I know this will start/continue a controversy, but hopefully it will add to an improvement of chrysler dealers. !st, I have still not purchased a Crossfire, although I have wnted one from the begining and am very serious. With the new "$299 lease, I was ready to but for sure this coming monday, but now am strongly leaning away....much as I reallylike the car. Why? The dealers!!!

I went to Crown Chrysler, Dublin Oh, 1st of month after hearing of the lease. They said they would not participate-no other explaination. I had looked at them there before a number of times and never got acall back on the arrival of a color I wanted to see---but it was there. Also, would not let me drive them except up the street and back with someone.

After talking to a number of delers, they ALL gave me a different lease deal--with a $3000 difference! Last week Crown when I called-they didn't call me back as they said they would again, they said they would do the $299 lease--(but still about $3k higher than others) and I could come out today and drive one for an hour to know if I liked it. When I arrived, the individual said "am I ready to buy?You have looked enought. And said 10 minutes to drive is good, as you have driven it a lot brefore (I had drive one previously up the road 1 mile with a sales person with me when they 1st came out). Then he turned to the fellow beside him and said, he will take care of you. This fellow said no he would not and said goodby and they didn't care if I buy. Really unbelievable.

Sorry for the rant, but it is true. I just don't think I need to deal with this type of dealership. There are lots of choices and I need to remember that.

 

The problem is the IQ of Chrystler/Mercedes marketing people. They had the deal with only half the Crossfires on dealer lots. It is sad that a corporation of this size has total amateurs handling marketing. If anyone from "Daimler" sees this and disagrees, please feel free to send an intelligent message.

 

Quick input on the 299.00 lease. I got what I feel is the deal of the century on my wifes new Blaze Red Crossfire. My wife researched and researched and emailed with chrysler dealers Phx AZ area. No Tucson based dealers are interested in selling cars. Anyways she told the fleet manager directly that she wanted a specific color with auto for the 299.00 lease and what cars on his lot were available. This was Thursday 3/25/04, the fleet manager looked and told her she could have one with A+ credit. Lucky for her she was covered there and once her credit was ran he gave her the car for no money down and 377.00 per month for 39months for the blaze red, auto she wanted. No money out of our pocket until the end of April. The fleet guy put a sold sign on the car and we headed to Scottsdale AZ and she drove her new toy proudly home. The short of the story is bypass sales and go straight to the fleet managers and tell them what you want. They have to move numbers of cars not worry so much of the $$. My wife is the proudest owner of her new toy.

 

I had the opposite experience. The reason I ended up in the xfire - a car I wasn't even in the market for - was because of the dealership. I went by just to check it out and see it up close. The salesman showed me all the bells and whistles on the showroom model, then let me take one out for the afternoon. I never felt any pressure to buy - in fact the salesman didn't even give me his business card or take down my phone number. He merely told me "this is the deal we are running and if you decide you are interested I sit over there..." Two days later... I drove off with my xfire and a huge smile!

Keep trying different dealers. Some people on this forum even went out of state to get their xfire. Totally worth the trip, if you ask me.

 

As it was explained to me, the dealers are shying away from the $299 lease since they basically make no money on the deal. Their only motivation would be to increase their sales volume. I've also heard that dealers have been underestimating their quota on the $2500 incentives, and that they should contact their District Mgr. before they conclude that they can't give the incentive.

 

Exactly my experience too. Except I bought it that day! 8)

 

My dealer has the crossfire offered at $269 a month x39.I'm not sure what the down payment is.