Damn does this thing haul ass! I went and looked at one last night and for $19.9K it is a great deal. they already have a factory stage one kit that will give you 240hp for 400 bucks! running 15 puonds of boost at stock and giving you a 0-60 time in under 6 seconds is crazy for a stock car under warrenty. I think I may go back on SAT and Test drive the Car.

Wait for the 2004 model. I think they're increasing the price a bit, but its supposed to be rated at 15 more hp and have a LSD. They have an interesting article about the SRT-4 engine in the most recent SCC mag. Strong engine. Still a typical domestic cast crank though.

I heard the same thing for the 04 models!

BTW- what is LSD, besides my prefered drug on the market?

I drove one of the 03's. It did haul ass, hard! Was tough to really drive it hard for two reasons. One it was a test drive, but two without the LSD i was spinning all the time. After that I tested the EVO. Definately worth the extra 10 grand. But for the price you'll never beat that Neon. I heard the 04's are going to be like 23 grand tho. Awesome for 19, don't know about 23. For that money you could almost get a WRX.

LSD
Limited-Slip-Differential

Thats waht I thought! Dman Mike pull your head out of the gutter! I dont know about 23g's you can get a used wrx for about that if they didnt mod the car.

sticker on an 04 WRX is 23,737. Sounds like a better buy then a 22-23000 Neon.
If you want the STi you'll pay allllllllloooootttt more.

Although they say the EVO can out perform the WRX and the SRT4 is every bit the EVO is and with very little mods can out perform them all for less. But I am bias Im a Mopar man. Hence the Eclipse w/420A. LOL!

One of the local autocrossers bought an SRT-4 (he posts on CII also), he said it doesn't handle nearly as well as he was hoping. His old ACR Neon could run circles around it.

I could definitely see the srt-4 outperforming the EVO in power production with a few mods because its engine is quite impressive, but considering everything else, I'd still go with an EVO. Consider the chassis-stiffening, the high-tech suspension, the enormous brakes, the AWD, the wide sticky tires mounted on light Enkei's. Not to mention the fact that SCC put their kitty-hair clutched EVO against three of Germany's finest and the EVO placed a close second to nothing less than a $80,000 Porsche Carrera.

I like mopar just as much as anyone else, give my left nut for a viper, BUT AWD vs one tire fire, c'mon! Straight out horsepower the neon mod'ed could take the EVO, but it's got .4l more displacement. I'd take the EVO anyday. Not to mention the EVO is tied for the fastest care ever through Car and Drivers slalom. The discussion goes to $'s though. One is 10 G's less then the other. What do ya do? Eat PB&J for the rest of your life and take the EVO or get the neon and eat... uh... better food.

Maybe BS, but I heard that Dodge/Chrysler was having to recall all the SRT's because of an oil pump failure that is causing major engine trauma.

Take it for what it's worth.

that was a hoax, fortunately

Haha! Yeah, be wary of anything that comes from www.cnn.heavyplasma.com.

Yeah i posted that here then my buddy told me that it was a hox and I took it down real quick! I thought that it was true!!!!

talking about the 04 SRT-4, I believe they are raising the horsepower numbers to reflect what they are putting out now. i have heard that some 03 SRT-4 are putting down horsepower numbers in hte 230 range.

True about the HP. AMS in chicago dynoed one at 227.

4g63tsi were those horsepower number at the wheels or at the engine. I'm just curious

Well I couldn't find the previous post to chi-dsm.org, but I located an article by SSC saying they put 223 to the wheels, so i believe it was to the wheels. Here's the link to SSC

http://www.sportcompactcarweb.com/roadtest...s/012scc_dodge/

if that is the case then that is why dodge is probally raising the horsepower numbers for the 04 from 215. Since SCC made 223 at the wheels, which I believe is somewhere around 240 or higher at the engine. so dodge probally could sell the SRT-4 for 23,000 for the o4 models. I believe if they do then it would kill the SRT-4, espically a $4,000 increase in a year and no LSD.

Actually, if you read the article in SCC about the SRT-4 engine. They explain that the factory is putting larger injectors and changing the fuel/timing maps to further increase the power output especially in hot or high altitude conditions where the engine suffers hotter and/or less dense intake charges.

then the larger injectors and the new fuel map will even riase the HP higher then it is now. that is crazy for a stck car at $20K. I bet they do raise the price to about 23-24!

Ohh and welcome to the boards Jeremy, stlblkmsp!

The local autocrosser who bought the SRT-4 is Chris Goodwin. His put down 225HP/239Trq at the wheels stock. He has since installed the Mopar Stage1 kit (ECU, injectors) and an AEM intake, and is up to ~245HP/260Trq.

Compared to the ACR, it just doesn't have enough tire. With a 2900lb curb weight, and skinny 205 tires, it just can't compare. You can't even come close to using the available power on an autocross course with the skinny street tires. The ACR has been lowered, and runs race tires, so the SRT definitely won't outhandle it on street tires. Lower the SRT with some real rubber, and it will be super fast. Even with just a set of race tires, in stock form, it wil be competitive in G Stock.

Dodge is raising the HP rating on the 2004's to more accurately reflect the actual crank numbers. The newer ECU and bigger injectors are to give them more margin in hot weather, and allow more aftermarket power increases before new injectors are required. The engine won't be putting out more power, it is just a ratings game.

The 2003's stickered for $19,995 (with no options) and the 2004's will be at $20,995 (LSD standard, sunroof optional). If someone pays 23K for one, they are getting gouged by the dealer. Even fully equipped with the sunroof they will be under 22K.

Overall bang-for-your-buck, it rocks. A WRX will cost you several grand more for less straight-line speed. The EVO is a much better car, but it should be, for almost 10 grand more.

I have ridden in and driven Chris' car, and it pulls 3rd gear just as hard as my LS-1. We haven't had a chance to run them yet, but it would be interesting. From a stop, I would probably take him, but from a roll, it would be anybody's race. Overall, it is a blast to drive. The only thing it is missing is the LSD, which is standard on the 2004's

They are putting down mid-5 second 0-60 and 14-flat times stock. Chris is planning to run it at Cordova sometime this fall, so we will see what kind of numbers it can produce.

Marty

That's some good info Marty. The article in SCC quoted some people from Dodge saying that the car should be putting out 15 more hp in hot or high altitude conditions and 5 more hp regularly in similar test conditions to what SCC put the 2003 through on the dyno. Not much, but something. I guess we'll have to wait til they're released and tested to know for sure.

That was some really good info marty! For the money I hear that it is not bad. I went and looked at the car and I think it sits kind of high and has really skinny tires. But an overall I give it two thumbs up for dodge bringing it out. To bad they used the Neon name though!

Actually, it doesn't have the name Neon anywhere on the car. It is just an "SRT-4". Granted, we all know it is still a Neon at the core. It is kinda like the EVO...I don't think it says Lancer anywhere, either, but it is still a humble little econobox before all the go-fast goodies get bolted on.

Marty

unfortunately, it does say lancer abouve the evolution on the trunk lid.