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….here come the negative comments from all of the people who have never driven or owned a Crossfire, but are inclined to speak ill of it.
Before you do, keep in mind that for less than $20K, this is a tremendous value for a car that does 0-60 in 6.8 seconds, runs the quarter in the mid-14’s, and keeps on going all the way past 150mph. And, it has gobs of grip thanks to its generous Michelin (or Continental) rubber.
Maybe not the most sophisticated performer in the world, but on par with anything built in Germany a model cycle or two back, and considering what else you can afford at a $20K price point (Civic Si, Cobalt SS, Caliber SRT4), it’s the only thing that comes close to being a 2 seat, RWD sports car.
I’ve owned one for three years, and though I will admit that it’s an infrequently driven car, its Mercedes-derived engine is sweet and serene, it sounds great, it is quick, and I cannot think of very many other current cars with as much over the top character. Plus, it has been dead reliable and worry free.
So, take it from a man that knows: at $34K, it was a joke compared with other cars at this price point (i.e. 350Z), but for $20K, it’s a performance bargain. And, I’m no sucker… I paid $24.5K for mine in 2005!
If my situation (financial and family) called for a sports car, I would snatch one up in a minute. This is a prime example of perception trumping reality.
@br549
The perception that it is not a cool little car (false), or the perception that Cerebus is going strip and flip ChyMoCo and sell everything that’s not nailed down, and buyers will be left in the lurch (true)?
Detroit-Iron : or the perception that Cerebus is going strip and flip ChyMoCo and sell everything that’s not nailed down, and buyers will be left in the lurch (true)?
I’ve argued elsewhere against C11 for this very reason. But, I think we can be fairly confident that regardless who snatches up ChryCo from Cereberus, warranty and service will still exist.
Which leads me to another point: Cerberus seems to be equally vilified whether they accept federal dollars or “strip and flip.” I would think their intentions to buy a company at a bargain price, repackage and resell at a profit would appeal to many around here. If that’s not free-market capitalism, what is?
Hmmm – Very close to the Lokki Homestead. I really really like the Crossfire. The problem is that I’m 6 ft tall. I’ve tried to sit in one a couple of times at the Auto shows, but I just don’t fit.
Hey! Maybe a convertible? Nah. They’re going to be even tighter with the top up, aren’t they.
This is a nice price for the car…the price of a Corolla. The interior is Corolla grade…but parts should be available.
It’s not just a car. It’s a cartoon.
Is the “Lifetime powertrain warranty” the lifetime of the CAR, or the COMPANY ?. ;)
I’ve always been a bit intrigued by the Crossfire. Wasn’t there a SRT version? There’s something cool about the Crossfire and a bonus is they’re not a dime-a-dozen.
The Crossfires I’ve seen were almost exclusively driven by females. That doesn’t make it a bad car. It just seemed to have somewhat limited appeal.
I’m like the other commenter. For 20k(ish), I’d throw caution to wind and pull the trigger for a left over Crossfire. I just can’t justify that type of vehicle right now with a young child still in a car seat.
The Crossfire took over from the Aztek in that while there wasn’t really anything inherently bad about it, the styling was just too outré for the market, i.e., the Crossfire looked like a latter-day offspring of an AMC Marlin.
OTOH, as an alternative to, say, a V6 Mustang coupe, if you can get past the appearance and reduced carrying capacity, the Crossfire is an okay choice at the reduced prices.
rudiger :
You’re putting the styling of the Crossfire in the same category as the Aztec?! Man, that hurts.
My wife loves Crossfires. If this is what they’re now selling for new, I’ll have to pick up one for her in a few years for a song.
When they first came out I though they looked kinda allright, but now they just remind me of the heinous Sebring. I can’t imagine buying this over a Miata or Solstice even.
At least the dealer didn’t load the Crossfire up with all that aftermarket pimp slop like they did the 300.
If I was buying new, and was trying to buy a sporty car, I would consider one for $18K if I could get it with the stick, and only under that condition.
However, if I had $18K to spend on a car, and incidentally I had that exact amount to do so last February, I wouldn’t be buying new at all; in fact, I didn’t. I bought a 2001 BMW 540i, M-Sport, 6-speed manual, 90,000 miles, showroom condition. 4.4L V8 + 6 speed manual + classy, big body BMW saloon = MY kind of car for $18,000.
Forget a Crossfire. There is A REASON why they’re being sold for so cheap. They are based on a platform that dates back to 1998. A DECADE AGO. And it’s brand new? Not okay.
I will give special omission to the Crossfire SRT-6 with the manual. That’s kind of badass, definitely rare, and supposedly a decently fun drive. I THINK it had a supercharged V6, making south of 300 horses, but still a pretty punchy machine.
