My brother got an '04 SRT-4

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My brother just got a new 2004 Black Dodge SRT4 - 3-03-04. It's now got about 60 or so miles on it and it's simply beautiful. The seats are stock racing seats (Viper-Inspired) and the most comfortable stock seats i've ever sat in. The back seat is very roomy easily fitting 3 people. The stock exhaust and blowoff valve sound excellent also. Just tapping the gas you can hear the blow-off valve breathing. The crackle and pop noises from the exhaust sound very nice too. The whole car is excellent over-all. For anyone looking for a nice car and are willing to spend $20,000, this is definately the car for you! I'm sure most of the people at this forum already know all this, but i'm really excited and had to get this all out of my system. ;)
 
One of my friends just bought one last weekend. I had to drive it home for him as he does not know how to drive a stick. Pretty cool car, and an excellent car for the money.
 
Originally posted by Ser0119
One of my friends just bought one last weekend. I had to drive it home for him as he does not know how to drive a stick. Pretty cool car, and an excellent car for the money.
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So he bought the car and doesn't know how to drive it?:odd:
 
Originally posted by Slick6
So he bought the car and doesn't know how to drive it?:odd:
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He can get around now, but is still driving his Grand Am until he is completely comfortable driving the Neon. I took him to a parking lot and gave him an hour lesson and he has been practicing on his own. I know it is very odd, but the rest of my friends and I find a lot of humor in it.:D The best part was when the salesman asked him if he wanted to test drive it. :lol:
 
Originally posted by Klostrophobic
I'd like them, but they're front-wheel drive.

They should throw in an extra 60 horsepower, or give it rear-wheel drive.
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I think that would definitely have to be an "and" instead of an "or". :) 240 hp is bad enough in a tight turn. 300 hp on the stock setup would be a nightmare.
 
Cool! Direct your brother/friend to www.neons.org . There is an SRT-specific board there. And it's by far the biggest and oldest online Neon community, with the most knowledgeable members and insiders.
 
You know, an AWD SRT-4 would be the cat's pajamas. I'm sure Chrysler has a few donor parts laying around.

Supply the Mopar Stage 1 as part of the AWD package, price it at around 23k, maybe 24 fully loaded and watch it give Subaru and Mitsubishi a heart attack.


M
 
Originally posted by ///M-Spec
You know, an AWD SRT-4 would be the cat's pajamas. I'm sure Chrysler has a few donor parts laying around.

Supply the Mopar Stage 1 as part of the AWD package, price it at around 23k, maybe 24 fully loaded and watch it give Subaru and Mitsubishi a heart attack.
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I've often wondered if working in the rear axle and transfer case from a Grand Caravan AWD Sport would be possible, and if it would be worth giving up the independent rear suspension.

You'd have to section the axle to get the track right, but I just don't see the Neon's IRS control arms holding up to drive load.
 
Ew. No, not at the expense of losing an IRS rear end. Chysler doesn't have an AWD powertrain coupled to an IRS?


M
 
The current-gen SE-Rs have a beam axle back there...

Maybe in the Liberty they have IRS. I don't really follow the SUVs. The GC AWD uses a beam axle out back. But the transfer case is suited to a transverse FWD layout already, so that's the obvious choice. And the regular Neons now come with the same 41TE automatic rather than the trusty old 31TH of yore. I don't know how it would mate to the T-850 manual from the SRT, which is way more rugged than the regular T-350.

If Chyrsler did it, they could get it it work starting from the SRT. If you and I were doing it, I'd say start with an '04 Neon with the 4-speed electronic automatic. Mate up the transfer case (or the whole trans, if the gearing is better) from an '04 Grand Caravan AWD. We'll assume an available rear diff from the assumed IRS Liberty.

Electronics makes things so much more complicated. The newer Neons have both a body and a chassis computer which makes things very difficult. The SRT's engine will fit in the engine bay, but we'll need aftermarket engine management to deal with it...

