I went in to the dealership yesterday to check their prices on oil filters, it's about that time. While I was there I spoke with their service manager and he had an interesting thought on why the XF hasn't sold as well as it should. It seems that the kinds of people they were getting in there were Audi, BMW, and Merc owners, among others. These people were having problems with the idea of a good car that cost less than $40k to $50k.

So, what I wonder is does anyone think that the XF would have sold better if they had actually priced it higher?

 

I don't think so... actually, now that I think about it, if they did more advertising and lowered the price a bit I think they would attract more customers. The dealerships in the area did that and suddenly every one off the lot went (there was about 5 - 6 sitting there).

If the price was raised I think people would have just went over to Audi, MB, and BMW instead to get their namebrand cars for the same amount of money.

 

In my opinion... the only area where the XF falls short in selling at a potentially higher price is the quality of the interior and excessive use of plastic.

No... DC would not have been able to bump up the price to contend with the price market you mentioned above. Unless they dropped $1,000 into interior enhancements... i. e. leather... aluminum...etc.

j.

 

IMO the pricing on this car was correct for the introduction of this car. If you recall the 300M was introduced at around $35K in 1999. I purchased one. As expected, in the following years the sticker price dropped. That's the price you pay for being the first one on the block to own a new car.

The real problem seems to be in marketing the Mercedes-Benz partnership and this car. Also some refinements that should be stock equipment such as a lower sports suspension, Xenon HID's, Leather accents - Door Trim. Wheel style options were not offered.

Consumers obviously like the car and want to make it their own by adding options and there are very few available. I just think that's an important ingredient to people who want to purchase this class of car.

I love this car, but I've also spent a lot of time and money adding options as listed above that should have been stock items or at least available factory options.

The majority of consumers want to drive it off the lot and not have to invest more time and money. This is where DC missed the boat.

This car is special and so are it's owners. I prefer it that way.

 

I think the Porsche Cayman's arrival this year has given Chrysler an opportunity to re-launch the Crossfire SRT6. Porsche has many, very expensive options, while the SRT6 has few but 9/10s of the performance or better for street driving. It would be interesting to see the difference in autocross times, I expect the Cayman to be faster, but how many owners autocross or care?

The style, 2 passenger, rear hatch, high performance with crisp handling is similar. I have had Porsches, recently a proud SRT6 owner, and I think the value/dollar ratio is in Chrysler's favor.

 

It’s all about the “Horse Power” Brothers and Sisters. If you could buy the 330 horses at the same price as the 215, “Katie, Bar the Door”, these things would be off the lots and on the highways. People would run you down trying to buy’em up. People are turned around by the low end hp and v6. The car has the look of a 429 Boss Mustang, or a 427 Sting Ray, but it has the hp rating of a hopped up 1976 Honda Accord. Don’t get me wrong this thing is geared to make good use of the amount of hp that it has, but all Crossfires should have 330 hp SC engines, people enjoy telling people how much horse their cars have.

“And that my friend is the bottom line” it’s all about the “Hooah Factor.”

 

I think you're spot on here. If they had offered the SRT for the price of the non-SRT, I think they wouldn't be able to keep them in stock. And if they got rid of the Whale Tail. Or maybe that last part is just me.

Now, if they had wanted to do the $45,000 price. I think that would have flown if they had used Aluminum instead of plastic and a few other items. It would have been hell keeping them on the lot then.

 

Looks say FAST CAR but engine is nice car. I enjoy driving mine and don't race around BUT the first question I'm asked is "How many horses you got in there!" I explain its a touring car not a race car. I agree that a stronger engine would have sold more cars at the Limited level.

 

I have said it before, 50-70 horsepower more and a maybe a little longer gearing in the MT would have made a difference in sales. IMHO

Carl

 

cross1; I totally agree on a little more HP but I disagree on the gearing - our cars have 3.27 ratios in them now and it gives a top end up over 145!!! I think with the lack of hp it would benefit greatly to go to at least a 3.7 or lower gear. I owned a mustang wsp pursuit car a few years ago, and it totally changed the character of the car when I went from 3.08 to 3.73 - fifth was actually usable below 100 mph, it closed up some of the space between the gears so the "R's" didn't drop so much. And the top speed actually went up to 145 because it was able to pull redline in fifth!!
IMHO

 

exactly, with the 3.5 these would have flown off the shelves. daimler would have been better off putting the 3.2 is dodge and chrysler family cars, like magnums and such...

 

maybe a bit off topic...and now i am told the mercedes 3.8 / 8 cyl will fit inside the eng compartment with no problem and the tranny will mesh up to the flywheel... with no problem... anyone heard of this?

a friend who is a top fuel dragster... who runs with $55,000 engines sized it up for me...

he is willing to help me drop it in... if i buy the engine.... hmmm this would definitely terminate my extended warrantee...

 

Ben, I completely agree with you. An SRT-6 with a 3.73:1 final drive ratio would have no problem running in the high 12's. It would probably put a Limited automatic into the mid 14's. But a 6 spd. has a 4.46:1 first gear, so combined with 3.73's, all you would really have is a "creeper" gear in 1st. Thanks to the overdrive though, cruising speeds (at least in the good old USA) would hardly be affected.
As for the Crossfire selling better if it cost more. I personally don't think so. But then I don't perceive a car to be better, just because it cost more. And since I'm on record as saying I feel Honda builds the best cars, I suppose my opinion really doesn't mean very much to those BMW and Mercedes buyers that may have considered buying a new Crossfire.

