Hey everyone, wanted to vent a little frustration. I own a 2000 Dodge Neon with an automatic transmission. I have been putting a lot of work into the car from the outside to the engine. I am 17 years and old and I am working with a highschool budget, so progress has been slow but its gaining now! Anyway, I am a little upset. As of now I have got a cute little resume of performance modifcations done to the vehicle. I have a AEM True cold air intake, MPx 60mm throttle body, a longtube pacesetter header into a 3 inch downpipe, 3 inch catalytic converter, and then a vibrant dual exhaust system, and then a large Rapid transmission cooler. With that said, I gotta tell ya, gains were minimal and to be honest, the neon still remains extremely sluggish off the line and overall, NOT THAT FAST, just quick...and it has to work for all that quick. I am kind of pissed, i mean the thing just sounds mint and it has a nice little push when you slam on the gas, but it only last so long before it falls of the face of the planet past 85. I was atleast expecting after dumping all that money into performance modifcations, that it could at least spin the fricken tires. Is it even worth going for the underdrive pulley, msd igniton system, and then the performance PCM? I definately do not intend on going ito the system either, its an automaqtic transmission and its just too much money to put into a neon a camshaft, cam gear, pistons ect...its just not realistic, i need the car to last, and id rather it run and look AMAZING then die out on me. How can i make this thing legit, it rides quick, but I want fast, i want to peel out. Will those three remaining mods i want to do the car help it out a little, or should i stop now while im ahead, im just darn right mad though. I have put $1900 worth of performance mods including installation of the all parts, and it still aint pushing near as good as i thought it would be or as much as the products say they were going to make it. Sorry for being so long, but i need your guys' help. I love the neons look, and the sounds he makes, but i need a little more push fellas, and these mods aren't doing crap really.

 

Look i know your frustration. But the main problem is your Automatic Tranny. It takes alot of power out of your neon and is something u got to deal with unless switch over to MTX. The 2000 neon tranny is a 3-speed on top that. With the mods u have u not going to get huge gains. Going the N/A way on neon is expensive and not street friendly. Best way to get your neon to your goal is a turbo and manual transmission. My neon is a 2000 too and i have ATX. I have done my share of mods but now im starting save my money to put a down payment for a new car in college.

 

And that's what sucks, cause I really am not willing to put anymore money into this thing. I have already done more in less than a year to this thing then most do in a lifetime with this neon. I will say it's got some excellent looks going for it, and it sounds great too. I mean it's quick, no doubt, but I feel shafted, and its suck that its automatic, im missing out, if i had a manual it'd be much faster, but im limited like u said. I think it'd be smart to just get the underdrive pulley and then slap that chip on and call it even. I mean the neon runs great, it looks great and its meticulously maintained. Its great for my uses as a 17 year old going into college and it looks better than any neon i see around here. Ive done a lot to her engine wise, and looks wise, but i think im done with engine, i dont want to hurt the engine and i want it remain nice. Theres no doubt the mods were needed though, it made sluggish to quick, so ill be happy with that, and its VERY LOUD, and that's really all i care about with this particular vehicle, loooking clean and exotic,and being jerkoff loud lol. Anyways...sucks, but i think ill wrap the mods up, because i cant live with putting any more money into a car that really...isn't that fast...

 

chips dont work btw

 

swap it to the 5 sp. trans and you will be able to peel out, and all the other stuff you want to do.... the main reason you cant peel out right now is b/c of the torque converter.....it is there so the trans doesn't explode, well it tries to prevent that anyways......but if you wont some noticible gains, go with the manual trans. and possibly a turbo kit....

 

I think you should've checked into SRT's before you bought a neon.

 

Well that's the thing though, I did not buy the neon. My mom bought in 2000, and then when I turned 16 she slowly handed it over to me as a gift. Immediately I began putting things into appearance wise because frankly, neons look gay as hell stock, Since then about year and a half now, i've done a lot to it appearance wise and performance wise, and theres no reason not to because its all i got, and im in highschool and its a great vehicle for my purposes. But I think theree is no way around it, if i want results, i need a manual transmission, not only do i have an auto tranny, its a 3 speed. What does it take to go manual, or get a performance torque converter?

 

I think if you want it to be fast and don't want to spend very much money that you should just leave it alone. Just stop where you are now and just maintain it. Because you'll have to dump some serious cash in it to make it fast. Save your money and time and just leave it the way it is now.

 

id keep the car clean as can be and attempt to sell it for another project....now u know what u have to do to have a fast car....i also have the 2000 neon lx with the auto tranny....im keepin mine clean in an attempt to save for an srt-4

 

hey Im gettin enough hp out of my auto 04 sxt no matter if you have a auto or stick from 03-05 you have to deal with the ecu even if you do the srt swap srts have to deal with them also. 00 should be happy with your mods for an auto really . Pretty decent mods in an auto. Plus you dont have ecu to mess your engine up like some of us have to deal with.