Thinking of a New Smoker.

[Guest]

I've been offered a RARE 4-speed auto Chrysler Neon mk2, 2.0 on the Y-plate. Its not moved in quite a while.

 

Whats the forums opinion of these fine example of American engineering (actually built under Benz rule if I'm not mistaken)?

 

Oh, and its finished in metallic beige/brown for added shiteness.

[Rocket88]

They're quite quick, which is handy when you have to go back to collect the bits that have dropped off..........build quality is bloody dismal.

[Cavcraft]

The best way to find out would be to park to this next to a Laguna Mk1 V6 automatic with 300,000 miles on the clock and needles containing TEH BAD AIDS sticking out of the driver's seat. If more people get into the Chrysler I will personally show my arse in Burton's window, eat my own underpants and warm my bollocks up on an industrial Bunsen burner for several days.

 

 

Oh, if f it hasn't moved in a while it's probably because of the autobox, and if it's ever moved at all the autobox will be farked.

[Junkman]

Buy it. Then drive it to a US-car meeting.

[R9UKE]

Cav, I'm probably going to step on your toes a little here, but then I'm the kind of person who would shit themselves with excitement at the sight of a mk1 Laguna V6..... The Chrysler Neon is a bloody brilliant car!

 

I sold mine last month and to be honest, I miss it nearly as much as the 540i. I bought it as a dealer trade in, 51 plate LX 2.0 Auto with 78k miles and no tax or MOT for £290. Took it to the MOT station and was handed a years ticket, it needed fuck all. I knew nothing about them before buying it, but a car that no other fucker wants with leather and an auto box for that price wasn't going to get away.

 

I fell for the thing good and proper. It's just a condensed Voyager. Same super soft leather seats, "classy" plastic wooden dash and a bloody brilliant sound system. The engine isn't great to be honest, harsh when revved and pretty void of any character. The gearbox is nice, smooth changes and a dipstick to check the fluid (a novelty when coming from automatic Renaults). But the thing was a thirsty bastard, it was no better than the 3.5 Vel Satis.

 

It's American, so there's a series of bonging noises every time you start it up for absolutely no reason, a grand total of three perfectly placed cup holders for the Dunkin Donuts drive thru and you're always reminded that OBJECTS IN MIRROR ARE CLOSER THAN THEY APPEAR.

 

I learnt that the Neon suffers two common faults, of which mine had both. The front fog lights apparently go through a phase of always being on. Even when the key is removed. The fuse was removed for mine, popped it back in for MOT as it runs the rear one as well, took it back out after I got the full ticket. The engine management light came on with highway (got to embrace the Americanness of the car) driving and would go back off after a bit of town pottering. The car thinks the power steering system has lost pressure at high speeds and puts the light on. Dirty sensor which is buried somewhere so just live with it.

 

Honestly one of the most surprisingly enjoyable cars I've owned, right up there with the Volvo 440. I'd have another tonight, just make sure it's cheap, nobody wants them. Here's a few pics of mine... I actually would love to own it again at some point.

 

 

[Pete-M]

Having driven a Voyager a couple of weeks ago, and a Neon back in the depths of time I'm with Billy on this. Neons are crap. Harsh, rough, uneconomical with interiors made from Tupperware.

 

Go for it!

[HillmanImp]

Was the brief of the Neon not to design a car that cost less than $1,000 to build or summink? * This would explain the shoddy build kwaliti and the fact I have not seen one on the road for several years.

 

IIRC Volksy had one and he fucking hated it.

 

 

* This does sound like it should be something on the All Stags Overhear PHACT! thread.....

[beko1987]

I've always quite liked the look of them, and the cheapness appealed too. Think I will wait for your tales of experiences before thinking about them any more!

[barefoot]

The only thing I know about them is that they are thirstier than a thirsty thing.

[Spiny Norman]

Always think the steering wheel is upside down on these.

Got a ride in one once, even from the back it was hateful.

[Cavcraft]

Actually aren't these European, not American?

Oh, another clue as to how they good they were came from when I worked at the auctions and we were pulling these out of a Chrysler main dealers because they couldn't sell them second hand.

[CortinaDave]

My giffer next door neighbour owned an S reg 2.0 slime green one with a hideous beige interior and the auto box. He tried to sell me it a couple of times for strong money and i politely declined saying it wasnt really my thing.

 

" Must be too big and thirsty an engine for you then son" he said, absolutely seriously as he spoke to me while i was sat in the drive in my SD1 V8.

[scaryoldcortina]

[Guest]

I've got to confess, I've sold *i Think* 4 of these fine cars; 2xmk1s and 2xmk2s. I always thought they were alright.

[seacow]

My mate had a Dodge 'Sport' version in the US and we did many road trips with mega miles - it was typically yank and not refined in any way but it was fast as fuck compared to the 1.0 polo I was driving in blighty at the time. If they are giving it away shite on!!

[Morgan84]

The original ones to come to the UK didn't look so bad at the time,but did feel a bit 'Korean' inside and out,the sort of thing you would expect to have a Hyundai badge on it.The later ones did look much smarter,but running costs were very expensive through the dealer networks,where you were almost tied too when needing spares or technical assistance

[cort16]

I had a manual Neon R/T I got pretty cheap a few years ago. I thought it drove quite nice and was pretty quick. It had loads of kit on it for the cash even though the interior looked like it was made from plastic plant pots. Definetly much less shit than I expected.

