Ouch !!................

 

Seriously. First time I've ever had a flat, 15 years of driving. The good news is unlike the stockers, they didn't bend. So it's just some cosmetic damage to the lip. Still hurts.

 

Sounds like you are handling it well. I know how you feel. I had my 2015 Jeep 2 weeks and then I took a big rock from a salt/sander truck and now I need a new windshield.

 

Ouch! At least the XF has a decade on the road to account for it's scrapes and bruises. I got all the choice words out of the way pretty quickly. The pothole is already fixed too!

 

Lucky it wasn't a man hole cover that popped up at you in Indy!

 

I've seen a couple that would be close! You have to be super attentive to the road surface in Indy. Slightly related I had a friend hit an open manhole cover back in high school. Destroyed the van, ripped the wheel, brake, and some suspension parts right off. I imagine the XF wouldn't fare any better. PSA - don't drive on closed roads.

 

Ride is looking good! Sorry to hear about the wheels, Indy can be brutal.

First week I had my 18/20 setup, some ******* nearly hit me and forced me to curbrash one of the brand new wheels, I feel your pain...

 

I took off the chrome top grill on the hood and had it blasted to take off the chrome and painted it black with and just left the silver painted on the grill love the new look with my black XF. will take photos this week. I took off the rear chrome and sanded it and painted it black now the whole car is black and I love it.

 

Thanks man! Is yours back together and painted? I've been hibernating all winter

 

Bought a battery charger that attaches under the hood. It's called a C-Tek and stays on the car permanently. Really like it because my crossie sits for weeks at a time waiting for sunshine It doesn't overcharge the system so is safe to leave it on until I start driving the car more often..anyone have one? I just use an extension cord and a reminder to UNPLUG it before I roll the car out of the garage

Dianne aka hotwheels

 

Quite a few here have them, I have one but never use it all the time. I put it on and leave it for a week and then take it off.

 

Yup, I've had one for years. Permanent plug in by the battery and just plug in the tender in to the socket when it sits in the garage during the winter. I use it in the summer when I go on vacation as well. I generally drive the car at least once a week in the spring / summer / fall so I don't usually keep it hooked up then. It's from Griots Garage. It is adjustable for different battery types as well. Monitors the battery and only charges when it needs it. It's a great investment for those that have them sit for long periods.

 

Not together all the way yet, but it is painted and getting there. I am hoping to be back on the road in the next few weeks after we get moved

Edit: are you still around Indy? I know at one point you were thinking of moving....

 

I am for now anyway. Haven't got any plans together yet.

 

We should be fully moved over the Eagle Creek in the next week or so and then I focus on finishing the car.

She is coming along quite nicely

 

Finally got my headlights done!

 

Did the flashiing high mounted center brake LED lamp module install today, awesome results!

 

Installed my birthday gift......caliper covers. Of course while I had the wheels off I cleaned the inside of the wheels and tires and greased the appropriate parts as well. Heres a few pics.

 

Went to south Florida again today, ran 358 miles on 13.34 gallons of mix (usually alternate 89 and 93 at 1/2 tank. Mostly just on the turnpike with miles and miles of miles and miles then hop on 95 at Jupiter. Suspect a 6th that is closer to 2000 at 70 instead of 2600 would add a couple of mpg.

Noticed again that other than in slow traffic, first is useless since if try a fast shift from 1st to 2nd at about 25 mph the traction control kills everything for a few seconds. And Florida shell roads have a lot of traction.

 

If you disconnect your traction control, you wont have that problem anymore Padgett. And why are you shifting out of 1st gear so soon anyway?


Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Akron, Ohio
Age: 64
Posts: 7,298
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Default Re: Is 1st Gear Too Short?

__________________1st. gear________________________final drive_______
____________________ratio_________________________ ___ratio_________


CROSSFIRE__________4.46:1_____6000 RPM = 31 MPH_____3.27:1______________

BMW M3____________4.23:1_____8000 RPM = 40 MPH_____3.62:1______________

NEW MIATA_________3.82:1_____6750 RPM = 31 MPH_____4.10:1______________

INFINITY G35________3.79:1_____6600 RPM = 38 MPH_____3.54:1______________

RX-8_______________3.76:1_____9000 RPM = 39 MPH_____4.44:1______________

SOLSTICE___________3,75:1_____6800 RPM = 35 MPH_____3.91:1______________

NEON SRT-4_________3.65:1_____6600 RPM = 36 MPH_____3.55:1______________

AUDI TT____________3.42:1_____6600 RPM = 34 MPH_____4.20:1_______________

CAYMAN____________3.31:1_____7200 RPM = 44 MPH_____3.88:1_______________

ACURA RSX TYPE S___3.27:1_____8000 RPM = 38 MPH_____4.77:1_______________


These are a few statistics of cars we should all be familiar with. As you can see, the XF has the dubious honor of having the "lowest" 1st. gear ratio of the bunch, but the "highest" final drive ratio too. Of course tire size needs to be figured into the equation also. The Miata is the only car that shares the Crossfires limited 1st. gear range at red line. Obviously we have nobody else to blame, or thank for these numbers except Mercedes Benz.
In my opinion, MB gave this drive train set up this particular 1st. gear ratio to compensate for the otherwise "high" final drive ratio. As annoying as it sometimes is to run out of RPM so quickly in 1st. gear, it does afford us the opportunity to "pull a hole shot" on some other higher HP. cars at the traffic lights. (Has anybody got a 60' time on a non-supercharged XF yet?) With the way the XF hooks up, it should be pretty good.
I chose a manual 6sp. over the automatic because I like to shift, after all, it is still a "sports car" right? But I know it probably feels just as "sporty" to some others with the automatic, to each his own. But one thing I've learned over the years, that when it comes to a sports cars, allowances sometimes need to be made. So I pretty much live with the short 1st. gear, and accept it as part of the "character" of the Crossfire.