I think the problem is the Crossfire isn't sporty enough to attract the sports car crowd and not luxurious enough(or have the snob appeal) to attract the luxury car crowd.

The SRT-6 has the power but the lack of manual is going to keep away "drivers" who just don't want auto-trans.

For me it was the perfect choice since I wanted a nimble 2 seater that was a little more livable day to day then an s2000.

It handles well and aside from a little wind noise I can drive 100 miles in perfect comfort.

I think it may be the best value in the automotive world.

I paid a little over 24K for a new 2005 limited in 06' it's not perfect but for 24k, its has a v6, heated seats navigation 18/19 inch wheels, traction esp and so on.

 

I think it is a combination of everything (price, dealer gouging, lack of marketing, lack of power, Chrysler name, etc). For me it was power and price that kept me away. I saw one on a raised platform in front of a dealer when they first came out (I hadn’t known about the car until I saw it that day). I stopped to take a look. MSRP was about $35, asking price was $40K. When I asked the eager sales person what was under the hood, and got a reply of “V6 with 215hp” I just laughed, said nice looking car, and left. I thought it looked plenty sporty – but I like speed (I’m an old muscle car/vette guy), and the idea of a $40K (asking price) sports car that would have trouble taking a v6 accord or maxima in a stoplight drag race wasn’t appealing to me. (Yeah, I know they are faster then an Accord - but it still doesn't help selling a sports car when the minivan sitting next to it has more power)

A few years later when I was in the market for a new vette I saw an ad in the paper for SRT-6s at $12.5k off msrp I was intrigued. Some research showed me this car had the power I wanted, and more research landed me a new one for $16,700 off msrp. For $29K nothing can touch an SRT-6 (stock vs. stock).

 

Now a new SRT6 coupe goes for around 24k these. Try finding a stock car that even comes close to the SRT6. Chrysler started with a MSRP of 47k.
They messed up so bad.

 

because it was a chrysler.
it really is that simple.
i can guarantee you if this was released as a MB model it would have sold.
yes its the same quality as a MB.
but with an MB you know if you pay 40 now you will get what, 75% of your investment when its time to sell it?
with a chrysler we all know too well how much they go down.
its a different kind of client that enters the showroom.
obviously except for everyone in this forum.

we knew what the car was before we bought it.
and believe me having an old MB chassis underneath is better than a brand new Chrysler.
old MB chassis as opposed to a leaf spring rear axle like the mustang?
or balsa wood on a corvette chassis? i don't like to worry about termites in my new cars.
have you ever been in a sebring cabrio?
its made out of rubber.
so much flexing of the body, its funny.

this car was the ******* child of MB and Chrysler.
and i really don't think it will ever be a classic.
it will have its followers, but it will never be a true classic.
which is a shame as it really is a nice car.

 

A few reasons why it didn't sell...

1. Car Magazine Reviewers giving the car negative reviews because it only had 215 hp and if it doesn't have 300 hp its automatically a POS - I've been in 270 hp cars that are not as quick nor as agile as the crossfire. I mean the engine was automatically lighter than the competitions by about 60 lbs or so if i remember correctly. It also had magnesium in it ( BMW is so VOCAL about these days as if they're the first to have this) and the hi compression of the engine with it's high torque made it feel as if you had 250 hp so that's what people that only shop by hp numbers were missing out on BIG TIME that the car indeed with only 215 bhp could hit 60 in 6.3 sec and top out at over 150 mph. Also if i remember correctly the Crossfire when compared to its competition the TT, Boxster and Z4, it had more torque than all of them, it was lighter except the Boxster and only by a few lbs and horsepower was almost identical. Crossfire out cornered, out handled and out braked the cars mentioned at the time of testing and had 154 mph top speed that was faster than the TT, Z4 and close to Boxster at 157, 0-60 times of 6.3/6.4 seconds were almost identical to those of the competition and best of all it LOOKED AND STILL DOES LOOK BETTER. BUT NOooo, its a CHRYSLER; it can't win; so they chugged it up as another failed american attempt to tackle on the Germans. GIVE ME A BREAK.

