Well I went and did it! Now the countdown to me not owning a Z anymore begins....

[Guest bastaad525]

yep, it's a done deal. Drove home a brand spankin new Dodge SRT-4 tonite. A red one, got a decent deal on it. Turns out all the dealerships in SoCal are marking them up, every one I saw was marked like $2000-3000 over sticker, though some were not 'marked', but the salesmen let on kinda quick.

 

After a lot of phonecalls, me and my wife working both our cellphones and the home phone... it was like wall street in my living room... finally one guy offered me a sweet deal, $20,300, including tax and all that and a 7 yr / 70,000 mile extended warranty (regular is 3/36k). That's about a grand less than sticker, on a car that was marked up as mentioned above. The interest is great as well considering I've had some really big credit issues in the past, they got me 7%.

 

So I'm happy I HOPE this thing doesn't end up being a POS, but, well, having been driving cars at LEAST 10 years old since I first started driving, I'm used to problematic cars, I don't think even the crappiest new car could ever be as bad as what I've been used to (knockin on wood!).

 

So it's official, the Z is up for sale, I'm uh... a bit emotional over it so gonna hold off on putting up an ad in the classifieds til tommorow I guess. I'm gonna miss it, a lot

 

Anyways, I'll still be around on the boards, filling them up with encylopedic-length posts, I'm sure This place is great, no reason not to stick around. And anyways, you guys probably know full well I'll have another Z at some point or another, probably after getting us into a house.

 

So... see! This time I wasn't crying wolf! I only wish I'd gotten this car sooner, apparently the '04's were better in some respects they typical dyno more stock but, who knows well we all know to take dyno #'s with a grain of salt. Of course, though it's HP is close to my Z's, it doesn't feel nearly as fast, not that I'm romping on it yet god break in is gonna be an eternity!

 

Well I hope none of you have lost respect for me or anything like that for trading a Z for a Neon of all things and hope I'll always be welcome here. Thanks for all the great advice, tips and great info you guys have given me from day one of my turbo swap, w/o you guys I'd have given up LONG LONG ago.

[pjo046]

Hmmm.. I feel your pain!

But like you say, sooner or later you'll end up buying a new Z anyways.

But how much do you expect to get for it? Is it really worth selling? It will definately be a loss when you count in all the money you'll need to spend whenever you're buying a new Z and start all over. On the other hand, it will of course be nice to start all over again with clean sheets, with all the knowledge you now have about the Z cars!

[Guest bastaad525]

I'm not sure what I *expect* to get for it, I'm starting by asking for $6,000 and see what happens. I'm in no huge rush to get rid of it, so I can be patient, test the waters.

 

As far as losing money by selling, hell yes I will... there's no way around it, but any car, fixed up or not, is like that.

 

As far as what it would cost to get another Z and start over? HELL NO! I'm NEVER starting over. If I buy another Z, it will be someone elses project that is either finished or very close to finished.

 

One thing I have thought about and really makes me kind of happy, is that, even if I have a really hard time selling and have to go kinda low, you know, the 'market prices' for like-modded Z's, whether they be V8 or turbo or whatever, is pretty similiar. I see done or near done cars, lets say DRIVABLE Hybrid Z's, for sale pretty often for under $5k, usually needing body work or interior but rarely needing any drivetrain work. So whatever I sell my Z for, chances are I could spend that exact same amount and get another Z, done up to a very similiar level as mine, and probably with just as much invested as mine has. So in that way I dont feel I'm losing out at ALL.

 

It's all about just looking in the right place at the right time. As I said.. I'm in no rush, about anything any more. I have a car that will last me at least a few years, with the extended warranty I should have very little to worry about for a very long time. So I've got a lot of time to save, and do other things like buy a house, and not worry about fixing my car anymore. And a lot of time to wait for a really sweet deal on an already done Z that an owner needs to sell ASAP for some absurdly low price, and I"m back in business.

 

 

Then again, there is a slight, SLIGHT possibility, that since I got the payments down so much lower than we expected to be paying (original quotes I was getting were close to $500 a month! but now I'm only paying just over $300), and just overall got a really good deal, I MAY just hold on to my Z after all. My wife is dead set against this, BUT, her main concerns are a) she wants her parking space back, I'm using both for my Z and SRT now, and since I bought this car, she wouldn't want me to keep the Z because she wouldn't want me to put ANY more money into it. So if I can convince her that I won't upgrade a THING on that car, and keep the mileage really low, only drive a couple times a month or something, that's a huge part of that battle right there, and would probably enough BUT for the fact that she wants her parking spot! If I can solve that problem, I may remain a Z owner after all!

 

Another option/possiblity, I may put it in storage until we move outta here. If there is a way for me to keep it, I will, TRUST me!

[Sparky]

hey congrats man!

 

it is a neon, but its a damn quick neon and not a bad ride for that price!

