Hi, this is my first post, and I am very interested in getting a crossfire for my 16 year old.

He really is insisting on getting one, and has convinced me.

But I still have a few questions...

Are these cars reliable?
Are they safe in case of an accident?
Are they fast? I really dont want him to have a fast car.


Those are it for now, thanks in advance.

 

There is not a right answer to your question. It all depends.My daughter got an SRT Crrossfire when she was 16 1/2. It is inevitable that they will get in an accident. She got into one with the 97 C230 MB. Before she got the XF.

It is a reliable car, but expensive for oil changes ($120 plus). There are very few mods avavilable for the XF. The cars are very safe and extremely well built. All cars are fast, Some just get there a little quicker. ie the Crossfire

Positives:

It is a two seater...............can't haul a lot of friends around.
Std XF get pretty good gas mileage

If you do searches you can find out everything you ever wanted to know about this fine automobile.

As for my daughter......... She would fight you if you tried to take the SRT from her. Tonight she washed and waxed the car while I was golfing. Why..... Because yesterday I did mine and I guess she didn't like the fact that mine was so much smoother. Like glass. Or as someone once said on the forum, ' A fly committed suicide when he tried to land on the hood of my car." " He slid to his demise."

Its a fine car and you can get them at bargain basement prices. There are a few for sale on the forum. The SRT is pretty rare. They were only made in 2005 (a few 2006's). Around 75000 XF's made from 2004-2008 and of that number only 2000 SRT coupes and 928 srt roadsters.

Good luck with your decision. I am sure you will get an earfull from other forum members.

 

You stared in the right place, lots of information here, enjoy your searches. Oil changes are $100 + depending on the dealer but every 6,000 miles. Tires are: fronts around a $100 cheapest, rears about $180 to $300. If your kid can change his or her own oil and has a job that can support the basics or you are willing to shell out the moola then I say go for it. It is a great little car that is fun to drive and gets lots of looks. The prices have come down greatly on the 04 coupes, and you are buying Mercedes through and through. I envy you... your childs first car and searching together. It only happens once so enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!!!!

 

Pretty much sums it up!

 

Thank you for these reesponses...

I am not worried about the price of oil changes becuase I do them myself with oil I purchase from Cosco...Also, the tires are also bought from cosco, which is generally cheap.


My greatest concern is that it is too fast and he will get into too much trouble using it..

If the limiteds are too fast, is there any way to make um slower like put led in the trunk? Haha

 

My input:

I have a 2005 Limited (non-SRT) and it is as quick as anything. It may not be a thunderbolt like the SRT's, but it is still a fast car that is low to the ground with a center of gravity and stiffness that begs to be taken through winding curves at a quick pace. And to hit the throttle a bit more assertively when the light turns green. Your son will probably have a hard time laying off the pedal with one of these babies.

Safety-wise, I have total confidence in my Crossfire that I am very well protected. This car is noted for it's safetiness.

Reliabilty..... Over three years now and still no major issues of any kind. Like others have said, it is a Mercedes and I's expect this in an MB "hybrid". Though some others have had their share of problems, most od us haven't had and real issues at all.

Lastly, the expense. Remember... this is a premium fuel car. Though the price of gas is now at very reasonable rates, one never knows where we'll be in a year or whatever. And premium will always cost 20 to 40 cents a gallon more.

My car is a daily driver. Local roads and streets, little highway. After reading many threads about mileage, I find I'm on the low end of the scale..... consistently about 20mpg around town, 25-ish on the highways. When the price of premium gas was up to about $4.50 last spring/summer, it seemed like even short drives were adding up fast. At the current $1.80, I don't give the so-so mileage I get much thought anymore.

It's a GREAT car and I'm sure your son would LOVE it. But I have this gut feeling he will ride it for all it's worth and will go through tires in no time. Otherwise, feel good that he'll be in a safe, reliable, and gorgeous vehicle.

 

Are these cars reliable? Yes
Are they safe in case of an accident? How fast?
Are they fast? I really dont want him to have a fast car. Uh, they can be fast.

If you buy it for your teen and then take it away and sell it, you would not be the first on this forum.

Bottom line, these cars draw a lot of attention and "kids" tend to drive them fast.

Do what you think is best for your boy. But these cars require more responsibility than most other starter cars.

