Lexus ISF Review* is it better than the Germans???
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- Опубликовано: 20 фев 2021
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Welcome to another Episode of Ross Reviews AU on this weeks Video we check out Doms 2008 Lexus ISF! this car is something of a rarity here in Australia and the rest of the world as you just don't see one of them everyday.. to the untrained eye they are just another lexus.. but to enthusiasts like you and me.. if we see one of these WE GET EXCITED!
This particular Lexus ISF has had fitted a proper quad tip exhaust and OMG does it sound INSANE!""" easily one of the best sounding NA cars outta Japan i've ever heard.
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Авто/Мото
Hey Guys, iam the owner of the ISF. Johnny, thanks so much for an awesome day shooting, always a pleasure. GUYS AS MENTIONED IN THE DESCRIPTION, FEEL FREE TO CONTACT IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING THE VEHICLE.
How much
@@FocusRS500 hi mate. If I put it up will be asking 55k. It has the full PPE headers and Joe Z exhaust, about 8 k to do, RR tune, catch can, new light weight wheels and tyres, new coil overs. 90 k . Neat car. Iam 54 year old enthusiast.
Very Nice ISF, I have a 2016 GSF in blue, best car I have owned.
Lucky man! Enjoy!
That is a gorgeous car, love the colour!
And it hasn't dated a bit either, still looks right up there with the new metal.
Great review again Jon!
What kind of wheels do you have on the car?
Great review. I've put 212,000+ miles on my 2008 IS-F and it still runs great. In that time I've had to change the radiator and the water pump, valve cover seals and the replaced the gaskets for the high pressure fuel pump and that's about it. The IS-F is so easy to work on. I did all the work myself.
That’s epic Man! Great to see a luxury car like this you can actually work on yourself! Huge sale point right there👏👏
How tough were the valve cover seals?
@@hoarbaby not tough at all. just make sure you follow the steps at techinfo.toyota.com.
@@estevatopanchovillacruz9969 Do I have to make an account for the link you provided? To work on the valve cover gaskets
do you feel the maintenance will be similar on the upcoming ISF or the RCF? Was really thinking of picking one of these up
Cool to see a japanese V8.
Can tell the engine loves to rev to redline 🤙
True that! PS got another JDM V8 sedan on the way :)
Such a underestimated car. The owners of these cars probably have a huge smerk on their faces when they over take other cars.
oh 100% great sleeper eh
Smirk
We do :) haha
2010 and up models addressed the steering and suspension, the first cup holder is in front of the armrest and the second is inside the armrest, the 3rd and forth are in the rear armrest and the bottle holders in the door cards
ill have to double check that because even the owner couldn't tell me where the cupholders where lol
@@RossReviewsau hes right i own one that's how all 2is models are
I own an ISF and can confirm this as well. Definitely 2 cup holders in the front, albeit not the greatest, but they're there...
I now own this beautiful machine absolutely love it big ups to dom for letting it go to me 🤙
You got yourself an absolute gem there mate! The sound is incredible 👌🤤
Any idea what the aftermarket exhaust is?
You should post some content of it if you still have! Or if you got any social media I’d love to see
I bought the IS350 F Sport based on Ross Reviews and a few others... absolutely love my car. But would like to drive the ISF some day!
So glad I could help you with your decision👏😁 I will tell you in complete honesty the ISF is the perfect upgrade when your ready!
There are 2 cupholders in the center console, the one you see right there under the carbon lid and a deeper one under the armrest...plus the bottle holders in the doors. The issue is that all cupholders, in all cars, cannot be behind the shifter or in the armrest. They have to either be in front of the shifter, next to the shifter, or in the dash. The ISF does has a nifty armrest so, in addition to lifting open, you can also slide it back to expose the deep cupholder while retaining a spot for your elbow.
I just recently purchased my ISF is a 2009 model an ultrasonic blue and this car has done nothing but give me constant smiles every time I'm behind the wheel
they are amazing machines! good buy mate
One of the nicest sounding ISFs I've heard. Nice one Dom!
Couldn't agree more! he did a great job on this
How does mine compare?? 😅
nice clip,i have just bought an isf online auction from japan,its on its way to nz now and cant wait,thanks for your input it tip me over the edge to buy it,cheers and keep your clips coming you are REAL..haha cheers
Best of luck with the new car! they are so good... glad you enjoyed the review and took some positive advice from it :)
hey man i’m looking into buying an isf from japan auctions, would you mind telling me how much nzd the isf was from auction? thanks man
There's a few on car sales nice .your finding good cars 2 review great work
Thanks 👍 starting to get some really insane offers :)
I love the isf. I got one at the lights years ago. I had the vz SV6 so nothing too crazy but it absolutely left me for dead. It had a bit of work done but it was past the intersection before my car was even over the first line lol
Love my 08 isF with 52k miles on her. Every time I press the button her growl makes me 😃
That’s awesome man! Still a baby with 52k on her! Great cars
52K! She hasn't even been broken in yet!
