"It's still a Neon" says the guy that gets excited by fiestas and drives a Focus. Don't get me wrong, it *is* a Neon... but given the fact that these cars perform the way they do, and how well they hold up over the years (when actually taken care of, which is rare at this price point) says a lot about what Dodge did, what the SRT (PVO) team did. It's been almost 15 years since Dodge started rolling these out, and yet it's hard for any other company to put out a turbo 4-Banger and not have it compared to "the Neon"... think about that next time you're behind the wheel of your little 13 second Focus Matt.
yep. Let's see whats gonna do that quarter mile/o-60 faster than a bone stock srt-4 out of the showroom for same price? The focus and honda of that day had nothing on it. Think about it- a 2005 bmw 330ci manual does 6.5 0-60. A ''just a neon'' srt-4 does it in 5.2. That's insane difference in real world performance. My fucking 2.0 neon with a 41TE keeps up with a lexus is250 automatic, which a car two times more expensive, 10 years newer, and twice the number of gears and technological advancements.
I had a SRT4 in 2006, and i drive a 2017 Fiesta ST now. SRT4 was fun, much quicker in a straight line, but didn't have that feel to it that a Fiesta ST has. Both cars were great in their own ways, but if I had the choice I'd still go with the FiST. Until you drive one, you just don't know.
@@Luke-qi5yo So your car that's 12 years newer is better? Puzzling. I have also heard rumors that the 2019 Mustang GT is better than the 2007 Mustang GT, so you may be on to something here...
If it wasn't sold or marketed as a Neon, wasn't badged a neon, doesn't say neon anywhere on the car or the paperwork, and all the important parts are different.... Is it still a neon?
I have a pretty heavily modified 98 mustang, andI had one of these SRT4s embarrass me harder than any other car. These things are really fast when modded, and there is an extra sting to it when your'e beat by a neon
I love how Matt is saying it’s “just a neon” at the end of the day, when he drives “just a focus” That particular neon would eat his focus alive as well. It’s a car to definitely respect, who cares if it’s a Neon.
It sounds very famiilar. Haven't had my SRT-4 since around 2012. I had a MOPAR short throw with those hard bushings they sold.. can't remember the name.
One of my best friends had one of these back in 07-08ish. Such a fun car to ride in. Despite constantly upgrading and modding it, he also babied it very well, rarely taking it out and doing pull after pull, but I do remember going on one ride with him after going to a bigger turbo and doing meth injection, and I was impressed at the pull from the turbo for sure. His car was actually what began my obsession with turbos. Feeling that real hard pull and being pushed into the seat, then shift/let go, and feel it again harder in the next gear.. It hooked me. Im still addicted to boost. proudly.
Huge srt-4 fan and this was absolutely one of the best examples! Glad you enjoyed this car as much as I enjoy mine. The owner also is cool as hell and I love the fact he daily drivers this car!
At the end of the day with an Evo you're talking about a Lancer. With an STi you're talking about an Impreza. I agree that the interior isn't the greatest besides the seats. However, the engine itself is a goldmine and as a race car deserves respect.
My son had one of these from 2010-2015, he was 16 when he got it. How it never ended up in a tree is beyond me! Great car though, when it was working. By far the fastest FWD car I ever drove.
inline 4 cylinder exhausts don't really sound that great to begin with unless you're talking about something like a s2k at full tilt. now, ITBs on a 4cyl engine, THAT sound is sex.
The srt4 has to be one of the most underappreciated and unfairly hated on cars in history. They literally wiped the floor with anything in their price range, and PVO (SRT's predecessor) nailed all the important details that you'd want in a driver focused, turbocharged sports car. They ran an identical quarter mile as an sti/evo, had tight steering, barely any body roll, awesome seats, awesome shifter, fmic, sweet exhaust note and a factory bov (because why the fuck not) Great platform for building too. With a good tune, the engine can handle upwards of 400 whp reliably with completely stock internals. Even a factory turbo srt will make around 310whp/340ft lbs with a few bolt ons. That power goes a long way in a car that weighs 2900 lbs. It's ironic that the srt has such a negative rep, because it easily is a better package than a wrx of the same era, which is one of the most beloved cars ever made.
This is gonna be my first car. My dad is totally cool with me buying one and I'm gonna mod it a lot. It will definitely need a suspension upgrade to help with handling. It is perfectly shitty enough to be a first car but still fast and pretty cool. I honestly like the look too. I just bought mine and I have my license test in a week. I'm sure I'll pass and I'm super excited to be driving. Wish me luck on my test!
I am a 31 year old and I too Daily a SRT4. Mine has 120K on it and is bone stock. Very fun car to drive and touch wood I haven't had any real problems with it.
MidShipCivic The dsm cars were a partnership so id say they still count. The eclipse wasnt even sold in japan but for two years. I believe they were built here too. If you just wanted examples of american tuner cars though theres the cobalt ss and focus svt too.
They are great cars and anyone that has actually owned one will agree. Unless of course you're not very mechanical and bought a used, abused, beat-down example.
***** I'm not saying it was a better car than a vette. But it wasnt a pos. It was the fastest car a young man could get for less than 15k. Its biggest fault was that its fwd...which is why I now drive a much slower e36 M3 lol
frankth3frizz yes it does sound great. mainly because from the factory it is straight piped. absolutely no mufflers at all. very rare and no way can they do this now days. sounds awesome,
fiat abarth has no mufflers sounds really good thats why after that deer totalled my 155k miles srt4, that never had one issue even retained the stock clutch, i bought one. I love my abarth but i miss my srt4 best car i ever had!
Neon SRT-4s are cool cars when done right. The car as a whole isn't anything to write home about (the relative lack of interior quality comes to mind), but they're awesome for modding and driving quickly. This example is pretty clean compared to the examples I see in my area, which are beat up shitboxes.
A solid inexpensive car that could be made quite fast with not a lot of money...yet in the end it is still a Neon. A turbocharged pop can that is unreliable and will shake itself apart. Friend had one, did just that. Speedy on a very tight budget, but it had all the refinement or accouterments of a Willys Jeep.
