Im 6 foot 4 and I own a 04...I barely fit.....with my foot on the brake my knee touches the steering wheel and door haha...But I love this car sooo I will deal with the broken leg at the scene of the crash I have only have like 2 issues with mine and they were fixed under 200 bucks each, but I did the work myself so it was cheaper......Also I have tried to drive during the kansas winters and virginia winters and made if a few feet and then got stuck ...got a few feet then got stuck ....went a few feet and parked it

 

lol I hope I don't grow much more. But if I do its good to know that its still worth it

 

The price of insurance and tires are what's really going to hit you hard. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you said you were 16. When I first got my XF, I was 18 and insurance for me was around $2400/year, and that's with $1000 deductibles on collision and comprehensive, and multi-car/multi-residence discounts. I wasn't a bad driver, had no tickets on my record. It's been 2 years and I still pay around $1800/year for insurance. Tires cost at least $800 for all 4, and that's if you can find them REALLY cheap. My last set of all-seasons cost just under $1000, and they've only lasted a year and half (and they're in terrible shape right now). Repairs, if you buy one without a warranty, can kill you. I just had to order a new windshield shroud under warranty- it cost the dealer $2300 just for 3 plastic pieces that go around the windshield. Oil changes, if you have them done at the dealer, will cost you around $140 each. For those older than you and me, with steady careers, taking care of this car is just taking care of their weekend toy. For me, it's a daily driver, since I can't afford to have a second car (a beater). I actually had to sell my beater so I could put new tires on the XF.

Don't let me scare you. If mom and dad are helping you out (which they most likely are), you're a very responsible 16-year-old guy, and you take good care of the car, then this could be an affordable prospect for you. I know I don't regret getting mine (I got mine for my birthday too). Just remember what this car is- one of a kind. Also remember that those body parts are impossible to get right now, and almost anything mechanical or electrical is going to be Mercedes-Benz.

 

I'm in southwest lower Michigan and I drive a Crossfire....but I can guarantee you'll be riding the school bus ALOT during the winter sorry

 

I am also a young owner here on the forum. My first car was a 1994 ranger with 250,000 million miles on the odo. Just recently I purchased my crossfire at the age of 18 after the tranny began to slip in the ford. There is no doubting that the crossfire is a lot of bang for the buck or at least that is was I discovered after test driving several other models. I also had a little more than 10 grand to play around with after a couple years of saving. Although I love this car I'm not for sure if it is a great first vehicle. During those first 6 months or maybe up to the first year on the road, there is a lot to learn no matter how skilled of a driver you are. Your depth perception is still lacking and at least one minor accident or traffic citation is sure thing.
Financially I do not know your situation, whether or not your folks are helping you get the vehicle or if you are taking it upon yourself to buy and maintain the car. If the latter is the your situation be prepared to make a few sacrifices. Oil changes come a couple times a year at $100 dollars or more, decent set of tires will set you back about a grand all said and done, and then there is insurance. Unless you are expecting a pay increase in the near future, owning and maintaining this car properly will replace some prior activities. Personally these sacrifices are well worth the rewards. I greatly enjoy having an item that puts a smile on my face daily, and a vehicle that I can actually take pride in.
Your friends will constantly want the pedal pushed to the floor and the tires roasting around each and every bend in the road. It is important for you to understand that it is your car not theirs, turning down their request will most likely earn you more respect in the long run. This is not to say that at times you can't go out and have a little fun from stoplight to stoplight.
All in all you wont be disappointed with the purchase. Simply remember that this car was designed as more of a grand tourer than an all out street machine. (SRT6's excluded) Learn to enjoy the car for what its worth and you too, will adorn the perma-grin like so many others.

 

Very well said!!!! You my friend are a wise 20 year old.

 

First, there are a lot of us that do have 'immaculate' cars, but they are daily drivers. Does mine look as good covered in salt as FP's does in the garage - no, but I am having a much better time driving it over those 4-5 months. Second, do not take it through an auto-wash unless it is bitter cold out, those things destroy your paint. Lastly, if you are going to drive the thing year round, like anything else with the XF, you can not cheap out with all season tires. Expecially if you are somewhere like Michigan, get snow and ice tires for the winter, and ultra performance tires for the summer. That is the only way to really enjoy your baby all year.

