Want to buy a crossfire, but my only concern is parts availability. Are people having problems getting parts for routine maintenance...how about getting body parts after fender benders? I own a vintage BMW and finding parts is close to impossible..i don't want to repeat the same scenario with a newer car...any thoughts?

 

Good question doggyd, and one I think many Crossfire owners (who plan on keeping their cars for a very long time) are concerned about.
I'm sure some people will tell you there is a "Law" that states that all automotive companies must supply replacement parts for vehicles that they sell for a minimum of 6 years. (Or something like that). Well that's all well and good, but I don't think it makes much difference, because when the stockpile of Crossfire parts eventually runs out, Chrysler/Fiat ain't going to be making any new ones.
I personally feel there should be enough "salvage" parts available through attrition to satisfy the needs of most Crossfire owners. Well, at least I hope there will be.
If it's any consolation, I own a car that hasn't been produced since 1970, (and only 19,134 were originally produced to begin with) and body parts are scarce as well. But there always seems to be something for sale on EBAY.

 

I guess it is all about what you are going to be doing with the Xfire. If you plan on it being a daily driver for 4 or 5 years no problem. I believe parts will be available but as an old restorer of old British Leyland products, I understand your concern. During one restoration, my seven year old at the time thought it would be fun to play with the tachometer gear off my MGA 1500 engine. Needless to say it took six months and a friend in England to get the part replaced.

I do believe that at some point car accidents will result in more totals due the insurance companies using their 85% of the value formula but the good news is that as this happens more used parts will become available. Some one will start buying up the Xfires. This has happened with the DeLorean. For the British Leyland products, we had Moss Motors in California and a place in PA. These guys bought old cars and had a stock rooms of parts. They even had catalogs. In addition, Many of the body parts were manufactured out of molded plastic. So if you had a daily driven or just were not into having a pristine/collectors car then you could replace just about any body part for a reasonable price.

In a couple of years, I will buy a Xfire parts car. Maybe we should go into business and store Crossfire parts? Half the fun of old cars is all the people, you meet trying to find old parts. You also have some great treasure hunt stories to tell your grand kids. In the old days we did not have the internet so some of my vacations and business trips included parts finding for myself and friends. You also learn to drive very defensively. You also talked to everyone who had your car hoping for a lead on parts.

May I suggest that if everyone on this forum who has a Xfire totaled lists it so someone else can buy it. That would be a great help. Perhaps we should have a section dedicated to that and parts. We do have an advantage in that except for some of the parts on the SRTs all our parts are interchangeable.

I hope this helps lessen your concern about parts. This forum and the expertise of its members will become invaluable for those who keep their Xfires. Wonder who will be the last person standing with their car?

 

I just hope it isn't someone named Dan.

 

I wrote a thread last week about body parts. Car damaged badly in hail storm. Picked up the car yesterday from the dealer who told me that there are no hoods or fenders in chryslers stockpile at the current time. Car was turned in in june and we were told by chrysler that the hood will not be ready for shipping until mid october. Called chrysler and verified. They currently have no parts makers (body) for our cars since Karmann folded. Same goes with the pacifica.

Great car but be ready for a lack of support from dealers and corporate as it comes to suppling parts. Ive been fighting with them for 3 months now.

 

The Asian Auto Body Parts Suppliers offer a plethora of body parts for nearly every modern car produced. Unfortunately, none of them have felt the need to produce anything for the "limited" production Crossfire. Probably due to it's miniscule production numbers I'm sure.
I sincerely believe (with enough interest) it would be possible to get a "Quality" American fiberglass manufacture to reproduce at least a "stock" Crossfire hood. Probably with as little as a dozen advanced orders, for around $800. Which is comparable to the price of a factory "steel" hood (if you can find one).
All it would take is a little effort on our part to get the ball rolling.

 

Mac92's tale of hale damage brings up an interesting point. I guess the moral of his post needs to be that new body parts will be difficult if not impossible to find so be prepared to have your cars repaired with used ones at independent body shops. It is my experience that dealers do not want to deal with used body parts. Having done this it takes talent, time and patience. Most dealers could care less about keeping cars like our Xfires on the road. They make money on parts and repairs and in the time it takes to hunt parts for a odd ball like the Xfire they can repair and find parts for their newer cars. Less time, less work, less headaches so why bother with those Xfires anyway. These owners will give up and get a different car and the problem will be solved. Warranty period on most of our cars has ended or about to come to an end. Just one more thought. Warranty does not cover accidents or acts of nature. If you look at your lifetime warranty on the power train, Chrysler will only will fix a car up to the value of the car. Maybe someone who has one of those lifetime bumper to bumper warranties can see if it has a top end price like the value of the car in the fine print.

Just think what a new engine or transmission costs and look at the used value of these cars. Best you can hope for is a repair. Speaking of that most dealers will not use after market parts or another car manufacture's parts e.g. Mercedes.

I have to run. It is 75 degrees, cloudless blue sky and humidty is 11%. Typical day so I am off to cruise the highway for an hour or so.

 

100% correct. The other prob we are having is that certain parts, like the hood, are very difficult to ship without damaging. Therefor the insurance companies wont order salvage from far away. We had to go with several salvage body-parts, which I'm ok with, but geico wont ship hoods very far that are from salvage yards.

 

well, I have been a waiting list for a hood for over a year, my salvage friend here in IN, has yet to get a XF period on his lot...

 

Did they ever get your town put back together? Guy across the street...his parents live there....said he saw your car & that the town was a shambles from that storm.

 

Guys, I hate to do a sales pitch, but this is one of the main reasons for forming a legal and recognized car club that can have some influence with manufactures for replacement and aftermarket parts.

The more members we have the more influence we will have. So join CICCI and add to the force.

 

I understand that several Crossfires have been turned in for Cash-for-Clunkers, but they went straight to the crusher.

Dang.

 

I have to back FP on this one...manufacturers, even the on-line salvage yards will usually give at least a 10% discount to "car clubs" over individual purchases. We also can lobby harder with
Chysler/ now Fiat to keep the parts coming...just a thought, not a pressure thing to join...but we all work hard to keep our little beauties running...we do this thru networking, everyone brings something to the table...

 

XF don't qualify for the CARS program...

 

They are slowly putting the town back together. Still alot of work to go. Being a small farm town they fixed the churches first and then the businesses. Many are under insured and simply cant afford to fix. Many cars just got new glass and were back on the road.

 

I'm sure I'm in the majority when I say that I'm very grateful for all of you folks who are behind the formation and maintenance of this website and the club. WTG!

 

Aren't dwindling parts supplies inevitable no matter the vehicle? If you have a '90s Dodge Stealth or Chrysler LHS can you go to a Chrysler dealer today and get new body panels?