I like the idea of acquiring an early production serial number. However I am concerned about production quality. Have there been major improvements as production progressed?

Regarding my test drive (of a more recent production number) I was amazed at the solidity of the car. I've read reviews of Mercedes claiming they felt as if "carved from a solid steel ingot" but have always found these claims exagerated. The Croassfire is the first "Mercedes" I have driven that has an astonishingly rigid feeling. The C5 vette hardtop and current 911 come close, but not close enough that the Crossfire doesn't have a noticible lead.

The other impressive aspect of the car is that the gear shift, steering, accelerator and brake complimented the solid mechanical feel of the chassis. It is an impressively unified concept and execution. Then came the engine note above 3k rpm, a beautifuly natural baritone sound unlike the Z4. This is truly one of the great automobiles available today.

I got it for my son because he doesn't do well driving SUVs and is much more provably competent a driver of small cars. This is a brilliantly handling and braking bank vault with side air bags. I know of nothing safer or "cooler" to put my teenage son in. He's currently driving a 5 speed beetle and never had an accident in it. With the lease expiring, I leased him a red with slate 6speed for which he will pay the difference, between the beetle lease cost and the crossfire, by working during the summer.

 

Early production Crossfires had a few issues...Leaking A/C orings (cut on install at factory)...Radio display dim(New radio out and TSB)....Shift **** coming loose(shifter lock nut)...manual trans popping out of first(TSB repair) and couple other small issues.I have an early production Crossfire and haven't had any of the above problems except the radio display.Check the TSB section of this site.Your right the body is rock solid and fun to drive.

 

dad??? is that you, finally??? well what a cooincidence. i've finally found you. mom wasn't much help what with y'all only having met that one time but i'm sure it's you.

we'll get together real soon but in the meantime.......

send the car!!!


your other son

 

my mommy always told me MY dad's name was tony and he left while mama was pregnant. Make it any other color and auto for me, will ya dad? and can you make sure the luggage comes? thanks pa!

 

I left because I couldn't face having a son that drove an automatic. Why do you cause me pain? :cry:

 

Thanks crossfiretech. What about the leather bolster problem I've seen? The rapid wear seems quite abnormal.

 

Common gripe on all model year SLK's too...

 

Damn... that's rich! :!: :lol: :!: :lol: :!: :lol: :!:

 

Well, if I had a man in my life stick around long enough to teach me to drive stick, then we wouldn't be where we were. Doesn't it count that I can drive the crossfire's autostick? Come on dad! That should count for something!

 

My SSB was Born in June 03, She had windy windows, A knock in her rear hatch and a dim radio (replaced with ApineCD/MP3/XM/changercontroler).
All very minor problems and all fixed . She now has 11,000 miles on her and is running strong, maybe a bit to strong...hehe. I seem to hit 100mph way to often. Seats also holding up very well........and im 250lb.

 

Thanks for the info on seats Burns. It is what it is I guess. The weird part was I saw fade of the black in patches. Creasing is more understandable, since a better, softer leather might be more susceptible to it.

Thanks for the info gailwrath. As to the seat, i guess it varies for some strange reason. Doesn't make sense, but so it goes.

 

It's a matter of commitment son. I guess I couldn't commit to your mother and you couldn't commit to learn stick. Allow me to do my duty as a father and give you lasting advice, like Steve Martin's father in The Jerk regarding Shinola. Autostick is to stick what masturbation is to sex. Always remember that. Goodbye son.

 

Actually the 6 Speed requires constant manual 'jacking' ........ the Autostick is like a hot woman and does this for you. I choose the latter