Hello Everyone.

Just joined this site today and I have multiple questions to help me pick out the best Crossfire for the money. Here are my questions below.

Is the 6 speed manual tranny better or faster than the automatic?

Does the car require premium fuel?

Are oil changes expensive being that the engine is Mercedes?

There is a video on YouTube called Crossfire Kate Gordon. Her exhaust sounds the best out of all of the videos I've listened to. I can't get an answer on which exhaust to get. Came someone with knowledge watch the video and advise me on the best exhaust to get. I've heard one video where they simply bypassed the muffler and it sounded good, but not as good as the video from Kate Gordon.

I am looking to spend between $4500 to $6000 on a Crossfire with 100k or less. I used to race Mustang 5.0's when I was much much younger. Honestly, I beat the crap out of them but they always performed well and I never had any problems at all with all 13 of my Mustangs that I used to own. Now that I'm much older, I do not plan on beating the car up. But, how does the engine and transmission hold up? I saw a Crossfire for sale with 200,000 miles so that makes me feel better but how good are the automatic transmissions?

I don't want to buy a used car that was beat on and then inherit a nightmare. Next, I have a 2007 Town and Country van that has a TON of rust on it. I swore I'd never get another Chrysler car again. Do the Crossfires have any areas that are prone to rusting?

I found a SRT-6 that is $5400 but says it's needs the ECM repaired. So, I really don't want the SRT-6. Yeah I'd love the power but I heard that the suspension on the SRT-6 is terribly stiff, even worse than the regular Crossfire. So, are ECM's a problem in Crossfires? What are the things that tend to go out or wear out on a Crossfire? Practicality tells me to buy another Mustang again. Seating for 4 and a good 4.6L or 5.0L engine. But, I'm just really in love with the Crossfire looks.

 

I bought a 2007 roadster last December, no regrets. I have a six speed because it's fun ! Oil capacity is 8 quarts, if you change it yourself you save. The car has a lot of zip but my racing days are long gone. It's the fun factor of driving it and the styling that makes it a great car !

 

Some parts are becoming rare and therefore more expensive.

In my opinion and experience, the car breaks more often than your typical Japanese car, therefore the overall repair costs are going to be significantly higher.

Oil changes are a little more expensive because it requires synthetic oil and it requires more oil than the typical car, 8 quarts. Never ever buy the FRAM cartridge filter. Never buy any FRAM filter...period.

Spend a little more money and get an SRT-6 that does not need any repairs. You will be needing to repair it plenty of times in the future.

I only keep my SRT-6 roadster because it has sentimental value and it is really fun to drive. With all the money I have sunk into my car if it were boring I would have sold it a long time ago.

The SRT-6 roadster is an attention getter. That can be good and bad. Most people are very nice and have questions about the car but I have had people throw garbage inside my car and have had people park right next to me even when I park in the back of a mostly empty parking lot, just to **** me off.

Good decision not to beat the crap out of this car. It will cost you big time. This is unlike Mustang parts which are cheap and readily available.

Go look at the thread on this website about repairing this car and all the problems that it can have before buying.

I will never buy a Chrysler or any domestic car in my life. Yes, I know the Crossfire is German, which contributes to its costs. Just buying Japanese from now on.

 

Read this: https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...crossfire.html

 

Thanks for the information so far guys. I've read a ton on the link that lead to multiple links. Have a few simple questions. Is the manual transmission better than the automatic? I know the manual would be more fun, but I've read they have issues being difficult to get into first gear and difficult to shift to second gear. Also read a complaint about hard shifts to reverse. So does the automatic transmission have less problems? Is the automatic slower? I read the automatic needs the fluid changed every 15,000 miles? Seems most on here have 6 speed manual transmissions even though most Crossfires are automatics.

I do not want an SRT-6. The suspension is too stiff. I don't need that extra power. I prefer the stock Crossfire rims instead of the SRT-6 rims. SRT-6 only available as an automatic.

Do these cars require premium fuel?

 

It does require premium fuel says so inside the fuel fill door. I have had no problem shifting into any gear, to put in reverse you have to pull up, over to the left and then back. It's not hard but your hand can slip off of the round shift ****. I don't know about the auto I just like the six speed for a sports car. Hope this helps

 

I'm guessing 75 ~ 80% of the cars are automatic. When the cars first came out there was an issue with fluid leaking at the electrical connection on the auto transmission. It is an easy and inexpensive repair which I suspect has already been corrected on 90% of the Crossfires still running around on the roads, so that shouldn't be an issue any longer.I had my automatic fluid changed and the entire transmission flushed at about 85,000 miles. Never have had any problems with or related to the transmission. Now the car has 132,000 miles. Both transmissions are very dependable. I think it is a personal choice. I do not want to be shifting manually, much prefer the automatic. When pushing it on twisty roads I will use the "slap shifting" with my auto. For me it is fast and smooth with third gear full of torque. There is a difference in the gearing between the two transmissions. Drive them both and see which you prefer. Which one is faster has more to do with who's driving than the transmissions. Negative with that 15,000 mile fluid change; That is not correct.
Always use premium fuel.
Look to see if the car has a "oil catch can". It is a common after market add on (see Needswings website) Hopefully the car you will buy already has it and the owner drained it regularly. You will want to add on ASAP if the car doesn't have one already installed. You can also use the search box at the upper right of the forum screen and search oil catch can.

