Hi guys,

Im a new member on here and I have come looking for a bit of advice from the people that will know firsthand.

I am having a new car in 4 months time and I am considering the Crossfire Coupe. First thing is my max budget is £9500 (I live in the UK) and I have seen some tidy cars around that price. Just wanted to know of any common problems?

Secondly, all of my freinds keep telling me that the handling of the car is rather poor, Im no racer more of a cruiser who prefers style and comfort over substance - what are your opinions of the handling.

Also what sort of 'real time' mpg do you guts actully get - I would be doing mainlt motorway miles?

Mnay thanks for any answers or advice.

Lee

 

I have a coupe and I think it handles great. Highway driving, I get 29 miles per gallon.

 

Greetings,

I'm a yank so some of my observations may need conversion from SAE/metric numbers...

Your friends are simply dead wrong about the handling of the Crossfire. Look at the physics involved i.e. wide track, short wheelbase, low center of gravity, good weight distribution and very generously sized wheel-tire combinations makes for outstanding cornering. The brakes are also very good for a street car. The Crossfire is a SLK Mercedes with a hot-rod style chopped top showcar inspired body and big/little tire combo. The mechanicals are not anything exotic but quite well engineered to typical Teutonic standards.

Drawbacks ? Tight headroom, limited visibility and linited seat adjustment travel. This is a SMALL CAR with only a about a 95 inch wheelbase. Given the big wheels and tires the ride gets pretty choppy on bad roads. Steering is recirculating ball not rack and pinion so the feel is a bit numb by sports car standards. Automatic versions are slow feeling and the manual box has a pretty notchy feeling shifter. Its a "drive by wire " car and gas pedal response is pretty slow. The "SprintBooster" device is easily installed and cures that problem. The odd sized tires are not cheap and variety is somewhat limited. Also there is no spare...

Performance parts are slow in comming but this does seem to be improving.
It's not a muscle car or a super sports car but it is a very nicely balanced package which is well loved by it's owners but generally misunderstood or damned by the automotive press.

There are no really awful mechanical issues to beware of. The seat heating elements are a problem for a lot of people but most other things are pretty trivial. My base model six-speed coupe runs the 1/4 mile at 15.2 @ 96 MPH.
My launch times are really bad so I'd say a 14.7 E.T. is possible given the right conditions. Top speed is well over 150 MPH. I drive mine pretty hard so fuel economy is not the best; typical is 23-26 miles per gallon in mixed enthusiastic driving.

The car is a delight to look at from any angle. Unlike most cars it is mostly the work of one man, Eric Stoddard. If you like it, buy it ! Not everyone will dig it but it is a car which provokes opinions and starts conversations from passers-by. If you are shy and don't want to be noticed then it NOT the best choice !

Cheers,

Cincinnati Slim

 

Keep in mind that the US gallon and British gallon are not the same size. I beleive a UK gallon is 4.5 liters while a US gallon is 3.8 liters. Hence, is you get 29 miles per US gallon, you should get alot more miles per British gallon.

 

Welcome to our forum!

The handling on the XFire is execllent.

My gas mileage on the highway is 29-30 miles per U.S. Gallon.

Great car. Don't hesitiate!!

 

thanks for the reply's guys. I think its best to hear exactly what the actual owners think of the car rather than the media. As mentioned above the car hasnt really taken off to any great extent here in the Uk which hopefully will work in my favour when I start haggling at the garage. I must admit I do prefer stuyle over substance which is probably why the crossfire is being considered lol.

Ive made an appointment to view/test drive one on Sat (to give me an idea whetehr the car should be on the shortlist). Its gun metal gery colour, 6 speed manual cupe with under 30k on the clock (black leather). With it being from a car supermarket the cost is higher than a private sale, at £10,495 (before negotiations) but you do get a 2 year parts and labour guarantee. Oh I almost forgot to add its a 2004 model.

As a final note, the media here seem to indicate that the engine is best suited to the automatic gearbox, whilst I have no prefernece over the manual or automatic, I would like views from owners of both drivetrains.

Thanks

 

Dopper69, you need to drive both, and then decide which is best for your type of driving.
The manual equipped cars just "feel" faster, but in reality they are only a little less than 1/2 sec. faster in the 1/4 mile. Personally I enjoy the 6 spd. over the automatic, but that's my personal preference.
As for handling, the Crossfire can go through a slalom "faster" than a Ford GT (and a few other "REAL" sports cars) and I prefer it over my Viper GTS or my Miata. Again you just need to drive it and decide.
Here in the U.S. it is without a doubt the best "SPORTS CAR" bargain on the market, and one of the most unique designs available.
Don't buy one unless you're prepared to answer a lot of questions, and get lots of looks from everybody you pass.
Good Luck

 

woody and other UK guys have taken the XF coupe to Cadwell Park. From what they say it's a darn good track car. My own experience with the XF is that it handles great on the track, with lots of grip.

Cruising. The steering feels very "dead" around the middle but this is actually not the case. In actuality, the car is "rock solid", the car feels very safe at up to 120mph (fastest I've gone personally.)

The only thing I don't like going over in this car is gravel and potholes, but I'm not sure if that would change in any other car (except maybe a land rover.)

 

Don't think !!! I am a responsible 19 year old (perfect driving history, no tickets, no warnings etc.) and this is my first car I got with my owner money. My very first vehicle was a ford ranger 1999 but I literally had to put 60 bucks worth of gas into it every 3.5 days... the 18 g gas tank and bad mpg had me ready to buy something new.

So I saw the crossfire... overlooked it b/c I thought it would be waaaaaaay more than it really was.

When people ask how I have a crossfire... with only a part time job. I just make this face.

 

Cincinatti Slim gave one of the best descriptions of the Crossfire I believe I ever read. Well done.
He did neglet to mention one major drawback that many Crossfire owners have had to deal with and that is all the pretty women who want to ride in the car. Can be annoying at times but you learn to live with it.

roadster with a stick