BOUGHT A NEON
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BOUGHT A NEON
i JUST BOUGHT A 97 NEON AND i WAS JUST WONDERING WHAT TYPES OF PROBLEMT TO EXPECT. i HAVE HAD TWO OTHER NEONS BUT i KOW THAT EACH YEAR HAD DIFFERENT PROBS. sO i WAS JUST WONDERING ABOUT THE 97'S.
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RE: BOUGHT A NEON
They still hadn't upgraded to the MLS head gasket, so that's one thing to check for. The timing belt, water pump, and tensioner parts should be replaced by the 100k mile point. Water tends to leak in through the trunk via the tail light seals (or lack thereof). The O2 sensors go faster than any car I've ever seen. Those are pretty standard for any 1st gen Neon. I can't think of anything special about the '97 model year. The build process was idential (except the paint...).
Best of luck!
Best of luck!
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Joined: Sep 2004
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From: Nova Scotia, Canada
RE: BOUGHT A NEON
Radar, what did you mean by the "except the paint" remark? Was it supposed to have been fixed by '97? If so, it wasn't ,my '97 peeled quite badly but only on the roof.
To the original point another thing to watch out for is rust on the filler neck. They seem to be somewhat prone to it and if it rusts through it'll probably cost you a fuel pump.
To the original point another thing to watch out for is rust on the filler neck. They seem to be somewhat prone to it and if it rusts through it'll probably cost you a fuel pump.
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RE: BOUGHT A NEON
Maybe it was '98. At some point, DC realized the paint process was bad for the cars using the EPA-mandated environmentally friendly primer. Changed the paint codes and everything, still refused to assist with repainting the car because of their screwup... Mine peeled everywhere except the hood and fenders, where the additional protective coating was applied... I call it urban camoflauge 
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RE: BOUGHT A NEON
I owned the 1997 Neon in my Signature and it was a great car, after we fixed it...
I bought the car from my aunt when the head gasket blew at 62,000 miles. The car was physically perfect, and the engine had been well maintained and never ridden hard. She did not ever rev up or drive her cars hard. I bought the car for $400. I towed it with my moms Malibu (Lease ended, said goodbye) the 2 miles home.
My Dad and I spent a week and a half in December tearing apart the head to replace the head gasket. I raed around on the internet and found out that the MLS, multi-layer-steel, head gasket supposedly fixed the problem. I bought that because CarQuest had the MLS head gasket for only $28. The car was great after it was fixed. It got the 35mpg it was supposed to get and it had plenty of power for such a small car.
Then the O2 sensor went. The o2 sensor went about 6 months after the head gasket was repaired and about 2,000 miles (I live close to everything). The car got 7 mpg until I fixed it about 2 days later. Then the car was absolutely back up to par.
Since those 2 stereotypical neon problems, I have not had the paint peel anywhere, or had bumper color fade. This car was the only car my aunt ever bought with her own money, and she bought it new. The only other car that was bought exclusively for her was a brand new 1971 Dodge Charger Superbee 383 Auto. She sold the car with no problems, 40,000 miles and in mint shape to my dad for $1200 in 1978.
The Neon is great but remember that you will have to replace the HG and will probably have to change O2 sensors, but if you're a good mechanic that is nothing compared to the engineering problems other cars can have.
Good Luck and post any problems here for help!
I bought the car from my aunt when the head gasket blew at 62,000 miles. The car was physically perfect, and the engine had been well maintained and never ridden hard. She did not ever rev up or drive her cars hard. I bought the car for $400. I towed it with my moms Malibu (Lease ended, said goodbye) the 2 miles home.
My Dad and I spent a week and a half in December tearing apart the head to replace the head gasket. I raed around on the internet and found out that the MLS, multi-layer-steel, head gasket supposedly fixed the problem. I bought that because CarQuest had the MLS head gasket for only $28. The car was great after it was fixed. It got the 35mpg it was supposed to get and it had plenty of power for such a small car.
Then the O2 sensor went. The o2 sensor went about 6 months after the head gasket was repaired and about 2,000 miles (I live close to everything). The car got 7 mpg until I fixed it about 2 days later. Then the car was absolutely back up to par.
Since those 2 stereotypical neon problems, I have not had the paint peel anywhere, or had bumper color fade. This car was the only car my aunt ever bought with her own money, and she bought it new. The only other car that was bought exclusively for her was a brand new 1971 Dodge Charger Superbee 383 Auto. She sold the car with no problems, 40,000 miles and in mint shape to my dad for $1200 in 1978.
The Neon is great but remember that you will have to replace the HG and will probably have to change O2 sensors, but if you're a good mechanic that is nothing compared to the engineering problems other cars can have.
Good Luck and post any problems here for help!