I have a soon who has just received his license. We've been looking for a suitable car to be used for daily drives to school, sports, etc. He's a very good driver. He's been racing offroad motorcycles in hare scrambles for years and has been able to ride a manual clutch motorcycle since he was six. His coordination skills are far better than average for his age. His friends are driving all of the normal stuff (Mustangs, 4x4's, Hondas, etc.). I'd like to get him something a little out of the ordinary, but not crazy expensive. I've followed the Crossfire since its introductions and have read some old articles on them as well. I haven't seen a lot of feedback on reliability, warranty issues, etc. I'd like any feedback I can get on this as well as insurance info? How expensive are these to insure as compared to typical cars? I'm guessing that they aren't frequently stolen or wrecked? Are there any big issues that I need to watch for (like subframe cracks on E46 BMWs)?
Thanks in advance,
David

 

Welcome to our Forum!!!

The Crossfire is a GREAT car, and at todays prices is a steal. The Chrysler Crossfire is built on the Mercedes Benz R170 platform (SLK230/320), it is basically a Mercedes in Chrysler clothing built in Germany. Maintenance can be high on our cars ($80.00 - $130.00 for an oil change every 7000+ miles), there is no spare tire and limited trunk space. A set of tires can run you between $1000.00 - $1500.00 depending on the brand, and insurance may be an issue. As of the 2008 model year Chrysler has ended the production of the Crossfire. Prices on the Crossfire are at rock bottom prices, I paid $41,600.00 for my 2005 Roadster Limited in 2004, you can now get a well maintained used one for under $20k and even less for a Coupe. The car in my opinion is very reliable, 28,000 miles thus far and no major issues, except for minor warranty covered issues. The only downfall is finding a diligent "Certified" Crossfire tech and a good dealership that can service the car. If you want your son to drive something unique and well priced this is the car. The car is a great daily driver, but if you live in an area that gets alot of snow this may be an issue. Do a search there is a wealth of information and knowledge here.

 

Welcome to the Forum!
I Agree 100%, it's a Great Idea!
(& it's the Safest one out there for your Son, Also! )
SF

 

Thanks for the quick responses. I've found a couple on craigslist that seem to be priced well. One is an 05 (silver) with 18,000 mi for an asking price of $13,300 obo. The other one has 19,000mi and their asking $12,900. It's white but the ad doesn't state what year it is. I prefer the white, but the silver is nice as well. I really haven't seen any colors that I wouldn't take. I do like the brick colored interior, but that seems to be a bit rare. Do you see much price difference between the manual and automatic? I'd also like to know what the small rotary **** on the console controls? Another question...I've seen several cars advertised with navigation, but I don't see the screen. Where is it housed?

Thanks,
David

 

David,
I try a few of those?'s.
Check the in service date on them, they may still have warranty, unless the White is an '04 (If the Mirror is auto dimming, it's '04, only difference)
Auto will run a little more, $500, but not always!
Which ***? (#?) Row Column?)
The Nav Screen is the Radio Screen, they are one and the Same.
My Best,
Bill
PS Where are you located? (Where are you looking?)

 

Thanks for the response again. The rotary **** I'm talking about is in the center console behind the shifter. Seems to be there on both autos and manuals. It's located all by itself.

Thanks,
David

 

It's the side-view mirrors adjustment ****.

I agree with all the others about how great a car it is, etc....

The only thing I'll add is to caution you on is the cost of maintenance. Premium gas, synthetic oil, expensive tires, and such.

Otherwise, it's a dream car.

 

If you're looking for a inexpensive yet good car, the Crossfire has to be the best value around. You can't buy more car or a better car for the money.

 

You're Welcome!

Yes, it's the outside Mirrors adjustment, I was thinking in front of the Shifter, sorry! (I'm left-handed & we get things backwards )
The button in Front & Up is the Pax Air Bag.
SF

 

Yes I Agree But, let me water all of those down a little for you:

Prem Gas, Yes but, 28 miles per gal!