2. Poor VERY VERY POOR advertising. No one knew the underpinnings of the car maybe if they would have said instead of "DREAMED IN AMERICA, CRAFTED IN GERMANY" "DREAMED IN AMERICA, CRAFTED AND POWERED BY MERCEDES-BENZ" then maybe it would've helped i mean i have people thinking i have a Chrysler 2.7 Liter V6 in my Crossfire. This one guy at a light yelled at me; "you can't beat me you have the same V6 in your crossfire as in my Sebring Convt.", I mean IDIOT to the MAXXX.

3. SERVICE - The car needed properly trained technicians or to be allowed to be serviced at Mercedes dealerships to solve all the problems and concerns people were having. These concerns mind you if you'd take them to Mercedes, they'd fix them and on you go, however at Chrysler its a runaround, a bunch of phone calls, car out of service to you for 5 days, then they come with the "operating to MFR SPECS" crap and you go home with your car still broken. And this Pissed People off BIG TIME. No way to service nor treat a customer of a $36K coupe of $41K convt.

4. They didn't test the car in magazines like they do other cars. I mean since the introduction of the Z its been in every other month of Motor Trend, Car & Driver or Road & Track competing against every dam car on the road including lets not forget BMW Z4, Audi TT and RX8 (all of which have less torque than the XFire and have very close HP ratings) Why didn't they add in the XFire in their tests??? Why the crossfire's absence. And lets not forget any comparo test that includes a BMW (they always win - give me a break they are sooo overrated with that damn make that it makes me sick, yeah they are good but not stellar like they always claim in all comparo's).

 

Yes, that's exactly the case.

In 2004/2005 someone looking for a 2 seat sports car/GT in the $35k area would have the following options:

350Z
Z4
S2000
RX8

All of those cars are better at being a sports car than the Crossfire. They also have a ton of aftermarket support, something sports car drivers are prone to purchase from.

Being built by Karmann () is also not a great thing, ever owned a Corrado?

Just as an FYI, I think the SLK is grossly overpriced.

 

i agree... except for the snobbery and vanity part, haha

i think of myself as a practical guy and bought a convertible cause i've always wanted one ever since my buddy in high school drove us around in his Chrysler Le baron... ;-) Then i found that the car was surprisingly fast and put it to good use and started taking it to the track. so my purchase has nothing to do with snobbery... for crying out loud it's a CHRYLSER!

here's a story of vanity and snobbery for you. a friend bought a z4 when it first came out. bought it cuz it's a BIMMER, so she says...

saw her sometime during the summer and made a comment that she's looking a little pale considering she drives a lot and has the convertible.

her response, was "it's too hot... i don't want to get dark... and get skin cancer"...

bless her heart. :-)

 

Skimmed the thread... I'm sure it was said somewhere, but I think the supercharger should have been standard on all models. At the original price, it would have been tough to justify compared to HP on other cars in the price range. Even 300 hp isn't that impressive any more...

 

Poor marketing, initial price too high ($49,700 in Canada) for most people, rare when it first came out, only one colour available. The dealership in town only had one for the first 6 months...

I have mine, a coupe, since august 2004 and people are still turning heads when I drive by and when parked in shopping centers I see people going around the car looking at it from all angles. I still love its look and the way it drives on country roads. I have driven with pure pleasure for 74,000KM or 46,250 miles, without any major problem except the seat heater and cup holder. I forgot it burns headlamps a couple of times a year.

I feel lucky I leased the car for 3 years instead of buying it. The lease is over next september 17th. I have read all the problems you guys have written about the present value of the car. I will not loose, Chrysler will. My buyback is approx $24,000 and in the used car market here near Montreal you can get a 2004 coupe below $20,000.

The problem is what do I buy or lease now. I never had problem choosing a car before. I think I'm at the 36th cars since the first one. It will most likely not be an other Crossfire as my wife said It her turn to buy her dream car. She just bought a convertible New Beetle, (that's her dream car) and we need a more practical second car.