Both Dodge and Plymouth offered their version of the Neon, which was basically the same car. I can’t think of another time when two separate car companies offered the same car with the same name at the same time, but I know it’ll come to me once you all start throwing names out there. This ultra-low-mileage showroom condition 1996 Dodge Neon Highline is posted here on craigslist in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and they’re asking $4,450. Here is the original listing, and thanks to ultra-low-mile Rocco B. for the tip!
There were three trim levels of the Dodge Neon in this era: the base model, a Highline as seen here, and a Sport model. The base model had black side mirrors, as does the Highline, but the Highline has body color side moldings rather than black, so it’s pretty easy to decipher what model car you’re looking at. The Sport trim has body color mirrors and a few other features, but those are the easy ones to quickly identify the three different Neon models. The Sport model also has a blower sticking out of the hood, so that’s really easy to tell. Just kidding, of course.
The seller posted just 10 photos of what sounds like the world’s nicest Neon. I’d sure post as many as I could if I were trying to get the most money out of this car, but I’m weird. I also wouldn’t have posted half of those 10 photos as verticals, but again, I’m weird, as clearly most craigslist sellers prefer this method. We have to assume that the rear of the car looks as perfect as the three front photos show, and the trunk looks nice. Are those square things speakers? How about these solid rocker panels?! Here’s a 1995 Neon brochure, I couldn’t find a ’96 version.
The Lapis Blue exterior was available with two interior colors: Driftwood and Quartz, as seen here. As expected, the two interior photos (again, you’re trying to get the most money for your car on an online auction where buyers will only see photos) show what looks like a perfect interior. There is a photo showing the gauges with a six-digit odometer reading of 018,653, so this really is a low-mile car.
20 minutes of detailing would have done wonders here; this would be an easy engine to make look a lot better than it does. It’s Chrysler’s 2.0-liter SOHC inline-four with 132 horsepower and 129 lb-ft of torque. It’s passed through the automatic you saw in the interior photo, and rolls the front wheels. I’m assuming the AC works as all they say is that this car is in mint condition inside and out, and that works for me. Any thoughts on this Neon?
A very nice example. These were all over the place in Quebec during the 90’s and suddenly around early 2000’s they mostly dissappeared. At the parts counter i worked in that era we did keep a steady supplies of suspension and steering components as they seemed a weak spot.
For a very solid, original car only 30 yrs old this is what I call good basic transportation, NOT a collector piece. These Neons never did have any collectability–after all they are econoboxes of the 90’s. But for a car a parent could buy for their high-schooler, you can’t beat it. My only question is parts and service. What’s still available for these? Given it’s age, nothing from MoPar would be around today. Something to consider on any Neon a person might consider buying.
There are still tons of parts listed for these cars at Rock Auto.
Thanks for the tip jack! I wasn’t aware.
A properly sorted out SRT Neon could embarrass a Corvette back in the day. Unfortunately Ima guessing most of those got Fast and Furious-ed into oblivion.
Another incredibly preserved economy car from the 90’s. Where has this thing been hiding??? We looked at Neons, Saturns, and Escorts. The Neons had just come out. And Scotty, I had that brochure!!! I remember the “Hi” campaign. Rocco found an incredible creampuff here, and Scotty thank you for a write up on a car we used to see “everywhere” . This is in mint condition.
I had the occasion to rent one of these 96’s for about a week. What I remember about it. Great mpg. It was pretty zippy. No problems getting up to speed or passing or holding highway speeds. It did well going up steeper grades like I-81 through Pa. or the twisty turns of E. Tn. It handled pretty decently as well.
But the ride. It felt like a brick on wheels. Really. I put around 1500 to 1700 miles on it and I felt every bump and hump in the roads. IMHO just a little better suspension & ride package would have made this car a real pleasure to drive. As it was by day three, I dreaded the day’s drive ahead of me.
Pretty much like many we sold in the day. I’m not sure this is Lapis blue. There seems to be some iridescece, more like light iris.