 

So if I can convince her that I won't upgrade a THING on that car, and keep the mileage really low, only drive a couple times a month or something,

 

HAHAHAHAHAROFLMAO..

 

good luck with that one....HA. you might have a new car now but your still a car guy right? and when can a car guy ever not have to jump on a good deal, or modify simply because "you can". I know it sucks but just sell her...you can always find anotherone later (although prices have been on the rise!) puting the car in storage will only result or more things going wrong at a more frequent rate. sell her to somebody that really wants her (be picky about buyers if you can) and keep tabs on the car and its progress with the new owner.

 

 

anywho, post some pictures soon, and some times or dyno sheets once you get her broken in. turn that AC up for me....105 degrees here yesterday....70% humidity........no AC

[auxilary]

you guys do realize that neons just got cancelled, right? They're being replaced by Dodge Caliber, and the srt4 is no more.

[80LS1T]

I was pretty sure you could get close to $20K. Did it come with all the extra stuff you didnt really care if you got?

 

 

Yeah and the Caliber looks like a mini stationwagon suv lookin' thing. I dont like it! Plus it being enginered by.........Dodge, Mercedes, and Mitsubishi. Can you say a "what a PITA to work on"....I hope it has Dodge wiring cause mitsu wiring sucks and so does Mercedes(The dodge sprinter is actually pretty much all Mercedes).

 

Guy

[SleeperZ]

you guys do realize that neons just got cancelled, right? They're being replaced by Dodge Caliber, and the srt4 is no more.

Oooh, collector item!

[auxilary]

I was pretty sure you could get close to $20K. Did it come with all the extra stuff you didnt really care if you got?

 

 

Yeah and the Caliber looks like a mini stationwagon suv lookin' thing. I dont like it! Plus it being enginered by.........Dodge' date=' Mercedes, and Mitsubishi. Can you say a "what a PITA to work on"....I hope it has Dodge wiring cause mitsu wiring sucks and so does Mercedes(The dodge sprinter is actually pretty much all Mercedes).

 

Guy[/quote']

the 1st gen 420a short block is.. lo and behold! same as the eclipse gs. the head is turned 180* degrees. Dodge wiring may not suck, but dodge plastics and clips that break every time do! Actually since mercedes took over, quality of hte neon has gone up dramatically. And this is coming from someone who hates Mercedes

[Confused]

Awesome. I just hope you wont turn into one of those "typical" SRT owners. Honestly though, if I still lived in SoCal and had the money, I would buy your car if you sold it.

[auxilary]

according to srtforums, the srt-4 is not a neon...

[Guest hartzpad]

If only it were rear wheel drive

[Guest ON3GO]

If only it were rear wheel drive

the new one will be either rwd or awd... prob awd as it will share something with the evo i bet.

 

good job on buying the srt4.. nice cars, was gonna get one over my scion xB in that orange color.. but then i thought its fwd, slower then my Z's, no where near as much space as the xB and more money and worse on gas.. so i got the xB.

but i would trade for one now lol

 

mike

[b__sosick]

when the srt4 first came out i thought it would be so sweet. and then i found out it was fwd.

 

 

and was severely dissapointed. :

 

 

those things sound so beastly though!!

[Guest bastaad525]

Yeah it's a Neon, no if's ands or buts. But that's like... in the same way that an Evo is just a Lancer, and the STi is just an Impreza . But you don't ever hear people making THOSE comparisons. Outside it's all Neon but underneath the shell it's a totally different car. Same thing was done in the case of like EVERY old classic musclecar from back in the day, no? Take your basic grocery getter, stick in a monster motor, and call it a day. Except this one is improved in every other aspect as well handling and braking so far are pretty impressive. It's not that much slower than my Z to begin with, and I'll be upgrading it soon enough with a Stage 1 ECU and a few other little goodies that should get me about 20-30 extra whp.

 

And yeah, I don't think I'd have bought it if it hadn't been that I keep hearing how since Mercedes merged with Chrysler, the quality of their products has greatly improved.

 

As for the price, no I didn't get anything extra, it's just a plain base model, but I did get the 7 yr / 70,000 mile extended warranty, regular warranty is 3 / 36.

[80LS1T]

Yeah the 2005's have the 7/70. That warrenty is only for the internal parts on the engine and tranny though. It wont cover any sensors, steering, suspension, or a/c.

 

My girlfriend picked up her neon sxt tonight. The guys at my dealership were nice enough to sell her the full 7/70 bumper to bumper warrenty to her at my cost....$900 vs $1400. She also got a 4 year oil change package for $200(16 oil changes @ $12.50). She saved $100 on that package because they sold it at my cost. She is very happy with hers. She thinks its "cute." She really likes the SRT-4 but it just wasnt in her budget.

 

My roomate really wants a SRT-4. I took him for a ride in one a few weeks ago right before he picked up his 06' Scion Tc. He wishes that he would have bought a SRT-4 rather than the Tc. Thats what he gets for only test driving one kind of car!

