What can be done?

inthemaking · Post by **inthemaking** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 11:19 am

I have a 2000 E/S Neon. All stock at the moment. I just got the Inner tie rods fixed. (shout out 2gn) I have very limited funds. I want to do some slight mods. So I can have some pride in the car. Ideas please.

JeffM · Post by **JeffM** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 11:22 am

Depends on what you're looking for (power, suspension, looks).

I know that the first thing any neon owner should do is lower the car from its 4x4 obomination.

Take a look around the site and see what everyone else is doing. You'll get some great ideas that way.

inthemaking · Post by **inthemaking** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 11:30 am

I deff want power. Looks come last. I am going to check the how to's for dropping it. Thanks

inthemaking · Post by **inthemaking** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 11:49 am

Oh, and btw the Neon has almost 170k ekkk i know

2k1MotorSport · Post by **2k1MotorSport** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 12:30 pm

To get 'power' is going to cost some money. The only true power is a turbo, others on here can give ideas on cost for that one.

Now the basic stuff (intake, exhaust, etc..) Isn't going to get a lot of power. You may feel more response from the car but that's about it.

Post by **occasional demons** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 12:36 pm

As long as the engine/car has been maintained properly, 170,000 isn't too much of a problem. I have 163,000 plus, and it still runs pretty well. You may want to do a compression test, as a rough measure of how well the rings/valves are. If it is relatively even across the cylinders go for it. If you have a good difference, you may not want to waste too much on performance mods. It then comes down to: Is the body in good enough shape to put money into an engine swap/rebuild.

inthemaking · Post by **inthemaking** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 12:16 pm

The body/frame is in good shape. Theres is some rust but nothing a body kit cant fix once the engine is modded. As far as the compression test, how is that done. (I am a noob all the way around)

JeffM · Post by **JeffM** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 12:46 pm

http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Compre ... -250265904

Post by **occasional demons** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 1:42 pm

inthemaking wrote:Theres is some rust but nothing a body kit cant fix

Hiding the rust isn't a very good fix.

Removing the rust, and preventing future rust is the key. Otherwise you will have a nice engine in a rust pile.

Post by **Canada** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 3:30 pm

occasional demons wrote:
inthemaking wrote:Theres is some rust but nothing a body kit cant fix
Hiding the rust isn't a very good fix.

Removing the rust, and preventing future rust is the key. Otherwise you will have a nice engine in a rust pile.

See: Volkswagens

inthemaking · Post by **inthemaking** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 7:06 pm

Thanks for the vid. Well what I had ment by the body kit was removing the bad parts. ummm yeah

JeffM · Post by **JeffM** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 7:10 pm

Most of the parts you'd be replacing for a body kit are plastic (ie bumpers and sideskirts) so that wouldn't matter much in the way of rust.

lilnicko11 · Post by **lilnicko11** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 7:20 pm

no need for a body kit. just find some stock parts at a junkyard. shouldnt be too hard to find. most people here will tell you that a lowered car without a body kit is better.

A strut/spring lowering combo will run you prob near $400

Intake, Exhaust are the 1st "performance" mods most of us do but there is only so much you can do to a N/A Neon. All the regular members will confirm that.

vielecustoms · Post by **vielecustoms** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 9:03 am

fix and replace worn out parts... than mods. nothing worse than throwing money at a car to find out that its just wore out and needs more money put into it to drive it after something breaks.

and low and body kits don't mix unless you live somewhere flat with no snow.

gcretro · Post by **gcretro** » Wed Mar 09, 2011 10:30 pm

I read many posts that said you can't do much on an auto tranny neon. And at the mileage you have, you are better off save that money for replacement parts if you plan on keeping the car.

gtxtreme19 · Post by **gtxtreme19** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 7:25 am

Just mod the tranny and keep the auto, you'd be surprised what an auto tranny can do with a few mods. I posted a link a while ago with some very valuable information on Modding the 31th... lemme find it.

viewtopic.php?t=55519

Edit:
I forgot to mention, your very first mod should be anaftermarket tranny cooler for the sake of not destroying your trans when the one in your radiator blows out

Forest Green 2k · Post by **Forest Green 2k** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 10:39 am

I felt the most gains in my ATX with an under-drive pulley, short-tube header, and gutting the interior. I have a lot of n/a stuff done but I got it all the parts and work done very very cheap but otherwise it would cost a lot of money to be only a little faster.

But like other saids, I would put make sure everything else is in fine working order first with 170k.

If I could start over, I would of done an 3.94 mtx swap and called it a day. Now my car is probably as fast as a stock 5 speed Neon, lol.

inthemaking · Post by **inthemaking** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 9:06 pm

If I could start over, I would of done an 3.94 mtx swap and called it a day. Now my car is probably as fast as a stock 5 speed Neon, lol.

DoubtedNeon · Post by **DoubtedNeon** » Fri Apr 15, 2011 10:22 am

idk. it sounds like u should focus on getting this thing reliable before anything.