They're actually very reliable.. builds over 500HP with stock internals still driving around on the streets with well over 150,000 miles. It's just like any other car, maintain them and they'll keep running.
RoadTripVidz I hear ya, some solid examples I am sure are still out there. I drive a modified Alfa, which everyone has told me will blow up at any second, but it is 20 years old and mechanically in quite good order. Have to defend it all the time against the stigma against Alfas. Next summer hopefully you will see it on this channel. As for the Neon, just going by my friend's experience and what he has told me about fellow SRT-4 owners. His car munched turbos, suspension bits, and blew head gaskets. Also ate a lot of oil. But maybe he had a lemon...it was a yellow one, after all :P
I had a black one with the MOPAR Stage 3r kit. Parts from the dealership made these things run high 11's on race gas... With that stuff there was actually a button called "High Octane Mode" that transformed it into a beast. This was the first and only car I've ever purchased new and it was great. Mine was a 2005 and by then they had a factory LSD, stronger CV joints, and bigger injectors than the '03. Mine had zero problems with the MOPAR stuff installed.
Something tells me you're going to see an influx of comments over the fact that the guy accidentally said "queef" before he said "Quaife." These cars were a big deal back in the early 2000s. I believe there were packages you could buy from the dealer that would make this car even faster.
Yes you could purchase mopar stage packages from dealer when ordering the car back in 2003. We had the first solar yellow sold out in colorado back on 2003. And the first one in wyoming. RIP srt4
OMG finally ive been waiting for a srt4 for forever now....i bought one back in 05 had 120 miles on it when i got it.....one of the most unassuming cars ive ever driven......i had so much funny blowing peoples minds....i put about 3k into it and was pushing 365hp and 385flbs to the wheels it was awesome....i will have another one...one day soon....sick video and sick car mad props
I just had one of these keep up with my 392 on a 70-140 run on the freeway, I was surprised to say the least. I have a feeling he was pretty heavily modded, loud whistle when he pulled up after and lots of backfires.
Taylor Phillips the drivetrain is stout and reliable with power. It’s also cheap to make the reliable power. It’s simply myths that surround the srt4. Band wagon groupies.
+Michael Bruns yeah its not stock larger intercooler injectors agp 50mm turbo full pump and fuel rail few other odds and ends tuned of course lol gonna put a 3rd gear range extension in gotta rebuild it anywaya
Fact: There was NOTHING on the road in 2003 that could touch the Neon SRT-4 for the price, NOTHING. Stock out of the box it beat the WRX, 350Z, S2000, Mustang GT, Honda STILL hasn't sold anything stateside that is faster, EVER, than the SRT-4, so don't even bring up Hondas. You needed 30,000 dollars to buy an EVO or STi to get ahead of it in 2003. Oh but here we are nearly 15 years later bashing on the SRT-4 with comparisons to cars like the Focus ST, which is SLOWER than the SRT-4? LMAO... Then you have idiots with "turbo mercedes" in their name, as though throwing a turbo on a benz is going to make an already unreliable car any more less likely to leave you stranded on the side of the road. 2nd Fact: SRT-4 was extremely reliable. You can find the motors pretty damn easy, hmm, wonder why that is? Oh, directly related to not being able to find a front end for them for under a thousand dollars, think about it for a moment. If they were so damned unreliable, you wouldn't find the motors for them. 3rd fact: LOVE THE HATE. That's the statement we use, we love the hate. So go ahead, hate on, most of the commenters here can't afford their nut hugging dream cars, but they have no problem bashing on the Neon. That's fine, just get used to what the back end looks like, that's all you see :) PEACE!!! - RTShadow
forget about 2003, what can touch it for adjusted for inflation price full stock out of the showroom? The fucker did 5.2 to 60mph is insane even today, 15 years later.
Dont know much about cars BUT I do remember how impressed I was with the power these cars put out. You could get so much power with factory parts, it was incregible. The must not have been very reliable because considering how many there were I hardly ever see one today.
I pulled up to a stop sign in my S4 next to a high school in one of these. We make eye contact. He just revs that thing up then drops the clutch. I just sit and watch. He proceeds to lay down the most epic one wheel peel I have ever seen, while maintaining eye contact. So strange to me to think that is cool, I don't get why anyone would own one of these.
nice! I have a 1997 neon coupe that I built a 2.4 turbo engine for in 2001, before the SRT4 was a thing. I used the 2.4 out of the Plymouth Breeze, forged pistons and rods, crane turbo cams with a turbonetics T3/T4 stage 2 turbo. using a rising rate FPR I netted 336WHP in a neon that weighs 2600 stock. props to the neon community
I don't understand why people have to hate on cars like the SRT-4 just because it's a 4 cylinder and it's "rice". People should respect the car community and the people in it, everyone has their own taste in cars. I personally have a 400+ hp SRT-4 and get shit for it all the time...
If you like the car, fuck it, bro. don't let people get you down. People who look down on another enthusiast ride are either pretentious and/or self conscious asses.
I've had 2 Neon SRT 4's in my earlier tuner days, a white one and a Sunburnt Orange. Love the car, like Matt said they are powerful however you look at them but it's still a Neon. I've been in a 500hp SRT 4 and it sounded very similar to this one. Good review.
There is a shop kinda close to me (Gainesville I think?) that specializes in these things along with Evos and DSMs. They always seems to have a couple for sale.
Mine exploded the bell housing and could see the clutch through the hole and drove it for a month like that. And would eat spark plugs. Beat the snot out of it, taught me about modifications and turned me into an enthusiast. Back when you read tuner magazines to learn how to modify. Drove it 40k miles the first year. Favorite car yet.
Matt is a fucking douche, the more I watch him the more I dislike him. No need to hate on another dudes car, plenty of people in they’re 40’s-50-‘s still drive SI civis, he drives a damn “Focus”. SMH
Lmao I think it's funny how people relate to these as JUST Neons. My buddy owns one that was worked on by Modern Performance and maaaaaan that thing is fast. Bottom end can hold so much power stock it's ridiculous! Have to know these cars in order to not compare it to JUST a Neon. Same thing goes for the Focus. It's JUST a focus. But real enthusiasts will acknowledge them more than JUST a car.
