taking advantage of the dohc's top end power and over rev

[@CamaroAmx]

Mitchell Kalina motorweeks times have always been on the slow side.

[@eurosonly]

4k in extras?

[@WolfrCats]

The first Neon looks good. It looks nerdy and innocent. Almost like some other car is going to make fun of it

[@Shopdgap919]

I would always giggle when I remember this car only offered power front windows. The rears were crank operated. Even this “fully” loaded tester was configured that way yet it had remote keyless entry. 🤦🏾‍♂️

[@dwarf365]

My P.O.S. car is in a retro review. Well that sucks. But thanks for the upload!

[@antoxin93]

why is it so bad?

[@dkt1976dt]

I never understood the whole power front windows and manual crank rear windows.

[@chriswright8464]

My brothers neon lasted 3 years before the dashboard almost fell off the fire wall!