Used 1996 Dodge Neon Sedan Consumer Reviews
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Neons are cute, but beware!
Bought my Neon in 2000 with only 24,000 mi on it. The dealership had already replaced a head gasket. Since then, I have had to replace the radiator, an O2 sensor, and the dash circuit board (my speedometer stopped working!) The brakes squeak constantly, it slips in the rain even with good tires (I won't even mention in the snow), and the doors/handles freeze solid in the cold. Rear speakers are blown, tape deck quit working. So many problems, and it only JUST passed 56,000 mi. AC isn't very cold, and sucks the life out the acceleration. When I first got the car, I loved how cute it was, but now I look at it and I can't wait to buy my Honda CR-V. No more Dodge products for me!
don't get one even if it's given to you!
We were happy at first- the style, cabin capacity, and mileage are all good. That was the honeymoon period. Then, the head gasket had to be replaced and the air conditioner repeatedly recharged. At 50,000 miles the engine started crapping out- consuming oil and the engine needed to be replaced- the cost would have "totaled" the car. Had to fill it with a quart of oil once a week. Speedometer worked only when it felt like it... wiring in stereo was bad and the right-passenger-side speaker set on fire. Needed new tires at only about 30,000 miles. Charged A/C a week and a half before we traded it in, and was out of fluid the day we turned it in.
Buyer Beware
This car is a money pit. I used to love it...before two head gaskets, The latest todat to the tune of 1,000 dollars. Two weeks ago I put in $400. As I bought this as a year old rental...I have to wonder what they di to it. AC has been repaired. New brake system (FYI the breaks squeal on all models for this year) Can't get the dome light to turn off. Just found out that the uneven tire wear is a problem many others have had. A new set of tires every year because of inside wear. Ticking sound in dash. Stopping in intersections (Had to put in a new cable from the battery to alternator to solve that problem.)
nice to drive, but relability problems
Bought with 102000 miles. Fun to drive. handles nice. Not too bad power wise for a small car. Timing belt broke with a 142000 miles. Bent up all the valves in the head. Facing expensive repairs. Had constant oil leaks from engine. Transmission speed sensor went bad. Trunk lock doesn't work. Ac quit working. Car seemed to self destruct at about 140,000.
Not good!
The transmission went out on me within two years of purchase. There are numerous places where the paint is chipping off. All the other older neons I've seen have paint chipping also. Put more money into it repairing it than its worth.
Never buy a Neon!
Paint peeled, speedometer went, guages worked intermittently, had gauge transplant, oil warning still failed, CONSTANT problems w/ breakdowns -- oil leaks, gaskets, have poured money into fixing it -- don't want to add it up. Noisy, hard to get out of, cup holders impossible, no clock, no oil gauge, overhead light went on while driving & couldn't be fixed, same with radio; hence no interior light (had to take out bulb) -- a PAIN!!!!!!
Neons are the worst cars EVER!
This has been a horrible car to own. I have stuck so much money into repairs. Two fuel pumps, overheating problems, two EGR valves, AIS motor, struts, and many others. It has broken down while I have been in the middle of moving twice. I'm sure the fuel pump went out on it before I owned it. If you like spending money constantly on repairs get one. Otherwise do yourself a favor and buy something else.
I agree!
I bought my Neon new and have tried to keep up with regular maintenance. At this point, I have replaced all of the engine gaskets and transmission gaskets because they were made of plastic and sprung leaks starting while the car was under warranty, the radiator broke (made of plastic, too!), and a number of other repairs that seem surprising for this car have been made. On top of that, the car gets dented if you look at it wrong. Luckily, I have not had the paint problems others have complained about.
