Ok, so I have had this car a few weeks now, and with each passing day I find myself liking the car more and more. I really dont think I could have purchased a better car for the money, so value wise, I feel I got a great deal, even though I paid slightly more than the KBB value.
I can't stop looking at it, the side angle is my favorite, I just love the way it looks from either side. It looks to me like its worth much much more than what its worth.
Its a big big step up in power over my previous car (honda accord). That 2.2L 4 cyl felt weaker than the 1.9L 4 cyl my Ford Escort had many many years go, and the miles per gallon did not reflect that.
Miles Per Gallon:
my first full tank in my crossfire gave me 20.3 miles per gallon. This was from a near 50/50 mix of highway/city driving, including warming up the car idle before driving (cause it was cold outside)
My honda accord got roughly the same miles per gallon with the 50/50 mix of highway/city. though it did get up to around 30 on strait highway, the escort i had 18 years ago got up to 40 with what felt like more power than the accord.
So I feel I am winning on the MPG with the Crossfire vs the Honda, due to the drastic power increase.
I can now feel much safer on the on ramps here in atlanta, you need to be going at least the speed limit by the time you make your way onto the interstate or else you may get ran off the road or strait ran over.
Power:
215 Horses isnt the greatest, I know. but the car feels more powerful off the line than it actually is, and maybe that is due to its small size. I owned a V8 Firebird many years back, the car had some *****, would burn rubber like no other car ive owned, and it was quite fast, but with all that said, this 3.2L feels stronger, maybe its the 500 less pounds, im sure that has much to do with it.
The only negatives:
This car just isnt that practical to be an every day driver, but I must do with it because its the only car I have lol. I can't put my golf clubs in the back, I can't seat more than 1 other person,
so no bringing home a 3some. The cup holder is .....OMG I HATE IT. lol but, for the first time, I have decided not to smoke or eat in my car, so I should be good to go.
I do not really fancy the hood of the car, the looks of it anyways, I wish to replace it down the road with something a little smoother, and if I do, I will add a hood scoop to keep it sporty.
I have not really ran this car hard yet, just a few zoom zooms here and there in 2nd and 3rd gear, but what has impressed me thus far, is the traction I get when flooring it, I have not burned out at all, just a squeak here and a squeak there after going from 2nd to 3rd or 1st to 2nd. I have not completely floored it off a flat stop, mainly cause i dont want to screw up my clutch as im still trying to get the hand of driving manual all over again, its been over 10 years since my last manual auto.
conclusion, I dont think I could not be much happier for the amount of money I spent on this or any other vehicle. I hope to keep this car for a long time, and I hope to keep it in great shape, many years down the road, I may do me a V8 engine swap and change a few things here and there for more of a real muscle car feel. but until then, i will take it one day at a time, and one look at a time, i think ill go back outside and have another look.