Matt reviews a 2008 Lexus ISF on Angeles Forest Highway. These were $65,000 cars when new, but now that they have aged, can they be the best value in used performance cars?
Yeah okay...as no doubt reflected in residential values. I've owned both and although the paint finish on the ISF is light years ahead of the e9x M3...it's no M car.
CENTENON you entitled to ya own opinion dude even if your Wrong lol but anyway. The RCF is a badass car for a first generation car with no past model to build off of the RCF is still a awesome car sound mean, neck turning looks and V8. Lots of good things going for it.
CENTENON the joke RCF matches M3 lap times. Sounds 100 times better than the m3, imo looks better than the m3. You can say what you want but a RCF is no joke.
The IS is definitely one of the most underrated cars. The 350's were smoking Mustangs until Ford dropped the new 5.0. Sure the M3 is slightly better around a track but who cares, 99.99% of the time your on a normal road with stoplights and bumper to bumper traffic. The funnest thing is when BMW fanboys talk about how great the cars handle and how boring Lexus is, yet 95% of them have never raced and they sit in the same traffic as everyone else. If I lived on a race track I would pick the M3, however the IS is a far better REAL world car.
been saying this forever! unless you're the god damn stig who cares about a tenth of a second, a tenth of a lateral g, etc.. if you are going to daily it cost and reliability are at LEAST equally as important as performance. plus the money saved equals more mods to close the performance gap ;)
+Nutz4Gunz45 finally, someone said it! lol, absolutely! People always buying this or that saying how much of a sick track it is. No, it's just a cute brochure you can brag about because you'll hit redline once and feel bad you're beating on it lol.
+MikeHuntIsItchy I believe it was Motor Trend who compared the 2012 BOSS 302 and the E92 M3, with a professional driver, the M3 was a few tenths a lap quicker, but with a normal driver the Mustang was a little over a second faster. M3's are very quick, but unless you are a someone who can hop in and push any car to 9/10ths or 10/10ths, you won't be faster in it than a competitive, easier to drive vehicle like the Mustang or IS-F.
+Nutz4Gunz45 That poor 3 valve Mustang, that was a pretty tired engine, easily out powered by the Japanese and European V6's, and the GTO LS2 just embarrassed the poor thing. The Coyote was a necessity.
+Nutz4Gunz45 You dont even have to go that far, even Audis that car journalists bash because they are front heavy, you never gonna experience that in the real world anyway, you need to push the car so hard and if you do it on public roads it makes you a moron :)
As an ISF owner, I've yet to learn about a legitimate tune on these ECUs, from my understanding that's why turbo kits are always one-off custom jobs that don't really make huge gobs of power (relatively, and cost per whp gained). There seems to be significantly more potential taking the ISx50 and slapping a turbo on those motors. The extent of the aftermarket support for the ISF is intake, header, exhaust, and a few carbon body panels. If you want a car to modify, get a 250 or 350. The interior is a bit cramped for anyone above 5'8. Matt's complaint about the seats are justified, but they fit me just right. This car is a great daily driver if you want something sporty, but not full blown M3. There's plenty of torque for daily driving. 8 forward speeds are great for keeping the motor at lower RPMs to reduce driving noise. You will feel the weight of the car when turning, even at low speeds. I average 23-26MPG, my daily commute is 90% highway. Average tank is 350 miles, have tipped 400 miles on a single tank. Maintenance: 9.5 quarts of oil per change @ 5,000miles. OEM brake rotors approx. $200 a piece on eBay, OEM pads $200~ front, $250~ rear.OEM cabin filter, $40. Other than that, the car will runs fantastic as long as you keep up maintenance. Changes/Updates: 2008-09 - water pump leaking issues, addressed and fixed in 2010+. Non-LED headlights has AFS headlights. AFS - at about 30mph, when you turn the steering wheel the headlights will also slightly turn in that direction. 2010+ adjusted camber settings. 2010+ bluetooth steaming capable. 2011+ LSD.
Does anyone know what he's gonna do once it hits 1 million? He should do a tune up and try to supercharge it or something, and see what happens lol. I'd be curious to see if it would last a while, or blow up on the dyno lol
manufacturers use old engine blocks that are re-bored in racing applications usually because they are proven blocks... The million mile lexus with a proper tune could probably take forced induction and remain reliable.
***** Yes, I happen to have the latest issue sitting in front of me and it includes the full list of Lightning lap times. The 2008 IS-F lapped at 3:14.0 and the 2011 IS-F did 3:05.4. That is a huge improvement for a car that didn't have any power added. It's worth noting that the 2008 BMW M3 scored a 3:05.6. and the 2009 M3 tied with the Lexus (I think the 2009 BMW used a DCT). They were all edged out by a 2015 Mustang GT at 3:05.2.
***** I have the October 2015 issue which has the new Lightning lap, it's not online yet. New cars: VW GTI - 3:14.6 VW Golf R - 3:12.3 Audi S3 - 3:11.3 Alfa Romeo 4c - 3:08.8 Mustang GT - 3:05.2 Cadillac ATS-V sedan - 2:59.8 Lexus RC-F - 3:05.8 Mercedes AMG C63S - 2:59.2 Cadillac ATS-V coupe - 2:59.2 Cadillac CTS-V - 2:56.8 Mercedes AMG GT - 2:51.0 Porsche 911 GT3 - 2:50.4 Lamborghini Huracan - 2:47.5 McLaren 650S Spyder - 2:45.8 Corvette Z06 - 2:44.6 That Vette is punching way above its class.
I think he said it absolutely right. Lexus gives you the extra confidence in reliability instead of top notch performance. Especially as a used car that's your benefit over hard beaten M3s or something. If you get one of these IF-S it will pay back with reliability and some kind of specialty because there aren't as many of them.
+SW20AE86 2011 & up is where its at though, faster around the circuit & newer features lol. That may be why the 08's & 09's for ex. are cheap. But then again they really are a steal!
@@yORBALINDa92886 believe it or not, its actually just a muffler delete and a down turn directly outside the resonator, under the rear diff/axels. Sounds pretty decent considering it cost me like $20 to set up. Only con would be there is some drone in the backseat and it looks kinda funny without tips in the rear bumper..
@@yORBALINDa92886 I do actually.. Im in the temecula area and have a few guys that go out with them every once in a while.. They are great cars and you'll love it more the longer you have it
The change in sound around 4000 RPM is actually predominantly due to the variable air intake, which actuates at around 3600 RPM, rather than the engine coming "on-cam", just in case anybody was wondering. Pretty cool tech.
