Hello all,

Nice to meet you. This is my first post, and I'm trying to make a car decision. I'm just starting my first job at Los Alamos National Lab next week. It's in the Rockies in New Mexico which has some really scenic drives, so I'd like to get a fun, small car that is also relatively cheap. This will also be my first car (before I used my parents Corolla), and I have to pay for it, so I'm trying to keep the price under $20k. I'm trying to decide between the Honda Civic, Crossfire Coupe, Scion TC, and Hyundai Tiburon. I don't think I will need 4 seats, so a 2-seater will also work for me.

I've test driven all of these; I didn't really like the Honda Civic, and the Scion had a little less headroom, but it was fine. Anyway, I had a couple questions regarding the Crossfire Coupe.

First, is it a good deal? (I'm looking at a used manual 2004 one from carmax that is about $13.5k with 26k miles on it.) That's a bit below all the others which will probably be about 17k. But I'd like to know the costs of owning and maintaining one... will I end up paying a lot down the road? What about insurance? How does it compare with the tiburon, which I feel is the most similiar of the four?

Second, is it reliable? Los Alamos is a really small town and it doesn't have any car dealers whatsoever, so if it breaks down and I can't drive it the 50 miles to Santa Fe, I'm in big trouble. I'm not looking for perfection; I'm just wondering if it's prone to problems (especially the manual 2004 version.)

Is it convenient? I've looked at the trunk of the Crossfire Limited, and it was tiny.. Is the Coupe any better? I just want to be able to fit ski equipment in it... (Would 6' skis fit in it at all? Is there anywhere I could put the skis in the car?)

Fourth, does it drive ok in snow? It sometimes snows a lot in the mountains. I don't need the best traction or anything, but in comparison to the other 3 cars, can it drive as well in snow?


Do you have any other thoughts/pros/cons for getting the Crossfire Coupe over .. say the Scion? Since this will be my only car, I'm a bit concerned about convenience and trunk size...

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Ben

 

I'm not sure how the Crossfire is like any of the other cars you described.


You might as well be comparing the Crossfire to a Suzuki SX4.


It's a drop-dead gorgeous rear-wheel drive 2-seater with huge tires. It's absolutely nothing like the cars you listed. If you don't road-race or autocross, maybe it doesn't make a difference to you.


Maybe. For that price it may have some from-the-factory problems that aren't cheap to solve, such as tranny issues, bad shifting, differential problems, etc.

Yes, except for the CPS and Starter Relay Circuit. Both easy fixes.

NO

No.

Hope this helps.

 

Ya, the crossfire is not really in the class of those other cars you mentioned. The Crossfire is not very bad in snow if you are careful... but compared to the other cars, they would be much better in the snow.

The other cars are all FWD, which can be good or bad depending on your uses. For what you are looking for, maybe FWD car is better.

If you want a fun car, then the Crossfire is definitely the best choice. As for taking skis and stuff into mountains, maybe not the best choice though.

Basically, the Crossfire is more of a performance oriented fun car to pick up the ladies with. Not so much for carrying large loads. Although, I did somehow get most of my stuff fitted into my Crossfire when I moved from Florida... it took about all day long to get everything to fit. So, it not the best for cargo space. And for me, since I drove the Civic which I assume is very similar to the other cars; the Crossfire is the best value. You can get a newer one than 2004, maybe a 2006 for the same price and same miles. And they will never make these cars again, so maybe some day it will go up in value (probably not, but still a fun car).

 

I've only had my XF since April, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. Its solid, a ball to drive, reliable (from my experience) and a bargain for what you get. I haven't driven it in snow yet and I doubt you'd fit your ski equipment in it easily. But, that's what I have my 4x4 beater for. If you can afford a winter rat in addition to the Crossfire, I'd definitely buy the Crossfire.

I test drove a Crossfire from Carmax then found a color I liked better at a local dealer. Keep looking on the web, you might find a newer XF for a similar price the way the market is right now. Good luck and let us know if you jump on the Chrysler. I don't think you'll regret it.