[Volksy]

Was the brief of the Neon not to design a car that cost less than $1,000 to build or summink? * This would explain the shoddy build kwaliti and the fact I have not seen one on the road for several years.

 

IIRC Volksy had one and he fucking hated it.

 

You are right, I absolutely hated the thing.

 

Mine was a nail, but you could tell it had been a nail since it was new, horrid trim, rock hard seats, shit switchgear, numb steering, gruff engine, clunky autobox, wooden brakes, noisy and uncomfortable.

Mine had the added pleasure of an exploding radiator, the beginnings of OMGHGF and a maddening rattle from the passenger seat.

 

Behold the POS :

 

 

A chap who was one of the consultants on the original design project stayed at my apartments, when it finally got sold on, he was parking his car when the new owner drove it out of the garage, he mentioned that it was designed as a $1000 car to produce, and was surprised that they last as long as they do, as they had EVERY corner and cost cut.

 

I did like the way they look, and the frameless doors. but that's about it. The MKII ones are a bit better I hear.

[Junkman]

The original ones to come to the UK didn't look so bad at the time,but did feel a bit 'Korean' inside and out,the sort of thing you would expect to have a Hyundai badge on it.

 

Very true, the yanks actually did manage to make one or two cars in their -erm- history(?) that almost match what the Chinese build. The Neon is certainly one of them.

[gtd2000]

I've driven a couple of the facelifted versions Stateside and thought they were average American fodder. Certainly better built cars than the Sebring of the time and I didn't find them to be particularly thirsty?

 

I wouldn't mind an R/T but the original version looks gopping!

 

I seem to remember Top Gear or suchlike commented that they cost US$12,000 in the USA and they were going to sell for £12,000 in the UK when they first came out in the 1990's

 

I thought the engine was Mitsubishi or Hyundai sourced?

[gtd2000]

The original ones to come to the UK didn't look so bad at the time,but did feel a bit 'Korean' inside and out,the sort of thing you would expect to have a Hyundai badge on it.The later ones did look much smarter,but running costs were very expensive through the dealer networks,where you were almost tied too when needing spares or technical assistance

 

It might have been the case that Korean cars felt a bit American...

 

American cars felt like Korean 80's crap even a couple of years ago

[Guest]

I thought the engine was Mitsubishi or Hyundai sourced?

 

The 2001 BINI engine was closely related. In fact it was Powertrain Engineering which refined it for the BINI. Built in Brazil, the factory and tooling are now owned by FIAT I believe.

[ruffgeezer]

As legend has it, these were the only car you couldn't trade in at Dagenham motors (when the Neon was still current) as they were so woefully crap...

 

I'd take it as a badge of honour, but only if you've a plan b for that day you go to it and it shits out it's gearbox.

[gtd2000]

I thought the engine was Mitsubishi or Hyundai sourced?

 

The 2001 BINI engine was closely related. In fact it was Powertrain Engineering which refined it for the BINI. Built in Brazil, the factory and tooling are now owned by FIAT I believe.

 

Did a bit of further reading - it appears that Stateside, it was Mitsubishi (Eclipse) that used the Chrysler engines....

 

Found a link about the Mini engine: http://www.allpar.com/mopar/rover.html

[cort16]

I found a picture of mine! I bought it in Motherwell and when I got it home and looked through the book I found it had lived most of it's life in Galashiels about a miles from where I grew up.

Check the colour match on the quarter. It had a big scrape and dent which I fixed pretty easily then learnt my first lesson on painting panel to panel. I.e. It's hard especially using rattle cans with Silver paint.

 

Neon by cort16, on Flickr

[gtd2000]

I found a picture of mine! I bought it in Motherwell and when I got it home and looked through the book I found it had lived most of it's life in Galashiels about a miles from where I grew up.

Check the colour match on the quarter. It had a big scrape and dent which I fixed pretty easily then learnt my first lesson on painting panel to panel. I.e. It's hard especially using rattle cans with Silver paint.

 

Neon by cort16, on Flickr

 

 

These look good in silver or blue for me.

 

Was it OK overall? What sort of MPG did you get out of it?

[cort16]

I think they look much better in R/T spec. I got over 30mpg for it but I drove it pretty hard. The R/T's 150bhp so it felt quick and rev'd like a bastard. The Puma I've got just now kind of reminds me of it actually. I had a problem with one of the stalks on the dash and I think the top mounts on the rear shocks where shagged out. Parts from the dealer are laughable. It was 20 odd quid for a wheel centre that's a bit of metal a bit bigger than a 50p.

 

I paid 700 quid for it maybe 4 years ago, so the equivilant of a 54/55 plate now. It felt mega value for money at the time.

[barefoot]

Did these really drive out of the factory costing $1000 = £700 isn?

[cort16]

Mine was 700 quid when it was about 7 years old. I think they're where about 14-15 grand new,

[gtd2000]

Did these really drive out of the factory costing $1000 = £700 isn?

 

Cars are actually very/pretty cheap to manufacture - it's just all the other BS that soon adds up.....