Shadow and Sundance: What happened between the Omni & Neon

Welcome to Auto Chatter. Todays video is all about the Dodge Shadow and Plymouth Sundance. Chrysler's follow up to the popular Omni and friends cars had big shoes to fill, but did they accomplish their mission? Lets find out! Please consider leaving a like if you enjoyed it, and subscribe and consider checking out some or all of my other videos! If you are already subscribed, thanks as always for the continued support!
Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

[@haggis525]

Loving it! These videos bring me back to my youth.... quite the gear head then. BZ on another fun video.

[@autochatter]

Appreciate that! Crazy that Chrysler had a car with plastic wheels!

[@haggis525]

@@autochatter Yeah..., Chyrsler did a lot of strange stuff.... somehow they put out some iconic American Iron!

[@autochatter]

@@haggis525 And now they are reduced to one model, and it's a minivan.

[@haggis525]

@@autochatter Yeah.... it's sad af to see such a powerhouse of engineering/innovation for 100 years end up like this 😓

[@gmanandhislady]

My mom had a Dodge Shadow when I was a kid. We loved it.

[@autochatter]

I had friends with them and some of their parents drove them as well.

[@Mr.CellophaneHart]

That Shelby CSX Shadow looked really good. The interior looks far better to me now than they did then. That color scheme reminds me of a 92 Ford F-150 Nite edition I had that was gloss black with a bright neon blue stripe down the side about the same shade as that Shadow has. When I was a kid the first time I saw a New Yorker in this body style but extended I think? The velour seats were something I had never experienced up to that point, boy I wish you could get those today. Like rubbing your toes in sand is the closest approximation of the satisfaction of those seats I can think of. Those New Yorker's were nicer than their reputation belied.

[@autochatter]

Yeah..Those seats were cool!

[@jammerDNA]

I had a 1990 Plymouth Sundance sedan in 1995 when I was a 15 year old high school student. I loved that car but in 1997 my local dealer had a newer, albeit still used, Sundance Duster coupe on the lot. I told my dad about it so we went to look at it and I ended up with a brand new 1997 Plymouth Neon sedan. Some years later I had the opportunity to buy my old Sundance from the person that bought it after I traded it in. I didn’t buy it back but still think it would’ve been kinda neat to have had it again.

[@autochatter]

Growing up in a small town, I remember seeing a few of my former 4 wheeled friends still running around with new owners.

[@OLDS98]

Thank you. You put effort into this video. This was educational and informative. I recall the Omi/Horizon and the Shadow and Sundance and then the Neon. Basic transportation for the budget minded. They did put some performance packages out there on the market too. Shelby worked with Ford, Chrysler and GM. He did a good job turning these cars into hot hatches. It was interesting they brought the Duster name back on this car too. It finally got a V6 later on. I do recall when Motorweek drove them.

[@autochatter]

I appreciate it. Wasn't sure you would show up as this a Oldsmobile free video😅. Did a few new things with this vid. I think it came out pretty good! But I felt that way about my VW Bus one, and no one watched it.

[@OLDS98]

@@autochatter You did a great thing. The editing and video takes time. I do not know how to do it, but to learn it has to be a process. The time it takes to put the video together and put the content together is indeed work. Chrysler Imperial and New Yorker will suffice on Chrysler products.

[@autochatter]

@OLDS98 I gotta think about what to do next...Might be GM's turn again LOL.

[@OLDS98]

@@autochatter I will leave you with this as you think about GM......kzbin.info/www/bejne/jqasZoyuZ7ySbpo

[@michaelcoffey7362]

Cool 😀😀

[@AlanMitchell-v6g]

Had a turbo 2.2 Sundance with BBS wheels and P7 tires.

[@autochatter]

Good combo!

[@AVessey]

As always, great video!

[@autochatter]

Thanks 😊

[@RoadRunnergarage8570]

My Mom had a Shadow... Not a bad little car...

[@autochatter]

Yep .Not a bad car at all.

[@johnasbury4997]

I bought a new 91 sundance... 16 times returned to service the first year. I tried to file lemon law in arbitration. Was told they would fix it until the warranty ran out , then it was mine. Head had a casting hole from the factory and had the wrong computer in from mfg.

[@johnasbury4997]

They spent more on repairs over the 4 years I owned than what I paid ....

[@johnasbury4997]

Mechanicaly totaled the day it was made

[@autochatter]

Wow! I know that had to throw the techs a curve with the wrong ECM in the car. Who would think that was a culprit?

[@samueljackson2478]

I love Plymouth Sundance, Spirt, LeBaron, Omni, Laser, 83 Dodge Challenger here is where Chrysler, Dodge , plymonth messed up with these cars FWD these car should have had a Rwd option I would say AWD but we know that's a given, but for what they were still have love for these cars had one in Germany 🇩🇪 92 Sundance 2.2 5Spd good times in that car.

[@autochatter]

I couldnt find sales numbers for them in Europe, other than they were poor. I'm guessing your car was kind of a rare sight then.

[@kc0lif]

dodge stealth.