Years ago I drove one on the Autobahn. It was really fun ... The speed was good in the beginning, than the windscreen wipers cam up at speed till the middle of the screen and after about 10 Miles kicking it differential broke and the fun was over. Went back with towtruck. BUT ... during this time it was a rattling piece of fun
Lol my caliber srt4 with some very small bolt-ons and a tune put down 347 whp so its right around 400hp at the crank on stock turbo and regular gas, its been perfectly reliable too, matt you gotta review a caliber srt4 that has at least a tune!
It will be harder to find than a caliber srt4(5k ever produced), than a neon tho, and mine is in northern canada so unless you come to Fort McMurray I can't hand you mine for a review
One of my friends made 330whp on a mustang dyno with an intercooler, intake turboback and tune on pump gas with a stock turbo on his CSRT4, I don't doubt that guy when he says 347whp.
No it's all good man, it happens, I didn't know you were talking about the neon. If it was a neon, then yes he would have to be running much more then a bolt on or two to make that kind of power.
TheSmokingTire wow that's crazy. I'm in Alberta and there seems to be quite a bit of them out here.. I have a 40th anniversary edition GTP coupe with a smaller pulley and basic mods.. I might have to take a road trip soon 😎
I've got a Grand Prix GTP F.1. (just some MPD body kit package from previous owner [friend]) Turbocharged with custom turbo headers, light street turbo cam I made, all else pretty much stock except for basic strugs/springs, fuel stuff. If I weren't in NY and I was local I'd let him drive it just for the heck of it. But at the end of the day with Matt and I in it, it's a 400fwhp pump gas 4 speed auto W-body at 4000lbs. How much fun would he have unless I REALLY tuned the heck out of it. Plus someone just bought it from me but he hasn't taken delivery yet. (It's nobody's car ;] ) I just don't think Matt needs to drive a stock supercharged 3800. They sound awful, they are slow if you hit the wrong gear, or you blow up transmissions or burn off the tires. They don't have any top end, I just don't think Matt will be happy with MOST people's builds out there. They are budget - torquey car unless people do headwork, cam and turbo stuffs.
My cousin had an SRT-4 set up for E85 with a stock turbo (never dyno'd, but others with similar setups were making over 400ft-lbs and around 300hp). Everyone likes to talk shit on them, but really, they're great cars. Roomy, four doors, reliable, and fucking quick for what they are.
I love my POS NSRT-4. Probably as much as others love their POS Fox body Mustang, or POS 3rd-4th Gen Camaro. The car is ugly, when stock, but a set of eyelids, a lowered stance, and a clipping of the wing makes a world of difference. I was driving a 2002 RSX, before I obtained my NSRT-4, in 2003, and it had more squeaks and rattles than the ol' Neon. The RSX had much better interior styling, but as far as quality, there isn't as much of a gap, as perceived by many. And reliability has more to do with owners (and previous owners) than the car itself.
Its hilarious that turbo noise is synonymous with tuner noise even though dodge sold more turbo cars in the 80's-90's than all the import companies combined.... Caravan, spirit, lebaron, shadow, Daytona, k cars, omni, etc.... If dodge made it you could buy it with a turbo 4... Funny that new cars are JUST starting to embrace it lol
It is best to shut off the air when doing performance runs. I have a 2005 SRT 4. Yes they based on a Neon platform. My main complaint is the highway noise . I need to install some Dynamat insulation. The only think that broke on my car so far is the gear shift linkage .
I'm on 1025 too. pump gas.21 psi made 425/435 Hahn 20g with 50trim compressor wheel.weird combo but it does work. and that was just on 21psi car got 65k so still a little fresh.but yours still has room for more power
This car would absolutely beat the shit out of 90% of the cars featured on this channel... In a straight line. Too bad he's got the 03 though, no limited slip stock and had to pay for that.. not a cheap mod
martin srabotnik al depends how much power you put through it usually aftermarket ones are stronger and better made but unless your putting big power down standard lsd should handle it
Yeah I don't get why people hate on this car, really don't. Sure it sports the "Neon" name, but out of the important bits none of them are even closely related to the Neon. Outside perspective is "they slapped a turbo on a neon" and that's not even close to reality. Engine wasn't even closely related to the Neon engine and from what I understand the boat anchor they put in the SRT4 wasn't used in any other cars. I had one of these for about 4 years or so and loved it a lot. The interior is actually fine for me, I don't need a Mercedes interior, it's solid, it doesn't squeak, so I was happy with it. The interior looks like garbage, but as I said, doesn't squeak, so it doesn't bother me. Also, I didn't buy it b/c of the interior. So about the car: Easy to work on, for me it was dead reliable, and parts are dirt cheap and common. What's not to like? I autoX'd the piss out of mine (ACR version). My only complaints were that the seats were a bit too buckety for me every day to climb in and out of, the turning radius, as mentioned here, utter garbage, and the transmission is out of a diesel van, so it's not exactly the epitome of "smooth shifting" - it's notchy shifting, and that's all there is to it. That's about it, though. It never gave me any reliability hiccups, mine had LSD from the factory (torsen), the notchy shifting was probably my biggest complaint, but it never gave me any issues, and these things make more torque than HP, like 230 to the ground, it's pretty crazy. Mine was a bit of a dick because it had a 500hp clutch in there but I can't fault the car for that. Good car, I feel they're severely under appreciated. I sold mine but there's many more out there to own.
I would submit caliber srt4 if I lived anywhere close to you but I live in northern Canada, if he came to Alberta i would drive it anywhere within alberta
"But at the end of the day it's still a NEON" says the guy driving a ~$40k FOCUS
GG
Rip
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
@@rogerspacebucks450 but this aint europe
💀
Matt looks like the type of guy to invite himself to a friends house.
Skaterade 😂😂😂😂
Are you really friends if you don't walk into each others house unannounced?
Able was a little upset with porky's fat hand and foot on his car..smh ..steady slamming it back in 3rd
Real friends keep there doors open for freind 24/7 understand that!
Someone is generous enough to let you borrow their car and you cheap shot it the whole time. Real class act. The SRT4 owner was very tolerant of you.