DO NOT BUY THIS CAR
I am trading my neon tomorrow. The milage is at 96,900 and it has cracked a third head gasket. The first one was under 36,000 the second at 80K and then this one two days ago. I asked my mechanic if I could leave the car in his lot over night with the keys in it, and pray somebody would be stupid enough to steal it! The car is comfortable inside, and cute outside, but that is it. I have had exhaust issues, had the valve cover gasket replaced, Oxygen sensor replaced, and other things that I cannor even remember. It has no "get up and go", brakes lock on wet roads, and goes throug head gaskets like socks.
heh
i bought a 1996 std neon for my first car, from a guy at school. i have had a few problems with it nothing real big. not to quick in acceleration wish i would of got a 6 banger now. but one set back is going up steep hills you can have the pedal to the floor and you will barely get going. other than that it drives pretty good. good steering. so all in all i am satisfied with it but advice to you get a 6 cylinder unless you want to be putting along up a hill
Do not buy!
This is the worst vehicle that I have ever known. Granted, I bought it salvage title due to a small dent. It only had 70k and I figured it was a champ, by the sound of the engine. $3,000 later, I hate myself for it. I've been through every system of this car. The head gasket, the alternator, the fuel pump, etc. I loath Dodge. Never buy a Neon. Reviews like this are common for this model. I am junking it tomorrow for less than I bought it.
Love this Neon
One of the best cars I have ever owned. Hard to give it up! Really fun to drive and seemed like it was built just for me! It fits like a glove! Original owner and simply enjoyed ownership. I know many bad reports but in 7 years and 53000 miles all I had to do was replace a/c evaporator, exhaust gasket, muffler, front brakes and rotors, in addition to regularly scheduled maintenance. Also had an unrepairable wind noise problem with both front windows which Chrysler broadcasted a TSB for, so competant dealer should be able to repair but could not so I had to live with it! Few rattles beginning to develope at 53000.
My Dodge
I am going to be honest. When I bought this car it was okay. As the year went by everything started to break. I had to do a water pump and timing belt in the first month, then a fuel pump. I am currently in the market now because I am tired of repairing everything on the car. All I can say is that it is a good car as long as the person before you took good care of it. If they didn't then don't waste your time because even though the repairs and parts where cheap (autozone) it still stinks having to fix it every 5 minutes. Right now anti freeze is leaking and the car stalls.
Me and my neon
I got my neon on 96 and sice then I have put a lot of miles on it I'll said about 185000 .didn't have a problem until last year when little by little the card has began to nighmare of asking from smothing every month.1 like everyone else the head gasked started to leak oil, then about3 moths ago my water pum, and timing belt when out and finally last week my gas pump when out.To tell you the true I feel satisfied even though i had to fix it so many times lately because before that it never gave me a problem and believe me I have really abuse my car.
It just won't die
I got this car 9 years ago with 25k on it. Sure I've replaced tons of parts (head gasket, alternator, water pump, but not a signle front end part)but I'm not too nice to a car. Decided 2 years ago I'd run it until it died because it's worthless to sell, but the damn thing just won't die. Dents all over, door panel coming off, blown rear strut, but still the thing gets me wherever I'm going reliably and handles the winter better than a 4x4 (and does nice e-brake slides). I'm gonna miss her when she's retired this month, like the really sweet ugly girl you dated that you don't want to admit to.
Took My Abuse
My cranky teen just went past 125,000 miles. It lasted through 11 years of spotty oil changes and benign neglect, but I may have to finally let it go. Had 2 major repairs in that time: Electronics replaced (controlling gauges, radio, etc.) and head gasket repair. Had to rig a fix when the plastic shifter connections broke. Now the transmission/clutch is slowly going, and it stalled on the highway last week. Air conditioner has to be refilled each year and does not last long. Struts gone last year. Paint, 3 speakers, wheel covers, and outside plastic door trim went long ago. She was ugly but got me where I was going; now it's just not worth the cost to fix.
A trooper!
