Originally Posted by AllEuro
As someone who drives his car day in and day out, I guess the specialness of this car has partially left me. I understand that it's rare and that it looks amazing. And if you bought one when I did, towards the end of the run for these cars, you could get an awesome deal. But I have to say, these cars don't drive any better than most european cars out there in the US market. I've spent lots of time in various BMWs, several Porsches, a couple of Audis, and a bunch of VWs and there is a certain German quality that the crossfire shares with all of these cars. It's a bank vault tightness and serenity at speed that isn't matched by most domestically engineered cars and many Asian vehicles.
When people talk about how much more refined this car is than all the Ford, Chevy, and domestic Chrysler cars and trucks they've owned in the past, it doesn't surprise me. Domestic cars of the past (not quite so much any more) have always been engineered according to cost not to an ideal. The crossfire was one of the first products with a domestic nameplate, IMO, that used engineering based on the latter approach.
Despite all the good DNA in this car, there's no doubt in my mind that Mercedes screwed over Chrysler on this project. Are you kidding me with no adjustable intermittant wipers? Only 215 hp out of a 3.2L V6 and it get awful gas mileage to boot! How about the lifeless steering--I could run over a cow in the road and not feel it. And valve gaskets that often leak before 20k miles? MB couldn't find a way to engineer this out before the engine was placed in the crossfire?
What bothers me about the crossfire is what it could have been. It really could have been a much nicer car if not for the obvious budgetary constaints (guess you can't totally escape this when it comes to a domestic branded car!). It was essentially a way for Mercedes to recoop the development costs of the original SLK. It's certainly an interesting car and it's unique, which are two things I value in a car. But I also value an involving driving experience and certain communication with the road that is not present in the Crossfire.
I have no clue how much longer I'll be in possession of my car (it could be 6 months or 6 years) given several upcoming eventualities/practicalities, but the crossfire has represented a solid upward trajectory in my automotive history. Looking back, I probably would have kicked myself if I didn't pull the trigger on this car when it was offered. But I am also aware that it's about 90% of what I'm looking for in a sports car. It's not anywhere near as bad as many people outside these forums make it out to be, but it's really not as complete a package in terms of being a sports car as many here would suggest.