I bought a 1997 Dodge Neon about three years ago, with less than 25,000 miles on it. The transmission fell apart at about 50,000 miles, and then the head gasket went at 53,000 miles. Now, about a year and two days after the head gasket job, (3/19/2001-3/21/2002) I find out the head gasket is leaking again.
If anybody out there also owns a Neon and had the head gasket go, there are actually attorneys out there who are putting together a class action suit because it's apparently happened to many, many other Neon owners. I think the firm at hfmlegal.com has something going, and a google search of "Neon Head Gasket Class Action Suit" will probably bring up more, like this other firm in NC. If you're looking for another car, I urge you to stay far, far away from the Neon - and after this experience, I'm not about to drive or recommend any of Dodge's other products ever again.
Adding more to this situation, the car is a former rental, and I wasn't told about it at the time, (rentals get beat up more before they're sold off) and the particular dealership I got it from no longer exists - although it was part of a large well-known local car sales chain.
From what I can tell, I really don't seem to have much legal recourse here, so I'm just washing my hands of the Neon and all Dodge products after this experience (the national company says it's a problem between me and the former dealership) - and urging others to do the same. I had a Daytona before this that was almost as crappy, complete with its own major transmission job and pop up headlights that wouldn't pop up. I've spent thousands repairing the Neon, not to mention the Daytona, and neither really lasted long enough to justify the costs. After hearing about the new leak on the Neon's head gasket, I'm simply trading it in, eating what I still owe on the loan, and buying a reliable foreign car. I bought American for years, and it's killing me now. Screw Dodge.
Bill
Danvers, Massachusetts