Blue '03 Dodge Neon SXT. I wanted a manual tranny, but parents got me an automatic (because a family friend gave us the car for next to nothing). Here's what I'm wondering: I've saved up about $5,000 (so far)to customize the car with. I'd like to make this thing faster. Can you put an SRT-4 engine in an automatic transmission car? I'm not gonna use it for strip racing or anything, I just want it to scream a little bit. My father has driven muscle cars all his life, so I'm used to having some speed. Right now, it's just not cutting it. I've heard that you can make fast automatic transmissions. How so? I'm pretty sure you can do it, right?

Just trying to figure out what I want to do to it. This seems like a great forum, so I thought I'd try to get some input. I apologize for my lack of knowledge. How would you guys spend the $5,000?

Thanks in advance.

 

if you want the srt swap the auto trans will not bolt up to it but you can prob do a full srt engine and tranny swap for 5000 if you watch what you spend and do it yourself

 

I could definitely do it myself (with my father's help). Anyone know of any places that have SRT engines that could fit into my price range?

 

ebay has some good deals sometimes but there also your friendly local junkyards. its not gonna be easy though but it is a perfect swap

 

Or....you can go my route....i have a 2.0 sxt just like you....with no money...unlike you so im very jealous....but i just bought the turbo off a srt-4 and am slowly compiling the parts i need....the only plus i see to doing it this way is...your car will be faster than a STOCK srt-4's but not built ones.....I KNOW it will be faster than stock srt-4's bc you will be using all after market parts which provide more power...all aftermarket parts...other than the turbo itself of course....you can even send in the turbo and exhaust manifold to some dude on ebayand have the housing of the turbo ported and polished to 3 inches for only 500.00....this wont give you any car downtime bc you dont have to pull it off and send it leaving your car to sit and rot...but i admire cars with less power that are built out to impressive powers...like a 2.0 neon....i dont really admire fast *** cars that just become faster...(well i do...but not as much)...ima call my dodge dealership and see if they can get me a srt-4 for my neon...but if they cant im happy with my modding project....the only reason i would trade in my car for the srt-4 by the way is because i just cant afford the car payments and trying to mod it up at the same time...if i had a srt-4 i wouldnt have to mod it up...but i would probably want to....

 

oh and ps.....if you wouldve got a manual instead of the automatic 2.0....you wouldve been a little more impressed.....I had a white 2005 white automatic sxt before my 04 gunmetal 5-speed.....the 5-speed is so much fckn faster its not even funny.

 

Get a Pt tranny off the turbo model if you want it automatic.

 

i say sell the car try to make 5-6 grand off it plus ur 5 grand and u can get a lightly modded 03 srt-4 for around 10grand. so much worth it then going throuh all that other bull****.

 

or sell it and pick up a 97 for that price it will be built with a bigger turbo

 

+1.