"It's still a Neon" says the guy that gets excited by fiestas and drives a Focus. Don't get me wrong, it *is* a Neon... but given the fact that these cars perform the way they do, and how well they hold up over the years (when actually taken care of, which is rare at this price point) says a lot about what Dodge did, what the SRT (PVO) team did. It's been almost 15 years since Dodge started rolling these out, and yet it's hard for any other company to put out a turbo 4-Banger and not have it compared to "the Neon"... think about that next time you're behind the wheel of your little 13 second Focus Matt.
DaftDrunk24 he should read this. Passive aggressive shit bag. I like a lot of his videos but he’s low key a douche.
yep. Let's see whats gonna do that quarter mile/o-60 faster than a bone stock srt-4 out of the showroom for same price? The focus and honda of that day had nothing on it. Think about it- a 2005 bmw 330ci manual does 6.5 0-60. A ''just a neon'' srt-4 does it in 5.2. That's insane difference in real world performance. My fucking 2.0 neon with a 41TE keeps up with a lexus is250 automatic, which a car two times more expensive, 10 years newer, and twice the number of gears and technological advancements.
I had a SRT4 in 2006, and i drive a 2017 Fiesta ST now. SRT4 was fun, much quicker in a straight line, but didn't have that feel to it that a Fiesta ST has. Both cars were great in their own ways, but if I had the choice I'd still go with the FiST. Until you drive one, you just don't know.
@@Luke-qi5yo So your car that's 12 years newer is better? Puzzling. I have also heard rumors that the 2019 Mustang GT is better than the 2007 Mustang GT, so you may be on to something here...
If it wasn't sold or marketed as a Neon, wasn't badged a neon, doesn't say neon anywhere on the car or the paperwork, and all the important parts are different.... Is it still a neon?
I have a pretty heavily modified 98 mustang, andI had one of these SRT4s embarrass me harder than any other car. These things are really fast when modded, and there is an extra sting to it when your'e beat by a neon
27 minutes later the srt4 blew up
Duke Silver 2.4 is a pretty big engine to turbo for a car that size
Duke Silver also i believe the stang svos were 2.4 and shamed gts
Duke Silver dam straight
Valis InUnderland they were 2.3 sohc and ya they did beat the gts of the year
I love how Matt is saying it’s “just a neon” at the end of the day, when he drives “just a focus”
That particular neon would eat his focus alive as well. It’s a car to definitely respect, who cares if it’s a Neon.
Must not remember when neon had it's own race series in the 90s cuz they kicked the crap out of the imports in scca racing
he was hating
Great One Take on the "little monster". This is going to be one of those cars you''ll see at shows in 10-15 years and say "Oh yeah, remember those!".
Klasse Act they practically already are like that. SRT-4's that haven't been beat to shit or crashed are becoming rare
Michael Bruns I hear yah but to me a 13 year old car isn't old, maybe because I'm 46, LOL!
Klasse Act mine will.be one of those in 13-15 years. I'm never letting it go. I'm sure it will see a new engine in that time but that's OK.
Michael Bruns 1 of my loyal subscribers
That Neon Channel lol. I gotta install my Prothane motor mount insterts soon. just got em today.
You can't call a srt 4 just a neon. other wise you have to call all evos lancers all wrx's imprezas.
WisconsinCheese exactly
But Evos are Lancers, same with Sti. They are economy cars made fast.
they are, are you stupid?Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, DUH and look up Subaru Impreza, IDIOT
"What you got?"
A Lancer Evo.
Imprezza WRX
A SRT4. Neon.
Mopar, ashamed of what it is since 1928
It is a Neon.
"Daily driving a srt-4 after 30 thats a accomplishment" - Matt
Lol dude just got insulted in his own whip... took it like a pro
I daily drive a srt4 and I’m 34
Matt is a passive aggressive douche at times. But I still enjoy most of his videos. He’s simply a human being with an opinion.
What a douchebag thing to say wow🤮
I think he meant it as a compliment because once you're in your 30s chances are you drive a boring car. Mini van, suv, ford taurus...
@boostedsil40 very true I'm 31 and I want one.
When he said "Mad dog short shifter" all the old school SRT Forum guys nodded out of respect. (I'm a former 03 Solar Yellow owner)
illegalmachine why is that?
One of the first aftermarket short shifters made for the car. Almost exclusively sold via the message board.
It's still the best shifter for the car by a long shot. The symmetrical shift pattern and positive stops are so well thought out.
It sounds very famiilar. Haven't had my SRT-4 since around 2012. I had a MOPAR short throw with those hard bushings they sold.. can't remember the name.
srtsuch1 booger bushings?
Man I always loved when some guy drove past my house with this car, all I heard is the blow-off valve and the loud exhaust
same dude. there's a local guy who always had one around me and while I'm not a big fan of SRT-4's, they can sound so awesome.
Its either that or diesel smoke. You choose:)
Good thing we ain't all gay.
matthew ramirez srtcalidre
Mike Smith lmao
These cars are so much fun. The outrageous nature of such a fast, loud, angry-looking Neon never gets old. It's just magic.
Love these one takes, even though i live across the ocean they're always perfectly uploaded for my lunch break.
One of my best friends had one of these back in 07-08ish. Such a fun car to ride in. Despite constantly upgrading and modding it, he also babied it very well, rarely taking it out and doing pull after pull, but I do remember going on one ride with him after going to a bigger turbo and doing meth injection, and I was impressed at the pull from the turbo for sure. His car was actually what began my obsession with turbos. Feeling that real hard pull and being pushed into the seat, then shift/let go, and feel it again harder in the next gear.. It hooked me. Im still addicted to boost. proudly.
"Yeah, I got the queef" as Matt intervenes and says "quaife" limited slip differential.
I giggled my ass off at that..lol
Huge srt-4 fan and this was absolutely one of the best examples! Glad you enjoyed this car as much as I enjoy mine. The owner also is cool as hell and I love the fact he daily drivers this car!
Damn, These cars are so underrated, Sucks to see that no one really cares for these ever since they came out
Did he just say he has a queef in the car?
Greg Fulton No, quaife diff
Greg Fulton hahahahahaha
Greg Fulton LMAO!!!
