I have the opportunity of getting a very nice 2004 XF today. Price seems right after doing quite a bit of research. I can't find a single other car for this price. Miles scare me a bit, but it does seem to be very well taken care off. Car looks pretty much new and everything works as it should. It has 95K miles, but from doing homework, seems like that should be no problem on this drivetrain. Graphite, 6 speed. Needs tires and I know what that costs already. This will just be a second car for my wife to drive just a couple days a week with about 60 miles round trip. She also has a 06 Jeep Commander, so snow is not a problem. That thing just really sucks the gas. I do all my own work and actually build custom cars on the side, so the maintenance is not a problem. I can get the car for $6,200 which seems like a great deal even with the miles as it has been well taken care of. Seems like a no brainer, but what do you think? Odd, I'm pretty much a Ford guy and have a few Mustangs etc. but the last three cars I've bought my wife have been Chryslers. Her PT went 140K miles before I started having issues, timing belt, etc. so it went away. The Jeep has been awsome with no problems, of course it only has 30K miles on it. Thanks for any advise all! The time of year is right, the dealer wants it gone. Good for me!

 

If its as clean as you say, with no glaring issues, at that price its almost a no brainer (assuming you already bargained down from the original ask price).

Also, don't panic with the Chrysler badges, 80% plus of this car, is pure Mercedes, (where it counts in the engine, drivetrain, and chassis). Chrysler was pretty much stuck with the styling, and esthetics.

Since your a wrench guy, take the plunge, and drive it like you stole it.

Check back in and let us know how you went about wrestling the car from your wife, so you could also have some driving fun...

 

With 95k miles, probably the biggest expense you will ever have to contend with in the future would be a clutch replacement.
More than likely, the car has a lot of "highway" miles, so you may not have to worry about the clutch either.
I've owned Honda's with over 200K miles with no problems, and I currently own a 1999 Chebie Van with 270K on it with no major mechanical issues.
Sounds like a good car for the money.
Good Luck.

 

Thanks. I went ahead and pulled the trigger. Already been bumping the price by ordering quite a bit of stuff. Wheels, tires, few other things. I'll get some pics posted when I get it put together, probably a couple weeks as this is a Christmas gift for the wife. She's stuck driving my SVT Focus right now, which I actually need so that I don't put so many miles on my current daily driver. She would rather have an auto, but I bet when she see's this car, she'll be fine with shifting! I'm going with some 18's all around for winter driving. Black wheels should look good on the graphite.

P.S., I just did the clutch in the Focus last weekend, which is no fun on FWD, the XF should be easier than that when needed.

 

congrats on your purchase i'm sure your wife will enjoy driving it .... Welcome to the forum.

 

I'm generally a ford guy as well. From a police package crown vic, to a 2.3l focus hatch to a continental. I was actually looking for an svt focus but they're apparently very hard to come by around me anymore. I'm very happy I settled with the crossfire and sounds like you've got an excellent deal. Mine cost 12k with 37000 miles.

 

I have a police Crown Vic also, currently being disassembled and customized. It's receiving a 1954 Customline body. That will be the wife's daily driver, but it's probably still a year away. I have to do some narrowing of the chassis, but it should be a fun ride. My current daily driver is also a Lincoln. But its a very custom one off Mark VIII (Shortened Wheelbase by 8"), so why I don't want to drive it every day. Yea, I don't drive many normal cars. Which is why I love the looks of the XF.

The dealer was asking $7,995 for the Crossfire so I think I did pretty well. Not an easy car to sell here in CO now that there is snow on the ground. It's also been in their inventory for about 6 months.

 

This is it on the dealer lot. It does have a couple minor issues which appears to be common on these cars. I need to do some magic to the headlights and the drivers side door pull is missing. I've read all the issues with those, so that should be a quick fix.

 

Nice buy! And welcome to the forum!

 

I think you did well.....'04's have some glitches...but all is in the "stickies" on the forum to help you fix them...good luck...

 

Good thing you didn't get an SRT, (they have a few "Glitches" too)
Enjoyed the photo of your new XF, but I'd really like to see what a Mark VIII looks like shortened 8".

 

Congratulations !!! Good buy, I'm sure you will enjoy it.

First thing you should do on that 2004 is get rid of that troublesome auto-dimming rear view mirror by sending it to me. I'll gladly return you a one year newer 2005 NON self dimming mirror .......

 

It's always the '04's with most problems...just sayin'.....I have only had one glitch, and it was my fault...I think....

 

Here's what a Mark VIII looks like with 8" removed behind the doors. Makes the rear seat about useless as the rear seat bottom touches the front seats. If you put the passenger seat forward where my wife eats her knees, my daughter can fit in the back.
Garage-1.jpg

 

Doesn't that make it more like a T-Bird?
All kidding aside, it looks cool.

 

The only thing I'm aware of with the 04 model year, was cooling fans were replaced on some early models. Auto transmissions O ring leaks, and some manual transmissions would slip out of gear occasionally. As far as I know, everything was covered under warranty. I'm sure there are probably something else I'm forgetting. But when I drive an 04 (that I purchased brand new) and the only thing that's needed attention was a faulty vacuum line in the hatch in the last 66k miles, it sounds to me 04's get a bad rap.
Where as SRT's are known for premature Intercooler pump failure, Transmission O ring leaks, Convertible rear windows falling out, rear spoiler support cracks develop, and differentials that eventually self destruct if the car is driven the way it was meant to. I won't even address the fact they wear out rear tires more often. Again, I'm probably forgetting a few other things as well.
All I 'm saying is any problems an 04, 05 or 06 had, it's probably been addressed a long time ago and to constantly keep bringing them up makes the cars sound inferior.
OK rant over.

 

you are lucky and so am I as have only had the inner cooler pump go....not making it sound inferior, just telling the guy if something goes wrong, we have the sticky threads for his repairs. Most of the problems I remember and I don't remember them all either, is on the '04. I don't recall anything on the later models, other than the inner cooler pump on the SRT's..... CPS seem to be a problem across the board, but are on other makes and models as well. RCM's can be a problem across the board as well. Rant done...lol...

 

That's a pretty color. I almost bought one for my son but we ended up with a 2007 metallic gray instead. Do your wife a favor and claybar it followed by two coats of carneuba wax. It will be as smooth as a baby's a$$ and look even better.

 

well lets see how much the wife really gets to drive it !!! I bought mine for the wife too !!!! Did I say mine !!!! I meant hers !!!!!

 

Mine was also for the wife originally haha. I bought it because she thought it was beautiful and she said she could drive a manual. Come to found out she had only driving one 2-3 times in her life and it was not the car to learn in.