Mark_UK and Lord Percy, you are both reacting exactly the way Clarckson want you to.

Clarkson is a rascist and an opportunity to have a combined American/German car to review was too great an opportunity for him.

All you need to be aware of is the reaction you get driving your car around. Everyone has got WOW written on their foreheads. I'm thinking of charging people now for a look at my car's rear end!

In 6 months time or so the review will have been forgotten with more people knowing exactly how good the car you and I know that it is.

Just enjoy it.

Chris.

 

wish i could agree but spent all morning at work with everyone coming over to say they watched or even heard about the review. I'm not that fussed but this has got to hit DC very hard in future sales, the UK xfire reputation is not very good between top gear and fifth gears reviews!

 

I think Clarkson is paid by the FROGS ( i mean RX8 ) :lol:

 

There are Bugattis and Talbots with the same stance, so as far as I'm concerned they are all taking a dump on his head. As for recirculating ball vs. rack and pinion they both have their advantages. However one thing is for sure, rack and pinion is cheaper to manufacture.

 

If the Crossfire had a a Badge that Clarkson liked then he would have loved the car. He simply poo poo's Chrysler and America and so he is a biased reviewer and can only be taken seriously in the way of the Jerry Springer Show....

 

 

If you want to get even, somone with computer graphics skills should have a Bugatti atlantic, Talbot and Crossfire all drive along and take a dump on Clarkson's head. Put that on the net in the UK, spread the word a bit and before you know it, Clarkson will be the one laughed at.
I've dealt with the press for many years and I never backed down. Always won. Chrysler doesn't seem to have their marketing down well enough to accomplish this. But you guys can do it.

 

The Crossfire is not for everyone. Get use to it. "Gear Heads" are looking for G-Force performance from generic cars. Sorry dude. That is not what this car is about.
Enjoy,
Paul V

 

Not many cars on the market at the price that'll pull the lateral G's the Crossfire will pull. It's beating much "faster" cars in slalom's what with it's tremendous lateral stability (that neither it's SLK cousin nor it's Roadster sibling will be able to match).

 

Profound Watcher,
Thanks.
Stats and subjective opinions build a strong argument for the Crossfire. Reviews conducted by journalists the Crossfire has out performed the competition but they continue to give it negative review.
The magazine guys just don't get it.
Paul V

 

What impresses me is that the Crossfire, unlike many vehicles, demands a response. You may love it, you may hate it, but it's impossible to ignore it. It's that distinctive appeal/repulsion that makes it a very special automobile.

 

FYI...this link has changed.

http://www.sleepy-fish.com/sleepy/Ch..._Crossfire.wmv

 

Most reviewers of any product just don't get it. When you find a good one, stick with them. One area where they specificaly reveal themseves is interior materials. Many times I've read about a high quality or low quality interior, only to sit in the car and find the reviewer didn't have a clue. Sorry to say this to the UK members, but the US reviewers are far "cleaner" than the UK reviewers. The US reviewers may be ignorant but at least they are "honest'.

 

The whole point to the matter is none of us bought the car thinking it was going to be the next Hemi Cuda that would pull 200k in 20 years. We bought the car because WE like them. I don't care what anyones opinion of the car is. I paid for it, I drive it, I enjoy it. I matter as do you. Just because someone has a TV program doesnt mean their opinions are credible. Same as the person at the street corner with his "will work for food" sign. At the end of the day, he changes, jumps in the BMW and drives to the suburbs. Don't believe everything you see, hear or read. Trust your own judgement. Enjoy the road, our cars can handle it.

 

Like I've said before, I have the crossfire and my wife owns the RX8. Sorry guys the RX8 is a better car and if I would have test drove the RX8 before I bought the Crossfire, I would be in one too. Sorry!

 

Lets see, you do not like the Crossfire but you must like the Crossfire web-site. H'mm

 

That's a matter of opinion. My opinion is 180* out from yours... Don't ever try to take a corner fast with the RX8.... The 2 I've seen try to run an autocross pushed like a dump truck. The Miata will even tear the RX8 in new one on an autocross course. It's not a car I care to drive, let alone own.

Just depends on what you are looking for in a car.

 

Wow we really have a different opinion on this one... I to would have to agree with you and say the RX-8 drove better if I was comparing the RX-8 manual to a autosick crossfire. But I drove all three.

I tested both of them the same day. I tried an autostick crossifre and did NOT want the car at all. Then I tried the RX-8 manual with every option (grand touring). As soon as the test drive was over I inquired about aftermarket leather to replace the horrid interoir ($1200) and looked into a aftermarket front end ($1000 plus mounting and painting) because is looks really, really bad. Those two parts of the car where awful but could be replaced.

The mechincal issues I had with the RX-8 (note I am a former RX7 owner) was that there is no touque and the car drove like a granny mobile unless you where above 4000 RPM's. Then there is the part where you must make sure the car is fully warmed up before you take off so that the engine does not flood (a $100 mistake) and that you have to constantly check the oil level. Mine use to burn 1/10 of a quart every 3,000 miles and they told me it was more like 1/4 of a quart now. On top of that the oil pressure gauge is useless and told you nothing. The car really needs help in the low rpm range and the previous RX7 had a twin turbo where one helped in the low RPM's to help deal with this.

All in all the car is a pain to maintain and smells of oil bad after you have been pushing it. They did not even put in a limiter or beep at you at redline like they did in the past (yeah it is not a conventional engine and it is hard to tell how close to redline the gerbal wheel is getting). Hope you never get a coolent leak either, so check the hoses all the time or it may cost you a new rotary engine.

My RX-8 overall review summary:

The RX-8 looks like a frog, looks too long, need that horrible nose replace that make it look like a bucked tooth rabit when a licence plate is on it, has a horrible leather trimed interior (the rest of it is not much better), has nearly unsusalbe rear seats (you have to lock your feet under the front seats), runs like crap at low rpms, has no trouque, has to really warmed up before driving it or you will have to replace the spark plugs, constantly needs oil, smells of burned oil after driving the heck out of it, the options for the car are way too much money and gets horrible gas mileage.

----------------------

When it was said and done and the RX-8 with the aftermarket parts would be more than the crossfire or the 350z i decided to go back and try a manual crossfire in hopes that it would be different. The difference between the autostick crossfire and the manual version was like night and day for me. The rear end of the manual version is all over the road, I could not get the autostick to do this.

I picked my crossfire over the 350z and the RX-8. If I needed a sedan I would have picked the RX-8 over something like a Nissan Maxima.

If I could afford it I would probably own an RX-8 as a daily driver as a sedan replacemet and have a 2 seater for the weekend.

-marc

 

I really want a Crossfire, now... I should stop visiting here, it just makes me want a new car... and my RSX is only 2 or so years old. I should really wait 3 more years before getting a new car, or I'll feel like I didn't get my money's worth.

 

Getting your money's worth all depends on how you hit the depreciation curve. I find that 36-38 month leases get me my money's worth. especially since the car is always under warranty.