I find this funny but possibly true.

Knightryda · Post by **Knightryda** » Fri Nov 23, 2012 11:37 am

http://autos.yahoo.com/news/10-surprisi ... ml?page=10

I guess no love for the second gens

Post by **occasional demons** » Fri Nov 23, 2012 12:31 pm

No love for neons in general in the comments section.

They are mentioned more than any other makes on the list. Must really irk the shit of those butt hurt folks who's cars didn't make it.

Gee when neons are # 3, 2, and 1 in attendance at Carlisle for the last 3 years, I guess that's just a freak coincidence...

I mean the article didn't say Obvious Collectibles, but you would have thought it did.

Knightryda · Post by **Knightryda** » Fri Nov 23, 2012 2:07 pm

Yea I hear you. I have a 01 r/t and I know it would of been worth something one day if I didn't have so many miles on it.

Midnight_Rider · Post by **Midnight_Rider** » Fri Nov 23, 2012 5:19 pm

1GNs are just good cars and some people will never accept the truth. I knew the Neon was radical and a good design when I ordered mine back in 1994.

theColonel · Post by **theColonel** » Fri Nov 23, 2012 6:12 pm

1GN cars are important because of their impact on the car market. Maybe not as "earth shattering" as the original Mustang, but still significant. I only owned one 1GN car,
but owned four 2GN cars. The looks of the original Neon is better, but the 2GN is mechanically superior.

Arro · Post by **Arro** » Fri Nov 23, 2012 7:26 pm

theColonel wrote:1GN cars are important because of their impact on the car market. Maybe not as "earth shattering" as the original Mustang, but still significant. I only owned one 1GN car,
but owned four 2GN cars. The looks of the original Neon is better, but the 2GN is mechanically superior.

I was with you up until your last comment... the thoughts on the impact of the original neon seem solid, universal position. The idea that one gen is better looking than the other however is definitely personal opinion. I personally feel the opposite. The 1GN wasn't too bad... coupes were of course nicer than the sedans, butnthe fronts (to me) look pinched... flattened. The overall design flow of the car is clumsy. To me, the 2GN lines are a major refinement of the 1GN (much in the same way that I look at the new Dart as a major refinement on the 2GN, if inadvertently so).

I really like the 2GN, with the only real complaint that it should have come with 16x7 wheels from the factory (and 18x8 for the SRT-4). But in the 2GN they designed a car that in its lowest trim is very basic, but with options could be had with nicer interior and exterior features... premium sound, ground f/x kit, foglights, and even a high-output (Magnum) and race-focused (SRT-4) specs. Not too shabby. I give the credit for such a robust potential to the chassis design and the platform overall. I don't feel the 1GN had the same potential as a chassis.

So looks aside (which I feel were more refined and tasteful), the 2GN was just a better car, period. Both for mechanical superiority and robust design.

theColonel · Post by **theColonel** » Fri Nov 23, 2012 9:49 pm

Arro wrote:The idea that one gen is better looking than the other however is definitely personal opinion. I personally feel the opposite. The 1GN wasn't too bad... coupes were of course nicer than the sedans, but the fronts (to me) look pinched ... flattened.

I prefer the "pinched ... flattened" look to the Scion xB tall shape

Post by **occasional demons** » Fri Nov 23, 2012 10:26 pm

Arro wrote:I don't feel the 1GN had the same potential as a chassis.

The thing is, the floor pans are pretty much swappable. There is someone on the other .org that used a 2gn rear floor pan to fix his 1gn. Pretty much drop in, and weld in place.

Where the 2gn shines over the 1gn is the design of the doors and seals for better road noise reduction.

Yeah the wiring and electronics are better, but that is neither here nor there. It would have happened whether or not the platform was improved or not. After all, the PCM's changed three times in the 1gn production run. 95/96/97-99

You can say the same for the 2gn.

Donkeypuncher · Post by **Donkeypuncher** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 2:47 am

I remember in high school watching the 1g neons beat up on the V8's at the street races. It was the early days of the import scene before this fast and furious nonsense.

BigMac · Post by **BigMac** » Tue Nov 27, 2012 3:19 am

Arro wrote:
theColonel wrote:...So looks aside (which I feel were more refined and tasteful), the 2GN was just a better car, period. Both for mechanical superiority and robust design.

Not in the handling department. The 2gn was a disappointment in that regard -- heavier and less tossable. If you know the history of the car, you know the 1st gen ACR was the FWD car to have in SCCA racing in the mid 90s. The 2nd gen, unfortunately, never came close to that distinction.

FormerlyREDRT_98 · Post by **FormerlyREDRT_98** » Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:09 pm

BigMac wrote:
Arro wrote:
theColonel wrote:...So looks aside (which I feel were more refined and tasteful), the 2GN was just a better car, period. Both for mechanical superiority and robust design.
Not in the handling department. The 2gn was a disappointment in that regard -- heavier and less tossable. If you know the history of the car, you know the 1st gen ACR was the FWD car to have in SCCA racing in the mid 90s. The 2nd gen, unfortunately, never came close to that distinction.

never raced it, but this is why I miss my '98 R/T so much

theColonel · Post by **theColonel** » Thu Jan 31, 2013 2:18 pm

BigMac gave me credit for Arro's statement ... which I don't agree with ... The 1GN car was better for racing because of less weight, a lower center of gravity, and stiffer springs.

However the front end of the car develops "shimmy" that's almost impossible to fix - "Neon shake" ... the lack of door frames give more wind noise ... the headlights are crap ...
the air cleaner box is poorly designed ... My Dodge dealer says the 2gn cars are easier to repair ...

In spite of all these problems, I still prefer the looks of the 1GN ... it looks like a SCCA racer ... My SRT-4 looks like a Nissan Sentra with a body kit, but the turbocharged engine
makes it worth owning