2000 Dodge Neon Base SOHC 132 hp from North America

Summary:

Highly recommended and Economical Car

Faults:

Tire blowout @ 42,000 miles (NJ Turnpike debris)

Replaced dead battery at 55,000 miles.

General Comments:

Excellent value ($11,500 brand-new), although it can be a little loud at freeway speeds.

Fuel economy is good (35+ mpg highway)

Has been very reliable for the past 3.5 years, although I am preventive maintenance freak.

Mobil-1 & filter every 4k miles, air filter every 12k and platinum plugs @ 40k miles.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 27th February, 2003

2000 Dodge Neon ES from North America

Summary:

The last Dodge I will ever buy

Faults:

The car began overheating two weeks after I purchased it. The dealership attempted to fix it six times with no success.

The dealership replaced: a blown head gasket, two radiators, the fan switch, the radiator cap and the oxygen sensor.

After continued overheating, the check engine light finally came on. The dealership told me that there was nothing wrong with the engine and that they only needed to reset the computer.

Finally, both the dealership and Chrysler refused to make any additional attempts to fix the car.

I recently won a small settlement from Chrysler "for my inconvenience." However, Chrysler refused to repair or replace the vehicle.

General Comments:

I will never own another Chrysler vehicle.

While my Neon was inexpensive, I am now faced with trying to get rid of it at 32,500 miles.

My previous vehicle was a Toyota Celica. I sold it with 204,000 miles and according to the new owner, it is still running great.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 20th January, 2003

24th Jun 2004, 04:49

I feel sorry for you, you obviously got a bad one or don't know how to take care of a car. My 2000 Neon ES, purchased with 28 miles on it, is still going strong at 98,200 miles and the only thing I've replaced that isn't routine maintenance stated in the owner's manual is a windshield washer pump ($14.99). Better luck next time. Some Toyota's and Honda's suck too and usually cost a lot more to replace regular maintenance items, but for some reason, owner's of these cars don't seem to say anything about it.

29th Jul 2004, 15:12

I thought it was just my car that was messed up this bad. I bought it with 15 miles on it, and have had to take it to the dealer many times. It has only 51.000 miles on it now, and the computer has been replaced twice, the sunroof is broke, the DASH has peeled and cracked. I will never buy another Dodge as long as I live. Their cars are garbage.

My Subaru and Toyota were made so much better it's not even funny. Do not buy a NEON...

11th Nov 2004, 10:35

I noticed while reading your post that there was no replacement of the thermostat. I am a prior technician with Chrysler, and I can understand your pain. Please check on getting the factory thermostat replaced, because I have run across numerous times that I have had to replace them. The part is relatively inexpensive and not too difficult or costly to install. Good luck.

21st Aug 2005, 22:41

I have a 00 dodge neon es with 27000 on it. I have not had one problem with the car since I had it. Put a piece of black take over the check engine light that's what we do with our friends fords.

2000 Dodge Neon LS 2.0 from North America

Summary:

Costs more than a V6 Honda Accord after you look at repair costs

Faults:

So far: (Should not have happened)

1 broken speedometer / dash.

1 broken air conditioner.

1 problem with the front axle.

2 Flats and only the Dodge Neon uses a size 185/60/15 tire (Very Expensive to replace, most tire shops refuse to carry)

2 Fuel injectors.

Brakes squeak every time it rains and the dealer says it's normal.

Car ALWAYS runs rough.

Bad road noise. Little sound insulation.

And my check engine light is flashing again...

General Comments:

My car has been treated like GOLD. I only use Mobil-1 Synthetic oil ($5 US a quart) ever since car was properly broken in. I have my transmission flushed at the dealer every 20,000 miles, new air filter every 10,000, new plugs every year...

The only positives I can give this car is:

- Good pep when car is running properly

- Seats are comfortable enough to sleep in while you are waiting for a tow truck.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 1st December, 2002

14th Jul 2004, 08:35

Well, when a manufacturer sells a new car in the year 2000 with a 3 speed automatic, one might infer that the rest of the car contains similarly dated parts. The running rough bit, is probably transmission related. Try driving in a normal car (i.e. any car with an automatic transmission since 1990 that isn't a neon) and holding it in 2nd or third gear constantly, and you'll see the similarities. It still baffles me that Dodge is staying with this 3 speed automatic, while many 5 speed automatics are being introduced. How can you take a car seriously with a 20 year old transmission design?

18th Aug 2006, 16:14

Dodge got rid of the 3-speed for 2002, do your research next time.

19th Aug 2006, 13:05

Because the 3-speed has proven its reliability... the 4-speed that they wanted to put in the Neons wasn't as reliable (due to heat of the small engine bay), so they figured they should keep with the 3-speed that was in the Omni, Reliant, and the old Caravan (4 cylinder) that has proven its worthiness... just because a car uses "old" technology... doesn't mean it's bad. Sometimes the old is better than the new. Take the new CVT's that are coming out; they are new, but are they better? I think not, because in a few years or so (depending on how many miles you drive), what do you think will happen when the belts wear out? Hmmm, costly repair...

Tires; http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Yokohama&tireModel=AVID+TRZ&vehicleSearch=true&partnum=86TR5TRZ&fromCompare1=yes&place=0&speed_rating=SR&speed_rating=TR&speed_rating=UR&speed_rating=HR&speed_rating=VR&speed_rating=ZR&speed_rating=WR&speed_rating=YR

$54, not that bad....