On today’s menu, we have two small domestic sedans from the 1990s, both of which are equipped with their optional twin-cam engines. One has a bunch of power toys and an automatic, while the other is more stripped-down and has a stick. Which one of them will you choose? We’ll find out.
Yesterday’s results prove that I can’t predict the outcome with any degree of accuracy. I mean, yes, the Pontiac Grand Am won, but the grossly overpriced Ford Fairmont gathered a lot more votes than I expected it to. Most Fairmont fans wanted to ditch the carbureted four-cylinder, but the replacement engine of choice was not a V8, but rather a turbo 2.3 liter four from a Thunderbird Turbo Coupe or Mustang SVO. I wholeheartedly support this choice. It’s a lot more interesting than just shoving a 302 in there.
I would love to drive that Fairmont, either before or after a turbo swap, but as far as actually owning one, the Grand Am is an easy choice. An N-body with a stick is my kind of car, as unlikely as that seems.
Back in the 1990s, many small cars came with two engine options: a single overhead cam four-cylinder, or a double overhead cam version of the same engine with an extra twenty or thirty horsepower. Often, this more powerful engine came attached to a higher trim level with a bunch of other options, but a couple of automakers offered the twin-cam engine a la carte. Today, we’re going to look at one of each.
1995 Saturn SL2 – $2,500
Engine/drivetrain: 1.9-liter DOHC inline 4, four-speed automatic, FWD
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Odometer reading: 131,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
Saturn’s original sedan debuted in three trim levels: the basic SL, which came with nothing, the SL1, which added power steering and a right-side rearview mirror, and this SL2, which added bigger wheels, painted bumpers and mirrors, nicer seats, and most importantly, a twin-cam engine paired with lower gearing for quicker getaways.
Fun-loving types ordered the SL2 with a five-speed manual, which made for a legitimately entertaining little car to drive. But as with most cars, the optional automatic was a lot more common. This car has just 131,000 miles on it, which, if it has been maintained, is nothing for one of these cars. The seller doesn’t expressly say how well it runs, but they do call it a “great little car,” so I presume it runs and drives just fine.
In addition to the automatic, this car has a few other options like power windows and locks, and air conditioning. Unfortunately, the air conditioning doesn’t work; the seller claims it just “needs a charge,” but we all know how that goes. The good news is that the rest of the interior is in really nice shape.
It has some scuffs and scrapes in the rear bumper, but apart from that it looks really good. The trouble is that the same plastic dent-proof panels that keep it looking so young can hide rust. The seller says this car was garaged, but it’s in Ohio, so better take a look underneath.
1997 Plymouth Neon Expresso – $3,500
Engine/drivetrain: 2.0-liter DOHC inline 4, five-speed manual, FWD
Location: Keizer, OR
Odometer reading: 148,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
This is a car I know well, and really like. The Dodge and Plymouth Neon replaced both the K-car-based Shadow and Sundance, and the captive-import Colt, and in both cases it was an improvement. The Neon was never a fancy car, but it was a fun and economical car, and after some early teething troubles, a pretty reliable one as well. This Expresso model was the mid-level trim, with a few sporty touches.
The Neon’s base single overhead cam engine was no slouch, putting out 132 horsepower, but this optional twin-cam engine sent 150 horses to the front wheels through either a five-speed manual or Chrysler’s trusty Torqueflite automatic. I used to own an automatic Neon, and it was fine, but I’ve driven manuals, and they’re a whole lot more fun. The seller of this one says it runs great, and it isn’t due for a timing belt change for quite a while yet. That’s good, because a timing belt job on one of these is a chore and a half.
The Neon was launched in an era when economy car interiors were a lot more fun than they are now. Less fancy maybe, but a lot more fun. There is no reason not to equip all economy cars with seat fabric that looks like the opening credits to Saved By The Bell. It shows some wear, but it clearly hasn’t been abused. There isn’t much to go wrong either, with crank windows and manual locks.
The Neon’s color palette for the first couple of years was nothing short of amazing. You could get a couple of different blues, a couple of different greens, magenta, purple, yellow, and this great aquamarine blue. That’s another thing that should come back: bright colors. I think the last economy car with a decent color palette was the Mitsubishi Mirage. It’s in pretty good shape, with just a few bumps and bruises. It’s a West Coast car, so rust shouldn’t be an issue.
I know, modern cars are a lot safer and probably more efficient, but I don’t care. I miss cars like these, and I’m glad there are still a few around. I have a definite favorite between the two of them, but as always, this is your show. Which one would you drive off in?
