geez i thought i was the only person that noticed that. s/c/m had a couple of articles but lately all they ever talk about is supras sti and evo and that is getting a little annoying.

 

They had a project SRT4 in sport compact car awhile back. I don't get the magazine anymore so I don't know if they are still doing anything to it or not...but it was in the magazines. At least one, if not more.

 

those are the articles ive been talking about neon but they have not had a single article in over 3 months but ive seen a gazzilion evo and sti articles since.

 

2fAsT4uAT,
A. Most don't have respect for it because it is an American car and also because it is a Neon. Some simply have no idea what it is or think that it is just a regular Neon, others hate it because they cannot beat it or they compare it to cars almost if not twice it's price and belittle it because it's not as good as those twice it's price. Most of the time it is better than the cars twice it's price, but you get ones that have a traction advantage with their AWD that like to run their mouth at how their cars are quicker than the SRT-4 which is almost half the price of theirs.

B. The SRT-4 is a limited production car that is only being made in very low numbers and is currently in it's last year of production, it is only being made for 3 years ('03-'05). Dumler in their incompetent lack of wisdom has decided to spend little to absolutely no money what so ever in advertising the SRT-4, which is the main reason why so very few even know what in the hell they are, this is also one of the reasons for their lack of respect. If they would have given the SRT-4 the same advertising as they gave the Ram SRT-10 or the advertising that Chevy has given their Cobalt SS, then it would have sold far better and most people would know what it is. I don't think I have even seen a Dodge commercial with an SRT-4 in it, let alone a commercial just for the SRT-4. Low production numbers combined with only a 3 year lifespan and little to no advertising is why you never see them on the road.

Your final question is answered by the answers to your previous questions, if most people have never seen or heard of the SRT-4 and know what they are all about and how well they perform, then they cannot become or pose a threat to their competition. That and the fact that the others come in a 2 door coupe and the SRT-4 only comes in a 4 door sedan is another big factor, it took me well over a year of reading about it's performance and seeing it in black before it won me over, I cannot stand 4 doors but the black helps to hide it.


In fact, the current issue of Sport Compact Car magazine is devoted entirely to AWD's like the Skyline, Evo, STi, etc. They, like most car magazines, especially tuner mags, only care about the cars from Japan and for some reason the Ford Focus. Super Street magazine also has an SRT-4 project car. The only one that has kept up to date on their SRT-4 project car is Grassroots Motorsports magazine, they have had a new installment of their SRT-4 project car every single issue since they started.

 

It's a neon. Not only that, but it's an expensive neon. And unfortunately, it handles like a heavy neon.

Dodge still needs to prove they can make a car that will last as long as a Honda or a Toyota.

Finally, Dodge underrated it. Mine, and most others, make at the wheels more then they are rated for at the crank. 99% of the people out there don't know that. 230hp isn't too impressive next to a 227hp WRX when the WRX only costs $2k more, is AWD, has a better suspension, and has a history. If people knew that WRX made 170hp at the wheels, vs. the SRT-4's 250, it might get more attention. On paper, my WRX was a much better buy. For fun factor (as long as I stick to pavement and keep all four wheels on the ground), the SRT-4 is a lot more fun. Tough to sell that with a window sticker.

 

Um...I have 8 SRT-4's that I know of around here in town. And I ride with 2 guys I met at Dodge Dealership and my two boys I've known for years now, just happen to all come in to get oil changes at same time. We go place together all time pretty bad *** to see 5 SRT-4's going down freeway side by side or one behind the other. We have fun with our cars. Mine is Orange, LoL DUH!, And other include Red, Blue and 2 Black.

As to reason don't see as many is the car was underrated for insurance purposes and really has yet to be commercialized. Oh and it is new car to the street, so yeah you really don't know jack about this car until you ride in it or drive it. I've been Dodge Man my whole life, Even my Jet Boat has 440 Hemi Balanced and Blueprinted.

 

Its the lack of advertising as mentioned. People just don know much about these cars.

 

i would agree that a lack of advertising can account for a lot of people not knowing about the car in general, which makes it hard for them to appreciate it. In all honesty, I have never seen ONE SINGLE commercial from Dodge that advertises it at all. I just saw a new Dodge commercial the other day that talks about the great deals on cars for the spring BS and it doesn't even mention that they have the quickest car under 23,000 or whatever it is now-why that is, I have no clue? Also, for a comparison, Chevy is already advertising the hell out of the Cobalt SS with that commercial where the Cobalts are playing soccer, and it hasn't even come out yet!! When I tell people I have an SRT-4, they look at me like I'm just pulling some letters out of my *** and putting it together. To me though, it isn't too much of a big deal and is fine with me for kids in their Mustangs and Civics to not know what "my Neon" is all about until they are trailing it... [8D]

 

I think the biggest reason is people just dont know what it is... and i actually like it. i got pulled over a few days ago and the cop asked me what kind of car this was... i just said neon. as whenever anyone asks me what i drive... i always answer a neon. and if they over heard me talking about the track they might laugh and i ask them, wana race? then they think about it and sometimes i get to make them look like a dumb ***.

 

its a real shame that they are stoping production of this car but i heard a nasty little rumor that they maybe building an awd version in the future just a rumor.