People who know a lot about cars please help

For the Car guys out there PLEASE HELP!!!

So I drive a 96 Chevy caviler there is sooo many things wrong with it but I put a lot of money into it and show at car shows and I wont a lot on it and I wanna do the same with my next car.
My boyfriend and...

think it would be cheaper to buy another car. a good friend of his is selling is old dodge neon its like a 96 or 95. I am really picky about cars but I dont know anything about a neon and I am tried of trying to look for info on it so please help and give me some info like:

good on gas? I drive a lot about 100 miles aday with work and college
good car?
can we do anything to it ?
anything?

I think that neons would be good on gas, I seem to recall they had a problem with the engines blowing in them.

if it were me- I would have a competent mechanic look it over before buying it.

if the engine is mechanically alright, and a mechanic says it looks good- buy it.
I had an aquaintance who swore by the neon, and mopars in general- he drove his little neon for years until the engine finally blew out.

I've got a friend driving a neon. I've driven it a few times myself (I'm usually the designated sober driver!) and I can say that while yes, they are good on gas, the handling isn't too hot. Steering is pretty bad; I can't believe they actually call it power steering. It doesn't accelerate too quickly, and if you're a stickler for the sound, it sounds AWFUL. I mean, when you floor it, it sounds like a toy car. Pathetic. A decent car for the price, but there are better out there.