I'm getting myself a retirement car. It's either a 2005 T bird, or a 2005 Crossfire. I would like Crossfire owners to talk about the reliability factor, the fun factor, and the comfort factor. This is a very hard choice for me. I really like them both, but the Tbird is a bit higher priced, and I can only afford one with around 80k on the clock. I want to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly. Help me decide. Thanx.
Today, 04:26 PM

 

XF is all GOOD for me!

 

We love our roadster & our coupe.no problems with either.

 

OK, here goes...since you came to a XF site....to ask over a thousand XF owners if you should buy a ...a...a....Thunderbird.... NO! You should buy a XF.... WE are here altogether because we love our cars...with the good, the bad, and the ugly.... If you were to buy an XF, you will find all the help you need right here. You will find plenty of get togethers across the US for you to meet other like XF lovers.... YOU won't get that with a....a....a.....Thunderbird....Good luck...

 

Crossfire for me! When I get really old, I may become interested in a ThunderBird,only because it's easier to get in and out of. Squirrel Crusher

 

It was hard getting in and out at first...but...

I discovered if you sit down first, then swing your legs in, it is far easier!
Reverse procedure to get out. Even the wife says it's much easier!

DJ

 

From the Thunderbird forum:

Re: Comments about your Bird
Over 10 years I have gotten many comments but the worst one I ever got was in the first couple weeks of taking delivery in Jan. 2002 while filling up was.

"Is that the New Chrysler".
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Welcome to being retired. You will love it.

Drive both. I think you will find the T-bird to be much more comfortable. As I get ollder I find out that I have a 2 hour a** in all my sports cars but I can extend the range to 8 plus hours in my normal cars -- Mercedes.

This seat time comment is no slam on the Xfire just seems to be true at least for me. My wife hates all the sports cars; she prefers her Mercedes. I do find the seats in the Xfires to be less then comforable by comparsion to my other Mercedes.

My current sports cars are a Triumph TR3A, TR6, Xfires (roadster and coupe) and Austin Healey 3000. My next one is going to be a Morgan. Honestly I do not see that much difference in the seat time except for the nicety of cruise control between all these cars. On the fun meter NOTHING beats the TR3. At eighty it feels like you are going 120 plus. There is something to be said for being 6 inches off the ground and the cockpit door only being 15 inches from the ground.

Maintence I believe it is a draw. However body parts for the Xfire can be difficult but check out the T bird availablity of parts. I do believe unless you do your own work, it may be hardier to get the Xfire fixed with a real complex problem. The software requires access to the Mercedes equipment. Mercedes parts are not cheap.

Get a low mileage, one owner car in either case.

Hope this helps.

PS If you elect to own a Xfire may I suggest a roadster over a coupe. Remember I have both and the coupe has nicer lines BUT the fun of driving with the top down is PRICELESS.

 

At least when you Crush a squirrel in the Crossfire, you do it in style.......

Your direct hit at the Dragon was unbelievable.....that little grey bugger never knew what hit him!!!!!!!!!!!!

Keep up the good work.

 

If you are prone to driving fast avoid the Crossfire, especially the SRT.

 

We have a 2007 6spd XF & a 2008 automatic XF......this summer my wife inherited a 2003 RED T-Bird...
it only has 61,000 miles on it......the seats are NOT more comfortable than the XF (kinda flat on bottom) ....with the hardtop on it....it's clunky.....lighter & quieter with hard top removed....very crude construction compared to the XFs.

I would never actually buy one.... free was ok though.....nice with top down.

 

Thanx for all the great replies. Keep em comin. This is going to be a tough one, as I can only afford to buy one car. I already have two motorcycles, and a 67 Mini S. My toy closet is full.

 

I like T'birds, but not the one you are thinking about. LOL
This is a real T'bird and FP owns it.

 

https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...how-2-fix.html

 

I should mention that there's something about the gas & brake pedals on the T-Bird......very close together & I have found myself a couple of times pushing both at the same time.................

 

Uh oh,...I'm a bigfoot, EEE.....

 

Maybe it's just this particular T-Bird....but what makes that even scarier is that upon start-up it idles high....so if you put your foot on the brake and accidentally touch the gas also.....really wants to jump.

Find myself really having to remind myself every time I get in it to be sure to have the foot JUST on the brake pedal.

Shoe size is only 11.5?

Hard top takes 2 good size humans to remove & store.

It's 280 HP I think .....but weighs about 500 lbs more than the XFs.....so it's a tight race in a straight line....XF would definitely take it in a real road race thru curves & twisties. My XFs get about 25 mpg (I drive a lot on highways)........T-Bird probably < 20. Don't drive it much.

 

Faced with this exact same choice over eight years ago I went with the crossfire. I can do over 6 hours in the cockpit before I flat spot my rump but then my rump comes with a fair amount of padding. I would say pick the one that makes you happy when you are in the seat. If neither does, then pick something else. I can't imagine that either choice wins for most reliable. That would be some butt ugly Toyota.

 

Around 2001 we made the mistake of buying the NEW Toyota RAV4.....(2nd gen)........during the warranty period $6K worth of repairs were performed.

 

I love the looks of the XF. NOBODY I know likes it at all. Weird. Guess I won't give them a ride in mine. So, what didn't you like about the Bird? Looks,...price,...comfort?