I miss my Neon. It was a genuinely good car.

"If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent" (essextee)
08/20/2018 at 18:24 • Filed to: None

There. I said it. Cat’s out of the bag. This is how I feel. Make fun of me if you want, I stand by my assertion.

DISCUSSION (49)

gettingoldercarguy > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/20/2018 at 18:36

That is one car Dodge needs to bring back.

ttyymmnn > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/20/2018 at 18:36

We had a 96 Stratus. It was not a terrible car. I liked the amount of interior room in those cars.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/20/2018 at 18:38

I don’t hate these either. I know that they’re kinda base model cars but I wouldn’t mind one. Especially if it’s an SRT4

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > gettingoldercarguy
08/20/2018 at 18:38

It had more of that special car x- factor than any compact 4cyl ever deserved.

fhrblig > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/20/2018 at 18:40

They’re popping up on my local CL quite a bit. I’m tempted to check one out.

They’re still dragging their feet on my payment though.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
08/20/2018 at 18:40

Mine was specced as pictured, with a nice black interior and sporty white gauges. It was nicer and more fun to drive than any commuter car deserves to be.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > fhrblig
08/20/2018 at 18:42

Look for an SXT trim one with the nicer black interior. The engine’s good enough to still be fun with an automatic but a manual would be best.

2003-2005 were heavily decontented to keep them cheap so I'd recommend ignoring those.

Chariotoflove > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/20/2018 at 18:43

What did you like about it?

For Sweden > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/20/2018 at 18:43

As a wise man once said, SXT Rules

Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/20/2018 at 18:45

+ Bonus points for racing stripes.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Chariotoflove
08/20/2018 at 18:46

It was cheerful and peppy and felt more special to drive than you expect any 4cyl commuter car to ever be.

It had a really good engine too.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/20/2018 at 18:46

First gens where honest and loveable. Second gens...perhaps more reliable, but lost some soul.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > For Sweden
08/20/2018 at 18:47

Not enough people are wise.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > ttyymmnn
08/20/2018 at 18:47

I used to borrow my buddy’s Stratus all the time. Thing was great in a straight line. Not so great with stopping...

fhrblig > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/20/2018 at 18:47

Did those still have the 3-speed auto or did they get a 4-speed?

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
08/20/2018 at 18:49

The high trim 2nd gen I had had plenty of personality. The 2003+ ones were god awful to look at though .

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > fhrblig
08/20/2018 at 18:50

4 speed . It was geared pretty decently , had plenty of passing power once you kicked it down.

Chariotoflove > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/20/2018 at 18:52

I get that. The engine is the difference. It can make the car peppy or a dog. My Chevette had a small engine, but it felt like a dog.

ttyymmnn > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
08/20/2018 at 18:55

The seats were terrible too.

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/20/2018 at 18:56

I think Oppo generally likes Neons?

fhrblig > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/20/2018 at 18:56

I’d prefer the manual, just haven’t seen as many of those.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Chariotoflove
08/20/2018 at 19:03

En gine definitely had that it-factor. Made a very nice noise and just felt more eager to be thrashed than most 4cyls. The twin cam version I think deserved to be in something specifically made as a sporty car.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
08/20/2018 at 19:06

It’s 50/50. People either love them or think they’re trash cars. Very polarizing.

The people that think they’re trash cars have just never driven o ne is my theory.

Chariotoflove > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/20/2018 at 19:09

Why did you give it up?

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > fhrblig
08/20/2018 at 19:10

Yeah, definitely not many. But, i f I liked mine THAT much with an auto I imagine a manual one is worth seeking out.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Chariotoflove
08/20/2018 at 19:14

Because I was offered an almost even trade for this:

Kinja'd!!!

It's an improvement in every single way over the Neon and I'm much happier with it as my car, but the Neon is fondly remembered.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/20/2018 at 19:20

Just because we love them, doesn't mean they are not trash cars! I firmly believe they are trash but they are still pretty fun. I have an appreciation after owning one for a few months.

Milky > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/20/2018 at 19:23

My high school GF had a purple one. I puked down the side of the passenger door. Good times.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/20/2018 at 19:24

They make good budget race cars.

smobgirl > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/20/2018 at 19:34

My best friend in high school had one and hers was DEFINITELY a t rash car. Unfortunately that skewed any future assessment.

Chariotoflove > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/20/2018 at 19:53

Pretty good trade.

M.T. Blake > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/20/2018 at 19:57

I can’t say I hate these but I like them about as much as a white bread and cheese sandwich, or clouds at night, or marginal thread count hotel sheets, or luke warm low alcohol content lager.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > ttyymmnn
08/20/2018 at 20:06

I was 18 and wanted to make out with the girl driving, so I never paid much attention to the seats. I do remember that her car came from the factory without a passenger side mirror, though.

horizonsofkhaos > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/20/2018 at 20:06

I have a love hate relationship with mine. It’s been out of service since August and I definitely miss it. Not the most reliable thing ever but it was a decent little car to drive and it had enough pep for me.

Boxer_4 > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/20/2018 at 20:10

The first gen coupes were pretty neat:

Kinja'd!!!

Aremmes > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/20/2018 at 20:13

I have a friend who owns a Neon. Notice I said “owns” instead of ”drives”. He really loved that car, and drove the living daylights out of it. He was aiming to reach 300,000 miles on the odometer, but the transmission had other plans and decided to no longer engage gears. Had he picked a manual instead of an automatic I’m certain that the car would still be scooting around instead of being stashed in a garage waiting to be sent to a junkyard.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, they're good cars. Certainly better than what Ford and GM were peddling at the time.

Brickman > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/20/2018 at 20:21

My 96 caravan had the same 2.4 engine. Very nice at WOT :D

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Brickman
08/20/2018 at 20:28

Neon had a bespoke 2.0.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/20/2018 at 20:44

I didn’t mind them! I still have some of the factory brochures for all generations kicking around in mint shape! :)

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
08/20/2018 at 20:54

That's pretty cool

TheYearIs1990 > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/20/2018 at 21:21

The Dodge Shadow was better.

Kinja'd!!!

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/20/2018 at 22:12

Yup! I have quite a collection of car brochures and ads....pretty sur e I have a Dodge and Plymouth brochure for the first-gen Neons, and a Plymouth brochure for the second-gens, as well as for the 2006 Dodge SX2.0, which is what the Neon was called in Canada at that time! :)

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > TheYearIs1990
08/20/2018 at 22:16

It's not 1990 anymore

Spamfeller Loves Nazi Clicks > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/21/2018 at 00:10

I miss your Neon. It was a truly good car.

For unrelated reasons, would you please write down the time and location you last saw it in your pos session? And provide your title to prove ownership? Thank you.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Spamfeller Loves Nazi Clicks
08/21/2018 at 00:33

November- ish of 2014, 02557.

Really though it ended up getting sold to some high schooler who used it to go off to college so lord knows what happened to it in the end. Doubt it’s still on the road.