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After asking all my nub questions about adding hp to my 2005 Neon STX ATX.... Im thinking it will be a waste of my money. I now pla on stopping to add money to my car and saving saving saving for couple years (im only 16) and buying a used SRT-4. What do you guys think?

sounds like a wise decision, though after years and years the srts are gonna be old and beat up. prob have some probs with the motors and whatnot from all the douch bags runnin em too hard. ever consider an srt swap? you can do it for a couple grand and go with the sleeper look.

Personally even though I love car parts and would like to buy some right now but can't... thinking back at all the money I spent I sorta wish I wouldn't have done it but at the same time really did enjoy it.

Right now if I had a job with income I'd be torn on buying parts but really leaning more toward saving the money to use for schooling or as a downpayment on a house in the next couple years. It's like House = Investment were Neon = Throwing money away. Right now I'd rather have a house and if I didn't buy all these car parts and another car I could have a house.

It's an expensive hobby... if I had to do it again though I dont' think I would have done as much as I did but it's a ltitle too late now. I'd say keep your car, do some mods to keep you happy but keep it in moderation without going overboard b/c what you put into it you'll never get back.

Maybe a little more than you wanted to hear but thats just my .02

nicely said jason, thats how i look at it too. I have to save for school and shit, so i gotta take it slow on the neon, but still, its fun as hell so ill prob never practice what i preach!

me personally, modding is a part of life. there is no car that i will have that will be stock. yeah, money is tigh right now and is gonna get tighter... but like they say, where theres a will, theres a how.

its much to early to just drop your plans on your car research and such about everything and save your moneywhether its for your car and such and what are your plans in life? mine is military 20g's in bonus money im not too worried about saving but whatever... you could go nitrous route ghetto turbo or all show just how much money do you have/make really defines what mods or w/e... and to diablo and ob... you guys are no fun i like blowing all my cash when i get it.. ahaha

Diablo0 wrote:It's like House = Investment were Neon = Throwing money away.

Not just Neons but everything that isn't long term (long term meaning houses etc.)--at least, that's how I see things. I've always had an eye out for the future. This is why when I first discovered these sites and all the stuff that can be done to our cars, I always had a "cap" set. I would never exceed it but I would have fun spending within it.

Personally, I'm very close to paying off this Neon. When that happens, I'm gonna really consider what to do next. I love MTXs (this neon is an ATX ) and I've been in SRT's before, so that is one possibility. But honestly, I don't see myself investing x amount of dollars to put a turbo or NA setup.

It all comes down to what you wanna do.

Oh I've been there... get paid and the same day calling Modern or someplace else to order something completely blowing any sort of money I had. Or saving up about 10K then lookin blowing it in a matter of a few months on parts wonder... where the hell did my money go Oh there it is... all on that car over there haha.

yea i dumped a ton of money in my old SRT-4 probably 10 grand or so plus the really high monthly payments. Now i got 2 cars and the payments are the same as the SRT. But driving that car was a experience like no other. And i really do miss having a car that fast that got that much attention.

But now i just bought a house that i got 35,000 under market value which is just crazy!!! And probably middle of next year i will look into buying a used SRT-4 and buying a used one is the way to go considering they are going for buy it now auctions on ebay for 12,000 or less. And trust me those SRT-4 motors will take a ton of abuse and so will the clutch!!!!! Tons of burn-outs, racing, and multiple bottles of nitrous!!!!!

But yea your car will never be as fast as an SRT-4 unless you dump the amount of money you could buy an SRT-4 for save up and buy a used one. There value wont bottom out like first gen's and second gen's since they are a high demand car.

Buy a 1st gen and build it up!

That's pretty cool that you decided to do that. But if you wanna stay happy. I suggest just buying a cold air intake, clear side markers, clear third brake light, and air fresheners! LOL Seriously, that's all you really need to make a Neon a little nicer.

Air fresheners add 15whp, mind you

but seriously, at 16 I spent all my money on my girlfriend(s) and cars. Of course, back then, I only made 3.35 an hour. at mcdonald's. worked about 25 hrs a week. I had a 1981 honda accord, and did not 'modify' cars until I was 17, and a senior in high school. I got my hands on a 1987 Nissan p/u and went to town on it. I redid the interior and exterior, lowered it, tinted it, tanoued it (dont think that is a word) and basically, spent every dime on my truck till I graduated - after that I had to quit because I went to college to party for the next year 1/2...

My suggestion to you is this - have fun now! These are the best days of your life, and if you have a job and no responisibilty (like bills, maybe insurance) then spend your money on you! Because in 2 or 3 years, you won't have money!

In truth, when my son turns 16 (in less than 7 years ) I will make him work, but I will also let him know that he has to learn to save and pay for his own expenses, and what he has left - is his to spend as he sees fit. My parents paid for everything for me, and my money got spent the day I got my check... even gas money was paid for by mommy and daddy. I regret it, because I learned how to spend money, but not save it.

Good luck! have fun, and enjoy!

i think that's a very wise plan... the prices on srts will drop a lot more once the caliber srts start rolling out next year and you never know, you may just want one of those and start with 300hp from teh factory. i would get a wet nitrous kit for the car to keep things fun with this car until then, and its one of those things that isnt car specific so you can later use on the new ride

When I was 18 and got my neon, I blew nearly every dime I had on it. (some money was still spent on the '57). It was cool back then, but it doesnt last. Sooner or later you start to grow up. College, careers, moving out and away from the parents, relationships.... they all change your priorities. Right now, I have 3 priorities, the sheriffs department, a new truck, and a house. And the truck is an investment, for me. Expensive as hell to buy a new one, but I only plan on buying one to last for the next 10-15 years, and I need something besides a lowered neon for work. Cant tow very much, or haul hundreds of pounds of weed away from raided groves with a neon. heh.

lol. i wish'd i hadn't modded out my cars either. my neon while not having too much i have learned greatly how costly it is to do even simple things. lowering, isn't just putting springs on. then you need the alignment which i didnt calculate, then the camber kit, but since i was stubborn i ended up waiting too long, needed 2 new front tires, theres more $, the same w/the exhaust, that p.o.s. rusted off cuz the car was lowered, and i had a foot of snow for a week w/salt that didnt even have to jump that high to hit the exhaust under the car, so that rusted off, drop another 200$. i also have a honda del sol, that i wrecked awhile back and was too stubborn to let it go. so after about 3 grand to get that back to "running" condition, i had a body kit on it, that you have to be sooo careful with. it has a bent frame that still needs to be straightened, i mean, the list goes on and on. i decided last summer, to get a bike. if i want the thrill of speed, no cars regardless of the mod's wont give me that same feeling a bike can, so now i'm working on that. (getting my liscence in two weeks) the neon is a great car, i love it, but it's not changing a bit. i got my speed, it's my bike. the srt-4 are nice, but if you can get payments under 250, good luck finding car insurance under 400$ a month. i'm 24 yrs old, almost 25, and last quote i got on an srt-4 was about 3 months ago, no accidents tickets nothing, been clean for about 6 years and it was still like 350-425$ a month.