The Neon is the more fun ride, but assuming it’s not entirely rusted out under the plastic panels the Saturn is the better 30 year old car.
Based on the comments, I already know I’m underwater but I’ll go with the Saturn. I know the Neon is more fun, but I kinda viewed this from a “what would I choose for a secondary beater car” standpoint. The Saturn provides a bit more flexibility for that kind of service. The color of the Neon is a standout choice among a bunch here, but that misses me as well.
My god, I’m old and completely boring at this point.
Same. Everyone I knew with a gen1 Neon grew to hate them, and just look at the percentage of units sold vs still on the road. When’s the last time you saw a gen1 Saturn? Probably this week. The last time I saw a gen1 Neon? I can’t recall.
For me, the Neon having crank windows and manual locks (less things to go wrong) and being a West Coast car with a manual transmission just make it more attractive than the admittedly nice Saturn, even with the $1k gulf in price.
I’ll take the cheerful Neon, throw some decent, but not great tires on it and hoon it at every OTD and AutoX I can fit into my schedule.
Despite being named after a misspelled Italian coffee, I’ll take the Plymouth.
Hi.
I loved the first generation Neon. I lived in NYC at the time and I’d rent them whenever we needed a car. They were so much fun!
Not a Neon fan. For a point a to b car. I will take the Saturn
I’m kind of torn. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the Neon’s worn soap bar styling and I detest spoilers, but this is absolutely the better drivetrain choice today. The reason I’m torn is my mom had an SL1 that was indestructible despite her poor maintenance habits. The SL2’s exterior styling is actually kind of cool for the era. I wonder if the SL2 had more sound deadening material than the SL1 because mom’s had a horrific amount of road noise.
Aqua blue>mauvy silver
Manual>>>auto
Oregon>>>>Ohio (sorry, Ohio, I like salt on the rim of a margarita glass, not the undercarriage of my car.)
Both off these cars used to be ubiquitous and I can’t remember seeing any in years. My initial reaction was no thank you. Then I saw that the Neon had a manual it was an easy choice.
Looks cute, easy to assume it’s fun to drive, why not?
Neon for me. Even though it costs more, it’s a way more fun car with the manual. And I would argue that the Neon probably has better aftermarket support these days and all the design flaws the early Neons have now have known fixes… like MLS headgaskets to solve the leaky headgasket issue.
All neons built after like 1997.5 had MLS gaskets from the factory. Or something like that.
And chances are, by now this particular Neon had the headgasket replaced if it didn’t come with the MLS gasket from the start.
The Neon looks like an Impreza and has head gasket problems like an Impreza, too 🙁
And of course, timing belts suck.
I voted for the Saturn
Only 1997 and earlier had headgasket issues.
The example here is a 97 😛
I voted for the Saturn because it’s pretty good example of the “hybrid” year (1st gen exterior, 2nd gen interior) and because….bias.
Honestly, I wouldn’t be opposed to buying both. Keep the Saturn as my daily driver and autocross the Neon.
I was tempted by the saturn. My buddy in the early 2000s had one of them and the plastic body on these things was a really great idea. Funny story: he was driving down a road that was supposed to be closed to the public for repairs. He didnt realize that they cut out 2ft of the road to run utilities or something. He hit that open 2ft trench at like 50mph. Both front tires hit square on the opposite side, right on the corner. It completely smashed the running gear about 9″ back.
I chose the Neon. I didn’t think I would initially. But that Saturn has the automatic (prominent in the photos), broken A/C and is a little drab. But it does come with that new roll of Scotch tape in the console! And who has ever been wrapping a present while on the freeway and just can’t find the damn Scotch tape?
The Neon is colorful, has more power than I would have thought and has the correct transmission. And probably working A/C. So easy choice today.
A dull gray slushbox with a broken A/C, or a zesty 5 speed in a great color–how is this even a question? I assume the folks voting for the Saturn must have some kind of Neon related personal trauma.
If the Saturn has a stick, I’d go for that one assuming the underside was reasonably clean. They’re a bit boring, but they run forever. A girlfriend bought a Neon new with the single cam engine. It was surprisingly fun to drive, but even brand new, it has a few niggling problems, fixed under warranty. I’m going Neon if I can talk the owner down a bit.
Neon. No question.
Great car, and proved that a domestic automaker could make a profitable car in that segment.
It should have been continued with another generation – and there probably *was* a replacement being prepared at the time of the DCX merger. And if there was, it got shelved for the Caliber; borrowed Mitsubishi parts, a complete step backward, entirely wrong form factor, devoid of the obvious value in the earlier cars. Super cheap materials, weird choices, it felt like a punishment.
