Alright guys, so I'm back again (never fixed the original complaint, which I won't really get into) but I have an 05 Neon SXT (original owner) with 78k miles on it and I'm at a crossroads. I haven't ever had to repair anything major from 2005 until this year outside of normal W/T (literally just brakes, tires, rotors) and by the end of last year I was having some "major" issues with it.

Basically thumps on / "feeling" the bumps through the steering wheel/foot pedals and somewhat loose steering (somewhat fixed by alignment) but the bluebook on the car last I checked about a year or two ago was something like 3500 in "mint" condition, private sale. So far trying to (granted a chunk of it was for labor) chase down the problem I've done 3 out of the 4 motor mounts (helped somewhat), both full control arms (bushings were bad, figured just do the whole thing as it comes with new BJ's and it was only an extra $50), end-link bushings, both bearings (only paid for one side) and in all reality it hasn't really improved and just recently started making a "creak" when getting out of the vehicle (most times)/turning of the steering wheel (SOMETIMES) which I'm somewhat narrowing down to struts at this point.

So the dilemma I'm facing, I know that (granted the cost involved lol) once it's "fixed" it'll be just as good as I'm used to but I'm already something like $1400 into it this year and by doing what's most likely going to be both struts ($200/piece as I'd just go the ready-strut approach) and driver-side axle ($55 after core return, boot isn't actually torn but it's separated from the axle-shaft clip, no clicking yet thankfully). I just don't know if it's really worth it to throw an extra $500 into it, adding an additional $80 for an alignment after the struts/axle...

Oh, and as far as the "creaking" which I can easily reproduce/still present feeling of bumps through the wheel/pedals 3 shops all said "we can't find anything wrong with it" and one of them concluded with "at this point, it's a 2005 neon... all that's left is really throwing parts at it to see what it is"...

Thoughts on the whole situation?

 

I see fewer and fewer of them. I think people are letting them go. Parting it out might be an option?


PT Cruisers on the other hand...OMG..lol.


You can pick a really decent one up for cheap all day long.

 

You know, interestingly enough I have noticed PT Cruisers are still all around.

So as much as I don't have a problem with the car, and with it being the first year any sort of major repairs were needed, would you put an additional ~$600 into it, and in all reality only leaving the steering rack as being the ONLY thing that hasn't been replaced on the front-end or would you junk it? :-/