He certainly said Queef first, then corrected himself. I LOL'd.
all those turbo cars with blow off valves tend to queef
At the end of the day with an Evo you're talking about a Lancer. With an STi you're talking about an Impreza. I agree that the interior isn't the greatest besides the seats. However, the engine itself is a goldmine and as a race car deserves respect.
My son had one of these from 2010-2015, he was 16 when he got it. How it never ended up in a tree is beyond me! Great car though, when it was working. By far the fastest FWD car I ever drove.
a focus is still a focus
In line for the best sounding 4 cylinder exhaust note right up there with the Subaru and the Mazdaspeed3 imo.
We're All Thieves Subie shits on both of those
Colby Perry No, not always.
Haters gon' hate 😎
We're All Thieves I assure you, no one is hating.
inline 4 cylinder exhausts don't really sound that great to begin with unless you're talking about something like a s2k at full tilt. now, ITBs on a 4cyl engine, THAT sound is sex.
Neon SRT-4...the official car of "Yeah, but I'll walk you from a roll, bro!"
clutchthepearls going from a roll is more important because it shows performance of the car. Not driver skill nor traction capabilities.
I miss my NSRT-4. I beat the hell out of mine, for 75,000 miles and I never had a single problem.
The srt4 has to be one of the most underappreciated and unfairly hated on cars in history. They literally wiped the floor with anything in their price range, and PVO (SRT's predecessor) nailed all the important details that you'd want in a driver focused, turbocharged sports car. They ran an identical quarter mile as an sti/evo, had tight steering, barely any body roll, awesome seats, awesome shifter, fmic, sweet exhaust note and a factory bov (because why the fuck not)
Great platform for building too. With a good tune, the engine can handle upwards of 400 whp reliably with completely stock internals. Even a factory turbo srt will make around 310whp/340ft lbs with a few bolt ons. That power goes a long way in a car that weighs 2900 lbs.
It's ironic that the srt has such a negative rep, because it easily is a better package than a wrx of the same era, which is one of the most beloved cars ever made.
This is gonna be my first car. My dad is totally cool with me buying one and I'm gonna mod it a lot. It will definitely need a suspension upgrade to help with handling. It is perfectly shitty enough to be a first car but still fast and pretty cool. I honestly like the look too. I just bought mine and I have my license test in a week. I'm sure I'll pass and I'm super excited to be driving. Wish me luck on my test!
I am a 31 year old and I too Daily a SRT4. Mine has 120K on it and is bone stock. Very fun car to drive and touch wood I haven't had any real problems with it.
Dodge neon = When America goes jdm as fk
dodge stealth turbo ACTUAL American import
Plymouth laser and Eagle talon too.
Mike Arredondo / adding to those that replied . there were a shit ton of mitsubishis sold through dodge
dodge colt turbo was dsm too.
MidShipCivic The dsm cars were a partnership so id say they still count. The eclipse wasnt even sold in japan but for two years. I believe they were built here too.
If you just wanted examples of american tuner cars though theres the cobalt ss and focus svt too.
They are great cars and anyone that has actually owned one will agree. Unless of course you're not very mechanical and bought a used, abused, beat-down example.
I had one with a 50 trim that made 400 whp. Had no reliability issues and would destroy vettes, R8's, srt8 on the highway easy.
Claude V. give me a fucking break. lmao!
Stock C6s dyno at 380 whp and weight 3250lb. Thats 20 less whp and 350 extra pounds. I destroyed C6s unless it had full bolt ons.
Claude V. Exactly...the numbers dont lie.
***** I'm not saying it was a better car than a vette. But it wasnt a pos. It was the fastest car a young man could get for less than 15k. Its biggest fault was that its fwd...which is why I now drive a much slower e36 M3 lol
You're such a badass Claude
I always thought this was one of the better sounding 4 cylinder! Sounds better than the FocusRS!
frankth3frizz agree
frankth3frizz false a stock srt4 doesn't sound like anything
frankth3frizz yes it does sound great. mainly because from the factory it is straight piped. absolutely no mufflers at all. very rare and no way can they do this now days. sounds awesome,
I think you mean a stock neon.. watch?v=7-N6oOcmlsg
fiat abarth has no mufflers sounds really good thats why after that deer totalled my 155k miles srt4, that never had one issue even retained the stock clutch, i bought one. I love my abarth but i miss my srt4 best car i ever had!
Neon SRT-4s are cool cars when done right. The car as a whole isn't anything to write home about (the relative lack of interior quality comes to mind), but they're awesome for modding and driving quickly. This example is pretty clean compared to the examples I see in my area, which are beat up shitboxes.
probably the best sounding srt4 i've ever heard.
A solid inexpensive car that could be made quite fast with not a lot of money...yet in the end it is still a Neon. A turbocharged pop can that is unreliable and will shake itself apart. Friend had one, did just that. Speedy on a very tight budget, but it had all the refinement or accouterments of a Willys Jeep.
They're actually very reliable.. builds over 500HP with stock internals still driving around on the streets with well over 150,000 miles. It's just like any other car, maintain them and they'll keep running.
RoadTripVidz I hear ya, some solid examples I am sure are still out there. I drive a modified Alfa, which everyone has told me will blow up at any second, but it is 20 years old and mechanically in quite good order. Have to defend it all the time against the stigma against Alfas. Next summer hopefully you will see it on this channel.
As for the Neon, just going by my friend's experience and what he has told me about fellow SRT-4 owners. His car munched turbos, suspension bits, and blew head gaskets. Also ate a lot of oil. But maybe he had a lemon...it was a yellow one, after all :P
who you lying to??? lol
ChaosphereIX the problem is people don't maintain them! People literally grab a big turbo and then beat the piss out of them.
nE CoBraaa ....nobody? Want to elaborate more than merely laughing out loud?
I had a black one with the MOPAR Stage 3r kit. Parts from the dealership made these things run high 11's on race gas... With that stuff there was actually a button called "High Octane Mode" that transformed it into a beast. This was the first and only car I've ever purchased new and it was great. Mine was a 2005 and by then they had a factory LSD, stronger CV joints, and bigger injectors than the '03. Mine had zero problems with the MOPAR stuff installed.