[@chrisstevenswrites]

The Shadow/Sundance was the unofficial car of high schoolers and college kids in my area 25 years ago. Seemed like EVERYONE who just earned their licenses had one. Wouldn't mind having one myself. Great video.

[@autochatter]

Thank you! I could say the same to some extent, but more folks had Cavaliers. Next one is the original Olds 442 models, so I'm hoping that one's a blast!

[@averyparticularsetofskills]

I Love these vids and a absolutely cant get enough of that music @ 0:17 its just so peaceful. Anyway keep em rolling Chatter ..70s 80s 90s 😗👌

[@autochatter]

I'm glad these vids work so well at enhancing your calm!

[@tonystidham4564]

I had a '92 Plymouth I bought 2 years used. It was an early '92, just before the Duster came out. It had upgraded interior trim, alloy wheels, and the 2.5 4 cylinder. It was a nice car, and I ran it out to 164,000 miles

[@autochatter]

Yeah I don't remember them as being too bad.

[@bikingD]

Great cars had a 93 Shadow 2.5 in Raspberry. Loved it was so much fun. The regular car was fun and reliable. The Turbo cars were compact performance cars. That was awesome fun. The 3.0 V6 ones were like mini muscle cars. Loved the Duster version.

[@autochatter]

Yeah...They seemed to offer alot of bang for the buck! Thanks for the view!

[@Brian-90210]

Love your channel, thanks for all the effort you put in! Had 87 just the the Motor Week one, also a Duster model and a ES v6 convertible with a 5 speed. Wish I had any of them now...

[@autochatter]

Thank you! They are fun to put together for me. Wow..You had a late model vert with the V6 and a stick? Bet they didn't make alot of those!!!

[@h.paulsprojects3061]

Great video!! My grandmother had a 91 shadow 5 door, was a great car. Drove nice and had a comfortable interior.

[@autochatter]

Glad you liked this one! Made it while on vacation!

[@andregonsalvez9244]

Great review 😊 ! I liked the Shadow and Sundance over the quirky Neon . The Shadow/Sundance seemed to be pretty popular cars for Chrysler and fairly reliable cars . 😊

[@autochatter]

Thank you! I didn't think they were bad cars either, but the Neon was really popular at one point.

[@adamtrombino106]

My ex wife bought a 96 Neon Highline new. She gave the sedan to me in 02 after I bought her a new Durango SLT in 01. I had nothing but problems with that Neon up until I sold it in 07. You name it, it broke, and it was a frequent flyer at the Dodge dealer since we had the extended warranty. I sold it at just a tick over 100k. The last of the P cars were way better than the Neons IMO.

[@22vx]

Another good one 👍 Thanks for sharing!

[@autochatter]

Thank you! Was a fun one to make.

[@MotorMaster_Stunticon]

Great video. Man I miss the days of these old cars. Although they were the cheap underdogs, I like them especially the rare convertible.

[@autochatter]

Thanks Rob! I wasn't around many of the highline ones. Saw a ES turbo here and there. Most were the 4 door automatics I saw.

[@SpectrumRefurb]

I have a 93 Plymouth Sundance with a swapped engine. Went from a quite gutless 2.5 NA 4 cylinder, to a much better 3.8 V6 with the A604 4 speed transmission. Its got quite the git up now :)

[@autochatter]

Yeah....I bet it really scoots now!

[@adamtrombino106]

According to multiple sources I've read, the P cars were introduced at a time when Chrysler didn't really know what they wanted to do with it as far as where to put it in the line up. When they came out in mid 87, from what I read, they were supposed to replace the original Aries and Reliant cars, with more features and std equipment for a slightly higher price. Omnis and Horizon sales were somewhat stagnant, but still fair. But the original K's were still selling well to fleet and rental companies, so they decided to place the new P's above the Aries and Reliants rather than the base entry market. Oddly enough, for 88 the L 5 door hatchbacks, the K cars, and the P cars all had the same std drivetrains which would last until 1990 when Ma Mopar finally put the L cars out to pasture, which more oddly, lived 1 yr longer than the original K cars. L and P cars would get more sporty performance variants mixed in throughout the K car era, whereas the K's never got anything near that. So with the demise of the Aries and Reliants, and the L car out as well after 1990, the P cars were finally an entry level Mopar offering. Early P cars had rear water leak problems, but by 1990, that was largely fixed. The America program actually improved quality control, but there were several paint issues because of poor primer quality, so peeling paint was a sore spot. P cars were different from K cars in that they never had a front bench seat, always had a floor shift ( auto or manual) offered many more options ( many of which were shared with the Daytona) that 1 couldn't get on a Aries or Reliant, had much better interiors than any K cars in both fit and finish even in base form, and as mentioned in this vid, you could go from mild to wild depending on your wallet. By the last yrs of production, these cars were quietly getting much better. The 2.5L non turbo with 3 auto was a very reliable combination, with smoother running and a better torque curve than the 2.2s. Turbo cars were better as well, with the Mitsu turbo added and a high torque version added for 92 (rare) at 210 lbft up 30 from 1991, though just 2hp more. The Sundance models with the 3.0 V6 and 5 speed were quite smooth and fun to drive which gave Plymouth a slight edge over the Shadow ES V6 because of a lower cost. In closing, the P cars were as good as the K platform would get, yet still fell far short of any Japanese import in terms of quality and longevity. Not a bad car, better than some Fords and GMs but just not great. Ok brakes, ok handling, good mileage but not exceptional, ok fit and finish but not perfect, good reliability but not exceptional, good room for its size, good electronics which were largely borrowed from Bosch, ( much better than Gm or Fords of the time) and everything pretty much was better than any K car that preceded it. Way more car than any L body.