Bought a 2013 ISF this year myself. Mine has 84k miles on it though. Has refinements of the 2011+ years, and still more reliable than my F10 535i. How many miles are on yours now?
I just purchased one w the same 47k miles. Maintenance history is immaculate and up to date. I love this car, best car I’ve owned. Reason the seats are uncomfortable for Matt because he’s an obese person.
Thank You Matt for the wonderful review. If I were to choose from that generation of performance coupe's/sedans it would be: Pure engine wise: C63 amg p31 (hands down the best performer in terms of power) Agility, feel and overall performer (m3 e92) The best looking of them all ( RS5 ) The most reliable, cheap to run and still loads of fun ( ISF ) But my personal choice would be an E93 M3 with DCT (yup a performance convertible) If I wanted a sedan to keep it quite long it would be the ISF or the C63 (didnt hear much horror stories about them here in EU) Anyway big thanks for this review. Its a great car for people who want an overall performance daily driver.
tubejorrit well yeah thats obvious man, just saying that I like a convertible so the m3 would be my choice, especially that its a hard top. If Merc would make a C63 convertible Id jump on one RIGHT NOW. But sadly they didnt and the new turbo engine is not my piece of pie..
I have the E93 M3 in 6MT. Amazing driving pleasure with the top down in open air hearing the V8 scream past 8,000rpm. Does come at a cost though. Gas mileage and maintenance costs should be a major consideration if you're in the market for one. As a quick example, an engine oil change costs $300 since it takes 9L of 10W-60. Even if you DIY, oil alone costs $160 and you also need to buy an oil change kit each time. Brake job is $4,000. New DCT transmission is $15,000. New engine is $25,000. If that's manageable and you find a well maintained one, it's all damn worth it! I fall in love with mine over and over again each time I take it out for a drive.
It's a nice car. I would easily rather an IS-F over an M3. The M3 is a good car, but the IS-F is just a better alternative. It sounds better, it looks better, and it's just different, people don't hate you in an IS-F. By the way, the throttle response you were mentioning, between this and your Corvette, is the difference between mechanical cable throttle and electric throttle. Mechanical throttles are the only way to go. The direct link between your foot, and the plate in the throttle body can and never will be replaced by something as dead as electric. Same goes for steering. A proper hydraulic rack will always be better than electric steering. The new Bentley Continental GT3, is one of the few new cars to revert back to hydraulic over electric, and everyone fell in love and remembers why it was so good. Which is why I don't understand the desire for manufacturers to rush and slap 'electric everything' in new cars, besides being cheaper for them, and less serviceable if something goes wrong, so you have to go to them to get it fixed.
the pinnalce of the isf was 2013, a number of revisions over the years to the steering ecu, suspension, and spring rates, dampening, and dash layout, and .5 inch wider wheels as well. the owner says tuned? i call bs, toyota and lexus ecu's cannot be cracked.
Best Car I’ve ever owned. Regret selling it to be honest. Had 112,000KM on it, never gave me any issues, was tight, no rattles, shimmy’s or shakes. Just a great car all around. Only thing I wish it had was a little more bottom end Torque. With the 8 Speed on the Highway The gas mileage was great.
yeah it's no M3 but it still exceeds the capabilities of most drivers,ESPECIALLY the wannabes flying round here in Daytona,I'm a professional truck driver but even I know my skill set is limited....
You nailed it. We do it so the night crawlers will up vote us on sites like reddit so by the time working stiffs are awake it's already at the top of the page.
I remember watching this video years ago knowing someday I'd own an ISF. I've had my F for about 4 months now and this review is just as entertaining and enjoyable now as it was then. I looked at the M3 and other German competition while shopping around and there was just no way I was willing to totally sacrifice reliability for a fractional performance increase.
@@FSXflyermaster I've got the tune and headers going on next week. Supercharger is a possibility in the future but prices will have to come down first.
I did the same thing.. Looked at a few M3's, a C63 and some american stuff. Found this to be the best bang for ya buck AND the most reliable by a landslide.
Two years and 40k miles later I still love my ISF. Its FBO/Tune, riding on Ohlins dampers and a real pleasure to cruise around town or rip through the canyons. I also fixed the shift lever orientation.
Was always interested in the ISF. They look good, sound nice, seem fast. I'd take an M3. But I wouldn't rule this car out, or a C63. All 3 are very nice. There are soo many of these being sold right now, they seem like good deals also. I'd buy something like this to be different and just try it out. I know this car would surprise many people. :)
Matt, I agree with you 100% on the sequential shifters. Very few car manufacturers do it properly. Actually the only company I can think of that does do it right is BMW.
lexus has better brains then BMW, in don't see anything on the level of the LFA ever coming from bmw. Plus go get your m3 have fun when it falls apart after warranty and those giant repair bills
New game - watch all of these One Take videos, and do a shot every time Matt says "when it comes on cam". You will be shitfaced in 2 - 5 videos (depending on tolerance). Lub joo, Matt.
BMW if you can buy one brand new and plan to sell it in 2 years, Lexus if you plan on buying it and keeping it with out it nickel and diming you to death
Wait I'm Confused, did he call the IS-F a "German" Sports Sedan at the end? At 10:50? or is he saying its an alternative? I had to play it about 10 times to verify the context. Everyone keeps comparing the JAPANESE high end sports cars to German sports cars and I don't see it. When I see Japanese cars, I see then saying "Lets make an all around practical car that is best for its platform. Doesn't have to be fast but it must be durable and reliable to play the long game" That's how I view the IS-F. It doesn't have tons of bells and whistles compared to an E92 M3 but as a fellow owner, this car is CRAZY affordable to service and will reach high mileage no problem and still perform just as good as the day t=. With the German Cars, i feel like its "To be the best, you gotta BEAT the best" and they always end up over doing it with the bells and whistles that it eventually becomes a headache
This model was a bit slower then the same years of the M3, however, in 2011, Lexus re did the suspension and was able to put more power to the wheels and the 2011 IS F was equal to the M3 in performance.
Just a heads up.... There is no " tune" for any US Spec ISF. With the exhaust the car is probably putting down about 440 HP at the crank . 08-09s are the slower ISFs on a track or in the canyons . 2010 got the LSD and 2011 and 2012 had suspension changes and steering ECU adjustments as well.
