My Neon is a 2003 with 112k miles. I've had the car since 2008 when it was at 30k miles. I haven't really had any major repairs. Last thing I had done was replace the trans pan and tires. I am wanting to drive a 1400 mile road trip and I am a little nervous about doing so. Do you think my car would make it?

 

I would change the timing belt and water pump before you make the trip. I think Dodge recommends it at 105K and that seems like a pretty good recommendation from my experience. I flipped a few Neons that I bought with broken timing belts and they were all between 110K and 130K. That's about the only thing I would be nervous about.

 

-Same here. I changed the timing belt/water pump/tensioner pulley on mine at roughly 100k. She's sitting with approx. 139k on it right now. I would not hesitate taking that car on a cross country trip at all. Still runs like a top with no fluid leaks anywhere. As long as yours is in good mechanical condition, get that belt changed out and enjoy the trip!

L8R,
Matt

 

I just drove mine (05 SXT, w/ ~84k) 1100mi from home in NW buckeyeland, down to The big "D"(Dallas,TX). will drive back this coming weekend. thinking the timingbelt is in my near future, just to be pro-active about it.(Rec per the maintenance log book in the owners kit (w/ the little tear-out stubs that no one uses) is 105k mi, or 105 mo.(8 3/4years))

I actually haven't had to change the other belts yet either. when i asked my mech. to replace them @ 60k(per the manual) he refused, stating there was nothing wrong with them.