[RTShadow]

Mopar stage 1 from factory.

This is not correct. He is either misinformed or feeding you a line.
In 2003 the stage 1 kit included the 577cc injectors and the upgraded PCM.
For 2004/2005 the 577cc injectors came stock with the car, so the stage 1 kit was just the upgraded PCM.
They did not sell the SRT-4 with stage kits from the factory, ever. You had to purchase the stage kits separate.
Now he may have purchased it immediately and had the dealership install it with the car when new, but that would be the closest to "factory" as you could get.
If it is a true stage 1 car, the PCM would have a sticker on it that states "Stage 1 Turbo" and a statement about not being used on pollution controlled vehicles.
Unfortunately to check this you have to remove the PCM as the sticker is on the backside, and sometimes the sticker has either been removed or fallen off, being now 17-19 years later.

As far as the price, prices have been going up in the last year or so on the online trader sites for the SRT-4 Neon, likely because we're reached that point where the "honda bois" type SRT-4s have been rodded to death or crashed, and there are fewer models left to sell, and they may be in better shape, hard to say.

It would be nice if the guy had some better photos, the engine bay looks terrible, the paint is bad, painted rims look cheap, aftermarket headlights, hopefully the interior looks better. I don't know where the car is located so hard to make a judgment on rust, but there appears to be no holes in the usual areas.

7k may seem reasonable based on what you see online, but given the wear and tear, I suspect the interior likely has some similar issues, I'd start at 5k and see where that gets you.

 

[RTShadow]

Yeah im just glad mine just has transmission issues. Witch im just gonna put a another trans in it all together. Its plenty fast the way it is for me.

That's the worst issue to have actually. The engines are a dime a dozen because they are also in the PT cruiser. The transmission is the weak link in the SRT-4 Neon unfortunately, and can cost 2500 to more than 3k for a good reman.

***EDIT: Let me clarify, in the engine bay that's the worst thing to have. Obviously a rusty messed up body or wrecked car is even worse, or even a destroyed interior.

 

[RTShadow]

I have the SRS (airbag) seats, but over the past 10 years or so i started getting in very carefully even with those.

The Viper seats get that way from rubbing as the person gets in and out, it can happen to any vinyl/leather/pleather seat though, hence why I will now carefully try to get one foot out the door, put weight on that foot and push off the 20 dollar walmart floormat that I have covering my OEM mat LOL. This past 3 years I put on about 30 lbs (probably more, I don't even want to get on the scale lol) so I've really been trying to be careful.

 

[RTShadow]

The guy just said he'd take 6K. And the car is located in Ohio. The guy said Stage 1 when I asked him again and said that it was making 18 PSI from factory instead of 12 PSI like factory. Then again, it may be a kit and he just doesn't realize it.

Probably just have to test drive it at this point. You thinking of going for it?

 

[RTShadow]

Used car prices are up 13% from last year take that into consideration.

SRT-4s are even higher. A year ago you could generally find 10 to 12 SRT4's under 6k on autotrader/cargurus/etc.

In the last few months there hasn't been really anything under 10k.

I even checked nationwide craigstlist and didn't find anything under 5k last week.

I wouldn't want that black one. Too rough. You are going to have to travel for the right one. All the local Neon SRT's for sale around here are very rough when they do pop up. Most of them in general are in bad shape and have had multiple owners. Oh and they continue to get wrecked and parted out. So very slim pickings!

I'm wondering if we've reached the point where all the "honda boi" SRT-4s (buy em dirt cheap and rod the hell out of them, wreck/blown up) are gone, and we are going to only see the ones taken care of from here on out.

The prices going up has me torn. Owning a mint SRT-4, I start thinking crazy that maybe they will become collectible... but wanting to buy one for my son in a couple years has me thinking "Oh SHXX why didn't I buy another one earlier?"