Neons start to break....
You can get a new one for about the mid-$70K range if you negotiate... As for comparing a Viper to an NSX. Sure the Viper is faster in straight line performance but like most domestics, it handles like crap. I would take an NSX any day over a Viper.
Gimme a break you guys, WTF cares if it's a Neon. May I remind you we are driving HONDAS, not Ferraris. I for one am glad that Dodge has come out with a car that is not only competitive but blows the doors off any other sport compact on the market. And as for the "just a Neon" comments, you people need to go out and do some auto-xing and learn some humility, Neons are damn fast on an auto-x course. (Damn their stock adjustable Koni shocks!)
As far as the NSX vs. Viper goes, I'll be impressed when I see an NSX on the professional circuit winning races. There are plenty of Vipers, C5Rs and, 911s winning at the pro level but few (if any) NSXs that are competitive. Yea, Vipers suck and they can't handle.
That's why they dominate a road course. (unless a C5R is doing it)
The NSX may be a better street car in that it's more reliable, gets better MPG, and easier to drive. But by that measure a Hyundai is a better street car. Give me raw and uncompromising over easy to drive any day of the week.
BTW, I'm not trying to be harsh on the NSX, I do like them quite a bit. But they are outgunned in today's market.
As far as the NSX vs. Viper goes, I'll be impressed when I see an NSX on the professional circuit winning races. There are plenty of Vipers, C5Rs and, 911s winning at the pro level but few (if any) NSXs that are competitive. Yea, Vipers suck and they can't handle.
That's why they dominate a road course. (unless a C5R is doing it)The NSX may be a better street car in that it's more reliable, gets better MPG, and easier to drive. But by that measure a Hyundai is a better street car. Give me raw and uncompromising over easy to drive any day of the week.
BTW, I'm not trying to be harsh on the NSX, I do like them quite a bit. But they are outgunned in today's market.
Neons that do well in an auto-x?
I'm not sure what auto-x's you go to, but from my personal experiences, they suck. Maybe its the driver, or the car, maybe both. As for the SRT "blowing the doors off any other sport compact on the market", I would like to see it try to blow anything against an Evo or STi.
The Neon is a joke and the SRT is a bigger one... All Dodge did is add a turbo to a POS rental car and market it to 16 year old punk ass wannabe street racers.
As for the NSX being in professional competition... Ever hear of JGTC (Japan Grand Touring Car Championship)? Here's one of the newer NSX-R that compete in that series...

http://asia.vtec.net/article/takatansx/
I'm not sure what auto-x's you go to, but from my personal experiences, they suck. Maybe its the driver, or the car, maybe both. As for the SRT "blowing the doors off any other sport compact on the market", I would like to see it try to blow anything against an Evo or STi.The Neon is a joke and the SRT is a bigger one... All Dodge did is add a turbo to a POS rental car and market it to 16 year old punk ass wannabe street racers.

As for the NSX being in professional competition... Ever hear of JGTC (Japan Grand Touring Car Championship)? Here's one of the newer NSX-R that compete in that series...