It is not there is no tune needed but that there is no tune possible on the Toyota ECM. The only possibility is a piggy-back ECU The Toyota ECM has a wide mapping range and an auto learning mode soo it adapts itself to the changes induced by a peripheral change
Tried out the I8. That was horrible. Also a friend of a friend had a e33. That was pretty bad too. I don't like the look of them and mostly people who drive them are assholes. (not all ofcourse)
RtdXyron not a fan of electric/hybrids but I haven't driven one. Go drive an e92 and you'll be singing a different song. Unless you don't like power and handling. The drivers should have nothing to do with how the car drives either.
Lexus engineers that throttle feel into their cars. So you don't get that lurch off the line when you're trying to drive smooth very smooth for stop and go.
+LittleCan If its like my !S300, there is a spring at the gas pedal that softens the hit when you mash the gas. It's annoying and, like most owners, I removed mine when I first got the car. Now the car doesn't wait 2 days to accelerate after I push the pedal. I have since completely solved the issue by swapping in a VVTi 1uz-fe.
As a second hand purchase, I would definitely buy a Lexus over BMW, Mercedes, Audi or any of its competitors. I would have the peace of mind that I could keep it for pretty much as long as I want and it's not going to fuck me over with maintenance and repair bills.
Lots of transmissions lock the converter early. The 5G-Tronic made by Mercedes did it since the late 90s (even in first gear). Unless you meant it was the first 8-speed to do it, of course.
Okay now I wish I could afford the fuel economy of this thing Currently I daily a 2002 Merc CLK430. Normally I'd just get rid of it and trade it for something, but I grew up with the car so I have absolutely no intentions of ever getting rid of it so long as I am alive.
The whole thing about your back hurting after a couple hours is true as fuck. i could never really find a good seating position somehow. although it does feel comfortable the first minutes you sit down it kills after long trip
What year is yours?? Did they improve the seats on the later years?? Seriously considering one of these But need comfortable seats for the long road trips I do regularly
Hey Matt, if you're ever in the Oxnard, Ventura Area, I'll let you take my 2012 IS-F for a sprint up Mullholland for a comparison to the early models. It's all factory stock, except for some Michelin Pilot Super Sports and Borla Exhaust. In 2011 Lexus did a bunch of crucial changes to the car that made it significantly more responsive and better handling than the first batch of 08-10s. The 2011+ models are almost 9 seconds faster per lap around VIR than the 08-10 models. Let me know if you're up for it.
RELIABLE!! Not the fastest car on the market at that price value even at 64K when I got it new in 2010 - still loving it. Fast enough for me and the v8 sound with the Torque=amazing. Much respect to the M3 as it is the bench mark and handles better than my F but I love the fact that I can have this car almost issue free for many years to come. (unlike all of the German built cars)--love them - but lets keep it a buck (100).
Your a statistics car guy lol… majority of people that just want a good looking reliable practical and fairly cheap car to own over all. And still has The performance that’s on the heels of a m3. It’s a much better car for a everyday driver that doesn’t need the road feel or handling of a m3 or the power of a amg. It’s a perfect blend between everything. It still gives u power, handling, classy nice interior, build quality. But the biggest reason is reliability and people that aren’t emotionally involved with cars care more about that than handling or power, even though your buying a isf, you still value your money and your time, and having a m3 or c63 sitting at a shop for weeks then get bent over with a 3k+ plus repair bill. Doesn’t seem that fun to me regardless of anything.
RE: The backwards shifter. I swapped the wires on mines to make it correct. When I traded the car in it was the only thing I didn't revert to stock. I wonder if the new owner appreciate it.
Great review man. Especially love the maintenance stand point. I drive an e92 m3 and I do love it from a driving/performance standpoint but it's a maintenance headache. That's why I was thinking of switching to an ISF. Driven them before and they are fun cars. Good review man
+Devil0027 I've had my IS-F for 6 months now, its a 2012; nothing needed to be done except regular oil change; of course the brakes and tires needed to be changed but that's because I track it, but ya man, it is also a good time to become an IS-F owner because tunes are now finally coming out and soon enough turbo and supercharger kits; you can get some serious power in a great package, IS-F is truly truly a great car and I couldn't recommend it more
@Eedo Amitay just out of curiosity, how much did u pay for your 12' isF? I just got one in November 2022. A 2012 silver with red interior and only 34k on it for $40,000
I was thinking the exact same thing. There was no tune available for the IS-F when this video was made. And now, with an exhaust, tune, and headers, you're going to be pushing nearly 500HP at the crank.
I don't think it would be 450 HP even with a tune and headers as he said. It's 415 HP motor (stock) by itself and I believe by adding it to the trans on a car and with whp and torq bumps it down to around 350-390 HP. ( I am not no car guru or tech but I have read this somewhere, correct me if I'm wrong ) With mods and all I would say 390-400 HP at the Dyno...
If this is a problem for you in terms of head -room, I would like to see you drive my car, roof is so low and the seats are so high, the headrests only clear the roof by 1 inch on their lowest setting. I also have to recline the seat to fit in the car with a helmet. (It's a Proton satria neo)
Odd not to have 2 people there. Didn't realize I liked it better with the back and forth with the owner in the car. Still ok w/o, just got use to owners.
Do you really think more than 6 or 7 speeds is really needed or smart in a car? I have a small car with a 1.8 and a six auto. The top two gears are over drive. It would be nice to have a close ratio 5 speed with Two over driven top gears. A 7 speed auto. I have owned motor cycles with close ratio 6 speeds and you are shifting every 500 RPM. Do you really need that in most cars?
No one has successfully tuned an ISF. Like, at all. They use BOSH ECU's which are locked and encrypted. So if that owner spent any money on "tuning" well....you know about a fool and his money.
ahhhh... not sure where you've been the last 8 months .. but the ECU has been cracked ... go visit club lexus .. or google rr-racing .. they offer the tune now
Hi matt. the sound change doesn't come from the cams coming on, there is a flap on the induction side of the engine which opens at around 4000 rpm and gives you this distinct V8 growl. same with the new RC F :) cheers Andy
Haha that shifter is the same as my mom's 2007 Camry XLE with the 6 speed auto. Manual shift mode is push forward to up shift and pull back to downshift. I'm probably the only person who has ever used that feature in her car and I always hate that it's backwards.
Honestly I wish all car makers with automatic manual shift options were like that. I was actually kind of annoyed when I realized that most have up-downshifts and down-upshifts like it doesnt make sense to me lol
+TheRichieRozay That's I'm the direct opposite. When braking hard and your body is pushed forward it feels awkward to pull down to downshift. It's great how we all have different preferences.