An all season tire, IMO, does nothing incredibly well...

 

Actually I am 18, but I get the point. Thanks

 

noted, thanks.

 

Man you are a youngin'

Born: January 8th 1992. Crazy.

 

More and more "yougin'" will be coming with the price dropping into the $10,000 range.

 

Do you think the price will ever go up, or not for a very very long time?

 

Hard to say, but doubt it---too many made. Maybe low mileage (under 10k) SRTs one day, but even then who knows. Very few used cars go up in value. I think they will go down before they go up, if they go up at all. So, buy yourself one---be careful, and enjoy. Remember, these things get totaled quickly.

 

I don't know about anyone else, but I've noticed the price for XF's has gone up slightly recently. I don't know if it's because the economy is getting back on track, or if people just want our cars more. All I know is the XF gets tons of looks and anyone who has ever said anything about mine either was complimenting it or asking about it because they wanted to buy one. I'm sure they will be collector cars some day, though.

 

All cars have ticked up some in the last few months, and probably will in months to came too . I have seen it at the auction. Back in 2008 and early 09, new car sales dived, so now there are less used cars in the market. We are still crushing about a million and half MORE cars than we are selling new. This can not go on forever. This will keep pushing used car prices higher until the rate balances out. The cash for clunkers program took a lot of cars out of the market also. They were low, low end, but they are still gone, so more buyers chasing few cars= higher prices.

Plus our cars have hit a price point that new buyers are looking at them. When I sold my 04 last month, two lookers said that loved the Crossfire, but never thought that they could afford one. They were looking at Honda's, and Toyota's in the $10-12k range. The MB part of the car scared both of the fathers though; they were buying it for their daughters to go to college, and told me they were worried about the up keep cost.

 

Interesting, I also heard that used sports cars are going up especially because nobody can afford to buy a new one.

How many Crossfire's were produced?

 

From Wikipedia

Year[11][12] 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Production 35,700 28,000 12,500 4,805 2,000

Over 83,000 from this source. Not a huge number, but not really rare either. Just go to Ebay or Autotrader and you can find all you want.

You are right that there are many buyers stepping down to used cars because of the economy, but at the same time, many are keeping their cars a little longer due to the same economy, so that helps some. The crush rate can not stay a million plus above the new car rate forever, unless we all start taking the bus---HA!

 

Well I'll add my input.

I'm 6'1, and I don't have any reaaal problems fitting in the car. Honestly, it does feel a little tight. I also have a Cadillac DTS, so after driving that.. it's pretty uncomfortable to go back to my Crossfire. Insurance for a 16 year old is going to be astronomical.. maybe your parents could put it in their name somehow? I got my crossfire when I was 24, and I get a ton of discounts through AAA, have a perfect driving record, and my insurance was $233 per month.

It's also an impossible car to drive in a Michigan winter (tried it twice...would never do it again. BTW, I'm from Ann Arbor Michigan. where abouts are you from?)

I'm actually getting my crossfire ready to sell. It's an 05, but it's a Manual... I see you are looking for an auto. Just out of curiosity, why would you want an automatic? Manuals are sooo much more fun to drive, and you're young, I figured you'd prefer the stick. It's much more "sportier" feeling in my opinion. Automatics are for people that can't drive well, or are old. (haha.. j/k guys, don't get offended)

Well, good luck on your search... but I have a feeling that once you inquire about insurance rates... you may be changing your mind (well... maybe not, depending on how successful/profitable your "ebay business" is)

 

I'm from Grand Rapids.

I had considered manual but I heard several reports of it not shifting as good as the automatic on the Crossfire. You also get better gas millage.

 

The automatic I heard was a clunky shifter too. It comes with the car. My manual is a tough shifter, but the only thing that bothers me is that you can hear me shifting into any gear outside the car. I don't know if anyone else has that problem though.

Just a tip- In Europe, they mostly drive manuals. If you need to drive automatic, I've heard that you get a "special" license. Special, in the bad sense.

Manual is much more fun. To each his own though.