The Crossfire is an unusual car.
It really is too small, for me atleast (in the 6 foot club).
It drives sort of…wooden.
From the rear it looks like a dog taking a dump. From the front, like a Sebring. A Sebring taking a dump? Not good.
Don’t get me wrong, there is some goodness here. It’s just hard to find. It is cheap for 20k but the question begs to be asked: Is this something you would drive regularly even for free?
It’s a Chrysler. Which means it will fall apart and fail in another 2 years. Best avoided. Why do you think they are at $20k now?
Crossfires are alright but they don’t do a lot for me.
However, if you’re looking for a Mopar bargain these days I’d recommend looking into a Magnum or Charger in R/T trim.
Either car gives a fair amount of practicality combined with a mill that pulls like the right hand of God.
rochskier: “However, if you’re looking for a Mopar bargain these days I’d recommend looking into a Magnum or Charger in R/T trim.”The best choice being a leftover Magnum SRT-8. If you can find one at a bargain-basement price (and can afford the gas), it would be the current Mopar hot-shoe choice.
The Crossfire SRT-6 had a 330HP/330lb-ft supercharged 3.2L V6. It also had an automatic instead of a manual (why? I don’t know.)
Someone want to call Jeremy Clarkson? He might want to know about this.
BlueBrat :
It’s a Chrysler. Which means it will fall apart and fail in another 2 years.
I’m getting weary of these cliches, but anyway the Crossfire is loaded with MB engineering, components and is produced by Karmann in Germany.
“Starting at 18,845”
Wonder what they will actually try to get from consumers taken in by the ad?
I checked this dealer’s online inventory, and – assuming it’s correct – they have FORTY (40) of these on the lot, all coupes (no convertibles, at least that I could see).
I wonder how long these “special purchases” have been parked on the Michigan State Fairgrounds as part of Chryebrus’ excess inventory, formerly known as the “sales bank?”
But if they were to offer a droptop Crossfire for under $20k, I’d probably be driving the five hours or so to Grapevine…
my ex inlaws are lifelong friends with another couple from their church. He is an engineering lifer at chrysler (34 years) and has more than once told us of the internal stories about the crossfire. Apparently it is known in Chryco circles as “the worst car we have ever made.” The reason it is not wide spread news is because the owners generally baby them and drive only on sunny days.
seabrjim:
‘Apparently it is known in Chryco circles as “the worst car we have ever made.”’
Why I can’t speak for the reliability or lack therof of the car, you forget that it is not made by Chrysler. ALL of the car is made by Mercedes and Karmann in Germany. Why do they have so many? One they didn’t sell well, but I think more importantly they had a contract with Dumbler to buy so many, whether they could sell them or not. Just another way that Dumbler ass f&*ked Chrysler.
seabrjim, I wonder if your ex-in-laws were confusing the Crossfire with the Sebring convertible. Now THERE’S a certifiable piece of you-know-what that is actually designed and made by Chrysler; more than one reliability survey has deemed it as being far and away at the bottom of the heap when it comes to repairs.
windswords, the point about a contractural obligation to Mercedes is a good one. I still wonder why they are wasting their resources on the coupes, when in general a convertible is much more appealing at this price point…and probably costs little more to produce.
The car is essentially a first-gen SLK. I have an SLK320, which is the same motor, and I have to say it’s a great touring car, but not a real sports car in the way it drives. I picked it over a Boxster because it was more comfortable, and the classy interior, trunk room, and better ride was more to my liking at the time. For me, it’s been a great compromise, as I generally take long trips in it, not much canyon-carving. For under 20k, this is a real bargain if you like the styling. I don’t think there is a similar car you can get “new” with the same level of performance and solid chassis that underpins the SLK320 which was a 50k car. It’s been a while since I sat in a Crossfire, but I don’t remember the interior being too bad, especially for 20k. I’d rather have one of these over just about anything else for 20k if you can make do with a two seater. My SLK has 63k miles, and is as tight, solid, fast and trouble-free as it was new. Nothing except normal maintenance, which is laughably minimal for a car of it’s type. This is the least “Chrysler” of all the DCX-developed vehicles, so if you don’t like “Chrysler” but do like Mercedes-Benz, and like the styling, go for it! OH, and if you think the manual is better than the auto, think again. That gearbox feels as if it came out of a tractor, and it’s slower and less efficient than the auto.
Well, I have never driven one so I can’t comment on my personal experiences.
