Chevy Cavalier or Dodge Neon?

[dr pep]

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

[juanito115]

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!

[sickcallawayc12]

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
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.

[mckinncm]

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.