In my opinion the 1996 Neon is a hands-down winner. After knowing people who had this car and loved it, experiencing the great driving myself, and finding a great deal, I decided to go for it and have not been disappointed. The car definitely has some minor flaws, including crappy paint jobs, but the truth is I've never had to get my car serviced at a mechanic...ever. The things that require service are always minor, and are simple to fix. This car makes several 500+ mile trips per year and I have never been stranded or needed roadside assistance. I had a back-up light problem early on that I thought would be an expensive fix. Turned out it just needed a switch. That's been my biggest issue.
waste of money
this is the worst car i've ever owned. it spent more time in the shop than on the road. everythingwent wrong from the head gasket to the transmission to the brakes and the air compressor. after 2 years of owning the car i was finally hit head on in which he dual side air bags NEVER EVEN INFLATED!!!! good riddance to a horrible vehicle.
The noen that has oil leak
The paint is pealing off the body after 30,000 miles. The head gasket leaks the compnay know it but will not help you to fix it.
I like it better now than 100k miles ago
This car is a warrior, I deliver newspapers with it in Minnesota, and it keeps on running. Routine maintanence is easy, albeit a bit crowded. I never though 6 years ago I'd be still driving it and it would still act and look like new.
Horrible Car
Where should I start? I can say for sure that I will never buy another Chrysler again. This car constantly has problems...I have put over $3,000 into it just this year, and I am a broke college student. When I take it to the dealership, they are rude. In fact, just a few weeks ago, my check engine light came on and I took it to get fixed...4 times!! The light kept coming on and they would say they fixed it but they didn't. Needless to say, I am still driving with the light on. Don't buy this car...it was a waste of money for me!
damiler should not have gotten involved
headgasket, and peeling paint
94K and still runs like NEW
I have had the car since it was new and have only had one major problem out of warranty. The A/C went out at 75K. Had it fixed and it is fine. The Head gasket did go out while it was out of warranty, but Dodge paid for it anyway because it was a design problem. That was at about 40K and it is now at 94K and still going strong. I will take any Civic that has an intake and exhaust no problem.
I love my Neon!
I,too, had the head gasket problem but the dealership gave me a real cheap price to replace it because they admitted the older Neons had this problem. Had a couple of other minor problems (erg valve and the coil pack) but they were covered under warranty. I have 104,000 miles on her now and she still runs great! Good acceleration, hugs corners, great fuel mileage, heat the would make the devil hot, great a/c. great radio/speakers and she always starts! Good cold weather car!
A Fun Lemon to Drive
I bought my lemon....I mean Neon in 97' off of a lease. Problems began to surface immediately. I replaced the passenger power window. The brakes made these ungodly noises. It sounded like a garbage truck but this is normal. My battery cable disintegrated, followed by water flooding the rear passenger cabin's floor every time it rained (bad weather stripping). Luckily this was under warranty. After the warranty, no major problems until 85,000mi. The head gasket blew leaking oil into the radiator, plugging it up. I sold it for way less than it was worth. It was fun to drive and race around in, but not reliable and very disappointing.
Should have known better
I've only had it a couple of months and the computer is already going on it. I have a 91 Ford Escort with 185,000 on it that runs like a jem. Unless Dodge suddenly improves, this is the last Chrysler product I will purchase. I do like the interior design and my wife likes the way it looks but as far as the engine and overall build, there is much to be desired.
not worth it
I don't know where to start with this car. I have had it for 4 years. It has blown 2 head gaskets, had a transmission go out, engine light is constantly on, put 2 new batteries in it, it leaks oil very badly and it wouldn't pass emissions this year...I could go on. Surprisingly, though, through all of that, it has never totally crapped out on me and left me stranded. I'll give it some credit there. This particular year model has a problem with the engine and head gasket so, don't buy it. You people who wrote a positive review about this car are crazy.
too many reparis
Edmunds lists the 5 year cost of repairs at about $600. In six years, I've spent almost $2500 just on engine repairs! This is all after the 3-year warranty ran out! I've tried to get satisfaction from the company and they are totally unapologetic (customer service at corporate headquarters in Michigan even hung up on me when I asked to speak with a manager!) about the shoddy repair history. Though it's fine when it's not in need of repair, the frequency and expense of repairs means that I have purchased my first and last Chrysler product.
