simple, well built car, very easy to modify, reliable, quick car for a 4 banger. I could keep up with and beat many cars that cost 2x as much. Its a fun car to drive too.

Headlights for sure, but nothing wetsanding them and then using plastic wax and silvaynia bulbs wont fix. The seats are a little uncomfortable but its not a luxry car.

I have owned this car for about 9 months now. It has been very reliable, i have only had to put brakes, and tires on it. Have never had problems like everyone else is, except my headlights are fogged but i fixed that for free. The car drives very nice and feels at home on the freeways travel between 70-115mph. It hugs corners very nicely and is predicatable. I have put it threw its share of abuse and its taken it all with grace. I usualy average around 38mpg and i dont have a light foot. I will definatly be buying another once in the near future.

Very nice car to drive late at night with the windows open, needs cool weather not to overheat. Gets decent gas mileage. Inside looks pretty cool, you can open the back seats and reach through into the trunk. Sound system is fairly good.

Everything listed in my Review Summary, plus much more that I could not think of at the moment. I have a folder full of every repair I have made on the car, costing over $6,300 in 5 years, and was towed 3 times. The average cost including gas and repairs is about 50 cents per mile. Crazy!

IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING PURCHASING A DODGE NEON, PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING: I bought a 1995 Dodge Neon in December 1999. The car did not come with a radio (break quickly in Neons) or floor mats, and the headlights are very weak. The beams are non-existent. The headlights are blurred and need replacing, but they are over $150 each so I didnt waste my time. The plastic piece that shows you which gear you are in broke but it costs $35 at the dealer (it should be about $2.00) - I did not replace it. The car's check engine light turned on the day after I bought it. It was an $80 filter. A week later, the thermostat got stuck and the car overheaded, blowing the head gasket. My car was in the shop six of the first eight weeks I owned it, this time costing over $800.00. Within a year, the car began smoking one day and I stopped immediately, however, the condensor and compressor were ruined and the car had to be towed. This damage cost $1,338 to repair and took several days. On a trip to Daytona Beach from Miami, the check engine light came on again - costing $482.00. My car was towed to the shop twice within the first year. One day when I was leaving my college to go to lunch, the car would not come out of "PARK". The gear box was damaged (no problems until that moment) - the car had to be towed in and cost over $300.00. The check engine light came on again another time, costing nearly $200.00 to fix the problem. The brake squeak indicators are weak and once you hear it - you need to get it to the shop that day. I thought I had a little more time, and waited a couple of days - too late! It damaged the rotors and cost $550 for new parts and brake pads. The pads last approximately 18 months (I have only driven 6,000 miles per year for the five years I have owned this vehicle). On another trip, the engine got too hot and the cap where you put in the oil melted onto the oil tank. I had to break it off with a screwdriver in a gas station, hundreds of miles away from home. It needed three quarts of oil to be able to make it home. The new cap cost $55.00. The car has had a problem with overheating. My mechanic replaced the radiator cap, which helped temporarily, but there may be a problem with the radiator itself. I have replaced almost everything in the car - I paid $3,000 for the car and have spent over $6,300 in repairs and parts! You would must rather finance a HONDA or TOYOTA than pay the same amount each month to your mechanic(s) to keep a dodge. Several of the original tires did not last very long. The car came with a mini-spare, which fell apart on me while I had a flat tire already, leaving me to buy two new tires. I now have a real tire as a spare and have replaced all four tires with new ones, costing around $300. The gas cap broke on the bottom of the car and gas began pouring out on the road. It leaked out a 3/4 of a tank in a few minutes, I barely made it to the mechanic - a distance of only Two Miles. This could have been a very dangerous situation. I have had an oil leak which was repaired, but still leaks oil. It is currently burning/leaking Oil (1 quart every two weeks), Coolant (a couple ounces every few weeks), and Freon (must be recharged every 3 months). There was a terrible screech every time I would turn the wheel, but that was only that the Steering Fluid was low, and a $6.00 bottle of STP fixed that problem. I am putting in my own Freon ($11.00 per 3 months) instead of paying the mechanic $40.00 for the same service. You can buy the hose at a car store for about $11.00(autozone, etc.) - The car must be '95 or newer or the a/c system must have been converted to the new version. It is easy to do and saves money. The reason I have to put it in is because the Evaporator is leaking ($800 with parts and labor to replace) - and its easier to spend $44 a year than spend $800 for that part. The paint has peeled off and now the outside of the car looks bad. The whole front fender falls off easily, and the side decor falls off too (mine is held on with velcro tape). The car is currently leaking water through the pedals onto the drivers side on the floor. The rear defrost doesnt work (luckily I live in Miami and don't need it). The High beam light indicator is stuck on 'ON' and when I turn on the beams, the light gets darker, not brighter. The horn is ok but kind of weak. The rear right lights fill up with water when it rains and must be drained out with a suction hose. The check engine light comes on for anything (cigarette lighter is out, gas cap isn't tight) - so you never know if it's a serious problem or not important. My check engine light is currently on Again - I think it is the starter. I have been unable to travel anywhere without the check engine light coming on and something at least $200 needing to be replaced. If I drive through even a small puddle of water, the steering wheel locks and it's very hard to turn. This is very dangerous.