These cars are fun as hell, they can be monstrous if you hook them up right, they hurt feelings everywhere.
Something tells me you're going to see an influx of comments over the fact that the guy accidentally said "queef" before he said "Quaife." These cars were a big deal back in the early 2000s. I believe there were packages you could buy from the dealer that would make this car even faster.
...as soon as he said it, I paused and started to look for the queef comments :D
True. Stage 3 dealer package put this car into exotic car speeds for like 25 grand. To this day nothing can match the performance per dollar new.
Yes you could purchase mopar stage packages from dealer when ordering the car back in 2003. We had the first solar yellow sold out in colorado back on 2003. And the first one in wyoming. RIP srt4
got a nice SRT4 here in upstate NY.. precision 6266, 30lbs..runs awesome
OMG finally ive been waiting for a srt4 for forever now....i bought one back in 05 had 120 miles on it when i got it.....one of the most unassuming cars ive ever driven......i had so much funny blowing peoples minds....i put about 3k into it and was pushing 365hp and 385flbs to the wheels it was awesome....i will have another one...one day soon....sick video and sick car mad props
You might have to check out his wheelwell in real life after that bump
Sounds just like my old stage 2 SRT-4, thanks for the memories.
Big turbo cobalt ss to compare?
The sounds are my favorite part of a SRT4
So much better than a Caliber SRT4.
CALIBERREEREREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER
the Caliber never has, nor never will, look good in any shape or form. Sorry, just no.
ChaosphereIX it still comes with more whp than an sti.
0to60videos forsure
0to60videos slower though
I just had one of these keep up with my 392 on a 70-140 run on the freeway, I was surprised to say the least. I have a feeling he was pretty heavily modded, loud whistle when he pulled up after and lots of backfires.
The srt4's are ridiculously common in St. Louis. Everyone has a straight piped one that sounds like a diesel.
Videos like this are the best, I too want to bash every neon ever but, this is proof that any car can be sorted out to be some proper good fun
Taylor Phillips the drivetrain is stout and reliable with power. It’s also cheap to make the reliable power. It’s simply myths that surround the srt4. Band wagon groupies.
I have an 05 with 92k miles still running the stock turbo and clutch. no transmission issues. 😀
Michael Bruns 3rd gear is intact? Lol I love these cars not hating, serious question
Connor Yep. my 3rd gear is smooth as glass.
Connor my 3rd is gone lol 120k miles
Jacob Zamora but is yours highly modded? people never had any failures until WOT boxes and power above Mopars Stage 3
+Michael Bruns yeah its not stock larger intercooler injectors agp 50mm turbo full pump and fuel rail few other odds and ends tuned of course lol gonna put a 3rd gear range extension in gotta rebuild it anywaya
Fact: There was NOTHING on the road in 2003 that could touch the Neon SRT-4 for the price, NOTHING. Stock out of the box it beat the WRX, 350Z, S2000, Mustang GT, Honda STILL hasn't sold anything stateside that is faster, EVER, than the SRT-4, so don't even bring up Hondas. You needed 30,000 dollars to buy an EVO or STi to get ahead of it in 2003. Oh but here we are nearly 15 years later bashing on the SRT-4 with comparisons to cars like the Focus ST, which is SLOWER than the SRT-4? LMAO... Then you have idiots with "turbo mercedes" in their name, as though throwing a turbo on a benz is going to make an already unreliable car any more less likely to leave you stranded on the side of the road. 2nd Fact: SRT-4 was extremely reliable. You can find the motors pretty damn easy, hmm, wonder why that is? Oh, directly related to not being able to find a front end for them for under a thousand dollars, think about it for a moment. If they were so damned unreliable, you wouldn't find the motors for them. 3rd fact: LOVE THE HATE. That's the statement we use, we love the hate. So go ahead, hate on, most of the commenters here can't afford their nut hugging dream cars, but they have no problem bashing on the Neon. That's fine, just get used to what the back end looks like, that's all you see :) PEACE!!! - RTShadow
vidal77boxing and how much was the Camaro?
Roo H
Spot on man. This video just goes to show the ignorance that surrounds the car community.
forget about 2003, what can touch it for adjusted for inflation price full stock out of the showroom? The fucker did 5.2 to 60mph is insane even today, 15 years later.
a 5 dollar mod and yes it would
Matt! we've got multiple 10 second Neons here in Houston. Try and grab one next time you're in town.
I love these clean modestly built cars that are typically riced. It’s like a responsible snapshot in time
my 335 made 750whp.. i still lost to a neon
Lies man unless that neon was 1000hp
johnathan tacosauce you are stupid. The srt4 is very light compre to the 335
@@leonardozapata821 Thank You! Some ppl underestimate SRT4s they can walk cars 100-200HP above them
@@motosapien2310 i do all the time. 2005 stage 3r SRT4 ACR.
Loved my old SRT-4. The stock suspension under steered a lot but it could be dialed in. It was just a fun car all the time
hey I'm 42 with a blue 2004 SRT-4 Neon that I've owned since April 2004 and only 60k on mine.
Nice I’m 34 with a black acr..... hands down one of the best performance I ever owed
You selling it for the low ?
I'm same age as you and had my silver 03 since May 2003 👍
I drove my 05 SRT-4 from KY to CA back in the day. Was a great trip, even without cruise control!
this and the speed3, honestly best sounding inline 4-cylinders out there
what about the 2zz
Alex Kohl k series Hondas can sound decent too.
Dont know much about cars BUT I do remember how impressed I was with the power these cars put out.
You could get so much power with factory parts, it was incregible.
The must not have been very reliable because considering how many there were I hardly ever see one today.
they only made 20,000 mine has 150,000 no problems.
The Queef....a very different kind of slip.
Welcome to the power of a neon. Always underestimated.
I pulled up to a stop sign in my S4 next to a high school in one of these. We make eye contact. He just revs that thing up then drops the clutch. I just sit and watch. He proceeds to lay down the most epic one wheel peel I have ever seen, while maintaining eye contact. So strange to me to think that is cool, I don't get why anyone would own one of these.
Bob Marley That's what happens when you live your life a quarter mile at a time.