@@estevatopanchovillacruz9969 my 2011 just got to 36K miles 8-)
@@SNORKYMEDIA wow that's awesome. I've put 216K miles on my 2008 IS-F and it still runs like a champ. You have a lot of fun miles left in your car buddy.
This is the world's first 8 speed transmission
And it’s not a Dual clutch trans either,
Still the old school auto design just with 8 gears,
But it’s still fucking amazingly quick on the shifts even for a 13 year old gearbox..
You are correct what an achievement eh
Is this the same as the crown 8 speed box?
@@PorkHub69 yes
Motoring journalists used to talk crap and say 8 gears is too much.. look where we're at now.
Who has time to drink when your having so much fun 🤩forget the cup holder
100% brother! You forget all about that once you step on it 🤤
Fantastic car, gem of a motor and looks mint. There was one in Melbourne just a short time back that I was considering purchasing. Great review Ross!!
what did you get instead>>? really was a great car that could do everything and being lexus the reliability is there so not afraid to rack them kms up
@@RossReviewsau didn't end up with anything just yet. Looking more at classic jdm, prices are going crazy for these cars
Very true prices are at all time highs
The best ISF review to date . All about the essence of the car and not slagging off how little room there is in the back or how dated the interior is.
Awesome cars to own a drive period.👍🏻
Appreciate it mate.. amazing cars for sure 👌
Exactly idk what people expect when they’re review this car.. this is supposed to be a raw aggressive car, of course Lexus will always have a touch of class and reliability. Yet this was meant to be the raw monster it is.
Have been daily driving a dark grey '08 ISF, absolute sleeper.
Such a great daily sleeper this thing eh
For a 12yr old car it's been well maintained
man that thing sounds mean as👍great review johnny
Cheers m8 yes very good car I loved it
I bought an immaculate red one last year, with full stamped Lexus service book, with 62k miles... 20k€. Your price are crazy !
Anyway, I've had several sports cars before. I think I found my perfection with the ISF and I'll keep it until the end ! This car is amazing !
You would have got it before the covid tax.. but yes Australia is always expensive for cars 🥲 amazing cars I would love to own one
The cup holder is right there! That little square directly between gear shifter . Push on it , it will open. 8:04
Nice review. Thanks again👍
No problem cheers 👍
I bought an IS350 F-Sport based on your review among others. Same colour too. The fact that it can get to 100km/h quicker than many of the Aussie V8's you've also reviewed helped me make the choice for me.
My brother bought a 2011 IS-F right before Covid. It has several mods including upgraded bushes, exhaust etc. Covid has now made it unaffordable for me to upgrade myself.
Just curious, which model year did you go with for the IS350 F-Sport?
@@thangtu2041 2011 IS350 :-)
That’s awesome to hear I’m glad I could help you decide on the car! I was really shocked how quick and consistent the 350fsport was 😳 very very good car.. the ISF is the perfect upgrade but the money is up there now 😓
@@jrbuch so tempted to buy one aswell!
I know I'm a bit late here but that's great jrbuch, I have an IS 350 Sports Luxury that I bought at the beginning of the year. I knew that was the car for me, but when I placed the deposit on it, I saw Ross's IS 350 F Sport vid where he got 0-100 km/h in 5.42 seconds I was all the more excited. I absolutely love my car, it's the Vermillion tri-coat pearl with ivory interior, but boy I'd like to park an IS-F or RC-F next to it!
The cup holder is that push cover literally right behind the shifter & one in the slide console.
Right?! There's literally two cupholders to put your coffee.
I will be driving this car again this afternoon love it.
this exact one!?
Cup holder I’d directly behind the Shifter. That’s what the little square is . Push it and it will pop open . You can use for quarters too . That’s 25 cents
Sounds real nice. Cool car for sure, just a big price tag to go along with it.
agreed big price with collectability and not being a easy car to find so kind leaves the average guy out unfortunately.. but my goodness what a car
I bought an ISF because of this video, appreciate it Ross (also, there's actually 2 cupholders in the arm rest, much to my delight)
🤩 very happy for you glad I could give you that final push to ownership! They are amazing... yes still feel funny about the cup holders lol the one in that ISF was broken n wouldn’t open up
Cup holder is right in the center console. A small one and a decent sized one.