 

Boy are you brave. I won't even let ME have an SRT!!! I'm 44 years old and I KNOW I'm not responsible enough to own one.

 

I would caution getting such a high profile vehicle for somebody in high school. Kids are mean and will do stupid things out of jealousy. I don't know where you live, but an unexperienced driver with a RWD car in snow or ice is not a good combination. Also, check insurance rates before you make a final decision!

 

You've come to right place for sure!
Safety: front & side airbags, traction control, electronic brake distribution. Gets a 5 star crash rating from the insurance dudes:


Model Year 2004 New Crash Test Results
Acura 3.2 TL 4-DR. w/SAB
3558
Heavy
2004
5
5
4
5
Chevrolet Aveo 4-DR.
2459
Light
2004
5
5
3
3
Chrysler Crossfire 2-DR.
3091
Medium
2004
5
4
5
NS
Mazda RX-8 4-DR. w/SAB
3003
Medium
2004
4
5
4
4
Mitsubishi Galant 4-DR.
3412
Medium
2004
5
5
5
4
Toyota 4Runner 4-DR. 4x4
4396
SUV
2004
4
4
5
5
Toyota Camry Solara Coupe 2-DR
3234
Medium
2004
5
5
5
5


Fast: will do 150 without blinking an eye, 0-60 in a wee bit over 7 sec.
Now that I've scared you, explain exactly other car would fit the bill? A Honda Accord might get to 150, might do the same 0-60 with a few modifications so it depends on just what you trust your son to do behind the wheel? That's the real question: if you've convinced him that his license to drive is also a license to kill & he understands this then why not let him drive a Crossfire.
Frankly, I think a Crossfire is an excellent car for a teenager/young person to drive. They're stylish - unlike anything else on the road, safe, reliable, will make the other kids jealous & something he can drive with pride.

 

Thank you for that very thoughtful reply.. I really do not like getting my children fast cars..Both his sisters started out with slow cars(jeep grand cherokee, and vw jetta)

I hear that it is very safe, but also very fast. My son has a 4.5gpa, and is a very smart kid. I know he wont speed becuase he has promised us, but I am still worried he might "spin out" etc by accident.

 

Not to burst your bubble but really?! It has nothing to do with being smart... it's about temptation.

In my opinion anyone who believes a 16yr old who "promises" he wont speed has little credibility in my book. I know if I had a Crossfire as my first car I may not be here today, I'm really glade I started with a $4,000 Cutlass... way to many close calls in that and it was much slower than my Crossfire.

 

Take a real close look at your own persona. My daughter has my tendencies. We go drag racing at a local 1/8 mile track. We just did a driver training program at Homestead Speedway. (Her Xmas present from me.)

I asked her boyfriend how fast she drives........... Very slow... He is almost annoyed by her slow driving. He drives a 2008 350z and sez he drives much faster then she does.

Back to you. Do you drive fast? If you do there is a strong likelyhood he will. Do not hesitate to use the car as leverage to get things to happen the way you want. Like your son, my daughter did very well in HS and got a full ride to college. 1/2 academics and 1/2 athletics. (XC and track.) Does she deserve the car? Absolutely. Is she responsible ? Absolutely. Will your son love the Crossfire? Without a doubt.

I really wouldn't worry about the HS jealousy. It wouldn't matter what kind of car he got. If some is going to mess w/ him it won't matter. Ashley never had a probem at school and her SRT has red accents and the wheels painted red. She always parked away from other cars and everyone knew it was hers.

It's not just a car ! It is a CROSSFIRE. LOL

Crossfires cause two things.

1. Permagrin
2. Addiction to this forum

 

In my opinion, the car is very safe.

The car's top speed is extremely fast, but if they're anything like me, they won't have the nerve to be pushing 130 for a few years.

These days, the unmodified car's 6.9 second zero to sixty cannot be considered fast. You don't need to worry about them having any delusions of winning straight-away races from a stop light.

I'm 22, so my words may not carry much weight in this regard. However, I believe this is a fantastic first car for a non-drug-abusing teen. (READ: As long as you can consider yourself proud of your kid, he can handle the responsibility of the base Crossfire's power.) It handles VERY well, the oil changes couldn't be easier as long as you have a MITYVAC, and he'll have a car that truly stands out from his classmates'.