TheRichieRozay In manual trans cars, the 1-2, 3-4, and 5-6 upshifts are all pulling back. Pulling back to upshift feels natural, but then again I've only ever owned MT cars.
There is no tune needed but that there is no tune possible on the Toyota ECM. The only possibility is a piggy-back ECU The Toyota ECM has a wide mapping range and an auto learning mode so it adapts itself to the changes induced by a peripheral change. Another thing so consider when looking at this car, really cool in my opinion.
Cool car, but the 2G IS has something wrong with the pedals and seating position that causes moderate knee pain for my 6'2" body. had a 2007 IS350 for 4 years...the pedals are spaced too far to the middle, making me bend my leg at an awkward angle to use brake and accelerator pedal. only way to stop the knee pain was to use cruise control. also, the backrest is made in such a way that I have neck pain.... I've had many cars over the years, this is the only one that I've had knee problems in. telling that lexus fixed these issues with the 3G Is, which I have now
Really a shame about the headroom. I have always wanted one but couldn't deal with my head touching. They did make a no cost sunroof delete option but they are unicorns on the used market.
how would you compare this overall to a 2015 mustang gt? or even the b8 s4? I'm looking for a healthy v8..this seems to be more practical than the mustang but the driving experience is what matters most to me.
One of the few things I miss from Cali... The roads... Driving in Colorado is dangerous the roads are so fucked up. I've never seen more potholes in my life until I moved here.
Hmmm... I never knew that the directions of up and downshifting on sequential shifters was inspired by the car's acceleration and deceleration g-forces. The more you know. *Rainbow star wipe*
I am strongly considering and is-f in the next 6 months or so. I've driven an 08 model as well but in 2010+ models, Lexus began installing an lsd. do you have any experience with those models of is-fs, +matt Farah?
They updated the ISF in 2010 and they improved it so if you gonna buy one don't go for the pre 2010 ones. If i remember correct they did some modding in the front so it don't understeer as much + modded the diff or something, i think it was like 10-15seconds faster around the Nurnburgring with the same power.
I hope you are able to get the Lexus too the Million Mile marker, and make a one take episode as well.. Maybe an episode where you drive it back east after it hits the 1,000,0000 mark? Bring along some of the other journalists who have helped put some miles on it recently. I think it'd be awesome, hopefully somebody over at Lexus is watching and give it a restoration so we can see it go another million????
This car is way more special than a BMW M3.
Lexus The pursuit of Perfection.
Yeah okay...as no doubt reflected in residential values. I've owned both and although the paint finish on the ISF is light years ahead of the e9x M3...it's no M car.
Martin Allen Your right its not a M car... and the M car isnt a F car either.
CENTENON you entitled to ya own opinion dude even if your Wrong lol but anyway. The RCF is a badass car for a first generation car with no past model to build off of the RCF is still a awesome car sound mean, neck turning looks and V8. Lots of good things going for it.
CENTENON the joke RCF matches M3 lap times. Sounds 100 times better than the m3, imo looks better than the m3. You can say what you want but a RCF is no joke.
The IS is definitely one of the most underrated cars. The 350's were smoking Mustangs until Ford dropped the new 5.0. Sure the M3 is slightly better around a track but who cares, 99.99% of the time your on a normal road with stoplights and bumper to bumper traffic. The funnest thing is when BMW fanboys talk about how great the cars handle and how boring Lexus is, yet 95% of them have never raced and they sit in the same traffic as everyone else. If I lived on a race track I would pick the M3, however the IS is a far better REAL world car.
been saying this forever! unless you're the god damn stig who cares about a tenth of a second, a tenth of a lateral g, etc.. if you are going to daily it cost and reliability are at LEAST equally as important as performance. plus the money saved equals more mods to close the performance gap ;)
+Nutz4Gunz45 finally, someone said it! lol, absolutely! People always buying this or that saying how much of a sick track it is. No, it's just a cute brochure you can brag about because you'll hit redline once and feel bad you're beating on it lol.
+MikeHuntIsItchy I believe it was Motor Trend who compared the 2012 BOSS 302 and the E92 M3, with a professional driver, the M3 was a few tenths a lap quicker, but with a normal driver the Mustang was a little over a second faster. M3's are very quick, but unless you are a someone who can hop in and push any car to 9/10ths or 10/10ths, you won't be faster in it than a competitive, easier to drive vehicle like the Mustang or IS-F.
+Nutz4Gunz45 That poor 3 valve Mustang, that was a pretty tired engine, easily out powered by the Japanese and European V6's, and the GTO LS2 just embarrassed the poor thing. The Coyote was a necessity.
+Nutz4Gunz45 You dont even have to go that far, even Audis that car journalists bash because they are front heavy, you never gonna experience that in the real world anyway, you need to push the car so hard and if you do it on public roads it makes you a moron :)
As an ISF owner, I've yet to learn about a legitimate tune on these ECUs, from my understanding that's why turbo kits are always one-off custom jobs that don't really make huge gobs of power (relatively, and cost per whp gained). There seems to be significantly more potential taking the ISx50 and slapping a turbo on those motors. The extent of the aftermarket support for the ISF is intake, header, exhaust, and a few carbon body panels. If you want a car to modify, get a 250 or 350.
The interior is a bit cramped for anyone above 5'8. Matt's complaint about the seats are justified, but they fit me just right. This car is a great daily driver if you want something sporty, but not full blown M3. There's plenty of torque for daily driving. 8 forward speeds are great for keeping the motor at lower RPMs to reduce driving noise. You will feel the weight of the car when turning, even at low speeds. I average 23-26MPG, my daily commute is 90% highway. Average tank is 350 miles, have tipped 400 miles on a single tank.
Maintenance: 9.5 quarts of oil per change @ 5,000miles. OEM brake rotors approx. $200 a piece on eBay, OEM pads $200~ front, $250~ rear.OEM cabin filter, $40. Other than that, the car will runs fantastic as long as you keep up maintenance.
Changes/Updates: 2008-09 - water pump leaking issues, addressed and fixed in 2010+. Non-LED headlights has AFS headlights. AFS - at about 30mph, when you turn the steering wheel the headlights will also slightly turn in that direction. 2010+ adjusted camber settings. 2010+ bluetooth steaming capable. 2011+ LSD.
1234567890a no no no the is350 is not a tuner friendly car!
Is350 is a tuner friendly car. RR Racing.
2010 has LSD stock
Fellow ISF owner here. Great run down.
Revisiting this....I’m selling my evo this coming weekend and looking for one. Would you shy away from an isf with 80k-100k?
Nice car, would make a good daily. please do a one-take with your million mile Lexus!