There are at least 4 Cup holders in that car.
1. Cup holder is in the flap below the shifter.
2. Cup holder divider is in the sliding armrest.
3. and 4. Cup holders are between the rear seats in the end of the fold down armrest.
i seen the ones in the back but def did not see one in the armrest? also the flap i was told by the owner was not a sufficient cupholder.. was stuck closed with his garage door opener lol tho he reckoned it was very shallow like a inch deep?
I've since given up looking for a decent used example here in SA (South Africa) as this car is unobtainium. There are only 2 of them on sale nationwide and both are accident damaged, one of them badly so. I flew about 900km from Jozi to East London in Jan-2021 thinking that I've finally had a breakthrough and will be driving it back up. Turned out that the seller lied about the condition as it had clear damage at the front and rear, poor paintwork with visible overspray and inconsistent panel gaps suggesting it has a twisted frame.
The other one in Pretoria is in somewhat better shape but needs new headlights, paint correction and valley plate leak repairs. One seemingly knowledgeable Lexus salesman said that only 45 units ever made it into the country, of which at least 3 have been written off as they're with car breakers.
I've now set my sights on another underrated car which is almost just as hard to get but less likely to have been accident damaged: 2013+ Mercedes-Benz E500 Coupe...
damn brother sorry to hear the struggle of finding a clean one.. it really is not easy anywhere i think... as i said the owner was watching this car for nearly 2 years before he could buy it lol i do hope you find what your after a E500 would be very nice also :)
Been looking forward to this one bro 😎
Hope you enjoyed it! i had a blast!
The cup holder is directly behind the shifter. You even showed a shot of it at 6:18
It wouldn’t open and the owner said it wasn’t a cupholder barely big enough for keys
Btw there is a cup holder right in front of the middle console with the lid that was closed. It’s only one which is weird. The second cup holder is the center console. When you open it there is a little cup holder attachment inside
cheers for that not sure if this one was just missing that or i missed it.. was odd tho the owner pointed it out to me also no cup holder in his ISF? the little square piece was broken but from his description of it, it was not deep enough to be any good as a cupholder
@@RossReviewsau its more of a small holder for coins etc - cup holder is in the large compartment on mine
what a beautiful sounding 8
that rev limiter bounce tho🤤
Did you find the cup holders
Is a beautiful style, plus the performance 😍
100% its a truly great car
The ultimate project would be to get a 90s Toyota Lexcen (The Holden VR Commodore nameplate swap) and replace the Engine, Gearbox, Drivetrain and Brakes on it with the equipment in the ISF.
My buddy is selling this exact same car except it’s left-hand drive. In fact, it’s the same white leather I’m thinking about buying it. Ultrasonic blue.
God that is a great exaust note from the 5.0L!!!
So good eh!!!
ruclips.net/video/p4S2Z8yWT84/видео.html
Agree, I really wonder what setup.
Great video, nothing like a bit of Japanese power.
You should find a nice Nissan Skyline 370GT coupe to review, or the Infiniti Q60 Red Sport. Even a newer Toyota Crown or Mark X would be awesome!
I have a v8 Toyota crown coming to the channel very soon
Just bought a MY10 ISF. Starting the long process of getting it up to scratch and then the bolt on mods.
Should be fairly quick when done. Hope to get it to the drag strip in stock form before modding. If it ever stops raining 🌧
This car is just amazing
It really is eh!
love that exhaust system! which brand was it?
amazing isn't it! sorry i can't remember i think it was in the comments somewhere
6:18 cup holder on the console. I said this a year ago, but i left out the oart that I am an ISF owner so you dissmissed me.
I soooooooo wish I could of gotten the Ultra sonic blue but I made the most out of my silver ISF with a red interior I customized myself 😎 and btw there is 1 cupholder behind the shifter lol
Very cool! would love to see that colour combo with silver and red... but yeh love the Blue! def my favorite ISF colour
😂 @5:04 he said “it's not droney” then cuts to a view from a drone 😂 #Priceless.