Heed these warnings!
read this page before, bought the car anyway, and so far i've had the head gasket replaced once, the air conditioned "recharged" once and will need replaced this summer, and now i found out there's been a brake recall on these cars! Too much hassle and $$$ for this fairly so-so car.
Piece of junk
stay away.. tons of oil problems. Also alot of electrical problems, that dealers can't fix. Such as speedometer, gfuel gauge etc. sometimes they work but most of the time they don't. The only good part about the car is the interior-It has held up very well.. Stll in excellent shape
Complete Lemon
Have had an oil leak problem fixed 3 times, but of course not the same problem. Still leaks, have learned to just put oil into it occassionally, cheaper than a third repair. Too much invested to sell, will keep until it completely dies (which should be soon). Also had the timing belt go out, power steering pump die, turn signal fail now twice. O2 Sensor has failed a third time, for a total repairs cost over 5 years of about $1,400.
Too much to fix
I would not buy this car unless you have money to keep fixing it. The head gasket will obviously go at multiple points, and then everything else under the hood will go as well.
Best Little Car
This car was bought at a Vehicle Auction sale for the bargan price of $1400. And I bought it from a friend of mine. She has been a Great little car, Comfortable, Reliable and with Cab Forward design....(GREAT LEG Room for all) NO Power but gets me where I need to go with No questions asked.
Good little reliable car
I bought my Neon in 12/2000 and it has always been a great little car for the money. It does have its problems but what car doesn't? Some notable ones were: the head gasket blew at 43,000 miles. The air conditioner worked great until 60,000. The transmission needed replacement at 115,000. Cosmetically, the paint seems to be a big problem with Neons, as it starts to peel and chip around 80,000 miles. It has always been very reliable for me- always starts when you need it to. The ride is a little noisy as the windows sometimes don't seal properly. The seats are relatively comfortable. The only complaint I have is cruise control is not standard. I would recommend the Neon for a 1st car or single person/couple.
Neons
I love the dodge neons. They are very comfortable and I enjoying driving it. They are very convenient for somebody who is looking for a new car but want something easy to manage and also on a low budget. I would recommend that neon to anybody.
Neon Sport
Perhaps I've had a bad experience because of the dealership I went through to get my car, but so far I've paid for much more than this car's value. It worked perfectly the first 6 mnths. I had it, but now there is continually a different problem each week and it has become more of a headache than a joy. I'm beginning to learn that purchasing this car was a bad investment. I've had to replace the head gasket (which Neons are supposedly known for having problems with), and I'm having continual battery problems (which may be related to the alternator). This was originally a great car, maybe I just got stuck with a lemon.
NEON - EXCELLENT, NEVER NEEDS REPAIRS!
Car was bought new in 96. Car has never failed me yet. Only returned to the dealer once for the infamous headgasket leak at 47k miles. Even though the car was out of warranty Chrysler fixed it for free! Car starts on the coldest mornings, A/C blows extremely cold on the hottest days. Car is very quick with the manual transmission, and gas mileage is excellent, can get 40mpg+ over the highway. Can't be happier with a car, cost $9000 new and still going strong! What more can you ask for?
Good cheap fun
my brother and I have driven this since new, and it has been very reliable and fun over the past 8 years. Performance is above that of other cars in it's price range, but the car is a little rough around the edges. The paint is notoriously bad, I've been lucky to only have stone chips out of mine but I've seen plenty of neon's with most f the paint peeled off of the hood and front quarter panels. The engine is in good shape after 81,000 miles and the mechanic that most recently looked at it said it will most likely last to over 200,000 miles without a problem. Biggest complaint is the 3 speed transmission. I would have much preferred a 5 speed, it's been a fun car though for the money.
Fast, Comfortable, Very Dependable.
