My three day review: Disappointment
Maybe the car will grown on me, but I'm not inspired to keep it long enough to find out. I honestly expected more from the car given the reviews I've read here and elsewhere.
Edit: I'm being kind of harsh, I'm just pissed at the car at the moment.
It's OK, the Neon did that to me too. Only one I've liked was the SRT4. The R/T and ACR let alone the base just didn't do it for me. I liked the old school Protege better honestly.
But are all the bushings and dampers in bad shape?
I agree with m4ff3w....it's all too easy to say car X is a lot of hype and no substance when the problem is you are looking at a very worn out example.
I remember when the Neon first hit the showrooms back in '95. Compared to a NON-GT Escort, the Neon is/was a very good car even in base trim. Chevy never built a Cavalier that could touch it...at least not without a V6. As for the Japanese competition? That's another story.
Yes, they are. That's not why I'm pissed though. A "small" oil leak in the valve cover gasket it had when I bought it turned into a torrential downpour, so to speak. It has to be leaking in more than one place, though. The battery died this morning. The guages started jumping around, and the car itself just kind of radiates cheapness. I understand that it's a worn example, I was just expecting more "soul" I guess.
valve cover gasket is nothing to complain about. any 10+ year old car will have that problem. sure it's not the headgasket though
Hmmm, strange, my 25 year old Rx7 doesn't have that problem, heh. Come to think of it, neither did my 280zx, XR4Ti, SHO, Cavalier RS, or A1 GTI.
There's an old saying in the Neon commumity that comes to mind:
Neon: Turning drivers into mechanics since 1995.
I empathize with you, though; mine often tick me off. But when they are right, they are a LOT of fun!
when my last one was starting to go, I had sworn That I wouldn't get another. After a $500 a month for gas in the truck, I settled on am R/T for $2400 that needed "some work". Half way thrue about a grand in repairs I was about to get rid of it and cut my loses. But I stuck it out and it has been great.
I have driven one and I thought it was pretty fun. Most of the cars that old and older that everyone liked when they were newer are so worn out though they seem like complete crap when you drive a stock one thats all original, but one that has been fixed up is totally different.
I just drove Michael Morris' 1995 ACR at the Rallycross National Championships and it was super fun! Not crazy fast in a straight line, but it went where it was pointed and kept running all day. It made me a Neon believer.
Previous to that experience, I had only driven Per's NYG Neon a couple times on the street, so I can see where you might get the impression that it's slow or boring. Like children, I think you have to pummel it for a while so they develop character. I'm working on convincing Per to let me adopt the new black Neon since I enjoyed Michael's car so much. 
I think that the ACR, like a civic is something you need to FLOG the hell out of to make it fun.
Never driven one though.
When you clean up all of your toys, eat your peas and sell the Subaru wagon---then you can adopt the Neon.
Tom Heath wrote: I'm working on convincing Per to let me adopt the new black Neon since I enjoyed Michael's car so much.
Good friend and pro challenge driver had a '97 ACR that I drove in a couple of pro solos and locally. It was a decent autocross car at the time, but I never could warm up to it. Lots of grip, but very bland. I used to joke that if I had started in that car, I would have taken up knitting instead. Of course most of that is that I absolutely hate FWD. 
Even then though it spent a LOT of time in the shop and had a ton of stuff replaced under warranty.
Another friend road raced one in showroom stock and lost more than one engine in a season. He ended up renting one wherever he went to use as a source of spare parts!
still, they are quick autocross cars, and most of us still hate to get beat by one! 
Per Schroeder wrote:When you clean up all of your toys, eat your peas and sell the Subaru wagon---then you can adopt the Neon.
Tom Heath wrote: I'm working on convincing Per to let me adopt the new black Neon since I enjoyed Michael's car so much.
subaru wagon?
talk to me if you want.
Was the the 95 only in SOHC form?
Nah, this is a DOHC. I'm just having a hard time not viewing it as an appliance, I suppose.
What I said was so awesome that the forum wanted me to say it twice.
You want to sell it?
