What's up guys. I'm Matt and i'll probably be a very common poster on this forum soon if i go ahead and purchase a crossfire. My main concerns are reliability and regular maintenance with these cars. I'm coming from a world of american built sports cars like camaro's and mustang's and more importantly my jeep wrangler, one of the most basic vehicles ever made. To the point, a brake job on my jeep is about 60 dollars new pads and rotors and i can easily do the work myself. Alternators, water pumps, exhaust usually are under a hundred dollars to fix. But mercedes or any german cars for that matter scare the crap outta me with all their electrical checks and nonsense so i won't be working on the crossfire. This is technically a chrysler but i'm wondering if its going to cost me $1,200 bucks for new pads and rotors every 30K on this thing and how after does it break. My jeep something broke on it every week but it was cheap to fix so i didn't care. If these are pretty solid i might just buy one and save for that rare rainy day. To make a really long post short does it cost an arm and a leg to fix these things and how often do they break?

 

I've had mine for 20 months and the only time it was at the dealer was for its first oil change. Welcome to the forum and you won't be disappointed if you buy a Crossfire.

 

I've had my '05 limited for 10 months now. The more I drive it, the more I like it.
I had no idea how much sports car I was buying when I bought it. lol.

I'm about as basic as an owner can be. I have a stock car plus a sprint booster.
Watch the prices. There are some good deals out there, and if you hold out long enough you can find some GREAT deals.

 

Many have experienced flawless reliability with their Crossfires.
Others have had problems. Same goes for just about any car.
Parts are expensive IMO and if something goes wrong out of warranty, it will not be cheap.
Tires are expensive and it takes 8.5 qts of synthetic oil and a ~ $20 fleece Mercedes oil filter.
The sale prices on these cars is pretty cheap at the moment, but don't let that fool you. They are almost all Mercedes underneath the skin.
Good luck.

 

I've had mine for just about a year now...not a single problem.

Parts and service can get a little pricey. But regular maintenance like oil changes and brake pad replacement, (use Rotex Gold pads) can be easily performed if you have even the slightest bit of mechanical ability!

If you search on this forum you'll even be able to download a service manual!

 

I have had my XFire for a year now and NO problems. I drive it like I stole often and it begs for more.

Regular maint. you can do yourself. A lot of people on here use the ROTEX GOLD brakes pad as the originals create an incredible amount of brake dust on the fronts. Any good ceramic brake pad will work just as well.

The car is such a quantum leap from your Mustangs and Camaros. No comparison. You will get a lot more car than your are paying for at current prices.

RUN - don not walk and get one right away, you will not be sorry.

 

I come from the same world of american cars that are easy to work on. The Crossfire is my second Mercedes product and they are better built and more bullet proof than the american cars. The only thing I have seen and personally experienced is the occasional senor that goes bad. These are easily replaced yourself or you can get raped by the dealer. If you have worked on Domestic cars don't be afraid of the Mercedes, it is all the same principals. Brake pads and rotors are reasonable. The real key is do the work yourself and avoid dealer for parts and service if out of warrenty. As an example, the crank position sensor went out on my last Mercedes which was out of warrenty. Dealer wanted almost $300 to fix. I went to the local parts store and bought the sensor for under fifty bucks. It took a torx driver and 15 minutes to replace. These cars are very reliable and built like a tank. I don't see how you can get a better built car for the money.

 

Easiest car you'll ever have to change the oil on yourself. Go for it, there are far fewer unhappy XFire owners than happy ones. Stick around this forum, you'll see.

 

I concur with the rest. I've had my coupe for over 4 years and other than a couple of issues at the beginning, not even the slightest hint of an error, oh and the problems at the beginning were mostly caused by the dealer themselves, not the cars fault. I liked it so well I went and got a SRT6 for a matching set. I don't believe you can get more car for this amount of money anywhere in the marketplace.

Just remember it is a 2 seater and not fantastic on the snow (doable but not great). We've had a couple of members who didn't think of there needs closely enough at the beginning.

Hope to hear from you soon.

 

We've been in the Crossfire 3 months now and loving it! If purchased through a dealer Chrysler will pick up an extended bumper to bumper warranty for you and so far they've been great. They have replaced a broken script on the trunk, rubber bumper and pierced speaker grill for me all due to the previous owner. In my experience plan on replacing the tires right off the bat or at least get them checked over good. I hit 140 mph on a secluded stretch of highway right after purchase then got the low tire pressure warning light a couple days later. Went to my tire dealer and found that the speed rated tires had plugs in them from the previous owner...also had the alignment checked and the two fronts were out as well as the rear left ($70 at the dealer).
My experience so far too has been great with this dealer. I bought the Xfire at one dealer and I get it serviced/upgraded at their sister dealer on the other side of town...they have been great about parts and labor prices for me since they know I am showing the car...so find a dealer you can work with and will work with you, you can't go wrong.
So far I have added the lighted door sills, trunk organizer, premium floor mat's, wheel locks, Chrysler script first aid kit, Chrysler script CD case and XFi stainless travel cup. Mopar fender cover (for shows).
On the mechanical side I replaced the tires w/Michelin Pilot PS2's and had those nitrogen filled $8 per tire), Rotex Gold Brake Pads, K&N replacement filters, silicone wiper blades and we're doing some light paint touch ups today in preparation for a show on the 29th and the Tail of the Dragon run Nov 10-11...
I am keeping our car stock because it wins at car shows with nothing more than a good wipe down, LOL!
I can't remember the last time I owned a car that I wanted to bring presents home to everyday! Much to my wife's dismay & disgust...LOL!
Good luck with the thrill of the hunt...let us know what you decide...as if we didn't know already!