I’m still mad about what could have been.
The Saturn is cheaper and also in decent shape, but it’s not … exuberant. Even the most basic Neon had personality. And personality goes a long way.
Two days in a row I have voted for the loser. I know the Neon wins. But, today, just like 30 years ago, I still can’t stomach owning a Neon. The longest car I ever owned was a SL. So…. Familiarity wins.
My only thought. How many Neons did they build, remembering at one time they covered the land like a plague of locusts? Where did they all go?
Cash-for-clunkers.
Those would not have qualified.
For the cash. They had the other part covered.
I was wondering the same thing. So many Chrysler products that were ubiquitous. Neons, Stratus, even Caravans. Roaming the streets and poof, gone. They weren’t all terrible but I think even in the heyday they were long in the teeth. Old architecture, poor quality in some, 3 speed autos!
Still that Neon is a gem so I voted for it.
The 3 speed autos weren’t so bad from a durability perspective but far more of the Chryslers at the time had some derivative of the 4-speed Ultradrive, and those were finicky bastards that liked to grenade. Even the cars that didn’t puke their transmissions were nickel-and-diming the hell out of you to the point people just got fed up. I recall my Sundance’s air conditioning was dead by year 3, as one small example. Any of the remaining 30-40 year old economy cars were meticulously cared for or a statistical anomaly, or both.
30 year old economy cars tend to go to the scrap yard.
Very true. Though I feel 95% of Neons didn’t even make it to 15.
Neon. Who doesn’t want to feel like a suburban high school girl circa 1998? Not even a bright red New Beetle with the fake flower on the dash is more 90s than this teal with bright geometric fabric patterns on the seats.
The Neon is a bit overpriced but I’m getting better vibes from the listing. The interior looks a bit more sunblasted than the Saturn, but acceptable and it would be more fun to drive with that engine/transmission combo.
Neon, both because it has a stick and for nostalgia. A buddy had a slightly newer (I think it was ’98) Neon with that engine and transmission and it was a blast to scoot around in. It wasn’t fast, it didn’t have razor-sharp handling, but it handled well enough to be fun and was predictable when you got near the limits. Plus it got a lot better fuel mileage than the pickup I had at the time. I like the Saturn, but the Neon makes me smile.
I like the Saturn just fine, and wouldn’t hesitate to have it as a cheap daily. Between the manual trans and the color of that Neon though, it is absolutely worth the extra money.
That and rust free vs rust belt. Any mechanical work on the Saturn’s chassis is going to require a torch.
I didn’t even look at the location, but yes. Worse yet, the subframes on these are the first thing to go. Even when the rest of the car looks good, in might have one foot in the junkyard.
That Saturn just about brought tears to my eyes. See, when I was in my first year of middle school we went to the mall nearby- the now demolished East Town Mall in Knoxville TN. Back then it was very much a happening place, complete with waterfalls and lots of mirrored glass. And in the middle on a stand was a new Saturn SL2. We had never seen one and it had a sign out front that said it was going to be made in Tenneessee and that it was a “different kind of car”. In my 6th grader mind I was blown away. I was really into cars back then and thought most Americans cars looked really lame versus the Japanese cars, which were KILLING IT in the early 90’s.
And then we saw this and it was like- holy shit… it looks good! It looks futuristic! It doesn’t look American! But more importantly, it was gonna’ be made in Tennessee and we were so proud.
My art teacher bought one. So did a lot of my parent’s friends. They loved em’. There was almost a Volkswagen like thing going on with them. They were the smart alternative if you didn’t want to buy a Ford but didn’t want to buy a Toyota either.
We all know the rest of the story. The brand, along with East Town Mall are both long gone. What a cool car. I wish it had been allowed to evolve.
I’m in Knoxville right now. East Town beat West Town any day of the week.
I still miss the Crystal Visions store.
Although they’ve really started to disappear more in last few years, I still see several of those Saturns daily running around in various states of repair here in East TN…living close the former East Towne Mall might have some bearing on that. Neons are much rarer site, but some still going.
My son’s 02 Saturn was totaled several years back when a merging dump truck clipped his back corner on I40…across 3 lanes and into the wall he went. Air bags still worked. He was good, but the Saturn was not. He was rather disappointed that we could not find another Saturn in good condition for sale at the time. Rocking a Mazda3 stick now.
My family had both these cars growing up, so this one definitely hits close to home! In this case, will roll the dice on the Neon.
When new, the Neon was certainly more fun, but they didn’t age well. The Saturn could probably go another 100k. I came very close to buying a Neon coupe, and not buying it was probably wise.