+Craig J YES!
Does anyone know what he's gonna do once it hits 1 million? He should do a tune up and try to supercharge it or something, and see what happens lol. I'd be curious to see if it would last a while, or blow up on the dyno lol
manufacturers use old engine blocks that are re-bored in racing applications usually because they are proven blocks... The million mile lexus with a proper tune could probably take forced induction and remain reliable.
1UZ engines are well known to be bulletproof brick shithouses. Keep it serviced and maintained and it'll keep on clocking up the miles with no issues
My mechanic tells me of a client who has cooked her 1uz twice and it still runs, no rebuild
They say the 2011+ ISF is the one to get if you want one. They had some significant suspension and steering upgrades for that model year.
+goatmonkey2112 And LSD's.
*****
Yes, I happen to have the latest issue sitting in front of me and it includes the full list of Lightning lap times. The 2008 IS-F lapped at 3:14.0 and the 2011 IS-F did 3:05.4. That is a huge improvement for a car that didn't have any power added. It's worth noting that the 2008 BMW M3 scored a 3:05.6. and the 2009 M3 tied with the Lexus (I think the 2009 BMW used a DCT). They were all edged out by a 2015 Mustang GT at 3:05.2.
*****
I have the October 2015 issue which has the new Lightning lap, it's not online yet. New cars:
VW GTI - 3:14.6
VW Golf R - 3:12.3
Audi S3 - 3:11.3
Alfa Romeo 4c - 3:08.8
Mustang GT - 3:05.2
Cadillac ATS-V sedan - 2:59.8
Lexus RC-F - 3:05.8
Mercedes AMG C63S - 2:59.2
Cadillac ATS-V coupe - 2:59.2
Cadillac CTS-V - 2:56.8
Mercedes AMG GT - 2:51.0
Porsche 911 GT3 - 2:50.4
Lamborghini Huracan - 2:47.5
McLaren 650S Spyder - 2:45.8
Corvette Z06 - 2:44.6
That Vette is punching way above its class.
+goatmonkey2112 for one or two laps then its done
+goatmonkey2112 that's amazing. how is it so fast?
This and the LFA have AMAZING induction sound.
YazeedSaber ه
I think he said it absolutely right. Lexus gives you the extra confidence in reliability instead of top notch performance. Especially as a used car that's your benefit over hard beaten M3s or something. If you get one of these IF-S it will pay back with reliability and some kind of specialty because there aren't as many of them.
I've wanted an ISF for years. In the $30K range on the used market it is a very tough contender.
+SW20AE86 2011 & up is where its at though, faster around the circuit & newer features lol. That may be why the 08's & 09's for ex. are cheap. But then again they really are a steal!
+touge410 Well taking into consideration some issues the 08 and 09 had too that can also explain low pricing.
+MrStreetballer5 Toyota always got recalls on their vehicles lol, I think they're somewhat paranoid and at the same time really care about safety.
+John Ryder I had my 2008 ISF water pumped changed 3 years ago luckily it was still under warranty
Yea these things hold there value. A c63 amg looks way better for 19-19k but the isf will never break
im so sorry, i have to...... is.. i.. is..
is that Matt Farah's million mile Lexus!?!
HareyMon Will do sir.
+TheLeafySpring good man. No tucking and rolling ok? Take that shit like a man.
+TheLeafySpring that so depressing lol
I lol'd so hard at this whole thread.
Have to get an isf to a million miles start a Lexus trend
These cars are WAY special, they are still selling for $30k-35k with 50k miles.
Lol its weird seeing my car on youtube being driven by Matt. Pretty awesome
MrChrisproductions Nice ride 👍
What exhaust are you rocking on the car?
@@yORBALINDa92886 believe it or not, its actually just a muffler delete and a down turn directly outside the resonator, under the rear diff/axels. Sounds pretty decent considering it cost me like $20 to set up. Only con would be there is some drone in the backseat and it looks kinda funny without tips in the rear bumper..
@@MrChrisproductions do you still have the car? Would love to do a canyon cruise if you do! I just got mine and am trying to meet other with them!
@@yORBALINDa92886 I do actually.. Im in the temecula area and have a few guys that go out with them every once in a while.. They are great cars and you'll love it more the longer you have it
The change in sound around 4000 RPM is actually predominantly due to the variable air intake, which actuates at around 3600 RPM, rather than the engine coming "on-cam", just in case anybody was wondering. Pretty cool tech.
I bought my '08 ISF earlier this year at 47k miles and I absolutely love it. Couldn't be more happy.
Bought a 2013 ISF this year myself. Mine has 84k miles on it though. Has refinements of the 2011+ years, and still more reliable than my F10 535i.
How many miles are on yours now?
I just purchased one w the same 47k miles. Maintenance history is immaculate and up to date. I love this car, best car I’ve owned. Reason the seats are uncomfortable for Matt because he’s an obese person.
You still have it? If so how's it been?
Finally I love the isf. You should consider the second gen is350. Underrated sleeper..
The ISF is faster and way better than that overrated m3 that looks like spongebobsquarepants
This is a joke, m3 is better in every department.
Areku06 not reliability lol
chocolateman757 🤣🤣🤣
Areku06 I just love replacing my rod bearings with every oil change
Is this Lexus's million mile Matt Farah?
lol
Thank You Matt for the wonderful review. If I were to choose from that generation of performance coupe's/sedans it would be:
Pure engine wise: C63 amg p31 (hands down the best performer in terms of power)
Agility, feel and overall performer (m3 e92)
The best looking of them all ( RS5 )
The most reliable, cheap to run and still loads of fun ( ISF )
But my personal choice would be an E93 M3 with DCT (yup a performance convertible)
If I wanted a sedan to keep it quite long it would be the ISF or the C63 (didnt hear much horror stories about them here in EU)
Anyway big thanks for this review. Its a great car for people who want an overall performance daily driver.
+RazorFX Give me the C63 any day, I like the crossplane v8 more then the flatplane from the M3.
tubejorrit
well yeah thats obvious man, just saying that I like a convertible so the m3 would be my choice, especially that its a hard top. If Merc would make a C63 convertible Id jump on one RIGHT NOW. But sadly they didnt and the new turbo engine is not my piece of pie..
+tubejorrit The normal road-going version of the e9x M3 doesn't use flat plane crankshaft, fyi.
Thx Ivan, didn't knew that ;) The e9x M3 cars sound very different then Mercedes AMG V8's tho. The AMG engines sound less nervous at low rpm's.
