Thanks J5, I havent checked for any codes yet. I just googled and found a link to dodgeforum and it says to turn the key off and on 3 times to get the codes??
you can turn the key on and off 5 times ending in the on position, but its easier if you plan on having any 1996+ cars for any period of time to go to canadian tire and pick up a code reader much simplier
first thing I would check is spark plug wires to make sure they aren't dripping in oil, since the 2.0 L engine is a hemispherical engine they have spark plug tubes like a hemi that seal to the valve cover and the seals often go hard over time
another thing to check is the intake tube running from the air box to intake, neon's and any 2.0 or 2.4 engine have the throttle body mounted away from the intake on the air box and the tube connects the intake to the throttle body they started this in 2000. if the tube has been off there is a possiblity that its not back on properly, I always use a little wd40 to help it slip on better
I think she will like the milage that comes with a neon and the prices are cheap for parts compared to most other newer FWD cars