Nelson, you could be correct in it not being Lapis Blue! it’s hard to tell, it looks so dark in some photos, and light in others, like in the photo of the trunk compartment.
https://forums.neons.org/viewtopic.php?t=265949
https://www.automotivetouchup.com/touch-up-paint/dodge/1996/neon/
Maybe, Brilliant Blue Metallic, based on the photos here?
It’s tough to tell exactly but it appears to have some pearlescent quality. That would eliminate lapis blue. Brilliant blue was darker and bluer. Iris was short-lived and used on most vehicle lines including minivans and cloud cars. Iris evolved into amethyst before disappearing and taking all the purples with it until the Challenger and Charger returned. Of course, there’s Jeep, too…
The question will always center around the in-house Chrysler-manufactured automatic transmission. We didn’t call them Jesus Chryslers for no reason.
This thing would get ALL the attention from late Gen-Xers & Millenials at a C&C. I’m amazed there’s still one left in this kind of condition. For an economy car, they were considered one of the quicker offerings in their day. From what I remember, they would overheat at the drop of a hat due to typical low-quality Chrysler parts. A better car than the sum of its parts.
Hard to believe the engine in the R53 Coopers is directly related to this. If it wasn’t for screwing around with originality, it’d be fun to see if a factory Mini blower/intake would bolt up to it. Instead of Hi, it’d be Bye!
Only second-gen Neons sold outside the US were available with the Tritec engine shared with the first-gen Mini.
All first-gen Neons like this, and all US-market second-gen Neons, got Chrysler engines designed for the Neon but loosely based on the old K-car 2.2L engine.
1955 AMC Rambler
1955 Hudson Rambler
1955 Nash Rambler
30 years old change the timing belt and water pump and all the belts and hoses and you can easily pull 200k miles out of it
As far as two companies with the same car with the same name, how about the 1955 and 1956 Nash Rambler and Hudson Rambler.
Austin Mini
Morris Mini
The “Nash Metropolitan” launched in 1953. The next year, Nash merged with Hudson, and a badge-engineered model sold in that company’s showrooms. Pretty much the same thing.
When the combined companies became AMC, the cars were sold as “Metropolitan,” alone until from 1957-1963
Another essentially identical version was sold by Austin in the UK, who built the cars for the North American markets.
Chevrolet Suburban
GMC Suburban
Plymouth Suburban
Hey, excellent work on tracking down other vehicles with the same model names. With it still being in the 30s here (not bitter, just bitterly cold), my brain must have been frozen, and I couldn’t think of the Rambler, Mini, Met, and Suburban. Thanks!
And even from the same company around that same timeframe, the Plymouth Sundance and Dodge Shadow, or the Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volare, Dodge Mirada and Chrysler Cordoba…. unless you’re not counting ones with minor cosmetic changes (usually taillights/front fascia), but all these were basically the same car. I could go on and on… Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon, Dodge Diplomat and several others like it….
OOOOHHHH, you said SAME NAME, gotcha… I read it as same car, different name. Nevermind! I guess it was my brain that was frozen this morning!
And the square things in the trunk, I think you’re referring to the rear seats. They fold forward, you’re seeing the backs of them folded down. They weren’t evenly split.
This car is less than a half hour from me. Super tempting to get it as my son’s first car, but he won’t be driving for another 2 years, and I have nowhere to stick it. We used to call these cars Chrysler Crayons.
neon noodle
You got me thinking about that old Daffy Duck cartoon!!! Neon Noodle!!!
Can remember when these came out. Hard to believe it was 30 years now. We were given a new one to do some testing with at a small automotive electronics company I was working at back in 96′. Didn’t seem like a bad car. Just basic cheap transportation. I haven’t seen one now for eons. Gauging from the turnout I saw at last years Mopar Nats they have a pretty big cult following.
Love these cars! If I didn’t have 2 sand buggies and a Corvette bodied go cart . Refuse to sell any of them ( at this time, go cart may go soon) the wife said NO!