I have the E93 M3 in 6MT. Amazing driving pleasure with the top down in open air hearing the V8 scream past 8,000rpm.
Does come at a cost though. Gas mileage and maintenance costs should be a major consideration if you're in the market for one.
As a quick example, an engine oil change costs $300 since it takes 9L of 10W-60. Even if you DIY, oil alone costs $160 and you also need to buy an oil change kit each time. Brake job is $4,000. New DCT transmission is $15,000. New engine is $25,000.
If that's manageable and you find a well maintained one, it's all damn worth it! I fall in love with mine over and over again each time I take it out for a drive.
I have have a 2012 ISF and it's a great car...just feed it gas and change the oil and your good to go.
Little update.. This car how as a 125 Shot of N2o and dynos at 505whp
I've always liked these, I'd buy one because you see M3 everywhere & it's something different
It's a nice car. I would easily rather an IS-F over an M3. The M3 is a good car, but the IS-F is just a better alternative. It sounds better, it looks better, and it's just different, people don't hate you in an IS-F.
By the way, the throttle response you were mentioning, between this and your Corvette, is the difference between mechanical cable throttle and electric throttle. Mechanical throttles are the only way to go. The direct link between your foot, and the plate in the throttle body can and never will be replaced by something as dead as electric. Same goes for steering. A proper hydraulic rack will always be better than electric steering. The new Bentley Continental GT3, is one of the few new cars to revert back to hydraulic over electric, and everyone fell in love and remembers why it was so good.
Which is why I don't understand the desire for manufacturers to rush and slap 'electric everything' in new cars, besides being cheaper for them, and less serviceable if something goes wrong, so you have to go to them to get it fixed.
would really love to hear your thoughts on the GSf
the pinnalce of the isf was 2013, a number of revisions over the years to the steering ecu, suspension, and spring rates, dampening, and dash layout, and .5 inch wider wheels as well.
the owner says tuned? i call bs, toyota and lexus ecu's cannot be cracked.
yep they can RR Racing can do it now....with headers and a tune they are a MONSTER
@@SNORKYMEDIA exactly! RR tuned intake, headers, exhaust, E30-40 mix is 420whp+ all day!
Best Car I’ve ever owned. Regret selling it to be honest. Had 112,000KM on it, never gave me any issues, was tight, no rattles, shimmy’s or shakes. Just a great car all around. Only thing I wish it had was a little more bottom end Torque. With the 8 Speed on the Highway The gas mileage was great.
I like the Isf nice soundtrack & a lot more rare than the M3
yeah it's no M3 but it still exceeds the capabilities of most drivers,ESPECIALLY the wannabes flying round here in Daytona,I'm a professional truck driver but even I know my skill set is limited....
As I enter the luxury market, I realize how much it is to maintain these things. This is why I will go with a lexus next time.
I'm thinks of trading my boss mustang for one of these cars. Test drove one and they are amazing cars!
why do you guys upload at 4 in the morning, and why the fuck am I still awake.
i ask myself that every night.
LOL in Germany its 14:14 so... :D Perfect for lunch
+Nissan Skyline R33 Don't you mean every morning.
You nailed it. We do it so the night crawlers will up vote us on sites like reddit so by the time working stiffs are awake it's already at the top of the page.
+TheSmokingTire ha!
I remember watching this video years ago knowing someday I'd own an ISF. I've had my F for about 4 months now and this review is just as entertaining and enjoyable now as it was then. I looked at the M3 and other German competition while shopping around and there was just no way I was willing to totally sacrifice reliability for a fractional performance increase.
Devon Turner now you can throw a rr racing tune and/or supercharger on it and rip it even harder!
@@FSXflyermaster I've got the tune and headers going on next week. Supercharger is a possibility in the future but prices will have to come down first.
I did the same thing.. Looked at a few M3's, a C63 and some american stuff. Found this to be the best bang for ya buck AND the most reliable by a landslide.
Two years and 40k miles later I still love my ISF. Its FBO/Tune, riding on Ohlins dampers and a real pleasure to cruise around town or rip through the canyons. I also fixed the shift lever orientation.
love Lexus and this car just wish they offer a manual option
This car is kind of a well kept secret
V8 AND TOYOTA RELIABILITY WORTH MORE THAN 10 M3
no carbon build up, no dual clutch oil change, revs drices all day, count me in.
these cars are available from about 22k here in canada so if anyone was looking at one as a daily driver id say get yours in canada and save 10k
Was always interested in the ISF. They look good, sound nice, seem fast. I'd take an M3. But I wouldn't rule this car out, or a C63. All 3 are very nice. There are soo many of these being sold right now, they seem like good deals also. I'd buy something like this to be different and just try it out. I know this car would surprise many people. :)
its a good car, and little bit of underrated, becouse it is just a lexus and not a bmw or mercedes
Matt, I agree with you 100% on the sequential shifters. Very few car manufacturers do it properly. Actually the only company I can think of that does do it right is BMW.
Porsche PDK also.
lexus has better brains then BMW, in don't see anything on the level of the LFA ever coming from bmw. Plus go get your m3 have fun when it falls apart after warranty and those giant repair bills
Oh yea?? does it have bumper-to-bumper.... wrong channel, my bad
The Moe It's a Lexus, it doesn't need that.
@@AyAy008 r/whooosh
Cyclists were having more fun. More direct steering. Better steering feedback. Better feel of the road. The better list is endless...
New game - watch all of these One Take videos, and do a shot every time Matt says "when it comes on cam". You will be shitfaced in 2 - 5 videos (depending on tolerance).
Lub joo, Matt.
the only thing I wish is that you'd do more interior shots
+pleb i agree
BMW if you can buy one brand new and plan to sell it in 2 years, Lexus if you plan on buying it and keeping it with out it nickel and diming you to death
Wait I'm Confused, did he call the IS-F a "German" Sports Sedan at the end? At 10:50? or is he saying its an alternative? I had to play it about 10 times to verify the context.
Everyone keeps comparing the JAPANESE high end sports cars to German sports cars and I don't see it. When I see Japanese cars, I see then saying "Lets make an all around practical car that is best for its platform. Doesn't have to be fast but it must be durable and reliable to play the long game" That's how I view the IS-F. It doesn't have tons of bells and whistles compared to an E92 M3 but as a fellow owner, this car is CRAZY affordable to service and will reach high mileage no problem and still perform just as good as the day t=.
With the German Cars, i feel like its "To be the best, you gotta BEAT the best" and they always end up over doing it with the bells and whistles that it eventually becomes a headache
+Keron Lewis He's saying it's an alternative.
