this isn't the mustang/cambird performance segment, this is a bunch of people with a sporty-ish 4 door that is high on style and slow in the quarter mile. Enthusiasts are sprinkled about in here and may be the majority but not everyone is an enthusiast round here. You have a Neon so you are taking personal offense. Don't. I like jaguar's but wouldn't get one if I could because it's a Ford. I have seen a neon at the track beat a viper, but I still wouldn't get one. Y? because it's looks remind me of a car with downs syndrome. Not to say it's a bad car, it is a good car with more aftermarket help than we have. but I can't drive around in Corky from Life Goes On.

 

no, i'm not taking personal offense. i honestly don't give a [hoot] what people think of my car. it gets me to work, it gets excellent mileage on the highway (34) and i love the handling. it doesn't bother me that people are talking smack about my car - it bothers me that buyers of one cheap economy car (lancer) are getting righteous about buyers of another cheap economy car (neon). personally, i think the base lancer is pretty unattractive, but if it had some awesome suspension or more than 120 hp i'd have to think twice about it.

i just wonder why the board isn't called "show, no go" - that seems to be a popular theme here.

-bd

 

I've owned two NEON's both had head gasket problems. One before and one after warranty. Dodge di pay for both of them because they know there is a problem. They promised me the newer one would not have the same problem. They lied. That's why I won't by another one.

Still own one of them and there is a lot more room in the Lancer. Besides the problem's my 1996 NEON look the same as the new NEON.

I have a company car and just bought the Lancer to play around in. It's not going to be an everyday vehicle like the Dodge was. So far I really like it.

 

That sucks about your Civic.. My Lancer cost me an arm and a leg.. $18,730 (that's including tax).

 

As for the neon, it has been known for a bunch of yrs that their cyl head design suck (420A) that will cause gasket leaks. If you didn't encounter one, you'll get the problem soon enough. I don't know if the 2g Neon has that problem or not.

This is the same problem on the starion 2.6L engine . . . guess what? That engine didn't survive long in production.

 

the problem with the starion was the Jet valves being encased in steel which would change to heat differently than the aluminum head. It caused a cracked head and if the J-valves got stuck they would hit the piston and that would be a mess.
The Starion 2.6L engine is a truck engine. Mitsubishi got lazy and stuck in that engine while they put the 2.0L engine in the works for the eclipse

 

My college buddy had a slightly beaten Starion as his car. Was that engine with or without balance shafts? When cold and started up it gave an interesting tingle throughout the entire chassis which calmed down only once warmed up. It certainly gave a truckish impression in that area. That said, it was pretty nice looking for it's time and cost.

 

Yeah it had balance shafts
Alot of people take them out as they save 20 lbs and when gone the oil flows alot better
Alot have no probs after that but others have vibrations and they need to get their engine balanced

 

picked up a 2002 ES for 11k just two days ago had 7000k on the motor and pay 117 for the monthly great deal in my opinion