Terry

 

I have been surprised to see so many owners that have gone to two Crossfire's! This should tell you something! I already wish I had a second one.

 

aright i think i'm gonna go for it. it seems its not that difficult to do basic maintenance myself, nor ridiculously expensive and the harder stuff i'm gonna buy a chrysler max care warrenty for. i've never owned something with class like a benz before either so this should be different. i'm gonna look for a black with black interior manual. i see a couple on ebay with 25-35K on them. i'm guessin anything under 15K on a clear title with under 40K miles is a pretty good deal right.

 

Sounds about right. I got mine for $17K w/ 30K miles, but down here you pay a little more on the sportier cars because we can drive them all year round.

I've driven mine a little over 22K miles in 10 months and no problems at all.

 

"DOUBLE THE PLEASURE". BUY TWO CROSSFIRES ... LOL. Funny that should be mentioned. I told my daughter a couple of days ago that i'd fit is possible, that she should keep one of the SRT's for 20 or thirty years, because it should be worth its weight in gold. jmho.

 

mattyby973, I got mine for $15K with 48,000 miles. But I have heard of deals of $15K with 25-30,000 miles. Anything for $15 with lower miles is probably the best thing you will find, but no need to rush-- these cars tend to hang around for a while, even if they are a steal. Since they are so unique and "impractical" for your average person (don't get me wrong, this is the perfect car for one or two people), people aren't chomping at the bit to pick one up.

 

My 2 cents I have owned several Audi's a Porsche 924S driven a 928 Porsche and the Crossfire is fantastic. I did check with the local Chrysler dealer parts department and talked to two certified techs before we bought ours and all said only a few minor problems. I think it is all in the care you take of the vehicle. To abusive and is going to cost you. As to finding a deal check the northeast where it snows in the winter. Dealers do not want to keep a car they consider a summer car on the lot all winter thus great deals. Happens to be one on ebay '05 3,900 miles under 18K. No one talks about fuel mileage here but on a 230 mile trip got 26.7 a few stints to 110 a few miles at 85 but mostly 70-75 thought that was fantastic A/C on all the time. The wife and I can't wait for a long trip because we believe the Crossfire to be a great long hauler.This forum is great, has taught me a few things. Don't think you will regret the purchase.

 

In Aug. '07, I bought my 2006 base coupe in Western PA for $18,800. They had Limiteds for $21,700.

The beauty of buying a new 2006 is that it qualifies for the Lifetime Powertrain Warranty.

I do not regret getting the base model at all. There are no performance differences.

If you plan on keeping the Crossfire for a while, the new 2006 option may be worth the extra 3k.

 

hmmm well it probably would be smarter to get an '06 new but i go through cars pretty quick and i'll only be in the south for 2 years. which is why i want a car like this now. because when i move back north i'll most likely get be back into a truck or at least an awd car for the winter. and unless i win the lottery i don't plan on having two cars.

 

BUYITBUYITBUYIT!!!

I would say, if it's remotely in your budget, get the SRT-6. Same insurance rates, similar gas mileage, HUGE PERFORMANCE!!! But if you have to have a Manual tranny, the Limited is a great car too. It is a good idea to get the Chrysler Max Care plan too. Just in case. These cars aren't Honda reliable, but they are far better than the average domestic. The Max Care is cheap insurance if you get "that one". You should never have any major problems with that car, but if the tranny goes at 60,000, you don't want to have to get another loan or refinance your house to fix it. The minor stuff isn't real expensive if you do the work yourself. You can do rotors and pads yourself for about $400 or less.

 

alright, finally got to drive one of these things and i gotta say...i hope the manual has a lil more ***** than the auto's because it wasn't that impressive. which is still ok because i'm trying to avoid tickets with one of these over a trans am but i was expecting a little bit more. other than that...these things are amazing. i dont know why anyone would complain about the steering, its tight and very precise (although i drive a lifted wrangler right now so i guess anything is better than that). the right is soft but firm and it just feels classy like any benz or bmw should. i like it a lot. and i just barely fit. there's about a half inch of room from my knees to the dash and a half inch from my head to the roof so its tight but i just fit in there and i'm 6'4 and 260 pounds. one thing that worried me a little bit was that when i first started it up it had either an exhaust leak or a loud tap coming from the motor for the first couple seconds. it went away almost immediately but i don't like that from a car that is basically a benz and only has 28K on it. hopefully its just a fluke and with that car only. long story short i'm definitely getting one but i hope the manual is a little more fun and peppy to drive.