Picking up a 2011 on Sunday!!! 👍
And how is it? :D
vash241987 👏🏼
jspr2k5 fast and fun!!!
vash241987 for how much u got your Isf?
@vash241987 how's the car doing all these years or how was your ownership experience?
This model was a bit slower then the same years of the M3, however, in 2011, Lexus re did the suspension and was able to put more power to the wheels and the 2011 IS F was equal to the M3 in performance.
I've always liked the ISF. Drove a family member's high mile is250, and it drove very nice.
I remember this car "new" at the LA auto show they had on on a dyno and you could sit inside. Great sound.
I can afford to own an isf. cannot afford to own an m3. I’ve seen nothing but heartache and problems with bmws
Just a heads up.... There is no " tune" for any US Spec ISF. With the exhaust the car is probably putting down about 440 HP at the crank . 08-09s are the slower ISFs on a track or in the canyons . 2010 got the LSD and 2011 and 2012 had suspension changes and steering ECU adjustments as well.
It is not there is no tune needed but that there is no tune possible on the Toyota ECM. The only possibility is a piggy-back ECU
The Toyota ECM has a wide mapping range and an auto learning mode soo it adapts itself to the changes induced by a peripheral change
Anything is more fun and interesting than a BMW :) Seems like a fun car.
+RtdXyron you have clearly never driven a bmw
smgs921 Sadly I have...
RtdXyron what car? If you say a 318i that doesn't count
Tried out the I8. That was horrible. Also a friend of a friend had a e33. That was pretty bad too. I don't like the look of them and mostly people who drive them are assholes. (not all ofcourse)
RtdXyron not a fan of electric/hybrids but I haven't driven one. Go drive an e92 and you'll be singing a different song. Unless you don't like power and handling. The drivers should have nothing to do with how the car drives either.
Lexus engineers that throttle feel into their cars. So you don't get that lurch off the line when you're trying to drive smooth very smooth for stop and go.
+LittleCan
If its like my !S300, there is a spring at the gas pedal that softens the hit when you mash the gas. It's annoying and, like most owners, I removed mine when I first got the car. Now the car doesn't wait 2 days to accelerate after I push the pedal. I have since completely solved the issue by swapping in a VVTi 1uz-fe.
Review 2011 or newer it got LSD and suspension upgrade.
As a second hand purchase, I would definitely buy a Lexus over BMW, Mercedes, Audi or any of its competitors. I would have the peace of mind that I could keep it for pretty much as long as I want and it's not going to fuck me over with maintenance and repair bills.
Lots of transmissions lock the converter early. The 5G-Tronic made by Mercedes did it since the late 90s (even in first gear).
Unless you meant it was the first 8-speed to do it, of course.
Okay now I wish I could afford the fuel economy of this thing
Currently I daily a 2002 Merc CLK430. Normally I'd just get rid of it and trade it for something, but I grew up with the car so I have absolutely no intentions of ever getting rid of it so long as I am alive.
ill buy this car in 2028 at 300+ km for like 10k lmao
The whole thing about your back hurting after a couple hours is true as fuck. i could never really find a good seating position somehow. although it does feel comfortable the first minutes you sit down it kills after long trip
What year is yours?? Did they improve the seats on the later years?? Seriously considering one of these But need comfortable seats for the long road trips I do regularly
The Transporter was a 2007. No idea about updated seats
@@TheTransporter100 I have a 2011 and have no issues just been on a trip around europe for 10 days and NO issues - and my wife has a bad back
Isf very enjoyable and fun car to drive and Lexus reliability
First gen F, BUT, 2nd gen IS...
Compare it with M3 after 10 years of use. If you find any M3 alive!
Hey Matt, if you're ever in the Oxnard, Ventura Area, I'll let you take my 2012 IS-F for a sprint up Mullholland for a comparison to the early models. It's all factory stock, except for some Michelin Pilot Super Sports and Borla Exhaust. In 2011 Lexus did a bunch of crucial changes to the car that made it significantly more responsive and better handling than the first batch of 08-10s. The 2011+ models are almost 9 seconds faster per lap around VIR than the 08-10 models. Let me know if you're up for it.
RELIABLE!! Not the fastest car on the market at that price value even at 64K when I got it new in 2010 - still loving it. Fast enough for me and the v8 sound with the Torque=amazing. Much respect to the M3 as it is the bench mark and handles better than my F but I love the fact that I can have this car almost issue free for many years to come. (unlike all of the German built cars)--love them - but lets keep it a buck (100).
Your a statistics car guy lol… majority of people that just want a good looking reliable practical and fairly cheap car to own over all. And still has The performance that’s on the heels of a m3. It’s a much better car for a everyday driver that doesn’t need the road feel or handling of a m3 or the power of a amg. It’s a perfect blend between everything. It still gives u power, handling, classy nice interior, build quality. But the biggest reason is reliability and people that aren’t emotionally involved with cars care more about that than handling or power, even though your buying a isf, you still value your money and your time, and having a m3 or c63 sitting at a shop for weeks then get bent over with a 3k+ plus repair bill. Doesn’t seem that fun to me regardless of anything.
RE: The backwards shifter. I swapped the wires on mines to make it correct. When I traded the car in it was the only thing I didn't revert to stock. I wonder if the new owner appreciate it.
I'm surprised the cars last vid got that many hits. In my opinion the cars were all not that great this week. But thats just my opinion :)
Great review man. Especially love the maintenance stand point. I drive an e92 m3 and I do love it from a driving/performance standpoint but it's a maintenance headache. That's why I was thinking of switching to an ISF. Driven them before and they are fun cars. Good review man
+Devil0027 I've had my IS-F for 6 months now, its a 2012; nothing needed to be done except regular oil change; of course the brakes and tires needed to be changed but that's because I track it, but ya man, it is also a good time to become an IS-F owner because tunes are now finally coming out and soon enough turbo and supercharger kits; you can get some serious power in a great package, IS-F is truly truly a great car and I couldn't recommend it more
+Eedo Amitay agreed 100% man
@Eedo Amitay just out of curiosity, how much did u pay for your 12' isF? I just got one in November 2022. A 2012 silver with red interior and only 34k on it for $40,000
Please try and do a One Take with a Cayman GTS
Tune? by then there weren't any tunes for lexus. Finally two shops have made tune possible since last month..
I was thinking the exact same thing. There was no tune available for the IS-F when this video was made. And now, with an exhaust, tune, and headers, you're going to be pushing nearly 500HP at the crank.