HAHA! thats classic m8.. would you believe me that i didn't even try to do that lol
@@RossReviewsau oh I believe you 😂. It was priceless. It happened naturally
There’s now a is500 with the same v8, hopefully it comes here to Australia, apparently it will only be in the states
Yes let’s hope it does come to AUstralia eventually 🙏🙏🙏
revised same v8 with 478 bhp
I put my drink in the cup holder in the center. It is small but works. Then if you fold the rear arm rest down, two cupholdwrs pop out. Handy
thanks yeh.. this one was broken so i was unaware that it was a cupholder :(
@@RossReviewsau my mom's minivan growing up had 16 cupholders lol.
i have an isf and there actually is a cupholder inside the armrest ;) btw what exhaust was he running? this sounds so deep and good!
yeh unfortunately that was broken and the owner seemed to say it wasn't a cup holder lol maybe just not a very good one.. i think its in the comments.. sorry i cant remember off the top of my head
Looks like R&R racing bazooka exhaust. Essentially a Borla with R&R's tips.
the new is500 is SWEET
Yes seen that! That will be a beast
So what I wanna know is. What did you think when the car was released a decade ago? It puts a smile on your face today, imagine how people felt about it back then. My gripe with people is why did it take everyone so long to accept this car as amazing? It’s been amazing since day one. It’s a shame people are FINALLY starting to see how cool these cars are.
Oh 100% I could only imagine how monstrous this car would have been in 2008! I’m always on team V8 performance 🤣
@@RossReviewsau you didn’t answer my questions...
I agree I owned an isf back in 2012 now I own a gsf. With the price of the isf going up you can get a gsf for just alittle more which is a better version of the isf in every way coming from someone that has owned both and people are stupid.Hope that helps
This is how it always goes. People don't appreciate the RCF which is still in production. They will when it's gone. I think it has more to do with the price. Price when new vs used are two very different things.
hyped for the IS500
RIP Australia won't get it
@@RossReviewsau really? Dam I bet Canada won’t get it either. Australia should really get it you guys love v8s
@@cruisertechgt canada is getting it
wow the exhaust sounds really cool, have the same car, same color, hwat brand is the exhaust and is a full one?, thanks!
amazing cars.. i think i did mention what it is no? i cant remember then sorry
Great vidoe. perfect car... I bought an IS 250 two weeks ago... but perhaps have to upgrade to an ISF
You should!
2010 F owner here.
nice work mate..
Been waiting for this one :)
Hopefully it’s Atleast an MY10 with the LSD, headlights show it’s not an 11 or up.
I've seen the owner mention it's an '08 with headers and exhaust.
@@zaneiken07 damn, alright .. ah well
sadly an early 2008 model.. but still was very impressed
You can always upgrade the '08/'09 with parts from later model years. I've got a 2012 Torsen LSD in my 2008. And coilovers sorts out the rough suspension in the earlier model years.
wow no LSD on the earlier models I had no idea
Yes definitely better may not be in racing although with proper mods it will, but definitely in terms of reliability Lexus all the way. For some reason i still want the m8 and I'm not a BMW fan haha.
Cupholder is on the console towards the armrest, it flips open.
That little square flap? Surely not his was like a inch deep I wouldn’t trust that
@@RossReviewsau it's deep enough for an XL coffee or a large BBT. at least mine is LOL
@@RossReviewsau theres also another cupholder if you open the center arm rest. And the square in front of it is deep. His might just have something in it
yup. one in the front and two in the back that are accessible to a driver. For those of us who need a gatorade, a water, and a coffee lol
There is two cup holders in centre,
4:15 that face says it all. FAST
🤣 OH YES... this car was surprisingly energizing.. the exhaust made it so gooooood
What exhaust has been done? Sounds perfect.
I believe it’s in the comments if you look for it.. sorry can’t remember of hand.. sounded perfect tho 👌✅
The steering feels light? I don't have a huge reference point, but my 08 ISF had probably the heaviest steering of the cars I've driven.
def not the heaviest.. not bad steering but just something that could be better (little firmer)
The cup holder is right there
It wouldn’t open and owner told me it wasn’t one 🤦♂️
Hi Mate,she sounds real nice indeed,goes great as well your face says it all & also a nice price,but the owner is selling it for a Barramobile though haha I'm joking but who knows,another great review Johnny,take care man.
The sound on this ISF was out of control was so satisfying to let it sing
There's a cup holder under the square in the centre console and in the centre storage. They are less than ideal.
that was like an inch deep lol really???? no way that's a cup holder design
@@RossReviewsau it's the only bad design feature of the car in my opinion. All 2is models are like this.
Cheers man yeh poor design on that one.. back seat cup holders seemed good tho 😂🤦
How did you miss the cup holder right behind the gear shifter?
It was not opening and the owner told me that it was to shallow to possible be a cup holder..
@@RossReviewsau ha, weird. The owner must exclusively drink Big Gulps or something because its at least 3 inches deep.
Before covid you could get these for a little over 30k.... now 40+ 😭
Now 60,000. Damn it!
Yup agree man the whole car market shot up.. would have been a good time to have a bought all of these cars but who knew 😅🤦
Hahahaha glad I got mine at 29k aud in 2018..