Don't buy him a $16,000 Focus that just gets him from point A to point B. Buy him a $16,000 hot rod (that's safe, and comparatively slow) that allows him to love driving. I know which I'd want to take care of.

 

The XF is quick and maneuverable.
This may either get your son into or out of an accident.
If he does get into a wreck, these cars are quite safe; I had a friend go airborne into the side of a mountain - car totaled, driver chipped a tooth, passenger sprained an ankle.
Also, these cars have a yaw sensor, and will take measures to keep your son from loosing control by reducing rear wheel torque and selectively apply brakes as needed.

Bottom line, if your son wants a Crossfire, he is telling you that he wants to drive fast, and he will only be happy with a cool car that is fun to drive.
The important thing is that he does not get hurt or into trouble doing so.
If I were in your shoes, I'd get him something fun, and get him into AutoX so that he can find the limits of his ride hitting orange cones instead of trees and cars. Also, getting some of the "zoom zoom" out of his system should save him a ticket or two.

If he can become a good driver, and a 4.5 gpa shows that he can focus, a car like the XF is more likely to get him out of an accident than into it.

P.S. - If you buy him one, I will be retroactively quite jealous.

 

as a long time lurker i hesitate to get in a conversation...but....
i have a base model crossfire i got a great deal on new.
for the 17 or 18k$ you can still get these and better for new, these are
more car for the money than just about any car on the market.
since the n/a models have the torque curve of an american
v6 pickup and they come with traction control, they are a pretty
safe first car, but they will still go over 130 fairly easy.
i just wonder what getting parts for one will be like in the
next few years.

 

That's why you get the extended warranty, like I did.

My warranty is nearly bumper to bumper and doesn't expire until July of 2013! (Or 91,000 miles)

 

Kids will be kids! My son got his license, (provisonal till 18). Meaning no driving after 10pm, no passengers, unless over 25, etc. Three weeks into having his license, he tells me he's going down to the beach. I tell him fine, just remember the police will kick everyone off at 10pm. So around 11pm I get a call from my son..."dad, the cops wanna talk to you" Great! Mr. Officer informs me he asked my son, as well as everyone else, to leave the beach parking lot at around 10pm, but caught my son doing donuts on the sand, with two girls with him. I asked the officer what kind of vehicle, he said "it's a big GMC 4x4 crewcab. My truck! Officer was cool, he let my son go, (with ticket), and allowed him to take the girls home. Then to teen court, judge was easy on him. Two weekends of trash pickup, no points on driving record, plus court costs. Then a month later, he's backing up in a driveway because he was sticking out too far in the street, and backed up into a VW. The truck is raised, and with the angle of the truck backing up made it hard to see anyone behind him. No damage to my truck, but my trailer hitch took out the front end of the VW. And lastly, about two months ago, speeding ticket for 35 in a 25. Court costs and traffic school, no points. Are we having fun yet? Insurance for an 18yo male is costing me an extra $2400 a year! And he wants to take the XF out.....hell no! lol Good luck!

 

In less than two years your boy will be eligible for military service. Let him start to grow up as a man. Quit nannying him. It's about time he learned how to drive a real car. If you're still concerned, get him a Crossfire with an auto transmission. That'll lessen the urge to punch it all the time. But for Chris' sake, let him get the car. He'll probably spend every weekend washing and waxing it.
OR, get him a Ford Focus that'll fold up the first time that someone backs into him in the parking lot at WalMart.
But quit whimpering and whining about a "fast car". They're ALL fast, some just get up to "Fast" faster.
By the sounds of your boy's preferences, you're about to finally have a man in the family. Be happy!

 

I taught Driver ed. in highschool for 13 years. One thing I told all of my students is that they are almost guaranteed to have an accident during the first year after they get their driver's license. I hit a tree, a telephone pole and a house about 2 weeks after I got my license! I was in my Dad's 1955 Buick and I went into a small skid on wet leaves while making a right turn and was heading toward a tree. I panicked and, though wanting to hit the brake, I hit the gas.

More driving experience with some practice in skid control would have prevented my accident. I'm not sure the car I was driving had much to do with my accident Inexperience was the major factor.

I just bought my 2004 Crossfire this week and I won't let my 27 year old son drive it, mostly because I'd like it to stay in its present good condition. I might let your 16 year drive it, however, if he proved to me he was mature enough and could handle this type of car.