I don't think it would be 450 HP even with a tune and headers as he said. It's 415 HP motor (stock) by itself and I believe by adding it to the trans on a car and with whp and torq bumps it down to around 350-390 HP. ( I am not no car guru or tech but I have read this somewhere, correct me if I'm wrong ) With mods and all I would say 390-400 HP at the Dyno...
the hp of these cars is massively restricted by the headers.....450 is EASY
450 Crank, You are correct, without spray it made 392 WHP. With spray, 505 WHP.
If this is a problem for you in terms of head -room, I would like to see you drive my car, roof is so low and the seats are so high, the headrests only clear the roof by 1 inch on their lowest setting. I also have to recline the seat to fit in the car with a helmet. (It's a Proton satria neo)
Odd not to have 2 people there. Didn't realize I liked it better with the back and forth with the owner in the car. Still ok w/o, just got use to owners.
Do you really think more than 6 or 7 speeds is really needed or smart in a car? I have a small car with a 1.8 and a six auto. The top two gears are over drive. It would be nice to have a close ratio 5 speed with Two over driven top gears. A 7 speed auto. I have owned motor cycles with close ratio 6 speeds and you are shifting every 500 RPM. Do you really need that in most cars?
+riccar11 I figure the fast shifting transmission and the 8 gears is what helps with the pretty ok MPG that it gets
No one has successfully tuned an ISF. Like, at all. They use BOSH ECU's which are locked and encrypted. So if that owner spent any money on "tuning" well....you know about a fool and his money.
ahhhh... not sure where you've been the last 8 months .. but the ECU has been cracked ... go visit club lexus .. or google rr-racing .. they offer the tune now
Hi matt. the sound change doesn't come from the cams coming on, there is a flap on the induction side of the engine which opens at around 4000 rpm and gives you this distinct V8 growl. same with the new RC F :) cheers Andy
I have this car in real racing 3 😂
I've really become a fan of this series and the regularity with which it is produced. Thank you Matt.
Locking torque converters came out in the early 80's :)
Great video as always though :)
Haha that shifter is the same as my mom's 2007 Camry XLE with the 6 speed auto. Manual shift mode is push forward to up shift and pull back to downshift. I'm probably the only person who has ever used that feature in her car and I always hate that it's backwards.
Honestly I wish all car makers with automatic manual shift options were like that. I was actually kind of annoyed when I realized that most have up-downshifts and down-upshifts like it doesnt make sense to me lol
+TheRichieRozay That's I'm the direct opposite. When braking hard and your body is pushed forward it feels awkward to pull down to downshift. It's great how we all have different preferences.
TheRichieRozay
In manual trans cars, the 1-2, 3-4, and 5-6 upshifts are all pulling back. Pulling back to upshift feels natural, but then again I've only ever owned MT cars.
Is it just me, or did he seem sorta bored? Or at least not having as much fun as he normally dose.
There is no tune needed but that there is no tune possible on the Toyota ECM. The only possibility is a piggy-back ECU
The Toyota ECM has a wide mapping range and an auto learning mode so it adapts itself to the changes induced by a peripheral change. Another thing so consider when looking at this car, really cool in my opinion.
Subscribed to this channel for cars I'll probably never get to even see, liked this video for a car I could buy.
I was shopping for these...they seem to retain their value. they haven't dropped below 45k even with high miles.
Cool car, but the 2G IS has something wrong with the pedals and seating position that causes moderate knee pain for my 6'2" body.
had a 2007 IS350 for 4 years...the pedals are spaced too far to the middle, making me bend my leg at an awkward angle to use brake and accelerator pedal. only way to stop the knee pain was to use cruise control.
also, the backrest is made in such a way that I have neck pain....
I've had many cars over the years, this is the only one that I've had knee problems in. telling that lexus fixed these issues with the 3G Is, which I have now
n777ua I own a 07 is350 as well and have none of those issues. Perhaps it's your body type. I could see the car being a problem for someone 6ft+
Thanks for the video.. I have been waiting for your review on this isF for years..
I agree with you, with the way the race inspired shifter should be.
I always prefer the ones where he's by himself.
Gotta love it. We love ours!
You can't tune these cars, that's why I got rid of mine. The "uncrackable" ecu... Up yours Toyota!
+Troy Jones They can be tuned now :)
5 to 6 year old ISF's in Australia go for 50 to 60k, not a value for money ride at that price.
Tune on an ISF?! Unlikely. The ECU is still pretty much locked down unless you want to send your ECU off to Japan.
+Jason Tran Maby he did, who gives a damn dosn't give much since it got no supercharger or turbo anyway.
+Jason Tran you can for $1500
Really a shame about the headroom. I have always wanted one but couldn't deal with my head touching. They did make a no cost sunroof delete option but they are unicorns on the used market.
how would you compare this overall to a 2015 mustang gt? or even the b8 s4? I'm looking for a healthy v8..this seems to be more practical than the mustang but the driving experience is what matters most to me.
16.9 mpg is that bad for a 450hp automatic V8? I don't think so when you considering the factors of that car.
One of the few things I miss from Cali... The roads... Driving in Colorado is dangerous the roads are so fucked up. I've never seen more potholes in my life until I moved here.
What part of co do you live in? I'm planning to move out of CA TO CO but need good roads for my boss 302
What part of co do you live in? I'm planning to move out of CA TO CO but need good roads for my boss 302
Hmmm... I never knew that the directions of up and downshifting on sequential shifters was inspired by the car's acceleration and deceleration g-forces. The more you know. *Rainbow star wipe*
m3 and is-f are the same thing
Saw a new post Heartrate shot through the roof loll not kidding
I am strongly considering and is-f in the next 6 months or so. I've driven an 08 model as well but in 2010+ models, Lexus began installing an lsd. do you have any experience with those models of is-fs, +matt Farah?
They updated the ISF in 2010 and they improved it so if you gonna buy one don't go for the pre 2010 ones. If i remember correct they did some modding in the front so it don't understeer as much + modded the diff or something, i think it was like 10-15seconds faster around the Nurnburgring with the same power.
I hope you are able to get the Lexus too the Million Mile marker, and make a one take episode as well.. Maybe an episode where you drive it back east after it hits the 1,000,0000 mark? Bring along some of the other journalists who have helped put some miles on it recently. I think it'd be awesome, hopefully somebody over at Lexus is watching and give it a restoration so we can see it go another million????
Review very well done. Thanks man! You're right. A lot cyclists that ruins the ride on a nice summer's day!