This is my daily driver, and has been for awhile. This car has never left me stranded, or broken down. Its taken 7 trips from michigan to flordia, and never hesitated to do anything, including stopping, dpeeding up quickly, taking curves at high speeds, and always has gotton good gas mileage. I had bought this car after its acident in 2004, and the lot fixed it, and I drove it off the lot, and have had alot of fun with this car in the summer, and it handles great in the winter. By the way, teh heat in these little Neons rocks! A+
Very Reliable car
I bought this car brand new back in '96. I have to say that as many others have mentioned, I had to change the head gasket, and I had the normal problems with other parts of the car. The latest thing I had to face was a malfunction of the speed sensor, however, it was replaced (not a very expensive replacement part) and everything was back to normal. The painting peeled off the roof, and the rest of the car was darkening (it is white, so you can tell it darkens), but I took it to a furnace full body painting in 2003 and it is brand new now! This car has never left me stranded, and even though the gas mileage is not very good in the city, it is certainly fun to drive!
Too many repairs
I have had my neon for about 7 mths. i bought it in 2002 with 63k miles. Within 2 months i had to replace a circuit board which costed $343 then i had an oil leak that costed $80. Now i am having a new valve put on i dont rem. what the valve was called. and motor mounts because they were corroded and cracked. this repair will cost over $600 dollars. take my advice dont buy a neon.. they are decent cars but you will end up spending as much money as you paid for it in repairs.
Never Again!!!!
This was my very first car and the absolute worst experience I've ever had. It has been one depressing moment after another. I have spent more on fixing the car than what it is actually worth. I'd list all the problems, but there is far to many. Mainly brakes and head gasket problems. Oh, did I mention it dies a lot. Especially when I slow down. I took it to four different mechanics, all of which looked and me and said dump. So, that is what I am now doing. I've heard the newer neons are much better, but because of having such a horrible experience with this one I will never buy another neon or doge product and will tell others not to waste their money.
Don't Buy a Neon!!!
I've had this car since 1999, and I am very disappointed in it. I have had to replace the brakes, shocks, struts, rotors, strut mounts, and numerous other parts. It's constantly leaking and now the transmission is starting to go. Also my vents don't work properly and the defrost doesn't work. My paint started peeling six months after I bought it. This seems to be a problem with many Neons. They are also very, very bad in snow, and slide and get stuck very easily. Several of my friends have Neons and they hate them too. I regret buying my car and I am now in the process of buying a new one. DON'T BUY A NEON, you will regret it.
Best Used Car I Ever Bought
I just bought my Neon 2 weeks ago and I am very happy so far. It is in immaculate condition inside and out. No rust, looks brand new, and the previous owner really toke good care of it. I am very pleased with this car and I hope to get a few years out of it. It is averageing 30 mpg in city driving and has incredible acceleration. You have to really thoughly car shop before committing, otherwise you'll get burned. I looked for 6 weeks before committing and I got a great deal.
Great Little Car
I got this car about 2 years ago and it now has nearly 80,000 miles on it. The air conditioning has had repetitive problems and it uses oil, but other than that it has been a great car. I have done several trips from Virginia to Alabama and kept up with my mom's 2010 ford edge just fine. The ride is pretty rough, but it is an economy car so that is expected. The car is great as far as mpg. When I drive more in the city I get about 22, but when I drive more highway I will get between 32 and 37. I love my little car.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
Great little car!
I have had my Neon since May 5, 1997. She's only let me down once due to a freak problem with the idler pulley causing the timing belt to disintegrate at 87,000 miles. We rebuilt her and she's stronger than ever. She was hit on the front passenger corner in November of 2005 and was declared a total loss by the insurance company. We bought her back, fixed her up, and she lives yet again. She's a great car that gets awesome mileage while being a total blast to drive! She's a hoot on the autocross course, too ;)
Not Bad
My dad purchased this car for me, as my second car. It was extremely nice at first, and I loved it. This car does lack extreme horsepower. It takes me about 20-25 seconds to reach 60! Slowest car I have ever driven. The transmission is starting to act up, and the struts are starting to go. Air conditioning was charged when my dad purchased it, and then it was warm agian the summer after. Didn't even last 1 year! But the car has never let me down. Always starts, even when it's cold outside. The paint chips like no other. And the windows leak entremely bad. When I drive on the expressway, all I hear is wind, and that's with the windows up.