i am 19 , have a good job and i can afford this car at the moment , i have been basically offered an 04 crossfire in great condition for 8910 out the door, now the part that worries me is the car has 90,000 miles so i can assume a timing belt and water pump will be in order soon? or were they done sooner on these cars? i have done extensive reading on forums as well as this one, but i need some help deciding. the next question is , can i afford maintenance? i live at home with my family so no worries as far as paying rent ect. but will this car keep me in the poor house just by running it?

 

No timing belt to worry about, it's a chain, as far as the water pump is concerned, someone else will chip in, as I don't have that many miles yet

 

In terms of how much maintenance will cost, ask yourself honestly, can you or will you attempt to work on the car yourself to save $$$? If so, buy the car and take great care of it!
I ask this because you are essentially buying a German car, which is great, but lets be honest, they typically require a tad more upkeep than say a Toyota. But it is definitely worth it.
I can't believe I am old enough to say this but, when I was your age I got my first German car. 1995 Audi 90 Quattro. Loved it, fantastic car. This is the car I learned to work on over the 10 years I owned it (brakes, cv joints, fuel pump, suspension, etc). Time of my life, great car, and many lessons learned.

 

Have you checked out the cost of your insurance? I urge you to do that before you buy, I'm a GOF and the insurance on my 06 Limited is about $100 more than on my 06 Mustang GT -- go figure.

 

Pardon my ignorance, a gof? And I'm actually checking today, what's the average cost?

 

I am 38 years old. My insurance went DOWN when I bought this car. I previously had an '02 Audi A6 with lower coverage and a higher deductible. I was paying roughly $90.00 per month. I now have better coverage, a lower deductible and I am paying $74.00 per month. It just depends on where you live, who you insure with, your credit score and driving record.

Personally, I think this is the best car I have ever owned. I have had some minor issues with it, but I purchased a 4 year aftermarket warranty on it when I bought it. So far I have only spent money on a battery and a new headliner.

I would have no problem telling you to buy this car, except for your age. If you are mature enough at 19 to have, maintain and safely drive the car, then go for it. If you are going to try and race it everywhere you go, then think twice. I only say this because at 38 I am still tempted too drive to fast and push the limits. It is not my fault though, the car makes me do it.

 

Price may be a little high for the miles. Some people recently reported paying 9-10K for a car with 55K Miles (not a convertible).

The price is not that far off. But it all depends on the shape of the car and if you know the owner (or history of the car). If you think it is a solid car, the extra thousand may be worth paying.

 

If that is the price from a dealer out the door, then it is a good price. From a private owner in excellent condition, is about the price the owner would be asking. Either way I would have someone check it over to see if it is worth it.

 

Of course, each car is unique but....
Let's see, what have I done to my '04, hmmmm, tires, oil changes, brake pads & that's it. The '04 has roughly 83K on it.
The SRT, which is driven a wee bit harder - tires (more frequently the rears), oil changes, Crank position sensor, IC pump (which your N/A wouldn't have), rear brake rotors & brake pads all around. Oh, the head unit, which was replaced under warranty. The SRT is just shy of 90K. Other than for the IC pump, which you needn't worry about, the only thing that couldn't be considered normal maintenance would be the crank sensor, which is a known problem with these cars.
Hands down, these cars have been the most trouble-free autos I've ever driven.

 

this is making me alot more confident , although you guys are making me realize that 9000 out the door may be a bit much for a car with 90k on her, i dont have a car fax on her yet , but i will soon , also if you guys have any idea of any crossfire for sale near tucson az give me the heads up haha . i am still looking into insurance on it. and i am looking up repair costs as well. i want to take everything into account before i make such a purchase

 

Are your parents okay with you living at home rent free and driving something way more cool than they drive?

 

hahaha yes, they absolutely adore me and i told them what is mine is theres so they can drive it whenever they want to as well. plus were Arab, Mexican so they are happier if i never leave the house haha

 

Is it automatic or manual? In the long run, even if you eventually need a clutch, they are cheaper to work on than an automatic. I'm seeing more and more listings (and postings) for high mileage XFs. As long as they have had regular maintenance and were not abused, I suspect these are solid vehicles. I only have 36k on my roadster but all that was ever done was oil changes. Only problem is the tire pressure icon won't go out. Costs are not that much more than normal, boring cars....yes, it takes 8.5 qts of Mobil1 and it has two air filters, but those help keep the engine clean. Brake rotors and pads are not out of line if purchased online, and most indie shops that work on German cars can handle them no problem. Let's put it one other way, I convinced my son to buy the 2007 (albeit with only 12k miles) and it has been problem free and he now has it in FL, 1000 miles away.

 

don't want to rain on your parade, but if you really want a XF, I would look for one with less miles....a lot less miles for that price....unless they will take $6k out the door, I would walk on by.....

 

you know i keep looking at blue book value , and what you are all telling me and i completely agree with you all. these crossfires are all so over priced where i live. i cant find a single one with low mileage under 11000 dollars, its kind of frustrating since i need a car soon haha. some one needs to start negotiating with me lol so manual or auto? i personally have always loved automatics but i keep hearing sticks are more fun. im not sure. the car im looking at is an auto.

 

you have to be ready to travel to get a good deal....not always going to find one in your own back yard....I haven't yet anyway....both mine were a ways away....but, both were worth the trip...plus, it is fun bringing them home...

 

ok let me rain on your parade. you say 9 grand and you can afford the car. payments? if yes then pass on the car and buy something you can pay cash for. cars depreciate faster than anything and payments are a way to buy something you really cant afford.
if your paying cash wave 7k in front of them and if they balk walk!

 

true.. i am paying for more then half in cash and financing the other half through my bank , i did the math and since i am getting a constant pay and i have no expenses i could have it payed off quick. i am studying economics and business as my minor so i definitely know cars are awful investments haha. i told the guy 8000 when he asked me to name my price should i ask for less?

 

Off topic, but I love this! I'm white, grew up in Singapore, have friends of every culture/nationality all over the world, and we kiddingly joke about stereotypes. Great to see someone who has a sense of humor and doesn't take things too seriously!

 

haha im glad we can all be so civil and understanding with each other. i have no issue with joking around and what not, i have a great sense of humor, i think this will make our car discussions more fun