However what I do know is this…
On MSN there are 268 reviews for the Crossfire from 2003 to 2008. It received an owner rating average at least 9.2 or higher for every single year it was released. From a 1 to 10 scale, anything above a 9 at that site signifies exceptional owner satisfaction.
Carsurvey gives the Crossfire all smiley faces. No frowns. No middles.
Edmunds has 264 reviews from current owners. If you add all those up you also get a rating that is well above 9.0 out of 10.
There are loads of performance coupes from Japan, Korea, Europe and America that don’t match the Crossfire’s record of owner satisfaction. Based on well over 500 reveiws, it appears at least to me that the feedback on the Crossfire from actual owners has been extremely positive.
Those of you who simply bash just because you don’t like the ‘brand’ may want to delve deeper to find the actual truth of a vehicle. I see a lot of variability in the quality within brands at the dealer auctions and the Crossfire happens to be one of many that buck the conventional attitudes.
In fact, plenty of highly regarded brands have models that I wouldn’t recommend to anyone. Other less regarded brands contain models that are true bargains in the car business. The Crossfire just happens to be one of those models.
Just from an industry level note, I would be very interested to see how Grapevine’s Sale-A-Thon plays out.
I could see a friend of mine who has a Ford dealership in Florence SC do the exact same thing with Mustangs… or perhaps Rangers.
BlueBrat : I was waiting for the obligatory, it’s a Chrysler, they are crap comment from someone. You did not let me down.
I have heard these are not cars for tall people, over 6ft, so I have never driven one. I would like to think though one at $20k would be sweet.
Twenty grand for an SLK in a cheap suit? Not bad.
Does it come with a stick or a slushbox?
–chuck
I tried one of these at a show a while ago…I forgot what the show was called but I drove it for about 2 minutes & HATED the clutch. It was several years ago & I still remember. That has to tell ya how bad it was…
How much for the AMG version with 350HP and 375 lb*ft torque?
To those above mentioning the stick-shift: the 6-speed has been getting better over the last few years. I test drove a 2006 one and thought is was OK (for a $20k car, not a $35k “drivers” car). Anyway, it was somewhat better than the 1986 stick from my 300E, though the 300E might have felt better with 250,000 fewer miles on the odometer.
Mike,
I have never seen anybody here have anything that bad to say about the Crossfire. It’s a good car. I just think that this ad is another symbol of Chrysler’s sad demise.
The only problem with the Crossfire is that they tried to adopt its styling for the Sebring. Aside from that, what’s wrong with buying a Mercedes SLK (albeit an old one) for, what, 7/8ths off the price? It’s obviously not the greatest car in the world, but –having just seen a new Cayenne last night with temp plates– there are worse products out there to waste, uh, spend one’s money on.
And just like German cars, the Crossfire has the resale value of a used condom. If $18K sounds cheap now, just you wait and see what these hopeless machines will be worth in 2-3 years.
Besides, has anyone here ever drove one with a manual? UGH. The shifter was so sloppy and flimsy, every shift felt like I was stirring peanut butter with a popsicle stick.
Who the hell wants to drive something like that everyday?
Apparently it is known in Chryco circles as “the worst car we have ever made.”
There is no way this can top the mess known as the Chrysler TC by Maserati.
I mentioned a few weeks ago our area dealer had over 60 of these in stock, and they all had a $4k MARK UP on the sticker. Oddly, it seems they’re still all there.
I think they’re cool looking, and certainly a screaming bargain at >$20k for a coupe and >$25k for a convertible. Sadly, at 6’3″/200, it’s a very tight fit.
The only problem with the Crossfire is that they tried to adopt its styling for the Sebring.
No, the problem was putting that styling into production in the first place. They will be treasured oddities one day, no doubt, but most people don’t want to be seen driving something that looks like a bad kit car.
seabrjim: “Apparently it is known in Chryco circles as “the worst car we have ever made.””It is more likely that it is known within Chrysler as the worst recent car approved for production. Like the Edsel, Aztek and, ironically, the Airflow some 70 years prior, the Crossfire isn’t particularly bad in any area except styling. Unfortunately, that’s more than enough to doom it in the marketplace. As others have pointed out, the 1st gen Mercedes SLK, upon which the Crossfire is based, isn’t a bad platform. The difference is the Crossfire looks nothing like an SLK.
It’s not hard to pinpoint the styling faux pas of the car, either. Like the overall miserable rental-special Sebring, the Daimler Germans overused ‘strakes’ on the hood and sides, along with the ungainly, circular C-pillar. I guess it was supposed to harken back to some sort of classic ‘art deco’ style but it just doesn’t work. Hence, brand-new, base Crossfire coupes being offered for sale at nearly half of original MSRP.