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None. I am going to buy a Honda Civic ASAP. I would not recommend buying a used Dodge Neon to anyone. A brand new one may be ok for a couple of years, but I would recommend buying a slightly used Honda/Toyota instead. American cars are junk. It is better to finance a new car than finance a used junker at your mechanic.

I helped the economy by buying this car, and making sure repair people were paid handsomly time and again.

Did you read my review?

This is the most horrible car in creation. Had the car 4 months and the head gasket blew.$700. After that needed new brakes $50. Then a new battery and battery cables. $100. Then the coil pack went bad.$70. Then the cam seal went bad. $1000. Then the timing belt snapped and took out all of my valves. $1800. Then my transmission went bad. $1500. Then my rear main seal went bad $900. Head lamp switch went bad.$120.Also the ac never blew cold air the entire time I had the car. In the end as I drove it to a push pull or drag it in sale the car broke down on every left turn and you had to hold the bright switch in order for there to be any light at all. Also the antifreeze had started to leak , and the heat was always on. Fun. I never had more than a three month strech where the car was not broke down at some point. Also I was a student but had to quit in order to pay for this nightmare. Every tax return, student loan refund I ever recieved went into this car. Avoid this at all costs.

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have a 2002 malibu now. Not bad at all. Of course what do I have to compare it to?

UPGRADES... thats all I can say.. UPGRADES!!!!!!!!

Headlight Covers.. ALWAYS go yellow..

Overall..This car has been A problem.. But not too much to fix.. Since I work at an autoparts store... ive had the car less than 3 months.. and I have put an Iceman Intake.. Cat Back Exhaust.. Port and polished the heads.. new cranks and cams... Added a turbo.. lowered it and threw some 17 inch rims on it.. Ive painted it and have redone the WHOLE INTERIOR... it now has the Lambo Door Style... Over all If u like to Modify cars.. this is a perfect first car... it went from 132 horse power to 435HP So for all of you that "WANT MORE JUICE"... Add a turbo AND ITS FUN AS HELL!!!!! Ive added a 3000 dollar dvd player and 4000 dollar audio system... SO over all... ive totally redone this car... so I havent had a chance to have all the problems.. SO THERE!!!! LOL OH YEAH.. I also threw a body kit on it.. an did some Fiberglass work.. THEY HAVE headlights that are BAD A$$ Dual Halo.. BMW style OVER ALL.. I bouth the car for 1899 and have PUT more than 12000 dollars in UPGRADES!!!!!

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MY First car was an 86 Cadillac Eldorado.. Still have it and I am tricking it out as well

Looks, sound system, after market parts

I'd like a little more juice from the engine.

