Hey all, I've been thinking about getting a Crossfire for a while now as it's time to add a 2nd car to the garage. To give a little background, my fiancée and I have just moved out to the Twin Cities area (Eden Prairie, specifically) after spending several years in NYC; our other car is an '04 Mini Cooper S.

I have a few Q's I'm hoping you can help me with:

Ride quality - we're used to the bone shaking Cooper S stiffness, can anybody with experience of both cars compare ride quality for me? I know I need to test drive and will hopefully sort something out this week but was hoping for initial thoughts. Also, how much softer is say a Limited vs. the SRT? I'm wanting the SRT power but we don't need another excessively harsh riding car...

Prices - there's a <100 mile, $25k SRT coupe on eBay that I like the look of at the moment and from what I've read here, this is pretty much ballpark for a SRT, right? That said, if a dealer like Steve White in NC is listing new Limited coupes with auto-trans for $37k on their website, what would be an appropriate price to offer, $20k?

Winter - I've read a few threads on this and the main theory is to buy Blizzaks and not be stupid with the throttle. This will be my daily driver so for all you MN people, how do your Crossfires fair in the snow and for that fact, how much snow am I likely to see here?? (I've heard varying reports)

Luggage space - will the trunk fit at least one 22" carry-on, much else? I'm not expecting miracles but handling a carry-on for weekend trips and the like is pretty essential.

Availability - ideally I want an SRT6 in dark gray, not black. Does anybody know a dealer with one in the $25k region?

Thanks all !!
Andrew

 

Here's a customized listing from Auto Trader for all Crossfires listed within 50 miles of zip code 55401 that have 200 or less miles on the odometer.

Cusomized Autotrader search

 

Go with the SRT6. Mine is a daily driver and from the reviews I had read before buying, I thought it was going to be very harsh. Imagine to my surprise that it isn't bad at all. If the freeway is not smooth you will feel the "bucking" and speed bumps are to be taken SLOWLY. The seats are quite comfortable and I am usually refreshed after a 100 mile trip in Los Angeles fwy traffic.

Be aware that the SRT6 is strictly an auto with a manual shift feature. Personally I think it is one of the smoothest autos I have ever driven, and in the manual mode it will hold a gear well. $25K for a virtually new SRT is a fair price. A new '06/'07 Limited should go for around $23-$25K.

 

That's a pretty good price to pay for the quality you're getting!

I read how Motor Trend and Car and Driver both mentioned the ride quality was not great...but I gotta tell you, the only thing I plan change about my SRT6 is the radio...just waiting til I get back to the states!

I hope you get your ride.

K.

 

Thanks for the replies guys. I do know the SRT is an auto and I'm cool with it - the Cooper is a manual and while I love banging through the gears, it can get pretty tedious in slow traffic.

 

1. Ride Quality - It's not bad. I had a '97 Prelude for a number of years and the SRT6 rides better than it did. The SRT6 also rides better than the s2000, IMO.

2. Prices - If you can find a SRT6 coupe with less than 1k on the clock for around 25k - that's a good deal. Keep in mind that this car was ~ 47k new and has a lot of AMG parts. With that engine, tranny, etc. - they're basically throwing in the car for peanuts.

3. Winter - I live in Michigan and to be honest with you, there's no way I'd drive mine in the winter. Giant wheels, RWD, 330 HP, low ground clearance - no winter for me.

4. Luggage Space - I've got the roadster, but you should be able to fit a Medium sized piece of luggage and a 'gym' type bag in there (I would think).

5. Availability - Just keep looking, you'll find one (Cars.com, autotrader.com, ebay, etc.).

Let us know what you decide.

 

Test drove an SRT-6 today and man, that thing is quick! Going to try and find a standard coupe with auto-trans to compare. Happy with the ride though and trunk space is good, considering what I was expecting.

Felt super solid on the road, very impressed!

 

I don't think you are going to like the std coupe after driving the SRT6.

 

I think that the ride of the SRT-6 is a little on the harsh side but acceptable for daily driving.

As for Minnesota winters, I grew up in the Twin Cities area and the snowfall can be quite erratic some years. I remember as a little kid going outside one Christmas morning to play because there was no snow on the ground. I can also remember battling my way through snow drifts Trick-or-Treating.

I'm seriously thinking of moving out of San Diego and MN is on my short destination list because of family there.

 

Here's a quick reminder... Before you buy an SRT6, find a dealership locally that has AN SRT-6 TRAINED TECHNICIAN. This is important if you EVER need service and don't want to have your car disassembled by a technician without SRT training. The SRT-6 is a specialty vehicle and an non-SRT trained tech will do more harm than good, should the time come for warranty service or other advice...Not that the guy/girl is a bad tech, but there are lots of expensive and one-of-a-kind parts/assemblies on the Crossfire SRT6. It was not a popular vehicle at the sales office.

 

Good advice, thanks cudaman.