Originally Posted by NEWB
Hey hows it going? I have some questions about these beautiful cars! Ive always loved the look of the crossfire but after doing research and reading up on them I might have changed my mind. I came to this site in order to get answers from real owners.
I heard many downfalls about Crossfire:
- Maintenance and repair work will cost a fortune!!!
No more so than any other Mercedes Benz (which, honestly, is what the darn thing is)
- Reliability is POOR
Mine seems to need gas on a regular basis, but that's the ONLY thing I've had to do to it in 3 years.
- Parts and Tires are EXPENSIVE
Sort of. As mentioned, it is basically a Mercedes so parts can be pricey. It does make use of low profile 18" and 19" tires, which tend to be on the pricey side.
- Poor handling
WRONG WRONG WRONG - I have hunted down and passed Spec Miata racers running R-Compound tires on a road course and passed them. Anybody who tells you that a race prepped Miata doesn't handle should never enter into any discussion of any kind about cars.
- It takes premium gas (Will cost a lot to run)
Yes, it takes premium gas. But they get pretty decent fuel economy so it's a matter of a few dollars per tank over regular. Big deal. If this is a deal breaker, buy a Mazda 2 or, better yet, a Prius
- Chrysler= ****
No. Unless, if you consider that my last 3 Chrysler products, including the Crossfire, have had exactly 1 warranty claim total between them, then they suck. All electric bits still work on them (going back to 2000 model year Dodge Stratus) and the interiors still look like new. But then again, I take care of my cars.
- Most of the car is a downgraded Mercedes
How do you "downgrade" Mercedes Benz parts? Certainly the factory doesn't "downgrade" anything. Yes, the Crossfire is essentially a former chassis SLK with a different body on it, but that certainly isn't "downgraded" - it's just "Mercedes Benz"
- 350Z, WRX, M3, Miata, s2000, mr2, RX8 --- Are all better cars!?!?
Well, if you ask the guys on those respective forums they would probably say "yes". But they'd also tell you their car was better than all of those listed!! Of course if you watch Top Gear and view the episode where they compared the 350Z Roadster, Audi TT Roadster and Crossfire Roadster, you'll find that Jeremy Clarkson picked the Crossfire as his favorite. If that means anything to you.
I would like to hear the HONEST truth from you owners out there. I love the look of the XFire, but after hearing all of that, I am thinking twice. I need to make up my mind soon, I need a daily cruiser car. I was thinking about getting a used 04-06 with less than 50K miles.
Thanks for the help in advance.
See my comments in red above. As for comparing it to the other cars mentioned, allow me to add this: I used to own a Miata and loved it. Great little car. Very different from a Crossfire, however, as is the MR2, S2000 and WRX. When all these cars were new I can't imagine anyone cross shopping a Crossfire with a WRX and the MR2. Or cross shopping just the WRX and MR2 - very, very different cars. Of all those, the 350Z is closest, and the Crossfire is a superior car in my opinion. The interior of the 350Z is crap, they don't ride as well, they are no faster and you see them everywhere.
But here's the bottom line - you are spending your own hard earned money on a car. That's a pretty major purchase, and for a car guy, it's a very emotional puchase too. Drive a bunch of different cars and see which one fits you best, fits your needs, wants and desires the best. If that's the Crossfire, cool. If it's not, so be it. We all like different things, and for different reasons. All the cars you mentioned are terrific cars in their own right, and for different reasons. If you need a back seat, then the M3 and WRX are the only ones of that group to consider (unless you're friends don't mind being stuffed in the back of the RX8). But whatever you do, never ever ever bash another car just because it isn't the right car for you.