Hello

I am looking for advise on what to look for when I take a 2005 convertable Limited out for a test drive. (57,000 km /36,000 miles)

This vehicle was sold and had 2 prior owners, both in Ontario, Canada.

I can see that the 2005's have a problem with the rear window seal. What else should I look for?

Thanks in advance

Trooper

 

You won't have a problem with the window, that only happens in very hot areas. I have a 2005 and no problems at all. Have just under 58,000 miles on it and basically just wear and tear items. I did need the seat heaters fixed once and the passenger seat needs to be repaired again but I think it's covered under the extended warranty. If you're buying the car from a Chrysler dealer try to get the extended warranty because parts are expensive as hell.

 

Hey Tropper ... just my thoughts on this ....
Most of the back window problems have been on cars from warmer southern parts and if the car has been in Ontario area most of the time (or all) that's good. If the window is secure and appears not to have been previously repaired, then it probably will be OK. With this said, make sure the top mechanism works smoothly and the top itself is in reasonably good shape.
We don't know if it is Autostick or manual shift .... that would also have some replies. I'm sure others with chime in here. Good Luck

EDIT: AIG beat me to it.... LOL

 

If it is an Ontario car, (or not in one of the deep south states), I'd not be concerned about the rear window. It seems to have been an issue where them temps get very hot and the sun bakes the window all day in the sun.

I'd be looking to determine the state of:
original documentation
any known modifications
oil leaks
tranny leaks
rock solid roof operation
evidence of undue wear/damage to the roof (material)
both keys
glass condition (esp. windshield)
body panels/plastic needing attention -parts are $ and may be hard to find
documentation of repairs by previous owners

Otherwise, these little gems are in many regards, mechanically bulletproof. Things that are broken, worn or not working (electrical/mechanical operation of lights, radio, seats mirrors, spoiler, tires, wheels and trim, etceteras) will be pretty obvious and you negotiate the price accordingly with a plan to get them fixed or buy spare parts. The only other things to note are that often there can be "road rash" around the bottom of the car that may separate the car into being either acceptable or unacceptable. Condition of the paint and finish is personal and therefore negotiable in the price. My suggestion is to find a nice one and be prepared to pay a premium to get it. In the end, it is worthwhile.

Temper alot of what I say as it depends on whether this is to be a "toy", a second family car or a daily driver. Given that you are probably in the salt belt and won't likley be drving the car from Dec through Mar at a minimum, you'll probably be somewhat **** about owning it. What ever your inclination - make sure to drive it on the highway and the street and get it onto a hoist for a look see.

Good luck! There are a lot of great members here who will guide you if you've done some searching/reading on the forum first. As someone said - get a big bowl of popcorn and deveote a night to reading what you can.

 

Check for service records and try out every accessory and switch, especially the top. These things are pretty reliable vehicles when normal maintenance is performed and they are not abused. I've seen two posts of 2004 models running 180k miles and we are starting to see more and more for sale with 60-100k miles. I've owned miy roadster since April 2005 and other than the recall for the fan, it has been rock solid -- edit: the TPMS icon has been on for two years. My son's 2007 has not had a problem, although he has only driven it 5k miles and it has less than 20k on it now. I purchased the extended warranty on mine because of the complexity of the top, and it has never had a problem. If I had more garage space, I would own at least one more.

 

I forgot to add its a 6 speed transmission (manual).

What is do you mean by the complex top operation?

How do you find out if the recall for the fan has been done . The last 6 No.'s of the vin. are 031231.

Trooper

 

If the fan recall has been done it will show up in CARFAX, or a dealer can pull it down with the VIN #, and tell you, along with any other work done by chrysler.
The top mechanism is complex because of all the motors and sensors that drive it. I think I heard something like 20 sensors and multiple motors. The actual lowering and raising is a symphony of all the movements, and best observed watching while someone else does it. Make sure you understand how the top latch works, both down and up, and listen for the "beeps" that tells you when it is done. Also, understand the placement of the panel in the trunk, so the top has clearance to come down.
EDIT: I can't address the manual tranny, as both of mine are Autosticks

 

The tranny generally is NOT smooth-shifting from 1st to 2nd. I have 36k miles on mine and it is still notchy and picky about sliding in smoothly. All the other gears are great. Aside from the stupid cup holder, it's my only pet peeve about an otherwise outstanding vehicle. As IBLUBYU said, watch the top go up/down once and you'll know what we mean.