Oil, Yes but, 7,000 miles between changes!

Tires, Yes but, Under $175 each, less in front & Great Mileage, unless you spin 'em all the time, as they stick like glue, around the turns!

Such, Etc, Yes but, Get a Good Max Care Extended Warranty from Chrysler!

SF

 

I wish I could say that. If you look at other threads on the subject, mileage seems to vary greatly. Some much better than others.

I average 20 MPG in my usual around-town driving. That's with reasonable driving habits, automatic, no AC, 93 octane.

I've never driven a full tank on the highway, but half a tank on the highway and the rest around town gets me about 23 MPG on that tankful.

 

I've now seen the brick interior in a black car and a white car. Did it come in the silver? I think that would be a nice combo.

 

Yup,
All, Experiences are different.

28 + in Ltd, Fla to NC, I -75 78 MPH
20 - 24 in Ltd on the local roads of NC

24+ in SRT6's Fla to NC & Chicago to NC (Roadster & Coupe)
18 - 20 in Both SRT6's in NC, local Roads & on the Dragon, having Fun!

SF

 

Deleted, By Some "New" Information received!

 

I think the "Cedar/Slate" interior was/is available in practically every color except Red, Yellow, and Aero Blue. I highly recommend it to any new owner. It's the nicest interior I've owned.
David, the only reason I wouldn't recommend a Crossfire would be if you lived in the snow belt. These cars don't do well in the snow.
Your Son will most certainly be a "big man" on his high school campus driving this car.
The only down side that's been discovered in the cars design is a door rust problem that is hidden under a rubber seal on the bottom side of the doors. It's a universal problem, but not hard to fix at home. Something to check out before buying the car, might be a good bargaining tool to get a better price.
It's a proven fact, that young drivers have fewer accidents in cars with fewer passengers/distractions. So you can't do much better than a Crossfire in that catagory either.

 

You're gonna have to give your son the birds and the bees talk before handing him the keys. The cheerleader chicks will notice him now.

 

Deleted, By Some "New" Information received!
(Dup, Post!)Sorry Meant for this to be above, I've just got to get more Sleep or Glasses? SF

 

Hi Mr David,

Its good to see concerned dad as mine is. I have read good advices here came from all walks of life. Some are from dad themselves, and some are from experiences. Hope those above helps one way or another.

~ wise advice

~ good advice

~ cute advice


~ Do we really that backwards in getting things or get things that backwards?
I have to think about this one...

 

The Crossfire wouldn't be a bad first car in my opinion, just stay away from the SRT for inexperienced drivers, it won't live long. The are EXTREMELY safe, so you can rest easy about that, as they are built like tanks. The only issues that I know of aside from the door rust are a leaky transmission seal on automatics, De-Laminating Headlight Housings, Hatch Rattles, Seat Heaters, Windnoise around the driver's door. There was a recall for the cooling fan on earlier cars, so make sure that you get that done if it hasn't been. The maintenance isn't too bad, especially if you do it yourself. I'm guessing since he has been racing motorcycles, that the 2 of you should be more than capable of doing it yourself. The oil change is easy and only cost $55-$60 if you do it. Tires don't have to be expensive. I just bought a complete set of Kumho Summer tires for $550 and they are better than the Michelins that came on it and about 1/3 the price.

Gas mileage with a Manual is pretty good. Check insurance carefully and thoroughly. I found insurance to have HUGE swing depending on the company.

 

Thanks again to all. You've made this decision much easier. I'll update my profile shortly, but for those interested, I live just north of Kansas City, MO in a small town called Kearney. For American History/Civil War era buffs, it's the birthplace and childhood home of the famous outlaw Jesse James. We don't get a lot of snow here. If we do, my son will have an 01 Pathfinder 4x4 as a backup. At this point, I'm going to begin watching and figure out the market. I'll be ready to buy in the next 3-4 months.

Thanks,
David