 

Some things you need to know before purchasing a used Crossfire:

Ski equipment will not fit. No way... no how. Small "trunk" and no spare tire.

Crossfire + Snow = spin out / wreck. Mine is covered up in the garage over winter.

Practical?.... No, not at all. No way... no how.

Requires premium 93 Octane fuel.

Many dealers can't fix these cars (certified Crossfire Tech and special tools required). It can take weeks to get parts. Tires, parts and service aren't cheap. Hope you have a back up plan (a second car) if you have a problem.

Fun to drive?... YES!,,,,,,,, HELL YES!!

Sometimes you gotta pay to play. These cars may be inexpensive to buy used but they certainly aren't CHEAP to KEEP.

And you can't get it dirty either..!!!

Welcome to the Forum . The Crossfire is a BEAUTIFUL car.

 

these guys dont know how to drive in snow. ive driven my SRT(way more power than these limiteds) in many inches of snow and it was great WAY better than my front wheel drive SRT-4. the traction control was great. as far as 6' skis go my snowboard is almost 6' and it fits but it comes into the cabin

 

"Way more power than these Limiteds" ....Well excuse me.

 

I guess I can't drive either. My limited is absolutely terrible in the snow. A few times last winter I actually got stranded and had to call my father to bring his truck out to pick me up, leaving my car wherever it was overnight.

Anyways, I think you're looking at the wrong car for your purposes. Sure, it's fun to drive. Sure, it might be cheap to BUY, but then you have to pay for the insurance, 93 octane fuel, 70$ oil changes, expensive tires.

Not a cheap car to maintain what so ever.

 

I'm basing my opinion on what he plans to do with his car in the snow. Snow on a mountain road to me is a terrifying proposition in the Crossfire.

Climbing any sort of grade, going around turns, etc. in the snow and ice will be terrifying.

 

I'm with the others on here--why all the fwd car and one rwd car? It sounds to me like you really haven't researched your options very well.

What do you want? A sports car, a sports compact, or an economy car. All three are pretty different. You mentioned that you drove a civic. Just a plain civic or Si? I assume it was a plain civic. They are nice cars, but far from sporty. You said you will be in New Mexico and there will be some nice roads you want to explore. I get the idea that you are interested in some enthusiastic back road driving. This is what will decide whether you go (IMO) economy or sporty. If you just want to putz around a plain economy car is fine. There;s no need for a crossfire or sports compact even.

However, if you are interested in some driving fun, you need to consider actual sporty cars along with the crossfire. If you are looking for used cars around the 20k mark, you need to drive at least the following: 2006+ Civic Si, 2006+ GTI, and possibly a mazdaspeed 3, though I don't know what those go for used. Take the Tc off the list. Unless of course, you really like it.

Those are some decent sport compacts to consider. If you want some rwd fun, you will want to consider at least the following used vehicles: crossfire, honda s2000, early z4 2.5, SLK, Boxster (some of these may be pushing your 20k limit, but I believe all can be found around that price). While not rwd, you may also consider a first generation (~2000-2006?) Audi TT.

I just purchased a 2008 crossfire for not that much more than 20k, and it was, by far, the best sporty value on the market currently. I personally have always had a softspot for these cars and have enjoyed my time with it thus far. I can't speak to the reliabilty of the car as I don't even have 1k miles yet. I can say though, that the car is really fun.

IMO, you should really think about the type of vehicle you are interested in and then consider all potential options that could satisfy your interests. have fun with it! This is the cool part of shopping for a new car--driving all sorts of vehicles that could potentially be your next purchase!

 

As far as driving in the snow in the crossfire....no clue. But I would imagine if you could get out of the driveway it would be ok. I'm experienced driving in the snow (Milwaukee) but my mercedes had the same 6" of ground clearance as the xfire and I couldn't get out of the danged parking lot. Not enough ground clearance.