OK, scratch that and try a different tack: Start with an SRT after all. Then import the Caravan ATX and transfer case and whatever rear diff we assumed above. Then, get the engine contoller from a GT Cruiser automatic, which will hopefully control the electronic 4-speed, and will hopefully talk to the chassis controller on the Neon...

Meh. It was so much simpler when all you had to deal with was fuel lines, battery cables, and a coil wire...
 
Doesn't DC still have a deal with Mitsu? In that case, there should be a galant vr-4 or awd eclipse/talon IRS. I dont really follow Mopar transmissions, but somethings gotta fit.

Oh yeah, and I'm 90% sure the Liberty's got a good ol' fashioned bouncing pumpkin.
 
Mitsubishi is like a bad drug that Chrysler can't quit. I'd prefer to do it with American-engineered pieces if at all possible.
 
Originally posted by neon_duke
Electronics makes things so much more complicated. The newer Neons have both a body and a chassis computer which makes things very difficult.
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They sure do. Its a chore even to dyno a car nowadays.

It'd be a bad-assed ride if we got done, though.

So what's the body and chassis computer do? Traction Ctrl+DSC+ABS type stuff?


M
 
Yeah, plus it manages all the gauges, controls, etc. and the general body electrical where required.
 
Originally posted by neon_duke
Mitsubishi is like a bad drug that Chrysler can't quit.
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That's because Chrysler owns Mitsubishi. Not ironically, Mitsubishi sells the lowest volume of any full-market Japanese brand where Chrysler sells the lowest volume of any full-market Dometic brand. Both companies have overall weak lineups, though I'd actually give Mitsubishi the slight edge - they just need a minivan.

My brother just got a new 2004 Black Dodge SRT4
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One of my friends just bought one last weekend.
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As we've now got more than ten members with one (or who has someone close to them with one), I must say that not only is Dodge really bad at producing cars in limited numbers, but that this is the least-limited "limited production" car ever. I bet they're even discounting.
 
Originally posted by M5Power
I bet they're even discounting.
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That actually is the Sales Manager and Salesman's fault if they are getting discounted. . . What would you pay for the car of your dreams? I bet these guys couldn't sell themselves out of free items (meaning they could give away a free item)
 
Originally posted by miata13B
That actually is the Sales Manager and Salesman's fault if they are getting discounted. . . What would you pay for the car of your dreams? I bet these guys couldn't sell themselves out of free items (meaning they could give away a free item)
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If they kept it limited they wouldn't have to discount. But once everyone who wants one has one, demand dies extremely quickly, and it happens soon - just ask Subaru; WRX sales have taken a dive in the last ten months. Maybe we liked the bug-eye more...

I don't actually think they're discounting. Yet.
 
Originally posted by M5Power
If they kept it limited they wouldn't have to discount. But once everyone who wants one has one, demand dies extremely quickly, and it happens soon - just ask Subaru; WRX sales have taken a dive in the last ten months. Maybe we liked the bug-eye more...

I don't actually think they're discounting. Yet.
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Do you think a major deal of the dive in sales is of course still affected by the economy? I mean the economy will always affect it, but more now then it has in history?

BTW I think the WRX bug-eyes were horrible. . . IMO
 
Originally posted by miata13B
Do you think a major deal of the dive in sales is of course still affected by the economy? I mean the economy will always affect it, but more now then it has in history?
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Sure it is, particularly for cars like the WRX whose base is mainly young professionals, but I believe it more had to do with a loss of buyer interest. They're priced cheaply enough that anyone looking for the car bought one within the last two years, and since they have no competitors it's tough to attract new buyers.
 
Originally posted by M5Power
Sure it is, particularly for cars like the WRX whose base is mainly young professionals, but I believe it more had to do with a loss of buyer interest. They're priced cheaply enough that anyone looking for the car bought one within the last two years, and since they have no competitors it's tough to attract new buyers.
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That actually quite surprises me that no one is interested. . . I think it stems more to the marketting of the car then anything that is not letting them get sold. . . I have never seen a STI or SRT-4 commericial yet, but I have seen a Ford GT commericial . . . WTF? If you want to sell a product you need to market the product properly, I think auto manufactures are losing touch with this. I think to add to the problem is the marketting let alone the previously mentioned issues.
 
