i have decided that they are a waste of my time. i raced one, beat it (he was probably stock), and he started doing exactly that, he started getting skittish and looking like he was gonna lose it.


bad bad bad.


so i've written them off completely.

even civics have better manners out there (ok, well, they only get up to like, 70 mph, so.......nothing can go catastrophically wrong )

once, i was driving back from point reyes, and this guy in an SRT-4 wants to race evidently.

i was with my girlfriend, and he's with get this- his friend (front pass. seat) and 3 kids in the back seat (no more than 12 yrs old). this shouldnt be any problem, but i'm getting back from a lovely day at the beach, and my girlfriend writes on a piece of cardboard-

"YOU ARE DRIVING A NEON"



and holds it up as i pull even with them. he gets mad, and starts doing the blow off valve thing, but i let him go.....



then i saw this really cool little 1st or 2nd gen Golf/GTi, with sparkly blue paint and a roll cage. he gave me like, the biggest thumbs up ever, and i gave him one back, and drove off.

this was like.......a year ago around this time, actually.........




oops, i went really OT.............

 

I think thats a pretty ignorant statement. They are very powerful cars considering their engine size from the factory and with little mods 400whp is easily doable. Bolt on's can get your over 300whp.

I think alot of people here are pretty ignorant and going off the fact that its based from a neon. You have no idea how powerful these cars can be. I've seen them at the track and on the street and its a serious little performer for the money.

And if you think they are sooo slow compared to our cars(which is complete bull****) then why dont you go out and race a few. I bet half of the 951's on this board couldnt be a stage 3 mopar srt4....and still get to keep your factory ****ing warrenty at that level.

 

I'll tell you what ill go find a buddy of mine chris srt4 and post some videos.

This is all done with bolt on's and a bigger turbo. Stock head/stock motor.

528rwhp 474tq S/C zo6 VS chris
http://videos.streetfire.net/player....C-62D222C80242

t72 Supra VS chris
http://videos.streetfire.net/player....1-25D106167F47

S/C zo6 490rwhp vs chris
http://videos.streetfire.net/player....6-DCC962844FF4

CTS-V w/spray(over 500rwhp) VS chris
http://videos.streetfire.net/video/1...F2D2DA0D78.htm

 

My father owns an SRT-4, and it is in now way a waste of time. You will hardly ever find a stock one, and if you do, it is still plenty quick. For $3K you can get over 300whp, and 500 - 600whp is possible with a little heavier modding. He has driven it hard since he got it last year, putting on 40Kmi. without any problems whatsoever. People have gotten these things into the 10's in the 1/4 recently.

The only thing they don't have is RWD/AWD. FWD is the biggest killer of this car, which is besides that, very fast and very capable - more so when you look at the amount of money being spent.

 

I'll be honest, I have raced alot of cars in my day.... you can call me immature and what not. I know from plenty of expirence that a stock SRT is about the same as a stock 951, give or take. A 951 S could probably pull on one a little. With just a mod or two it will take a chip/exhaust/wastegate 951 to hang or beat it. To me they're just like Cobras or Supras, I expect the worst and seldom win.

 

you said it best earlier. You need 300rwhp to not have to worry about most of them.

If they are on stock turbo that is. If they are on a upgraded turbo forget about it. Chances are he's going to be faster than you regardless.

Most upgraded turbo/full bolt on/fuel/high psi srt4's make around 420-450whp. There are however some who take it to the next level and make 550-600whp but, those guys are rare.

Its just like anything. Some owners take there car modded seriously and others just do the basic mopar factory stuff. Either way anyone has talks down about the srt4 saying its a pos and waste of fuel is ignorant. They simply just dont know any better

 

how do they handle? i have yet to see one at the track.

 

I will challenge anybody here to a street race. I will bring my nike running shoes. I hope you are ready to get smoked n00b. p0wnage!

 

I think they're ugly as hell. Looks like american made rice.

 

They're potent little f***ers, but when it comes down to it, they are Neons. The name isn't what kills it for me, it's the lack of build quality, part quality, past engine life reputation, and most importantly, handling. I was very impressed with the motor's performance out of the box, yet very disimpressed by how it handled and drove. The weight bias towards the front, FWD layout, and really messed up F/R roll centers and c.g.'s just make it feel like... well... a Neon. Quick? Yes. Sports car? No.

I'd consider one as a daily driver if I weren't so doubtful on their engine life and safety issues. I drove a Cobalt SS from Chevy, and though it wasn't as quick in a straight line as the SRT-4, it handled better, had better features, fit and finish, and saftey ratings that blew away the Neons... the list goes on.

From a guy that's hated Chevy's his whole life, I am unabashedly admitting.... I actually enjoyed driving that Cobalt.

...I asked the sales rep if they had a wing delete option though. Apperently they don't. If I buy one, the first "mod" I'm doing is unbolting that horrid attrocity they call a wing.

 

dude, seriously, i didnt say they are sooooooooooo slow. i said they are a waste of time, because half of the time, the drivers are retard, hat-backwards wanna-be rapper kids who cant drive for **** (at least out here they are). add to this FWD and PLENTY of HP (they DO make lots of HP, i didnt say they didnt), and you get a nice formula for wrapped around a telephone pole.


i didnt say they werent fast, i said the demographic for drivers means i'd actually rather race a civic than race an SRT-4 driver.


waste of time not because "oh ****, my ***** is so enormous, that i'm going to beat them"

no, waste of time because they can get very powerful with people that dont know how to control them, and i dont need to go to jail for manslaughter or whatever you can get charged with out here when they die from their own stupidity.









Gator- i will take you up on this street race.

i have New Balance basketball shoes.

you have no chance.

 

Too bad the camera driver in the first video missed soo many shifts, i may have been able to see how many lengths they had on eachother. I think its safe to say that many SRT-4's are prety fast adn can most feddinately hang with the modded guys on here. There are a couple stock ones at my school and they are not competition but there is one around my house that has boost control intake exhaust and chip that will spank me from a dig. from 100+ I can hang with him and tehn pass him but up to 100 he will pull hard on me. He paid $13k for his and out $2K into it. Prety impressive for a dodge 4 banger....

so IMOP, SRT-4's are cheaply made cheap cars with lots of POTENTIAL. You cant argue the fact that they arent fast with mods. and some have put out more HP then i have EVER seen in a 951. But i would never trade my 951 for a srt-4. i just respect them and take caution when pulling beside one.

 

IMOP= IMHO sry typing to fast

 

That is what I think I looked at one with a Stage I kit. the window sticker said it had HI-Performance Suspension +front and rear sways. For a dodge that means it does not fall off or brake prior to the warranty expiration. I looked at the sways and looked smaller than regular 944 sways nothing special.
Next I looked at the brakes 1 piston calipers like the old 944 calipers and little itty bitty rotors.

Honestly, seems to be unsafe. That kind of power should also incorporate better engineering in braking and suspension!

Oh well maybe it will take one of them to really **** me off one day and then it is motor mod time. I buy a beater and 951 does not come out of the shop till it turns 450Hp and will smoke a crotch rocket!

 

Stock for stock youll take em. Modifed to modifed depends on whos got more. They have as much potential if not more than the 951 in a WAY cheaper newer package.

Great potential, can be made to be REALLY fast, but i still hate them, and they are still a neon.

They are supposed to be a pretty good handling car too. Not up to 951 standards but close. Once they get highly modified though im sure tourqe steer becomes a serious issue. But last i knew they were a hit for cheap autoxing, not that any of the owners actually try autoxing, but they are supposed to be fun.