Les

 

Terrible in the snow. No room for much in the interior, while driving, the back storage area is useless to you or passenger because of the WALL behind the seats. Only a very few dealers can work on them. A good low mileage 05 can be picked up for 12K or 13K, tops, look around. A good car for you might the Honda Fit. I love the Tiburen looks, also a great car.

 

Voyager has this photo in his gallery. Good thing it wasn't snowing... I'm just saying $hit happens and I wouldn't want anyone driving my Crossfire in the snow. Chances are real good that it could look like your car in this photo.

 

thats what a deer does to a car in the middle of the summer in iowa. but i see that i upset some people. for that im sorry. but i know how to drive in the winter i used to live in illinois. my car also made it to boulder colorado in the snow just fine. im on contis.

 

In snow tires matter most! And this car (in comparison to the others you've listed) is ***** expensive to maintain... if you've been driving around a corolla I most certainly see the desire to move into something a little more sporty but be prepared to pay the price. A set of tires will run you any where from just shy of a grand to nearly double that and replacement parts can get up there (assuming you don’t have a warranty).

But non the less good luck in you decision...

 

I does not bother me to say that I am another guy that can't drive in the snow. I find this car to be a pig on skates in the snow. I think the skis would fit nicely if you installed a hinge in the middle of them. If I was looking at taking a set of skis up into the mountains to find some snow, I would be looking at a jeep, not a sports car.

 

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the cost of oil changes. It requires 8.5 quarts of Mobil One. A change at the dealer will cost around $140. Maintenance will generally cost above average because it requires Mercedes parts.

 

bla bla bla buy the crossfire and join the dark side..... Muhahahaha

 

I'm going on record again that my 2005 roadster has been trouble free, except for a bad tire pressure sensor and it's annoying icon. That's with 4 summers of driving and 32k miles.

As far as oil changes, Mobil1 0W-40 will cost you $6-7 a quart for 8.5 quarts, but a lot of times you can find an indie shop that will change it for a flat rate. My local guy charges $10 plus the cost of the filter and I supply the oil. Of course he works on both my Audis and 2/3 of my Crossfires. Buy a set of K&N air filters for $60+ over the internet and never worry about that again, other than cleaning.

Tires - yeah they'll be expensive. What do you expect with two different sizes. Shop well ahead of time and put them on layaway or negotiate zero interest.

Roadster - no trunk. But you can always leave the top down and stick the skiis out the back - that's what I do with my hockey sticks. Coupe - skiis will probably fit across the back and into the passenger area, but will scratch the crap out of the divider.

Winter driving...never done it. I test drove on snowy, icey roads and the ABS and ESP worked fine. But I really don't classify these are good winter drivers with their heavy front and RWD.

If you have $20k to spend, suggest you find a 2005 Crossfire for $14-16k and spend the rest on a FWD/AWD beater that you can take up the mountains for skiing. You'll thank me in the summer as you cruise those mountain roads.

 

I couldn't imagine having my Crossfire as my only car. The cars your comparing it to are all wrong. The Crossfire is in the class of the BMW 2 seater, the Nissan 350Z. , Porshe Boxter, and Audi TT. Compared to those, on price, the Crossfire is a bargain.

Consumers Reports rates the Crossfire as much better than average on reliability. Oil changes, and replacing tires are expensive. But look at the tires you get. Not your average skinny tires. You will have no spare tire. The coupe has more room for storage than a roadster but the only way you could take skiis along is with a cartop ski rack.

I don't think the Crossfire is for you at this time in your life. I love mine but I can always drive my MUV crossover to haul 7 people, or my 4WD pickup in the snow or to haul things.

Traction in the snow is not as big an issue as ground clearance. The Crossfire has an option for the transmission where you chose "winter mode" and you start off in second gear if you get an autostick.

You didn't mention your age Ben, but I'd bet your in your early 20's and I think the insurance would be greater on the Crossfire for you than the Scion. Check it out with your agent before you buy.

Good Luck and if you do decide to get a Crossfire, welcome to our forum.