This is the second Neon I owned. The 1st was a 95, i had a lot of problems with this car with everything from brake lines to rear main seal and head gasket, finnally the transmission went. But I liked the car, so I test drove a 2004 neon, and bought, and i have put 5500 miles on this car in just under 4 months, with out a single problem, air conditioner blasting the whole time. I love my car.

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1995 neon

FUN FACTOR! Acceleration, handling, sound system.

Gas mileage less than perfect when driven hard.

It's a 2004 Dodge neon sxt 5-speed. It's the 5-speed which makes it a blast to drive. So far i'm very impressed with this car. It's got a great sound system and cd player already. It's all about to be upgraded though ;) So far Ive put a cold air intake and a cat back on it and it really brought the car to life. It's got awesome acceleration and gas mileage. All in all a 9/10 cuz it's not the srt-4!

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Civic=turd with VTEC, Focus = turd with ZETEC

Looks gas milage stereo

Noisy motor

Bought this car used with 5000 miles on it and have put over 2000 more on it since I bought it. As far a styling goes its a great lookig car. The rear spoiler really adds to the sporty look. But it does hinder the rear view some what. The car is loaded but has a 5 speed manual which is what I prefer on a smaller car. Nice interior and my 5ft 10in bod fits nicley.It does have some good get up and go but going up a 12% grade hill with 4 people on board it can be a tad sluggish.The motor is alittle on the noisy side but I'm usually jamming out so I don't here it anyway. Great six speaker CD player by the way. So far my gas milage has been 32 mpg with mostly country driving.

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1988 VW Golf aka "Victor" 1999 Olds Sioulette

Acceleration, handling, interior space, amenities. Seems to wear surprisingly well. Low resale value works in your favor now.

If you haven't replaced the head gasket and fixed the a/c yet...you will. Frameless windows sometimes need adjustment - every few years if you don't use them to close the doors. Not the world's quietest engine but surprisingly free from buzzes, squeaks, and rattles. Wind noise. Check for rust under the window mouldings.

This is one of the most fun cars out there, and the first year, though not as refined as later models, has a more lively engine. The stick is the way to go, giving you 0-60 times of under 8 seconds (compared with Civic EX at well over 9), as well as over-30 mpg gas mileage. The three-speed automatic (replaced by a four-speed in 2001 or 2002) makes the acceleration average; the stick keeps it fun. Handling is great, easily beating most cars in this class, and the general feel is exciting and fun. Yet, interior space is quite good - similar to the "mid sized" Dodge Stratus (though a bit smaller than the second generation Neons). This is a great used car, but be sure to have the a/c checked for leakage, which is a problem on any 9-year-old car (mine is actually 10, built in 2004). PS> I wrote much of a Neon information page which describes my experiences further at http://www.allpar.com/neon/neon.html

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Ford Focus, Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Chevy Cavalier, newer Dodge Neon

Longevity, Gas mileage (I get about 33 from a manual), comfort, radio.

Body integrity (lots of dings and dents), road noise is high.

What a WONDERFUL car! Hit and miss, I hear, but wonderful for me. I bought this car in 2001 from my Mother-in-law. I paid 7400 for it, and it had 20000 miles. (I overpaid, I know). Since then, I have taken it from my home in Long Beach, CA to Dallas, TX, Washington, DC and Miami, FL. I have also gone up and down California in it. I must say, I LOVE this car. Problems I've had have all been normal: new gasket at 85k miles, new starter at 100k miles, and a few other things. THe only time it left me stranded was a busted belt at 130k miles. It now has 190,000 miles!!! I love my little car, and I will drive it until it toally craps out.

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2003 Ford Focus (Absolutely no comparision, the Neon is WAY better!)

Handles well in the snow; started well in the winter; good on gas.

Squeaky brakes; transmission problems; odd size tires.

Until recently I was happy with my Neon, except for the inherent squeaky brakes which have been annoying since I bought the car. When I purchased this Neon in 2002, it had 2,000 miles on it. It now has 56,000 miles, and I have just had to replace the transmission!!!!! Buyer beware. I will not buy another Neon.

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Plymouth Sundance; Ford Escort