 

Yeah, it probably would make first almost unusable - that's kinda the way it was in my 'stang. At the strip you basically used first to get off the line, and then just watch it tach out, and then shift. It wouldn't really hook up until halfway through third. Even with the sh*tty hook-up it would still pull high thirteen's at 105 in the trap. Pretty cool for never even taking the valve covers off! The thing with the x-fire is, after driving it for over two years now, is, I rarely ever drive over a hundred although it lives with the throttle jammed until sixty or seventy - I could care less if it could do over a buck-twenty - Now if I could harness some more of that potential at lower speeds - THAT would be cool.

 

there is a 3.8 8 cylinder mercedes engine?? i am not sure about that unless its on a much older model, like a 380sel, but i don't know if those were v8's. the most recent ones have been 4.2, 4.3, 5.0 and 5.5, and the new 3.5 v6. i may be wrong though...

 

Ok, pretty much everyone on this forum either has a Crossfire or really, really wants one, right? Then why do we spend a lot of our time talking about things that could be better with the car? In my opinion, this car is perfect, or as perfect as any car can really be. In my humble opinion, the price of the car is just right, and making it slightly cheaper or more expensive will not substantially raise sales. I don't believe that horsepower is as major an issue as everyone is making it out to be.

There is a stigma associated with this car...those who love it, buy it, it's that simple. This car isn't about options or interior amenities or horsepower, this car is about how it makes you feel. This car makes me feel like I'm James Bond when I drive it. I feel alive, even on short jaunts to the grocery store. It isn't practical, it wasn't a "responsible" decision for a 25 year old who has only one car and lives with 5 months of winter every year to buy a roadster. I traded in my BMW for it, and have not had one regret.

I think that for many of you, this may be the most expensive car that you have purchased, leaving you wondering how it compares in the whole scheme of things. Trust me, paying an extra 20 grand for leather on the doors, fake wood trim, and all the other excessive options in these "higher end" cars leaves you asking yourself if it was really worth it after a couple of months. I loved my bimmer, but I will never pay for the name of a car again.

This car is beautiful, fast and functional. No other car on the road besides an Enzo will get as many looks. It is faster than 90% of the cars out there, what else do you want? If you want speed, buy a mustang, they are much cheaper, too. The interior of the Crossfire is absolutely stunning with the 2-tone pattern (I have vanilla and black). It is so unique in a sea of RSX's and Altima's and all that other crap.

Everyone here who has purchased one should be proud of themselves for being different and following your heart as well as your mind. There is nothing you can tell me about this car that will make me think any less of it.
I couldn't be happier with it and feel we should focus on the reasons why we love this car, not on the tiny details of how it could be better.

 

I'm so embarrassed, I forgot why I bought it in the first place.

 

HOTWHIP... another XXF.org member by the username: sennasprit
DESCRIBED THE XF perfectly... "this is a unique car for unique people".

What ever their social class is within this global society, the owner of the XF will be a unique individual that in some way stands out like the rest... just like its counterpart, partner in crime... the XF!!!

However this is a machine... and its uniqueness never weakens... the XF's lines & body are TIMELESS... we as people are not. Our moods fluctuate...

The XF is a pleasure from within, driving/racing. But all those people working, playing, walking or driving are pleased just by viewing it from the outside... but dream of being in one.

Most are intimidated... over 100s of people/strangers have come up to me and TELL me... nice car... what is it?... how much? Most think this XF starts at $60,000! Not thinking it could be financially in their reach.

However... as you stated... this car is an attitude adjuster... and in some way, it can be used as a natural anti-depressant... like firebaseD stated... a natural high... no doubt this car is a motivator...

And I ALWAYS PROUDLY SAY...
THE CROSSFIRE ALWAYS HAS MY BACK!!!
WHAT MORE CAN YOU ASK FOR; FROM A MACHINE OR MAN???

 

Hooah xfire1, well put.

Hotwhip: Speaking of Horse Power and the crossfire, yes I got a problem with it, I would love people walking up to me and instead of asking me what kind of car is that I'm driving, I would (because of the time frame I come from in life). I would much more enjoy hearing people say to me "WOW I see you got one of those Crossfires, the sound coming from that engine is shaking the ground, I read in Hotrod magazine that it'll blow the doors off the new Charger, Mustang, and the newer Challenger coming out in a year or so".

With that said I don't care if anyone ever says that to me about my Crossfire, it is a car in it's own class, there is no other car out there on the road that'll match it, I crank up my ACDC "Back In Black" and I care less what people are thinking, this is one bad azz (as xfire1 stated) machine, it's not just a car, I love this car, Heck it’s an affair.

But this thread is about what would make the Crossfire sell, and I'll say it again brother and sisters "Horse Power", and if you don't understand what I'm saying here go down to the Chevrolet dealer and look at the Vette, it has lots of "Horse Power" and it sells, it's the Harley of the automotive racing world. If you add a few horses under the hood of this Crossfire it would quickly replace the Chevy as the Harley, it has so much more on the Vette, the Crossfire is what a two seater "hot rod" should look like, and it blows the Vette away in the hot rod design factor. Bottom line "Horse Power" is AWOL. Chrysler had a chance to reclaim "King of the Muscle Cars" with the Crossfire, but it chose instead to act like a school yard bully, just a lot of talk and a little flash, but at the end of the lunch break every one is still waiting to see when the real man is going to step up... I'm not knocking the crossfire, and I don't encourage you to love your Crossfire any less, we're only talking what would move this car into the main stream of performance freaks. Hooah

And again the reason for no after market performance parts is because no one talks about the power of the Crossfire out on the street, the people who build these after market parts for HiPro cars got ears on the street and what they hear people talking about is where the market will focus.

Now with that entire statement made, let me say one more thing... I would recommend the Crossfire to anyone over any other roaster on the street.

 

Would I really be that far out of line if I nominated FirebaseD to serve as the Crossfire Forums official "SHOCK JOCK"!

Firebase, nothing but love brother, hooha!