She wont talk to me!

This is your ring gear that has lost some of its teeth usually at one point of the ring gear. If you remove the starter, you will be able to crank the engine over by hand(crankshaft) and you will eventually find broken teeth. Sorry, it's a pretty costly job if your bringing it to the shop. If you decide to do it yourself, it's just a matter of disconnecting the engine and transmission, and then replacing the old ring gear with a new one. If you do so, don't forget to locktite the five nuts holding it on!!!

Steve

Couldn't it just be a worn-out starter solenoid or Bendix - whichever the Neon uses to push the starter gear into meshing with the ring gear?

perhaps. The way you were describing the metal grinding noise makes it seem to be the ring gear. Anyhow, when you remove the starter, inspect it for any worn or broken teeth. If there are worn teeth, that will need to be replaced but you should always check the condition of the ring gear through the starter mounting hole.

Steve

I will put my money on faulty starter. if the starter does not pusht the gear fast enough, it will starrt spinning without the gears engage.

Do you hear high frequency rotation of the starter motor.

My reasoning: if the ring is has broken tooth, it will never engage unless you move the flywheel alittle bit somehow.

I agree with you on the starter issue. However, with my experience, I have seen the starter catch the ring gear once in a while even with broken teeth. But, if there are enough of them broken in one spot, yeah, it won't catch anymore. But like you said, the solenoid may be breaking down not giving the starter enough juice to kick it all the way in.