Faults:

Paint is starting to clip on the hood in the center.

Front brakes squeak if when they are wet (rain, car wash, puddles etc.)

Kingpin on the swaybar has broke and been replaced twice. Normally after hitting a pot hole pretty hard.

Serpentine belt tension pulley bearing went out. The belt was damaged and both pulley and belt needed to be replaced.

General Comments:

I have had the car for three years now and have done almost no maintenance during that time. I figured that I should put a little money into it before driving it from Utah to Florida. I got the timing belt changed (it was still the original belt at 130000 miles) and clutch disc replaced. Mechanic said that everything else looked great: motor mounts, belts, wires, etc. However, he said that the brakes might need to be changed in a year. Keep in mind that I have done almost no maintenance on this car other than the normal oil changes in 3 years.

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong with the car in the 75,000 miles I have put on it. Just the usual oil changes and what not. Lights have not burnt out yet, and I might need to get a new battery one of these days.

For some reason the brakes squeak after it rains, but it stops within a minute of starting the car and driving it for about a minute. I can't explain it, and neither can any shop.

General Comments:

The car is comfortable and easy to get into. Someone over 6 foot 6 can sit in the front passenger seat, but they probably wouldn't want to sit in the back too long.

The material is mostly a harder soft plastic type material, but fits nicely. Soft where you mostly touch in the car.

The car is spunky and fast. It can outperform most cars if you lay it down, and it is a blast in the corners. Great for cutting into turns.

Not the greatest turning radius, but it performs great in cornering, and speed performance.

Easy to use controls and central console.

Really good sound system for stock, with a nice bass. The air conditioning is freezing cold within 30 seconds of turning it on, even if you didn't use it all winter. Heat performs just as well, with blazing hot temperatures right away.

Easy to move the car around. Perfect for tight parking spots, and backing up into a hard to fit space.

Can get about 35 MPG (wish it was better, but tech wasn't as good back then) if you really try. On average, you can muster about 30 MPG Highway and maybe 20 MPG city. Not super great for today's standards, but good enough.

Car does very well in the snow. It is front wheel drive, and I have driven in deep snow in the mountains with all weather tires, and it has performed flawlessly.

Very big and roomy trunk. Comfortable front seats, and passengers have said they enjoy the backseats.

Faults:

Routine things mostly.

Brakes.

Tie rod ends.

Rear wheel bearing.

Windshield washer pump.

General Comments:

Best handling car I ever owned.

Gasoline mileage great.

Snappy pep.

Roomy trunk and interior.

Seats are great... I'm 6 ft 4.

Exterior finish rivals cars costing twice as much.

Faults:

I always had transmission problems. Took in 3 times for the same problem. Even with the warranty, I still had to pay, and even after it was fixed a month later, I would have problems again.

Worst car. I hated the down shifting. I got rid of it.

General Comments:

Would never buy again.

Faults:

Radiator hose clamps were replaced under warranty due to cracking and falling off. This was a known common issue, and was fixed immediately.

General Comments:

The Dodge Neon was a very quality car when production was stopped. I've heard many horror stories, but never have I actually seen any of the claimed issues. I've driven this car very hard for almost 3 years now. The car commonly sees redline on a day to day basis.

I'm a Ford mechanic and have done all recommended maintenance to my Neon. I've had very little problems with my car. The Idle Air Control motor has malfunctioned a few times, but is still the original and worked fine after being cleaned.

I have installed an aftermarket exhaust and modified the air intake slightly. After these modifications, the gas mileage is unreal. Under calm driving, I have seen 45 MPG on the highway. The car averages 30-32 MPG in mostly city driving.

Overall, I'm very pleased with this car. It has exceeded all my expectations. There's a reason that these vehicles are still selling for $10,000 used. It's a true shame Dodge could not continue this platform instead of the Caliber that replaced it.