 

My suggestion for your first upgrade is get an oil catch can. Oil likes to get pooled up in the lower intake hose below the throttle body. I think its because of the extra air from the turbo sucking it from the PCV hose attached at the top of the throttle body and then it gets stuck in that hose. You'll see what I mean if you open your hood and see the routing of the PCV hose. Its not a big deal but from what I understand oil going into the turbo not via the oil line is bad.

 

Oh and where the heck are the pics!

 

 

Guy

[Kennysgreen280zt]

My roomate has an SRT-4. I like it. Upgrades seem to be pretty endless, fuel milage isnt too bad on the highway if you stay off boost. Seats are alright. Did I mention the cup holders.... they hold the BIG jack in the box cups without getting in the way of the shifter

 

Oil catch can is simple, there are a few home depot solutions for around $30.

[Guest bastaad525]

80LT1 - actually the '05 comes only with 3 year - 36,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty normally. The '04's came with an extended 7 year warranty on the drivetrain only at no extra cost, but this wasn't offered with the '05's.

 

The warranty the salesman gave me is the 7 year 70,000 mile 'added care' package, which covers ALMOST everything on the car, not just drivetrain, but electrical, A/C, accesories, etc. The list price for that package was like $2000, he threw it as part of the deal. I kinda BS'd him telling him that another dealership was offering me one for sticker with the sunroof and stereo package, but that I'd rather have the warranty than those things.

 

I think I picked the perfect time to buy one of these. Figure, I got the thing out the door for about $1000 less than sticker, on top of the fact that they were actually marking them up, the sticker on the window had the price listed at $23,000, $2000 MORE than sticker, AND I got him to throw in the extended warranty, and an excellent interest rate which I didn't even think was possible... I mean other guys were offering me 11-12%.

 

And yeah, oil catch can is high on my list of to-do's.

 

my planned upgrade list for now is:

 

stage 1 ECU

upgraded wastegate

catch can

 

From what I"m hearing, the Stg 1 and WGA should put me solidly into 13's.

[Gollum]

the new one will be either rwd or awd... prob awd as it will share something with the evo i bet.

 

I wouldn't put my money on that just yet. The evo componets are expensive, and the cars are put together abroad. Don't get me wrong, I love the evo AWD, i think it's the fastest on the market (note, that doesn't mean funnest) but I don't think they could hit a price range they want with it.

 

Well, congrats on the SRT-4. I've seen people put down over 300hp to the wheels on carb legal parts, so there potential in the motor to doubt.

 

Let us know how it understeers. I've heard good and bad things about it. And most importantly, how connected do you feel to the car. Feedback, steering weight, and other things of the like.

[Guest bastaad525]

So far the handling has impressed me quite a bit. But to be fair, look where I'm coming from. A 30 year old Z with 30 year old bushings, and my Sentra with worn out front shocks.

 

I think the first 'true' test for me with this SRT will be hitting my favorite local mountain road as soon as I get the engine broken in.

 

In the Z, that road is a blast but also scary as hell as the Z threatens oversteer constantly... maintaining the perfect level of throttle is key. Even with the worn bushings I still feel the car handles well but the chassis does flex pretty bad. Anyways, since putting the turbo motor in it I was always kinda scared going up that road so only took it at like 7/10... when it had the 170 rwhp N/A motor I would go 10/10 with confidence.

 

The sentra feels great even with the worn front shocks going up that same road... I was really impressed with it's handling, and even more with it's great brakes. The pitching and diving of the nose was disconcerting sometimes, but overall I was very impressed with it and it felt very balanced for a FWD.

 

I think the SRT is going to own both of them. It's got great power and so little turbo lag so the pedal is very responsive. It feels pretty stiff, similiar to my Z with the eibachs and tokicos. It's got GREAT brakes with ABS, this is easily the hardest stopping car I've ever owned, and I think it goes 60-0 in like 115 feet if I remember right. It's got LSD up front, I believe it's not a viscous type but either a clutch type or what I'm not sure. The LSD in my Sentra doesn't seem to be doing it's job since I got it I'm thinking bad understeer isn't going to be TOO much of a problem in the SRT but if it is there's always the e-brake I mean, I really felt the Sentra was a great handling car for a FWD, as did just about every magazine writer who reviewed one and everyone who's owned one. And the SRT just feels that much better.

 

Point is, jumping from two old and tired sporty cars into a brand new sporty car, sure the SRT feels GREAT, but my perspective just may be skewed. The only problems I can see are a) the rear rides too high, the overall ride height is too high, I'm betting it's gonna have some roll in hard turns, and putting all that torque thru the front wheels while asking them to turn at speed... that CAN"T be a good thing.

[Mikelly]

Those cars are a lot of fun. We see them regularly at track days. Dodge really did their homework with that SRT/neon!

 

Mike:cool: