This is an update on a previous poll about how members feel regarding the branding/heritage of their Crossfire's. Hopefully these answer choices are somewhat unbiased!

 

well I see someone already beat me to the punch. However my poll is slightly different and was my original idea from the "Why Pretend" thread so I will leave it up.

 

Sweet now we have, unbiased, and biased for each side.

 

I can't keep up with you guys.
Now, I'm starting to think my Crossfire is a Harley or vice versa.
In any event, I'm enjoying our conversations.

 

To sort of quote Dennis Green -

"They are what we thought they are......."

But seriously, I consider mine an SLK320 with the best looking body possible (except for front end). I'm glad its badged a Chrysler, because if was badged and sold as a Mercedes I would have never been able to afford one.

Thanks goodness we aren't considering AMG as part of the equation. Chrysler/Mercedes/Karmann/AMG/SRT !!!!!!

 

That Pacifica look doesn't help are XFires any. how would something like this look maybe with a mesh backgound?

 

Looks great, flows much better!! Build it, I'll buy one!

 

What!?!? And eliminate what was probably the only part of the car actually manufactured by Chrysler? Some think that would be treason....

 

LOL! We would still have chrysler wing on the back.

 

Sorry, the grille doesn't work for me.

re: the poll. Here's my $.02: The VIN on our cars begins with "1C3", which means its a Chrysler. They may have borrowed drivetrain & suspension parts from the R170 & W211, but its still a Chrysler. Love it and drive it for what it is. I know I do. I have 53,000 mostly trouble-free miles on mine and don't plan on getting rid of it anytime soon. But whatever you do, please don't go around thinking you have a Mercedes-Benz, because you don't. My Crossfire feels positively primitive and unrefined compared to my W140 S Class (although the Crossifre definitely corners better!), but I love both cars.

If you want a Mercedes-Benz (VIN begins with "WDB"), then go buy one. You can pick up a good used one for less than $20,000 if you shop around.


Flame me if you want, but that's my take on it.


P.S. I saw this same syndrome when I worked for Harley-Davidson. Some guy would show up on one of those "custom" jobs and tell people its a Harley. No, it's a clone. It may have a knock-off Harley engines in it but its definitely not a Harley. Once again, the VIN tells the tale: "1HD1" = Genuine Harley-Davidson.

 

Not really on the same subject, but...

Does it **** anyone else off that they are using OUR hoods on "lesser" cars such as the pacifica and sebring?

I don't know why, but it really smokes me. I almost feel cheated somehow. LOL.

 

Man, that annoys me to no end! There's a guy that works in the same building as me that has one of the new Sebrings and he ALWAYS parks next to me no matter where I am. I hate that! It somehow makes me feel cheap and used.

 

Not that it's a bad thing...

 

That's odd, it doesn't bother me at all...........any more.

 

Yup! there goes that mercedes feeling when a Pacifica is coming at you lol.

 

I'm with Bob. I like the fact that this was a joint build between the short-lived DC days, but it's still what it is. I have plenty enough money to buy the Benz equivalent, but I still prefer the Crossfire. I think pretending the car is something it isn't just devalues what the car actually is.

Mike

 

Ah, but that isn't what the debate is about. We are in fact debating what the car really is, despite it's badges and VIN prefix.

 

Exactly. The "pretend" part is the Chrysler badge. Just because Dr. Z and the DCX Board chose to market it that way doesn't make it so.

 

WOW! Even the key fob is Mercedes on the inside and Chrysler on the outside even though it says USA to lol.

 

We just have to face the facts, the ribbed hood has now become a Chrysler badge in itself. However we can atleast claim to be the car that the ribbed hood originated on. However I wil agree that the sebring disgraces our cars design. It troubles me that the Chrysler engineers and designers chose the styling they did. Instead of going for an edgy design like they did with the Crossfire, they went with a safe design, settling for mediocrity (imo) instead of pushing the envelope and creating something that would make it stand out in the saturated sedan market against the likes of the Toyota Camry, new Honda Civic, and new Chevy Malibu. I believe right now the new Sebring could use another redesign, but I can almost guarantee the model design won't be touched for atleast another 2-4 model years.