If you change only one thing on your crossfire what would it be?

 

Lower price, more power! LOL!

 

6-Speed Transmission - smoother, slicker, snickier...

 

Have it in MY Garage.

 

The split windshield from the original concept car.

 

A CD player that automatically shreds Celine Dion CD's. 8)

 

Cupholder that is actually functional or gone.

 

Rack and pinion steering. Would put this car in Elise/Boxster handling territory.

 

Look @ Road & Track's data..... The Porche Boxter did the 700 ft. Slalom at 68.6 Mph. The Crossfire did the same 700 ft. Slalom at 69.6 Mph.... I would say the Crossfire can already hold it's own very nicely, in the handling dept., against the Boxter.

 

Nascar Stock cars use steering gears and they do pretty good on a roadcoarse.Professional race car drivers Tommy Kendal and Brian Herta roadtested the xfire on a roadcoarse and didn't have any complaints.The Corvette Z06 with it's rack and pinion has pretty much the same slalom speed as the xfire.

 

So you folks are saying in your opinion the reciruclating ball is a superior setup to a rack and pinion in sports car handling? It certainly is present in any of the benchmark sports cars on the road.

The question is what one thing would I change. The Crossfire DOES handle nicely as is. It would be that much nicer with rack and pinion.

On another note, the 700 foot slalom in R & T doesn't begin to tell the story of a Boxster vs. Crossfire handling comparison. Pick the data you want to prove your point. R & T has the Boxster pulling.91 on the skidpad, the S pulling .95...the Crossfire .89. But I'm flattered you went to the effort to look up the data.

But it's a moot point, I have an Elise ordered, and when it comes in, the wife gets the Xfire.

 

Just stating the recirc. steering box is fine in a street car ,unless your looking to do some professional racing?I don't think the rack would add that much that you would notice it on the street.Most cars use racks because there cheaper and use less parts.MB probably uses str boxes for less noise and vibration.Some people just find it odd that you would change something that the car does extremly well.Skid pad doesn't impress me much,its what the car can do through a winding country road that gets my attention. Just my 2 cents.The one thing I would change would be the leg room.

 

It's an opinion question, so there's no wrong answer.

Using your point: I'm 5' 8", so I find the idea of more leg room a bit odd...from my perspective, the Xfire does interior room very well.

But it's still important to you, right?

That's fine by me.

What I find odd is that folks are finding, in this thread, the need to convince people what they would like to change are somehow wrong.

The question was quite simple...what one thing would YOU want to change?

Mine remains the steering rack...I don't criticize or take issue with anyone else's wish list...like I said, opinion questions have no wrong answers.

Have an Amazing Day!

 

Your right its your opinion!I'm 6'2" so it makes sense to want more leg room.You have a great handling car it doesn't make sense to change it.Don't take offense just my opinion

 

Ok, I give up. You convinced me. Even though it's a good handling car, I am wrong headed to wish, on a pretend wish list, that the steering was a bit more sensitive and that it would provide just a tad better driver feedback.

I now wish for 22" chrome spinners and that the neon door sills came in different colors.

 

I have to agree with Kusheen on this one. Yes the Crossfire does handle very well, but it could be better and have a better "feel". Look at it this way... the original SLKs had the same recurculating-ball system we have. Later in their life, (the current ones you can buy) have rack and pinion. Why? Because every automotive enthusiast/reviewer/designer agrees that it is a better system. Why don't the Crossfires have them? The rack and pinion addition to the SLK was fairly recent, after it was decided that the Crossfire would use parts from the SLK. It is also harder to fit in the engine compartment, and even though the SLK and Crossfire are very similar, there is actually a little less room under the hood.

As for things that I would change... get the electronics into this century. No trip computer (my 99 Sebring had one) and no navigation (Chrysler's sorry excuse for navigation to come later this year will be some crappy CD based navigation system... which I am fairly certain will not have a color touchscreen). Also, windows that lower a little bit when you open the door and go up when you close the door would be nice, and are standard on pretty much every frameless door car you can buy nowadays.

Also, a better manual transmission. The one in there now is only ok, and in my eyes, one of the Crossfire's biggest weakpoints.

 

I think you have summed it up very well. As I have got to know the car better the lack of feel from the steering is dissapointing, mainly because you could push it more [it sticks like glue to the road ] but you are never quite sure what amount of grip is left due to the lack of feel.

The electronics I am with you all the way, it was cutting edge 10 years ago. [see my thread on my worries about the SLK vs Crossfire Convertable ]

Gearbox as well, its not nearly as bad as they say but when your salmming through the gears, it can be a little vague.

 

Just remember the Crossfire would not exist if it wasn't for the borrowed SLK parts.Yes, they could have added more options ,more power,upgraded steering,run flat tires,etc.DC wanted to build this car but didn't have the money to dump into developing a new drivetrain and suspension.I think they did a pretty good job.The car handles better than 99% of the cars on the road.Most people are shocked it only cost 35 grand.I'm just glad the car exists and I have something unique and different to drive.

 

AMEN!!!

 

A deeper more throaty exhaust note for me!