Chevy Cavalier or Dodge Neon?

Hey again,

Got a quick question for yawll. I have a son that has hit sweet 16, and he is in need of a ride he can call his. I have managed to locate two used rides from a trusted dealer up the road, and here they are. There is a 2002 Chevy Cavalier LS Coupe 2.2L 4AT AC and it has 76k miles on it. The Chevy goes for $3700. There is also a Dodge Neon there, it is a 2005 SE sedan with a 2.0L 5MT AC with 45k miles on it, and the Dodge goes for $4500. What would yawll go for? I am probably leaning more torward the Neon just because I currently own a 2001 Plymouth Neon with 82k miles on it and it has had little trouble, and as I believ the 2005s were the same as the 2001s just with minor exterior refreshing right? I also like that the Neon is a 2005, newer and less mileage, but it is consequently higher priced. I hold nothing against the Cavy and trust everything that Chevy makes( I work with a 1985 Astro and love it ) so heres where the problem is. Which one do you pick? My son seems to like the Neon's bright red paint a little better but I am more interested in getting something solid that is going to last. So please write in if you have any experiense with either of these cars. I hope that yawll will help me with this little problem. Hope to hear from everyone soon! Thanks!

Bosco Tillerman:screwy:

i say go with the cavlier my freind at work has one and only the alternator needed to be replaced and that was at 85k even though he has the z24 one. and also the neon is a 05 with 45k did he say that is highway miles or city cause the average person is drives 12k a year

i say go with the cavlier my freind at work has one and only the alternator needed to be replaced and that was at 85k even though he has the z24 one. and also the neon is a 05 with 45k did he say that is highway miles or city cause the average person is drives 12k a year


Yeah, I thought that 45k miles on a 2005 Neon was pretty steep too. It must have been a commuter car for a buisness man, or possibly a representive for a company. I don't know though, it could be someone just going and doing things anymore. We drive all things said and done more then we ought to, and those miles do add up. Still, 45k miles is a lot on a car for only owning it for about 2 years now. I with you on this one, thanks for posting!


Bosco Tillerman:screwy:

If you loved him you'd buy him an import lol but seriuolsy spend more and get honda or toyota or at least a mazda.

Yeah well, that would work out but the nearest Toyota or Honda place is 35 miles up the road, so it would be a bear to get warranty work done. By buying used you avoid that and save on the long run. This is how I have narrowed the selection down to these two. If you had to pick one which would it be out of those?

I've read so many bad reports on the Neon, most say it's a lemon, so by default the cavalier is my choice. You can also go to www.carsurvey.org (http://www.carsurvey.org) and see what the people who actually live with these cars say.

I'd have to say the Neon if I had to choose, it has less miles & it's a manual trans (always good to have your first car be a manual). IMO they're both cheaply made cars though. The cavaliers are very unsafe in accidents, they got like a 1 star crash rating.

The neons just have way too many problems. get a cavy.

well, both are a dime a dozen... so parts are easy either way you go. both get good gas milage... and no matter how you put it both have thier problems. personnally if it were my child... he'd be paying for it. (nothing will teach you more about the almighty (god damn) dollar like having to save for your own car... buying one... (in my case a 90 laser (1.8 5spd < 45mpg on 1 octane booster and 87 octfor $1000 pos ) and having to pay for the upkeep. and i was prouder then shit though when i managed to trade it for an 03 ford zx2 (escort for those that dont speak ford). $7500 aka life savings later and about 3 years (im 19 now and have had the zx2 for ... almost 2 years). learning about money and financials has even further made me see how far i must stretch the dollar o' mine. im leaving for college in a week and all the money for it all the loans are in my name .... all 36 thousand dollars. < not including rent, food, gas, ect. so i guess what im trying to get across here is you have a good choice in cars and the cars dont have to be new. as long as you dont stick your neck out for this. a buddy of mine was a rich kid his parents bought him a 00 camaro SS (yes an Fing SS) and he trashed it, smelled aweful, went through tires like water. burned out 2 clutches in 3 months. but seeing as im sure you have thought this through il grab the one with the longest warentee, so im in for the neon... i guess

Get a z24.

I'd go for the Neon, i've got a 2000 it just hit 200,000km today and its been a pretty good car for all the years of wear and tear.

Get the Neon my friend has a cavalier and it has a whole bunch of problems. I also think that the neon looks better.

I'd take the chevy. I went to the wreckers the other day, and they have a few hundered neons which are all spotless, except they've kinda died due to mechanical problems...

Well if he is into speed you can buy him the dodge neon. If he is not into speed just driving aroung you can get him the chevy cavalier.
If i had to choose between those two i would choose the dodge neon because i am into speed not just driving around.
Dodge neons do have more aftremarket parts to it but the chevy doesn' have that much.
Hoped i helped.

What really matters is who owned it before.
Few simple checks like look in the valve cover. Could be bad on either car
because I have been beat before:yugosmili

well being a cavy owner myself I have to say get the cavy! lol! seriously, specially if it has the ecotec engine in it. You can find out if it is or not by opening the hood. If it says 2200 then it is the base one. Still I own a 2200 and has not given me much problems! Its a 2000 with 49k miles! two of my cousins own neons and they have had bad luck with them! water pump, timing belt, and both shake like mad when at a stop light. In the other hand one of my uncles also owns a neon and the only major problem has been the power door locks gone crazy! So, like someone said above, both cars have their advantages and disadvantages. It all comes down to how well it has been taken care of and how well you are going to take care of it! so, good luck with whichever car you decide to buy. Im sure your son will enjoy any of them!

I would pick the neon for two reasons and two reasons only.
1) You also have a neon and would probably be easier to diagnose problems and such if they ever occur and he would know how to take care of them and keep them running good (assuming you do too).
2) It is a manual and everyone needs to know how to drive a manual. Manuals tend to last longer, if used properly of course (no shifting from 4th to 2nd, things like that) and manuals give you more control of the vehicle at all times, especially in snow (use the tranny+brakes to slow you down versus solely the brakes [generally] on an auto) and will keep his hand on the wheel and stick and not on a cell phone:wink:
My personal opinion, don't get either cuz both don't have that great reliability. I would invest in a saturn. Cheaper and good on gas/insurance and an easy car to work on/maintain yourself.

I like my 2000 cavalier. As for them being unsafe, my brother crashed his 2002 cav into a tree and while it buckled the hood badly and totaled it, the frame of the car was fine. So safety would be one of the reasons I bought one regardless of what a safety test said. I saw a safety test first hand.