 

The only major thing I have had problems with was the sticky ignition key. Make sure that you pull the key out between starts and that it turns easily.(if you leave the key in between starts it will bypass the issue if there is one) I fixed mine for free as have many but it is not a job everyone would tackle. I checked and no recalls outstanding. Good luck

VIN Number:
1C3AN65L9 5X031231Vehicle Description:
CHRYSLER CROSSFIRE CONVERTIBLE TWO DOOR ROADSTER Model Year:
2005
No Incomplete Recalls or Customer Satisfaction Notifications Exist

 

 

[quote=BigYankFan]

 

I have yet to figure out what 1st gear is for??? Stump pulling, perhaps? My normal shift pattern is 2nd to 4th to 6th. So much torque in all gears, it handles it beautifully. Starting from stops in 2nd gives a much, much smoother take off, and a much much smoother shift into the next gear.

 

Thanks for all the info everbody.

The crossfire I was looking at got sold before I could get to the out of town dealership.

I have found another 2005 this time the mileage is up to 132000 km (82,500 miles).

The dealer states that he is replacing the Brakes, Rotors, and Tires FT & Rear. What else should I now be looking for with a vehicle with this mileage. It was a Chrysler lease vehicle.

Thanks in advance
Trooper

 

Unless the dealer is giving it away ($10,000 or less) I'd be looking for another one. Have you considered going south of the boarder? With the exchange rate so favourable, now is the time to get a great deal on a low mileage US car.

 

One of the biggest challenges when you get your heart set on getting a Crossfire is waiting for the right one. If you can wait until you find the 'right one', you will be better off. 132,000 k is a lot of mileage.
If you buy a lower mileage XF, imagine how many more miles of smiles that you will have.

Don't forget to get the right color!

 

Trooper,

I'll disagree, gently. I bought an 05 Roadster Limited, manual transmission, in JAN. It had just over 74K on it when I bought it. I was looking specifically for that combination, and might have been too impatient. I didn't want a good one to get away, and it compared very favorably to another I drove that had much lower mileage. It was beautiful, and felt like a new one, at least to me. It had been well cared for, and seems very far from used up. Also, by 50,000+ miles, the problems that show up in some have had enough road time to occur.

Mine is a southern car, and the back window is starting to separate. From information available on the forum, I'm pretty sure I can correct it. If I have to have it done professionally, I'll still feel like I got a good car. I would not sell it now for what I have in it. You'll probably feel the same, regardless of the mileage on the car you buy.

Regarding the manual shift - at least one person here mentioned that the shift into first gets better with use. It is clear that it is worse in cold weather, so you may want to consider that. Mine shifts easily into first, but it is noticeably smoother once the car is warm.

If you do your own maintenance, you'll save money and be more certain of what you get. Be sure you download the technical information available here.

Good luck. Let us know how the search goes.

Michael

 

Thanks for the info

I also located one with 31000 miles (Florida car) on it I asked the dealer to check the rear window and sure enough it was seperating from the top.

Does the 3m fix work over the long haul and has Chrysler still doing Good Will fixes?

Trooper

 

there must be 2 doz threads on this problem...... search for tighed1's windo fix, and that should help. Good Luck

 

Have not observed on CD
Seems soft to me vs Ferari Mondial
in out is normal for sports cars Ferrari and Bertone x 1/9 it is not a Suv
have not noticed visibility issue
Xfire is competent but subdued vehicle a good daily driver except snow

 

Trooper,

If you are still looking for an '05 Roadster, I have one for sale. Its white with red and black interior. It has about 32,700 miles on it and i am the original owner. This is the link from my original post:
https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...tml#post551968

Let me know if you're interested.

Liz