Whats up people?
Just got a few questions. Most of the stuff i know on cars relates to imports. I'm currently driving a Oldsmobile eighty eight. I'm looking to buy another car and i've been considering getting a neon. I'm going to be hooking this car up, so what would be the best model to start off with. I'm talking performance wise. I dont care for automatic windows and stuff like that, i just want a car thats quick. I thought about a neon R/T? but thats just a guess i dont know anything about neons. oh, and i'm looking to buy a first generation neon. Thanks, any advice would be helpfull.

 

The ACR's would be a good starting point. They came with adjustable struts, close ratio tranny, tighter steering ratio, and virtually no options. But any model would do just as well, depending on how far you plan on going with it. In my opinion, R/T's appeal to the "I want to be sporty" crowd rather than the true performance crowd. Standard sunroofs, power everything, and leather steering wheels just don't do that much for me.

If I was doing it over again, I'd get any '97-up DOHC, preferably an Expresso 5-speed. The DOHC has significantly more potential than the SOHC, and swapping over to a 2.4L is just that much easier. The PCM's for '95 and '96 are unique to that model year, where '97-'99 are compeletely interchangeable. And the Expresso has the close ratio tranny (better acceleration) with the taller 5th gear (better gas mileage on the freeway). 2-door or 4-door is just a matter of preference - the 4-door is lighter by maybe 50 pounds stock, but either can be brought down in the 2000ish range without a swawsall. Even the Koni's that come on the ACR are considered the minimum accpetable for competition. Decent fully adjustable coilovers can be had in the $1000 range now. Rear discs don't matter that much either. They are heavier, but tons easier to work on...

I'd also start on the suspension first. Even though I love going to the drag strip, it's still the car I drive to work every day. And I'd also start by building an engine and working out from there, rather than doing bolt-on's for instant gratification until bolt-on's won't do it anymore.

I'm looking at buying a second Neon for my son, so those are the things I'm considering...

Best of luck!

 

EXactly what radar said! No, you can't have mine! LOL. For a true enthusiast who can't find an ACR the expresso DOHC MTX is the best starting platform. They're lighter than an r/t and since the first 4 gears are the same they'll take an r/t off the line everytime plus the higher 5th gear still lets you get some mileage out of it on the highway ( I think with a light foot 40mpg is achievable). The only things I'd have different on mine if I could've ordered it would be to toss the A/C and add the rear sway bar. I wouldn't complian if a set of rear discs fell in my lap but it's at the bottom of my wish list. If you aren't put off by the older computer, the early (95-96) sports were less optioned than the later r/t's and could be had with the rear swaybar and rear discs.

 

He's exactly right. The neon in my Signature is my dad's car (not room for separate catagory). It is a SOHC and I have had nothing but trouble with finding performance parts. The DOHC is a must if you want performance parts. I own other cars such as the Triumph GT6 (my car) that I can find performance parts relatively easy (as easy as 32 years old and only 10,000 ever made). The Lincoln has bone stock everything as it is always an easy driving 22mpg land yacht, but I can get performance parts easily. The Honda has shaved cams, higher rear sprocket and because it gets 130mpg it runs premium with lead subsitute (same for Triumph).

I also recommend that if you aren't mechanically inclined to make sure you have the money for WHEN the head gasket goes (if it isn't MLS) and to get an MLS gasket. Keep in mind that its about 600 - 1000 dollars for that to be done, but under a hundred if you do it yourself.

Good Luck and welcome to the Wonderful World of Neon Ownership!

 

<--- 42 mpg on my last trip to California with the Expresso Tranny...