Is the 2005 Dodge Neon SXT any good ? is the engine and transmission decent ?
my neighbor is selling a 2005 Dodge Neon SXT with only 64,072 miles for $3,750, should I take a look ?
any experience with 2005 Dodge Neon?
- Thread starter sirgerman
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According to carcomplaints.com it's not the best.
https://www.carcomplaints.com/Dodge/Neon/2005/
Originally Posted By: daves87rs
Wait, there are still Neons out there? 
Seriously, by this stage though they were a pretty solid little ride. Engine and trans are pretty basic, but with some love, should hold up just fine....
Seriously, by this stage though they were a pretty solid little ride. Engine and trans are pretty basic, but with some love, should hold up just fine....
The engines are OK. You might need a head gasket down the road though. Was really common on these engines and frequent in early ones. Not hard to do at all. The price is a bit high for the age unless it's loaded.
Change the trans fluid every 30K miles with a new filter is my recommendation.
The timing belt is called for around 60,000 miles but you can easily go 100,000 no problem and the belt will still look like new. It's not very difficult to replace either.
My dad's manual trans 1995 Neon he bought for $200 went to 200K Miles with just a head gasket when he bought it with 100,000 miles.
My dad is a mechanic and worked for Chrysler. I know a lot about the Chrysler product line and specifically this line. 
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Nick1994
$100 site donor 2023
As I've mentioned in your posts before, stop looking for "low miles" cars. It's meaningless especially when it's tied to junky cars. I always scratch my head when you search for cars because it's like you're purposely looking for the worst car. Oldsmobiles, Neons, Volvos, Cobalts, Ford 500s, Pontiac G6s, etc.
Are you afraid of Japanese cars? It sounds like you just need basic transportation, coming from a Saturn. Look into cars that are known for reliability like a Camry, Corolla, Civic, Accord, Yaris, etc.
And erase "low mileage" from your brain
+1
a corolla with 3x the mileage will cost the same or less and still be a better car to own.
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Originally Posted By: sirgerman
Is the 2005 Dodge Neon SXT any good ? is the engine and transmission decent ?
my neighbor is selling a 2005 Dodge Neon SXT with only 64,072 miles for $3,750, should I take a look ?
I once bought a brand new 2004 Dodge Neon. But it wasn't an SXT, it was an SRT-4. It was exceptionally stupid fun, and exceptional at nothing else. I wouldn't buy a lesser model. But if I did, I wouldn't pay that much for it. Regardless of the mileage, this '05 SXT isn't worth much more than $2000 IF it has been well maintained and needs no repairs
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Originally Posted By: Nick1994
As I've mentioned in your posts before, stop looking for "low miles" cars. It's meaningless especially when it's tied to junky cars. I always scratch my head when you search for cars because it's like you're purposely looking for the worst car. Oldsmobiles, Neons, Volvos, Cobalts, Ford 500s, Pontiac G6s, etc.
Are you afraid of Japanese cars? It sounds like you just need basic transportation, coming from a Saturn. Look into cars that are known for reliability like a Camry, Corolla, Civic, Accord, Yaris, etc.
And erase "low mileage" from your brain
I had one after my saturn died. Same exact everything, a 2005 SXT.
Saturn got 40 MPG, neon did 28.
I got it at 150k and immediately did the timing belt. Head gasket went at 155k so I had to rip all that timing belt stuff off again. 
It drove nice, had a very nice stick shift, and sounded cool for a 4 cyl.
It was a very forgettable car. I barely have any pictures of it.
The AC barely worked. I think it was a clogged orifice tube. The pipe under the hood got cold but nothing else. I never fixed it.
Rust ate it very quickly, was kind of a junker from that perspective. All the way from the rockers up the rear quarters.
They say Lee Iacocca invented it so it could be built for $4000 and the rest would be profit. I tend to believe this.
It drove nice, had a very nice stick shift, and sounded cool for a 4 cyl.
It was a very forgettable car. I barely have any pictures of it.
The AC barely worked. I think it was a clogged orifice tube. The pipe under the hood got cold but nothing else. I never fixed it.
Rust ate it very quickly, was kind of a junker from that perspective. All the way from the rockers up the rear quarters.
They say Lee Iacocca invented it so it could be built for $4000 and the rest would be profit. I tend to believe this.Originally Posted By: sirgerman
Is the 2005 Dodge Neon SXT any good ? is the engine and transmission decent ?
my neighbor is selling a 2005 Dodge Neon SXT with only 64,072 miles for $3,750, should I take a look ?
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
As I've mentioned in your posts before, stop looking for "low miles" cars. It's meaningless especially when it's tied to junky cars. I always scratch my head when you search for cars because it's like you're purposely looking for the worst car. Oldsmobiles, Neons, Volvos, Cobalts, Ford 500s, Pontiac G6s, etc.
Are you afraid of Japanese cars? It sounds like you just need basic transportation, coming from a Saturn. Look into cars that are known for reliability like a Camry, Corolla, Civic, Accord, Yaris, etc.
And erase "low mileage" from your brain
Originally Posted By: sirgerman
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
As I've mentioned in your posts before, stop looking for "low miles" cars. It's meaningless especially when it's tied to junky cars. I always scratch my head when you search for cars because it's like you're purposely looking for the worst car. Oldsmobiles, Neons, Volvos, Cobalts, Ford 500s, Pontiac G6s, etc.
Are you afraid of Japanese cars? It sounds like you just need basic transportation, coming from a Saturn. Look into cars that are known for reliability like a Camry, Corolla, Civic, Accord, Yaris, etc.
And erase "low mileage" from your brain
I inherited a 2005 Civic with only 30K miles.
Definitely an econobox in every way.
Nick1994
$100 site donor 2023
Originally Posted By: sirgerman
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
As I've mentioned in your posts before, stop looking for "low miles" cars. It's meaningless especially when it's tied to junky cars. I always scratch my head when you search for cars because it's like you're purposely looking for the worst car. Oldsmobiles, Neons, Volvos, Cobalts, Ford 500s, Pontiac G6s, etc.
Are you afraid of Japanese cars? It sounds like you just need basic transportation, coming from a Saturn. Look into cars that are known for reliability like a Camry, Corolla, Civic, Accord, Yaris, etc.
And erase "low mileage" from your brain
I had a 95 Neon and it was a tough little [censored]. But not a whole lot is the same between the two cars. If they have been maintaining it, its probably pretty good. If its "needed nothing" then beware.
I think for a bit more money you can find something that will cost less in the long term. I think something like a new manual Fiesta for $11k
will cost way less per mile than most $3-4k cars with lots of miles on them.
Originally Posted By: StevieC
The timing belt is called for around 60,000 miles but you can easily go 100,000 no problem and the belt will still look like new. It's not very difficult to replace either.
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