[@autochatter]

Great post and thank you for sharing!

[@lb7144]

Had a 1987 Dodge Shadow 2.2 liter 3 speed as my first “newish” car. It was Hertz rental purchase but we found out it had been wrecked later on. Was still a good car for the most part and got me through my early military days. Upgraded to a 1988 Honda Accord and it was like night & day with gas mileage. One of my favorite design features of the Shadow/Sundance was the shape. Looks like it had a truck but was a hatch. There was all kinds of cargo room when you let the back seat down. Buddy of mine has the 2.5 liter 5 speed and it had way more pep than my 3 speed. He would later get a 90 turbo with the boomerang spoiler and ground effects. Good time, good times 😂

[@autochatter]

Thank you for your Service!....and I bet I've told you that before LOL. The manual versions would have woke the cars up a lot.

[@DanielLauricella-vj8lx]

I bought a new '87 shadow. At 25,000 miles, door knob fell off. Leaked on right foot during moderate rain and no depth to back seat. Traded on a '90 Grand Prix.

[@autochatter]

Well I suspect the Grand Prix may have served you better being more car in general anyway.

[@fleabaglane]

Plymouth Sundance v6 5 spd manual all black 1993 was my first fcar and was un

[@autochatter]

Sounds like a fun engine and trans combo to me.

[@scottyg7284]

You know Euro look American cars never look like anything European.

[@autochatter]

That's true for the most part, yes. I did think the Shadow and Sundance kinda looked European... A little bit LOL.

[@henrybostick8892]

I have a 1993 Dodge Shadow that was given to me by next door neighbor when she passed away. I love this little car.

[@autochatter]

That's cool! Still have one huh? I haven't seen either in person in at least a decade now.

[@scottbeegle9291]

My younger brother had a 1993 Sundance Duster as his first car. It only had the 4 cylinder. It was green with a tan interior.

[@autochatter]

The Duster trim looked pretty good!

[@juelzm149]

Never much cared for these as a youngster but I actually really like that convertible now.

[@autochatter]

Same for me. The Shelby ones were so rare, I didn't really pay attention to these then. I saw alot more LeBarron convertibles.

[@raymond_sycamore]

It's definitely AN CAR!

[@autochatter]

I think it was one of the Chryslers then you could substitute a screwdriver for the key LOL.

[@petestaint8312]

Fantastic video! I remember these cars. 👍

[@autochatter]

Awesome! Glad you liked it more than your 87 Sentra LOL.

[@diyi75]

I had a 90 Shadow with the 2.5l. Didn't hate it, was better than my bros Cavalier 😂

[@autochatter]

Given that choice, I think I would have went Shadow too.

[@diyi75]

@@autochatter 🤣

[@youtubecarspottersguide1]

Shelby CSX-T saw a few in so calif

[@autochatter]

Never seen one in person.

[@sodiebergh]

Bravo, as per usual! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@autochatter]

Thanks!...Tried a few new things in the editing booth with it.

[@seed_drill7135]

These things were built during the era of industry wide clear coating issues and tended to quickly lose their paint. I considered buying a final year Duster, but ended up buying a V8 Dakota instead.

[@autochatter]

Oh yeah..I remember Chryslers clear coat popping off and Toyotas reds would turn pink.

[@seed_drill7135]

@@autochatter My sister's Echo did that.

[@autochatter]

@@seed_drill7135 Never researched it, but maybe these were more environmentally friendly paint processes then.....That sucked.

[@seed_drill7135]

@@autochatter I think it was the first foray into base coat / clear coat and water based polymers. And, yes, per an EPA mandate.

[@kc0lif]

then dodge sprit Chrysler LeBron.

[@doug6191]

These cars with a V6 were screamers! The early-90s Sundance Duster (I think that was the trim) was rather nice-looking in black or green with gold accents.

[@autochatter]

Yeah the Duster with a V6 was kinda cheap fast..Reminded me of V6 Cavaliers.

[@mypronouniswtf5559]

Turbo cars blew them away...but the V6 were decent..

[@anthony_rivera4735]

I've never heard of these cars before.

[@autochatter]

Well...Thats kind of what made them interesting. They sold pretty well, but disappeared into obscurity.

[@upbeattvraw-hiphop8242]

@anthonyrivera0917 well, you were born in 2004, so that’s probably why

[@anthony_rivera4735]

@@upbeattvraw-hiphop8242 I was born before 2004

[@kxngearner698]

toyota is GARBAGE