Originally posted by miata13B
If you want to sell a product you need to market the product properly,
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This is a relatively simplistic view of it. (I mean that in the nicest way possible. :D)

People tend not to understand the value of image, or at least they tend not to apply it. No, the Ford GT adverts will not bring in extra GT buyers. But if a few hundred people saw the ads, had their view of Ford changed, and went to the dealer and bought a Ford, then the ads have served their purpose. Hell, even if the people don't actually buy a Ford - the goal is simply image. And if Ford can shift the view of just a few thousand people, then the adverts have done their job - even if they haven't sold a single car. In the end, a good image always leads to sales (just as it leads to votes) and Ford's going for a good image.

Image plays a huge part in the car game - the previous Chevrolet Malibu has been one of the most reliable midsize cars since 1997. But the Japanese have already snapped up the "reliable" image. So this time around, Chevrolet went with value - check out their adverts - to capitalise on that image. It'll work, too.

Subaru's present ad campaign goes on about safety - "driven by what's inside". Subaru advertises the WRX, but figures correctly that anybody who is in the market for the STi already knows exactly what it is. And since it goes against the safety image, there's no sense advertising for it, particularly because most prospective customers have already made up their minds.
 
Originally posted by M5Power


This is a relatively simplistic view of it. (I mean that in the nicest way possible. :D)

People tend not to understand the value of image, or at least they tend not to apply it. No, the Ford GT adverts will not bring in extra GT buyers. But if a few hundred people saw the ads, had their view of Ford changed, and went to the dealer and bought a Ford, then the ads have served their purpose. Hell, even if the people don't actually buy a Ford - the goal is simply image. And if Ford can shift the view of just a few thousand people, then the adverts have done their job - even if they haven't sold a single car. In the end, a good image always leads to sales (just as it leads to votes) and Ford's going for a good image.

Image plays a huge part in the car game - the previous Chevrolet Malibu has been one of the most reliable midsize cars since 1997. But the Japanese have already snapped up the "reliable" image. So this time around, Chevrolet went with value - check out their adverts - to capitalise on that image. It'll work, too.

Subaru's present ad campaign goes on about safety - "driven by what's inside". Subaru advertises the WRX, but figures correctly that anybody who is in the market for the STi already knows exactly what it is. And since it goes against the safety image, there's no sense advertising for it, particularly because most prospective customers have already made up their minds. [/B]
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That is pretty much what I was getting to, but I think a little advertisement might help.


BTW during your trip did you stop in Westport, CT. by any chance? I use to live there off the Post road near Hay Day next to the Honda dealer. . .
 
Chrysler's advertising before the blitzkrieg was mediocre. Since then it has become utterly loathsome. It's clear that Daimler wants Chrysler to fail so they can simply absorb whatever is left of the company after they've bled it dry.

Chrysler has a couple cars that could be solid image sellers - the SRT and turbo GT Cruiser, the Sebring ragtop, the Pacifica - and what do they advertise? The Caravan. As if nearly undiscovered tribes in Borneo didn't already know that Chrysler invented the minivan.
 
Originally posted by neon_duke
Cool! Direct your brother/friend to www.neons.org . There is an SRT-specific board there. And it's by far the biggest and oldest online Neon community, with the most knowledgeable members and insiders.
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Amen to that! I lurk there a lot but i've learned a great deal from the fantastic community there. Well just don't expect total utopian sanctuary there either. Lots of morons in the Tales of the Road forum hehe..

Oh neon_duke are you a Mod there? I don't bother looking at the staff pages hehe.. :D

Btw grats on the SRT-4 and your brother! Great car if I had the money i'd get one hands down. Beautiful cars they are. They can torch most cars in the upper range (30k cars like Eclipses, Lancers, and Imprezas), with minor bolt on's. Great purchase!

I'm getting a Neon next month in fact. ;) Can't wait! :O
 

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