Bob Marley u mean 2 wheel peel
No, I mean ONE WHEEL PEEL. www.caranddriver.com/reviews/dodge-srt-4-short-take-road-test
Bob Marley must been a 03 cuz 04 and 05 was lsd and spin both
Ok fine, don't correct me when you are the one who is wrong.
nice! I have a 1997 neon coupe that I built a 2.4 turbo engine for in 2001, before the SRT4 was a thing. I used the 2.4 out of the Plymouth Breeze, forged pistons and rods, crane turbo cams with a turbonetics T3/T4 stage 2 turbo. using a rising rate FPR I netted 336WHP in a neon that weighs 2600 stock. props to the neon community
I don't understand why people have to hate on cars like the SRT-4 just because it's a 4 cylinder and it's "rice". People should respect the car community and the people in it, everyone has their own taste in cars. I personally have a 400+ hp SRT-4 and get shit for it all the time...
Wesley Peterson at the end of the day you still have to say you drive a neon lol
If you like the car, fuck it, bro. don't let people get you down. People who look down on another enthusiast ride are either pretentious and/or self conscious asses.
Wesley Peterson it's shit man fuck the srt4 I thought VR4s were unreliable... then I made the mistake of buying one
It was fun to daily a srt4 for a few years. Threw on a set of altimax arctics in the winter months and it was a blast in the snow!
2:48 "ok" what's that all about lol
sounded like it was edited in.
Probably accidentally left over in the editing process.
illuminati
Yeah, I'm betting its the audio of the drive by shot right before the cabin cam.
I don't know why but I died laughing when I heard it haha
I've had 2 Neon SRT 4's in my earlier tuner days, a white one and a Sunburnt Orange. Love the car, like Matt said they are powerful however you look at them but it's still a Neon. I've been in a 500hp SRT 4 and it sounded very similar to this one. Good review.
Hey Matt, just wanted to say that you are the best at what you do. No one does "driving reviews" better. Keep doing what you're doing man!
Awesome to see these cars around in the streets still
He should have said " well your RS is still just a focus"
that, my friends, is Bouquet Canyon Rd. AMAZING road! this road was my 'Twisties' growing up.
dude called the diff a "queef" lol.
There is a shop kinda close to me (Gainesville I think?) that specializes in these things along with Evos and DSMs. They always seems to have a couple for sale.
Thing sounds amazing.
Finally somebody who has reviewed one of these things, I've asked just about every popular automotive youtuber and they all break so kudos man
Mackenzie Yarbough ive got a whole youtube channel dedicated to them check it out
I need to have matt drive my first gen neon srt-4 swap.. Too bad im in Alberta.
tyler2411 berta bois
tyler2411 add me on Instagram and subscribe
tyler2411 you should get Marcus over at roads untraveled to review it they do things a lil more cinematic and I believe they r out in Alberta
Mike Arredondo no...Marcus is in BC. Greater Vancouver and trips to Okanagan Valley.
Mine exploded the bell housing and could see the clutch through the hole and drove it for a month like that. And would eat spark plugs. Beat the snot out of it, taught me about modifications and turned me into an enthusiast. Back when you read tuner magazines to learn how to modify. Drove it 40k miles the first year. Favorite car yet.
Drop the clutch in 2nd and do a burnout for nearly a block. And flat foot shifting made such a satisfying bang between gears. Soooo much fun
lmao, Matt is a savage, shitted on that guys car the whole time, dude face at the end was priceless
The harsh comment was "so your still rocking a neon in your 30's."
Quentin Adams ... no he didn't (?) ...
That was fucked up. DD a neon into your 30s...I felt bad, and sometimes I feel like a dick with my comments.
XenomorphLV426 yea that kinda made me cringe when he said that 😂 like damn just letting em have it today huh Matt?
Matt is a fucking douche, the more I watch him the more I dislike him. No need to hate on another dudes car, plenty of people in they’re 40’s-50-‘s still drive SI civis, he drives a damn “Focus”. SMH
I am a fan of the SRT4. The Neon has a good chassis that can support that power.
Lmao I think it's funny how people relate to these as JUST Neons. My buddy owns one that was worked on by Modern Performance and maaaaaan that thing is fast. Bottom end can hold so much power stock it's ridiculous! Have to know these cars in order to not compare it to JUST a Neon. Same thing goes for the Focus. It's JUST a focus. But real enthusiasts will acknowledge them more than JUST a car.
Years ago I drove one on the Autobahn. It was really fun ... The speed was good in the beginning, than the windscreen wipers cam up at speed till the middle of the screen and after about 10 Miles kicking it differential broke and the fun was over. Went back with towtruck. BUT ... during this time it was a rattling piece of fun
Lol my caliber srt4 with some very small bolt-ons and a tune put down 347 whp so its right around 400hp at the crank on stock turbo and regular gas, its been perfectly reliable too, matt you gotta review a caliber srt4 that has at least a tune!
It will be harder to find than a caliber srt4(5k ever produced), than a neon tho, and mine is in northern canada so unless you come to Fort McMurray I can't hand you mine for a review
One of my friends made 330whp on a mustang dyno with an intercooler, intake turboback and tune on pump gas with a stock turbo on his CSRT4, I don't doubt that guy when he says 347whp.
Danny Millan Oh I'm sorry, I thought he was talking about a neon srt4. My bad.
I'll delete my original comment since it is irrelevant.
No it's all good man, it happens, I didn't know you were talking about the neon. If it was a neon, then yes he would have to be running much more then a bolt on or two to make that kind of power.
Thanks. For the record, I like both srt4's.
can't say anything about a leased focus at 500 a month because it's a sports machine , but hey at the end of the day it's still a focus right lol?
you need to drive a lightly modded gm car with a 3800 series supercharged motor... GTP, Bonneville, regal GS? these cars are awesome haha
Someone needs to submit one. I've said many times that I would do any of those cars. I've had zero submissions from any of them.
TheSmokingTire wow that's crazy. I'm in Alberta and there seems to be quite a bit of them out here.. I have a 40th anniversary edition GTP coupe with a smaller pulley and basic mods.. I might have to take a road trip soon 😎
Haha yea man ZZP supercharger pulley and exhaust and you beat everything .. Cars are definition of sleepers ...
would you ever submit a highley modified diesel??