 

Thank you so much for the quick replies. My two current cars are a very heavily modded 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse GST. It has over $10,000 in upgrades but it is so complex, that I can't do any work on it or make any adjustments to the computer. It's all foreign to me because I have always been used to working on Mustang 5.0 engines back in the fox body days. I bought the Eclipse already modded, and it is scary fast, but I just don't appreciate or like the car. My main driver is a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. Yes, a family sedan, but I have the limited Turbo edition with flappy paddle steering wheel shifters. The Sonata has 284HP and a bi-scroll turbo and it just amazes me how fast my Sonata is. I used to have a co-worker that had a Crossfire. We did a short race once and my Sonata killed the Crossfire. So, I'm not wanting a Crossfire for speed or acceleration. If I wanted that, I'd just get a Mustang. I love the looks of the Crossfire. I wish it was a 4 seater like the Mustang but otherwise I love the Crossfire. I plan to buy one once my Eclipse is sold. I plan to baby it and keep it in the garage and only drive it occasionally. I've seen rust pictures on the Crossfire pics that scare the crap out of me. I bought a 2007 Town and Country with just a tad bit of bubbling on it. Two years later, I could fit my foot through the rust. I sold it for a major loss. Especially in Indiana, rust spreads quickly. My father has a 03 Town and Country but has only a fraction of the rust that my 07 had. So I know that Chrysler had some years with more rust than others. I'd like to find one with no rust and then immediately get it treated to make it rustproof if possible. Everyone says I'm crazy for wanting a Crossfire. I've owned two Jaguar XJ6's, 1988 and 1989. They had tons of problems and weren't even reliable on the road. I got rid of them but was told to get a Jaguar from when Ford got involved. So I bought a Jaguar X-Type. It ended up having basically every electrical problem known to man. Parts were not available and it was impossible to find help for the car so I got rid of that as well. Now that I am ready for a car I can be passionate about, I'm wanting a Crossfire. And just like Jaguar when owned by Ford, it's a Chrysler but it has a Mercedes engine and transmission. I just don't want to buy a headache. I don't plan to modify the Crossfire except for the exhaust. I will search the forum for oil catch can because I don't know what that is. That's why I'm here. I'm here to learn so that I don't make mistakes. Thank you everyone again!

 

When I read your first post mention "when I was much much younger" and then saw that you were 38, I had to LOL. As long as you're filling it up with premium, it may as well be an SRT6 is how I see it. Oh, a catch can is a drainable canister that dramatically helps remove the oil vapor from crankcase ventilation before it gets to the intake manifolds. Welcome, and good luck with what shouldn't be such a difficult decision IMHO.

 

Yeah I know, only 38 years old. I have a 10 year old daughter and a 19 year old son. When I was 16, I had a 1989 Chrysler Conquest TSI Turbo. Black w/black leather and 5 speed manual. That was my first car. It didn't last long and I got my first Mustang 5.0 after that. I got into the hobby of drag racing and buying and selling Mustangs. I had 13 of them from the age of 17-28. I see things through a different perspective. I've been through seven heart surgeries and many other surgeries and I don't feel that young anymore. I've owned my Eclipse for the last 3 years and only drove it fast once and that scared me to death. So, I really don't need an SRT-6. I'm also hoping for a manual transmission if possible and I read the SRT-6's are only automatics. If a great deal comes around then I'm not opposed to getting a SRT6, but I'd rather have a manual transmission and a normal V6. If I wanted speed I'd get a Mustang but everyone has a Mustang. I feel like at this point in my life, I want something that is different, not fast. I plan on keeping this car for a long time so I'm wanting something that is in good condition. An SRT6 seems out of my price range. I did find one SRT6 for $5400 but it says it needs the ECM repaired. I saw, on this forum, a red Crossfire with 66k on it for $5500. The only thing I don't like about it is that it is an automatic. If I had my choice I would get a black model with manual transmission. But finding a manual transmission in good condition for the price I want to spend, and in the color black, almost seems impossible. I'm sure the right one will come along. Thanks for explaining an oil catch can to me.

 

So, I was crunching numbers last night and I can afford a SRT6 if I wanted one. So my question is, is the SRT6 the same engine with a supercharger or is it a different engine? Is it the same automatic transmission as the regular Crossfire? Still not sure if I really want a SRT6 though. I've read about many reports of the trunks being swimming pools full of water. Is this an easy fix or an expensive fix? I really like the looks of the regular Crossfire with the regular rims, but the SRT6's rims and big wing are growing on me. I really wanted a manual transmission so I'm not sure what direction I want to go. Basically even though I can afford it, the SRT6 is double the cost of a regular Crossfire so I'm not sure that I need a SRT6. Also I've noticed many Crossfires with foggy looking headlights. No big deal, just go on eBay and order new headlights. $700 a piece!!??

