I'm not sure if this thread belongs in this section of the forum, but I'll give it a go.

I need some answers. And the main question I happen to need answered is such;
Is the Crossfire really worth it?
I've been obsessed with this car for as long as I can remember.
I really, REALLY want it. But I see so many negative reviews and comments about it. How much people don't like it, etc. I even stumbled upon an edmunds.com review of it. Lets just say they don't like it.
I get it, the engine is out-dated, but so are a lot of cars on the road today.
Like an '04 Toyota Camry is technically outdated when compared to a '10-13 Camry.

Sure, things like steering, and interior bug people because --lets be honest-- the interior is kinda dull. But that's what I love about it. You can customize it any way you want it. A lot of stuff on the car you can.
So c'mon guys.
What don't you like about the car? What do you like?
Is it worth buying when compared to other sports coupes (350/AudiTT)?

 

Had my Crossfire for over 7 yrs now. Love the dam thing more I drive it, people are somtime full of bs ,go test drive one and see for your self,I can tell this they are alot fun to drive,so here one positive to go with all stupid bs about the car

 

Have you driven a Crossfire? You can do all the reading you want in the media and in this forum, but you really need to see for yourself if you like the car. I wasn't looking for a Crossfire when I happened upon mine. I was actually looking for another BMW 3 Series, since I have passed on my last two to my kids. When I found mine, I did the obligatory search to find out how reliable it was and didn't find any major issues that scared me away. I have had multiple Audi's, and BMW's so I am no stranger to german cars, but never a Mercedes.

Anyway, find a car, drive it, and make your own impression of whether or not it suits you - in the end, that's all that matters.

Oh, and make sure you choose one that has been appreciated and has had regular maintenance.

 

You will find that folks either love it or hate it. I've been a happy owner for over five years. Does it have its quirks? Sure, just like other cars. However, you will not find many other cars like it in uniqueness. Test drive one and judge for yourself.

 

I wasn't looking specifically for a Crossfire either. I wanted a summer 2-seater "toy" but it had to have enough cargo space to haul music gear for it to make sense...ever tried to fit a decent bass amp in a Miata? - not going to happen. Crossfire - no problem.
Saw one, lucked into a deal & the rest is history. Love the car, great community of fanatics, generally reliable, and the few common problems have all been addressed here on the forums by folks that know what they're doing and are generous enough to share. Hell, there's members here that will drive for miles just to help a fellow member out....we're all just begging for a good excuse for a road trip & that should tell you something. It's not a rocket, but it's a LOT of fun.
Go drive one, but make sure to take your check book with you

 

Had mine for 18 months now & love it. Have covered almost 20k & apart from the clutch failing recently, the car has been fantastic & a pleasure to own. Having come from the likes of 2 Elises & a Z3m Roadster I thought that the Crossfire had a lot to live up to, but my god does it ever live up to it! I never normally keep cars for much longer than 1 year but I have no plans on selling this at all just yet.

Ignore all the idiots who have never driven one & find out for yourself how good they are. This is my advice to anyone.

 

The Crossfire is a Mercedes, styled by Chrysler, Then built by Karmann. I bought four. NO regrets. gary.

 

For the money, it's a lot of sportscar. It is an interesting blend of German engineering and American style. Added to all of that, it is the rarest car I've ever owned (70-some thousand in the entire world).

The car has it's quirks:

If you are going to leave it sitting out in the rain, periodically check to see that you don't have leaves piling up in the cabin intake that can lead to water intrusion.

Keep a spare Crank Position Sensor in the trunk.

Have someone resolder the contacts on the RCM every 2-3 years.

Don't go off in some remote region with a six year old battery under the hood.

If you are going to not drive it much, and intend to keep it 20 years, do the "stop rust while you can" job in the doors.




I was not in the market for a car when I bought mine - I met a group of forum members while on a blind date - my car life changed forever! DRIVE one sometime and you will probably want one.

 

Five years ago I embarked on the purchase of a "sports car"....jokingly I told my neighbours I was going through male menopause...but I digress....
My short list was the Audi TT, Porsche Boxster and the brand new to market, Nissan 370 Z. I wanted a car that would be fun to drive and turn heads. My neighbour across the road had an '04 Crossfire Coupe that I would see everyday in his driveway and I loved the look. I began my shopping journey and soon narrowed my choice to the 370 Z. I was at a Nissan dealership discussing price and delivery and discovered that the 370 Z was in high demand and their was a waiting list of approximately 3 months....then I reminded myself about the Crossfire. I steered my search to finding the "best" Crossfire, specifically the N/A Coupe, because having a manual stick was mandatory. Two months later I found my car at a local Chrysler dealership and have never looked back since. The purchase was more then half the price of the 370 Z, my insurance was cheaper and with the "extra" money now available from my budget, I invested in new rims, paint, and a number of other upgrades to bring the Crossfire back to "like new" condition. I have had no regrets and have had absolutely no mechanical or electrical issues with the car since owning it. I drive it hard but at the same time, take the time to do regular maintenance and detailing.....
It's fun to drive, turns heads and is affordable....a lot of car for the money in my opinion.
My two cents....

 

well you're posting on a Crossfire forum, so I'm going to venture that everyone is going to say "yes, get one". But, bias aside, when you say "worth it", that makes me think the question is "worth the money?" and in that case, I would say absolutely. The SRT6 is legitimately one of the best values out there for performance in the $12k-15k range. Try to find another car that is as quick AND unique as the SRT6 (I say it that way because of course you can find some muscle cars and imports that might be comparable but none that are as rare). The N/A on the other hand can be found for stupidly cheap money and can be modded to around 260hp with about $1000 investment. Couple that with RWD and good handling, and you've got yourself a unique and fun car for not a lot of money.