http://asia.vtec.net/article/takatansx/
This is my first time on this forum, I just purchased a S2000 Monday (by the way I absolutely love it, and its stratospheric redline) and yesterday I was at the dodge dealership trying to order a SRT-4 (I wanted a 2004 so that hopefully some of the bugs would be known and addressed, but that
Originally posted by Daveg27
You'd be better off with a used Miata or Neon ACR than auto-xing the SRT-4. Personally, I don't think the SRT-4 is going to be a very good auto-crosser. This may sound like a contradiciton to my earlier point but hear me out. The SRT-4 has no LSD. All that extra power is going to be used turning the inside wheel into smoke. It's heavier than the old one and probably (not sure about this one) has a more forward weight bias. The SRT-4s I've seen auto-xing have performed poorly. Granted they are brand new and haven't been sorted out yet. Time will tell though.
You'd be better off with a used Miata or Neon ACR than auto-xing the SRT-4. Personally, I don't think the SRT-4 is going to be a very good auto-crosser. This may sound like a contradiciton to my earlier point but hear me out. The SRT-4 has no LSD. All that extra power is going to be used turning the inside wheel into smoke. It's heavier than the old one and probably (not sure about this one) has a more forward weight bias. The SRT-4s I've seen auto-xing have performed poorly. Granted they are brand new and haven't been sorted out yet. Time will tell though.
It was only beaten by:
Corvette MTI Z07, SSGTI
Corvette ZO6, SSGTI
Viper SRT-10 SSGTI
Ruf RGT, SSGTI
Porsche 911 Turbo, SSGTI
Toyota Supra Turbo SSGTI
Corvette ZR-1, SSGTI
Oh yeah. the wrx and evo both got spanked dirty style too. And it won best in mid-price Sedan category and it "ain't" even a mid priced sedan!!! There were 94 other competitors. Oh yeah the car that was 50 points behind the srt was a Lambo Diablo.
1. 52 Dodge SRT-4 1305 5595
Cory O`Brien, Erich Heuschele
2. 63 Subaru WRX Wagon 1205 5200
Luke Russell, Jeremy Snyder
3. 19 Mitsubishi Evolution 1150 5025
frank jordan, Jon Krolewicz, Brian Dowling
4. 13 Ford Thunderbird 1120 4915
Ted Lyons, Mike Hurst
5. 55 Subaru WRX 1120 4905
Tom Hoppe, Steven Rankins
6. 60 Subaru WRX 1050 4725
Stu Sacks MD, David High, DPM, Pearce Sloan, DPM
7. 59 Mitsubishi Evolution 8 990 4475
Mitch Farner, Ryan Farner
8. 56 Lexus IS300 955 4495
Mark Love, Reg Riemer
9. 53 Volkswagan GTI VR6 860 3855
Michael Potter, Raffi Kazanjian, Paul Grimes
10. 62 Subaru WRX 770 3515
Jay Holeman, Dave Crockett
11. 57 Volkswagan GTI 710 3040
Yarrow Thorne, Rudy Rouhana
12. 54 BMW 325 535 2215
Victor Hall, Alex May
13. 31 Subaru WRX 475 2015
Bill Ellsworth, David Ellsworth
14. 66 Chevy Caprice 380 1395
Michael Demers, Richard Wells, Jon Martin
15. 61 Chevrolet Caprice 335 1250
William Porter, Marie Porter
16. 32 Volvo 740 Sedan 175 615
William Cook, Jon Dega, Richard Spicer
17. 69 Chevelot Impala SS 5 0
Howard LaFever, Mark Grzella, David Campbell
18 58 BMW 316I -20 -100
DANNY ALVIS
If you don't beleive it? Go buy the newest Issue of Car & Driver & read it for yourself.. Or go read on http://www.onelapofamerica.com/ Check "Final Results"
Find a viper driver in South florida and I'll race my NSX against him anyday on an AutoX track...no SRT-10s...either GTS or RT-10. I think the SRT10s are almost perfect (they listened to complaints of viper drivers and actually made something of it this time!!! roomier interior, more power, lower stance, better suspension, less weight, etc)
And I do believe the JGTC NSX is a dominant car...i don't know too much about that kinda racing...its all NASCAR for me
And I do believe the JGTC NSX is a dominant car...i don't know too much about that kinda racing...its all NASCAR for me
Well for you Auto X'ers.. The SRT-4 scored 8th overall in the "One Lap of America" competition
and drag racing. There will of course be some success at auto-crossing but nothing like the original ACR Neon. I still think Dodge did a good job with it though, I would have done things just a little differently, that's all. (an ACR version with LSD and adjustable shocks, a true factory ringer.)I could be wrong but the only way we'll know is at the end of the season, either the SRT-4 will dominate it's class (and I'll happily admit I was wrong) or it won't.