 

The SRT-6 engine is essentially the same 3.2 liter V6 as the NA (Normally Aspirated) version. There are some reliability upgrades due to the installation of the supercharger. The 5-Speed AutoStick transmission is the same. The manual was not used in the SRT-6 because it couldn't take the torque from the AMG-built V6. I for one like the 5-speed AutoStick, and it does a nice job of providing a shift-like manual capability the few times you might want to do that. I personally have outlived that urge and only use that feature on GTGs for ToD weekends. The SRT-6 rims are somewhat harder to keep clean (per owners of SRT-6 cars). That same wheel design was used on the Special Edition cars but with the valleys between the spokes painted a gray with clearcoat. Much easier to clean than the standard SRT-6 aluminum wheel (my opinion). There are many methods to clear up the "foggy-headlight" condition. Just search the forum and you'll find owners that have performed this maintenance task for about $30 (headlight restoration kit - 3M has one of the better products for this). I've been using Mother's Mag & Aluminum polish with a buffing wheel mounted to my portable drill motor. Works great! Attached are results on my 2006 VW New Beetle using this method. VW headlight lenses are polycarbonate and get "foggy" like the Crossfire & other cars that use that design.

 

The SRT and the regular version have a number of computer modules that all have to talk to each other. So diagnosing this car beyond plugging in a diagnostic reader is not a simple task.. These cars are more complex than older fox body Mustangs. Sometimes you will need a diagnostic computer used by larger garages and the dealership that goes beyond a simple code reader that anyone can afford.


The SRT wheels are easy to keep clean with dustless brake pads.

I used a 3-M polishing kit for the headlights. They look brand new.

 

 

I know times have changed, unfortunately, since the fox body Mustangs. I had a BMW 325i that could never be washed in the carwash. I learned this the hard way. I guess Germany didn't have carwashes during that time. One of the computers got soaked and I had to remove it, bake it, and thankfully it worked after that. I had a 99 VW Passat with a V6 and 5spd manual. It had a sunroof that when clogged, led all water by default underneath the driver's seat. Under the driver's seat was the ECM. One day the car wouldn't start and I diagnosed the car as having a bad ECM and when I looked, it was frozen in ice on the ground under the seat. When I unplugged the ECM, tons of wires just fell apart. Bottom line, a junk yard ECM plus I had to cut and splice 32 different wires. They were all the colors, plus when the colors ran out, some of the wires had stripes on them. So the red wire wasn't the same as the red wire with a tiny thin line of yellow on it. But I took on the project and when it was over, I had the satisfaction knowing that I fixed the problem myself. I immediately waterproofed the ECM and the wiring. I do own an OBDII computer but I understand that it only scans basic codes. I do understand that the Crossfire has multiple computers and I'm okay with that. I think all cars do these days. My Eclipse that I have has tons of aftermarket computers on it that are setup to be connected to a laptop and setup that way. When I installed a new battery in the car, I lost all the settings and I don't know how to program it with a laptop. It's too complicated for me. So the Eclipse is for sale. So I understand that I'll be buying a car with multiple computers but I'm okay with that. I've heard that the trunks can fill up with water and is a common problem. I haven't had anyone chime in with any answers to how to fix this. I guess I'll run a Crossfire through a carwash before I buy it. Also, I used the Mother's headlight polish kit on my Eclipse and it had a foam pad on a drill bit. It helped but I was disappointed in it. I'll try the 3M one next time.

 

 

If you don't like what you've read, don't comment, move on. I was replying to another user, not you. My facts stated are correct. The reason I brought up other cars was to relay that I've dealt with cars with multiple computers. Some good experiences and some bad.

To the other more respectful people with manners that actually were communicating back and forth with me, yes I understand that the Crossfire is like all modern cars and has multiple computers. I can deal with that. I've read multiple people online have had their trunks fill up like swimming pools. What is the fix for that and how can I tell if it's been fixed outside of just running through a carwash?

 

 

Thank you. Ok guys, my only question I have right now is if anyone knows how to fix or check if a Crossfire has an issue of the trunk filling up with water. My plans are to buy a Crossfire with no rust. I've been advised to check under the doors weather-stripping because a lot of them have rust right there. The other area of rust I've seen is where the wing is attached to the car. I haven't seen any pictures of rust in the trunk but I've been advised to check out the trunk because of the water issue or past water issue, if it was fixed. I do live in the rust belt area so I plan to either buy down south or if I buy locally I plan to search it over very thoroughly. If anyone can chime in on the water in the trunk issue, that would really help me out. I appreciate it.