I've got a Grand Prix GTP F.1. (just some MPD body kit package from previous owner [friend]) Turbocharged with custom turbo headers, light street turbo cam I made, all else pretty much stock except for basic strugs/springs, fuel stuff.
If I weren't in NY and I was local I'd let him drive it just for the heck of it. But at the end of the day with Matt and I in it, it's a 400fwhp pump gas 4 speed auto W-body at 4000lbs. How much fun would he have unless I REALLY tuned the heck out of it.
Plus someone just bought it from me but he hasn't taken delivery yet. (It's nobody's car ;] )
I just don't think Matt needs to drive a stock supercharged 3800. They sound awful, they are slow if you hit the wrong gear, or you blow up transmissions or burn off the tires. They don't have any top end, I just don't think Matt will be happy with MOST people's builds out there. They are budget - torquey car unless people do headwork, cam and turbo stuffs.
I own a focus rs and a 70k miles srt will never get rid tune only things are just a blast happy u did a vid
Hey, Matt! have you ever had a car break down while shooting a one take??
Bruce Wayne once, a diffeerential exploded half a mile into my drive
upload the video!
I agree, upload
StreetKa damm bro thats fucked up to say
no. it's a boring video.
My cousin had an SRT-4 set up for E85 with a stock turbo (never dyno'd, but others with similar setups were making over 400ft-lbs and around 300hp). Everyone likes to talk shit on them, but really, they're great cars. Roomy, four doors, reliable, and fucking quick for what they are.
More cars from the early 2000's? Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V? :D
I have one of those in the queue
My friend has one also if your intrested, its a 2004 spec V
The SE-R I'd like to see is the Altima SE-R. :o Always found those beautiful.
INumba1Stunna yup Altima SE-R much nicer and faster than Sentra SE-R
Altima SE-R is faster, but the handling is much worse.
I love my POS NSRT-4. Probably as much as others love their POS Fox body Mustang, or POS 3rd-4th Gen Camaro. The car is ugly, when stock, but a set of eyelids, a lowered stance, and a clipping of the wing makes a world of difference. I was driving a 2002 RSX, before I obtained my NSRT-4, in 2003, and it had more squeaks and rattles than the ol' Neon. The RSX had much better interior styling, but as far as quality, there isn't as much of a gap, as perceived by many. And reliability has more to do with owners (and previous owners) than the car itself.
Its hilarious that turbo noise is synonymous with tuner noise even though dodge sold more turbo cars in the 80's-90's than all the import companies combined....
Caravan, spirit, lebaron, shadow, Daytona, k cars, omni, etc....
If dodge made it you could buy it with a turbo 4...
Funny that new cars are JUST starting to embrace it lol
It is best to shut off the air when doing performance runs. I have a 2005 SRT 4. Yes they based on a Neon platform. My main complaint is the highway noise . I need to install some Dynamat insulation. The only think that broke on my car so far is the gear shift linkage .
I loved this car.... I had 2 of them
H1GHD3FF me too
That Neon Channel me three
That Neon Channel I'm a sub
T1GR3S13 sweet
who cares
I'm on 1025 too. pump gas.21 psi made 425/435 Hahn 20g with 50trim compressor wheel.weird combo but it does work. and that was just on 21psi car got 65k so still a little fresh.but yours still has room for more power
I remember when it seemed like every other car on the road was a Neon with a fart can exhaust.
Congrats on creeping closer to 1,000,000
This car would absolutely beat the shit out of 90% of the cars featured on this channel... In a straight line. Too bad he's got the 03 though, no limited slip stock and had to pay for that.. not a cheap mod
RoadTripVidz stupid question-can somebody explain to me if you need to upgrade stock lsd if you tune a car to much more power or it doesn't matter
martin srabotnik al depends how much power you put through it usually aftermarket ones are stronger and better made but unless your putting big power down standard lsd should handle it
yeah for FWD cars with power LSDs are essential. It is my next to-get item for my car.
SRT4 stock Quaife is good for pretty much any power level.
RoadTripVidz what about every car that has 400 or more horsepower?
Yeah I don't get why people hate on this car, really don't. Sure it sports the "Neon" name, but out of the important bits none of them are even closely related to the Neon. Outside perspective is "they slapped a turbo on a neon" and that's not even close to reality. Engine wasn't even closely related to the Neon engine and from what I understand the boat anchor they put in the SRT4 wasn't used in any other cars.
I had one of these for about 4 years or so and loved it a lot. The interior is actually fine for me, I don't need a Mercedes interior, it's solid, it doesn't squeak, so I was happy with it. The interior looks like garbage, but as I said, doesn't squeak, so it doesn't bother me. Also, I didn't buy it b/c of the interior.
So about the car: Easy to work on, for me it was dead reliable, and parts are dirt cheap and common. What's not to like? I autoX'd the piss out of mine (ACR version). My only complaints were that the seats were a bit too buckety for me every day to climb in and out of, the turning radius, as mentioned here, utter garbage, and the transmission is out of a diesel van, so it's not exactly the epitome of "smooth shifting" - it's notchy shifting, and that's all there is to it. That's about it, though. It never gave me any reliability hiccups, mine had LSD from the factory (torsen), the notchy shifting was probably my biggest complaint, but it never gave me any issues, and these things make more torque than HP, like 230 to the ground, it's pretty crazy. Mine was a bit of a dick because it had a 500hp clutch in there but I can't fault the car for that.
Good car, I feel they're severely under appreciated. I sold mine but there's many more out there to own.
try to review caliper srt4
I think anyone who has one of those wouldn't dare submit it because they'd know what I'd say.
any chance you could tell me your thoughts on it here?
I would submit caliber srt4 if I lived anywhere close to you but I live in northern Canada, if he came to Alberta i would drive it anywhere within alberta
LOL...
It's the American Cheeseburger of sport compacts.
Still have my 04' big turbo 196k miles on it. Runs like a dream!
I'm 33 and bought in 2004!
Lol this comment section is exceptional
Awesome to see this filmed in my hometown of Santa Clarita
Love that spoooool psshhhhhh