I'm coming back to the States in two months and will need to get a new car. I will be buying a used car and am looking at both the neon and the cavalier. I ownded a cavalier z24, but am looking more towards a neon r/t at this point. I want a car that is good in the turns as I am more interested in handling than straight line. Let me know what you think. Other ideas would be appreciated. Up to about $4,000. Not a mechanic so please don't suggest buy this and do an engine swap.

thanks

My Car: 1998 Mazda Roadster (Miata): Tein flex Coilovers, Potenza GIII 195/50/15

http://www.highperformancejdm.com

well Z24 would be a better engine if your looking to make some serious power. The R/T engine has a stock high compression that requires 91 octane, where as the Z24 doesnt. Both cars run nearly identical 1/4 mile times stock. The R/T should out handle the Z24 though. But ive also heard that the R/T engines are prone to breaking down. Personally if i were you, id buy a Z24. Add front sway bars, new shocks, struts, and tires. Your car will handle like a dream.


2006 Black Cobalt SS Supercharged G85
13.91@102.77

Yes the old Neons are junk. If u want a reliable quick car, get a z24.




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Why are you looking at either car if you're interested in handling? There's a whole bunch of cars you can buy for less than $5000 that'll be reliable and smoke either one in a straight line or in the turns. I bought an LT1 camaro in excellent shape for $5k.


...

buy a third gen trans am and get some suspension mods, youll blow all those FWD people away.


-Borsty

id stay away from the older neon's.....

reliablity problems are very common, im not saying the cavalier is the best car in the world but even consumer reports gave it a way better rating as far as reliablity then they did the neon

z24 no doubt, looks a billion times better and is quicker, but then again you are asking this question on a j body site

and insurance on trans ams are usually too much for a lot of us

im got a 1st gen neon 2 days ago. Decent car but it came w/mods. Its not an R/T but its a DOHC, 5 speed. Its fun but im not beatin on cars anymore and that was my RELIABILITY problem w/all my cars so....
Its your choice. I prefer a Z24 and will one day own a cavy again. Deff a Z24.

L8tr


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The old R/T's and ACR's are better than some people on here suggest. I've seen multiple R/T's in the 13's that were still streetable and handled like a champ.

And considering you're looking for handling, I'd say it's defenitely one-up on the Cavalier. Having autocrossed both cars, I can say that without a doubt the Neon was a better handling vehicle. Heck, there's even a Spec Neon road racing series for R/T's.

While I much prefer the looks of the Cavalier, from a performacne standpoint, I'd personally suggest the R/T.


-Scott
2003 VW Passat Turbo (20 psi Daily Driver)
1988 BMW 325i (Spec E30 Race Car Project)

Long Gone: 1997 Cavalier RS, 1966 Ford Mustang, 2002 Honda S2000, and so on...

Between the two, I'd take the Neon. Though if handling is your thing, I'd suggest a 2k+ Mazda Protege...




-John

Not to thread jack but this is sort of the same lines may help you out to. i got a question what car could i make faster cheaper. A neon (any neon)(5speed) or a 95-99 (2.2)(5speed or auto) cavaler.?

oo and like mods what car is cheaper to buy mods for. like sway bars intakes , stuff like that.

A third gen fbody can be bought for less than $4k, will outhandle the vast majority of cars on the road, and can be turned into a monster over the weekend. You can probably find an LT1 fbody for $5k. Insurance coverage will be cheap b/c he'll probably only put liability on a car he pays $4-5k for.


...

neon is deff cheaper to mod, at least it responds to the mods better than a 2.2 ohv or 2200 does. BUt for a neon go with the DOHC. Ive owned both a 2.2 cavy and now a DOHC neon and say by far the neon.



does that say premium, Oh snap, my membership ran out!
*** rolling on the floor having AG withdrawels ***
must... renew...membership...must...support...org

hey nitroneon im me on aim sometime. screen name is NYcavirider

Thanks for all the posts. keep um coming. Yeah i am kinda leaning towards the neon. I have been in a couple of really nice ones, and there are a lot of parts available. Not really into the f bodies. I know a lot of people like them, but they just don't look good to me. It is also difficult for me to imagine the f bodies out handling a neon considering it was basically untouchable in autocross for its time. Thanks for all your help. Really want to hear from the people who have owned both cars.

My Car: 1998 Mazda Roadster (Miata): Tein flex Coilovers, Potenza GIII 195/50/15

http://www.highperformancejdm.com

Also what does eveyone think of escort zx2s? Are they crap like the old escorts used to be?

My Car: 1998 Mazda Roadster (Miata): Tein flex Coilovers, Potenza GIII 195/50/15

http://www.highperformancejdm.com

escort zx2's are crap, slow, unreliable, girly, the list goes on, if I had to choose one the girl cars I'd get the neon they are super cheap and can be pretty quick for low amounts of cash a pushrod cavy or a dohc neon, I'd get the neon.

I own a 1998 Neon r/t and a 2002 Cavy Z24, I'd I would deff go with the Cavalier. Neons are not very reliable, I am constantly tryign to fix something on the neon. Although stock for stock, the neon does have better hadleing, but you can easily make the cavalier far better than the neon. Where are you from, I have a lot of friends who run neons in auto-x here in michigan, If you go over to detroitneonowners.org they can give you a lot of information.

I don't get it. You want a good handling car but all that I've seen mentioned are neons cavaliers and f-bodies. None of which are really all that known for their handling, sometimes you domestic fanboys are too much.

Of the three, I'd say the neon is the better handler.


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brew-san wrote:I don't get it. You want a good handling car but all that I've seen mentioned are neons cavaliers and f-bodies. None of which are really all that known for their handling, sometimes you domestic fanboys are too much.

Of the three, I'd say the neon is the better handler.

And the title of the post "Need a New car Neon R/T or Cavalier Z24" maybe thats why no one is mentioning imports. You import fan boys, never understand a post. . .


2006 Black Cobalt SS Supercharged G85
13.91@102.77

brew-san wrote:I don't get it. You want a good handling car but all that I've seen mentioned are neons cavaliers and f-bodies. None of which are really all that known for their handling, sometimes you domestic fanboys are too much.

Of the three, I'd say the neon is the better handler.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

a neon will outhandle a f body?

AAAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHHAHAHAAHHAHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHA

third gen suspension is stock tighter then a ten year old.


u know nothing about domestics, go back to the acura sites.

Joshx99 wrote:A third gen fbody can be bought for less than $4k, will outhandle the vast majority of cars on the road, and can be turned into a monster over the weekend. You can probably find an LT1 fbody for $5k. Insurance coverage will be cheap b/c he'll probably only put liability on a car he pays $4-5k for.

yay! someone gets it!


-Borsty

-JaysonZ24- wrote:And the title of the post "Need a New car Neon R/T or Cavalier Z24" maybe thats why no one is mentioning imports. You import fan boys, never understand a post. . .

**cough**

Shockwave wrote:Other ideas would be appreciated. Up to about $4,000. Not a mechanic so please don't suggest buy this and do an engine swap.
thanks

He didn't mention an f-body either but for some reason those came up too.


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thats cause for cheaper then both u can get a sweeter, better running, faster, cheaper to fix and mod, easier to work on, better handling, more fun to drive, and get more looks and respect.


3rd gen f bodies, gotta love em.


-Borsty

Fbodies dominate their class in autox at the national level....I simply gave this guy the best choice for a blend of performance and economy for his price range.


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