Now if you want someone to ask you "what do you drive" and then be impressed by your answer, a Crossfire might not be the best choice as they don't seem to be well respected by the people that don't know them. But you will definitely get compliments, questions and turn heads driving one.

 

Hi I have not done any research on this issue but I bet dollars to donuts that if you go to any car/ truck form you will find the exact same comments in regards to issues. On my new 98 Dodge Caravan the windsheild wipers would turn themselves on for no reason at all , let me tell you you sure look stupid sitting at a stop light hot dry day with your wipers grinding across the glass. After Many many attempts by the dealer we just lived with it. The Crossfire is a stunning car that gets looks ever were it goes, and it is fast even the NA, not in a straight line mind you, but it will carry speed that makes outher cars that cost twice as much green with envy
Cheers
Mongoose57

 

I had the car for last 6 months and I love it. Do note that it needs your love... if you can do DIY (Do It Yourself) repairs then its the right car for you. If you are one of those who take your car to dealer then forget about this car as it will burn a hole in your pocket the 1st week you get it. Chrysler dealership charge you crazy money for doing small repairs. Parts are always $100 more expensive then Mercedes ones. For example.. I was at the dealer and asked for a oil filter for my crossfire they quoted me $59 Canadian and same part (different part number of course) was $29 at Mercedes dealership.. you can even get it cheaper at local auto part store but I prefer merc dealer for parts. The siren module went bad on my car and Chrysler quoted $299 and same thing at merc was $202.

I love the handling of the car.. looks wise its a head tuner.. stock exhaust is pretty nice as well. You would love it if you decide to get it.. just make sure you would have time for doing DIY on weekends once you get the common problems out of the way you would love it.

 

There is a lot of truth in post 12. An oil change here at home is about $54 with buying the filter at Advanced and oil at Walmart. (I use 5W50 so my changes run almost $90 at home.) But it's between $95 and $160 at any dealership for the standard 0W40 and what is often a damn paper filter. And that is just the beginning...

 

Here is the bottom line .....
You can buy a Toyota Camry or Honda Accord and be very reliable and cost of ownership is cheap. but then you will drive the same car as millions of other like minded people.
If you buy the crossfire you will be driving an orphan literally! But if you like being asked about your car every where you go and enjoy the attention it generates then the above mentioned cars are not even in the same league. Worth the money you ask HELL YES!
Robert

 

Amen folks. Will you forever be not cussing the car, you bet but everybody has those times. The important thing is to really enjoy the drive and the sensation you get behind the wheel of a XF. The advantages here is that the folks on this Forum are by far smarter than any dealership you will ever find. I don't think there is not a problem ever brought up that someone here has not seen or has enough knowledge to help you fix it. Yea and the looks you get don't hurt either.

 

All the above is true, but not all crossfires have gremlins. I think that here the perception of issues no matter how small, is driven by the fact that most of these Guys are Fastidious knowledgeable car guys. I talk to other crossfire owners and they rarely talk about breakdowns or issues because they are rare. Here is the place We discuss how to fix them.

My 05 I have had since 07 and It is fast approaching 80,000 miles. I have had none of these problems or issues. No RCM's or sticky ignition Key's, Never thrown a code or crankshaft position sensors. I do Oil changes and Tires check the other fluids and wash and wax her. Slapped a new Battery in 2 Years ago, That's really it. And I have DD'd mine for 5 years. Rain, cold temperatures and Hot. Heavy traffic in Seattle and she cracks triple digits in the deserts ( or other safe places ) more than 20 times a Year.

I drive it like the fun little sports car that it is and I have never had any problem with It. ( Knock on Wood). But If and when I do I know that I have the best most knowledgeable automotive website right here to help Me fix it correctly and cost effectively.

I will never sell this car.

 

I am reminded of the lady iwth the SRT6 Coupe who showed up here asking about something.... she had 176,000 on hers and had never had a problem.

 

People are about half shocked to hear my car is an 04 model.. "It's that old??"

Probably words a Honda or Toyota owner will never hear..

 

We have had our red XF Roadster since February of 2012. I sold my motorcycle to get a safer toy. We initially looked at BMW Z3's and Mazda Miatas both of which come standard with a four cylinder. What turned me against both of those was the cabin room. Neither my wife or I are large people but I like a little room to breath. I had always liked the look of the XF and once we sat in and drove one we were sold. We took a leap of faith and bought one on eBay that was with a dealer in Florida for well below market value and had it shipped to Illinois. We have never regretted our decision. We have had the Hood repainted, replaced the rear tires, and just the other week the battery. The dealer had left the registration of the privious owner in the glove box, so i contacted her on FB. She was able to tell me that Chrysler had replaced the top, and it had never been in an accident. S_he also sent me the spare key. I work with some guys that have Corvettes (5) and as nice as they are there is nothing unique about a Vett, but then I have never cared for Chevrolets. The XF is Fun to drive and to tinker with, and I believe turns more heads and generates more questions than any of the other cars. I mentioned. That's my two cents worth.

 

I bought my 2005 Limited Coupe new in November of 2004 and it now has 108,000+ miles. At about 15000 miles the ECU failed and left me on the side of the road. It was Replaced under warranty. At about 80000 miles the CPS failed and I replaced it myself with instructions from this forum. I replaced the HVAC blower resistor at about 95000 miles just because it caused annoyingly inconsistent fan speeds. Four sets of tires, fluid changes, oil changes, and normal maintenance on time and without fail. That's it. I drive every day (except when riding my R1200RT to work), and I will. never. sell. it. Like someone here said, there just aren't many of them around and almost every weekend somebody asks me what it is in some parking lot. About a year ago I had some big dude that had just climbed out of an Audi tell me my car was the best looking car he'd ever seen. Buy one, take care of it you too will like it. It really is a special little car.