Thats right. They have gone up, but no where near what FPV has.
@@RossReviewsau I got rid of my s2000 and my isf before all this smh but I at least have a gsf now and by far my favorite!
yes
of course
After my crown Majesta, I'm aiming at getting a Lexus GSF.
they are very nice cars
What's the exhaust system brand and setup?
Might be the best sounding ISF I've seen and same great colour as my 250.
There’s a cup holder just below the shifter 😁
weird the owner told me it wasn't.. (i couldn't actually get it open but he reckons it was only like a inch deep?) garage door opener was stuck inside apparently lol
@@RossReviewsau haha it’s definitely more than an inch deep 😁 I use it for my coffees or maccas drinks 👌
Just change front LCA by either Figs Engineering or RR Racing. That will transform steering feel. In 2011 it received not just dif, steering ecu update, suspension update. The engine typical Lexus Toyota over built for N/A engine. It has forged crank, rods, lobs, titanium lifters, additional oil scavenge pumps, runs 10 quarts of oil for additional cooling,. Aluminum heads designed and made by Yamaha racing division. It's 8 speed trans shifts in 100ms or 0.1 sec. I've own my 2011 ISF for 10yrs now since I brought it new. It's been FBO for 9yrs. Tuned and e30 blend for 3 yrs. Updated suspension components two set of suspension KWv3 and Airlift3h performance setup. The car has been flawless, it has 106k miles DD for 7 yrs now just weekend car. I thought you might like this quick video of my digital carbon fiber steering wheel ruclips.net/video/BRxwbukDv-k/видео.html
they are so good.. can't argue anything against them really
I’m getting an 09 next week! Sold son!!!
They are so good man! Get an exhaust like this 🔥
What exhaust setup?
My isF has bubbles in the coolant tank but there’s no overheat u think it’s the valley plate?
is it loosing coolant?
@@SNORKYMEDIA When I put coolant in the car & I drive it after it goes back down to low but it don’t overheat, but there’s no leak
What aftermarket exhaust setup did the owner opt for? Catback? Headers?
PPE Racing Headers with Joe Z / PTS exhaust , Catted . About 8k to do.
@@RossReviewsau Do you know if the headers are equal or unequal length?
This would be my second pick after the E60 M5.
the ISF is great
Did anyones hear "shits quick" instead of "shifts quick" at 12:14 🤣🤣🤣
💩💨
What model of rims is that? Is that Rota? 🤔
Makes some buetifull noises. Tuebo pop off not for everyone
love the ISF
What a shame it's so expensive. Mate thanks for showing us another really cool car ...
Glad you enjoyed it.. yes due to the rarity and longlife on these cars.. prices are still high. 50-60k in australia
Im about to buy one in newzealand for 18k no warrant of fitness, all suspension needs new bushes 200,000 kms
Do it!! That’s a deal man
@@lordoftherims436how’s it gone for you? I’m in NZ too and looking at them for around 25k atm
What's the name of those wheels......!!!
A luxury, reliable Japanese v8 with its own distinctive sound. I would personally go for the Lexus G SF only because there is abit more room compared to the I SF.
That’s a good point the isf is a bit small i felt but like all the other points you mentioned.. it’s such a great car
I'd say it's better than the Germans.. it doesn't eat its rod bearings or need its head bolts replaced with a later design due to flaws.
Agreed if your gonna use it as a car first then yeh much safer with the ISF.. I’d only go a M3 if I wanted to track it more or only a weekender.. still need big money for M3 maintenance
What wheels are those
that was actually world's first 8 speed
You are correct crazy stuff right
Imagine owning a track weapon car without cupholders
RIP 🪦
Mate there is something about these cars my 2011 i will not sell its the whole package, every time i drive it i laugh to my self, i have owned a lot of cars cheers from NSW.
its a very special car! this one with the exhaust too.. oh man it was so much fun to drive
Whats the retail on one of those? Here in california one of these examples will probably set you back an extra 10K in taxes thanks to the EPA..
These are selling for an avg of around 35-40k even with high mileage. They’re increasing in price which I’m not surprised.
here in Australia its 50-60k now.. before covid it was around 30-40k... i would guess the same as the below comment for america around 35-40k for a decent one
Lexus builds a strong sedan and very quick sedan that last over 10 years good for lexus
They are great
Buy the IS250 kit and make it a sleeper.
😂 it’s already a sleeper tho to most
4.4 0-100 is fkn nuts on a non prepped surface. You literally barely stalled it up either and it flew.
I know right 👀 I was very very impressed. It hooked up so well
Want a cheaper ISF for 1/4 of ISFs go for? LS460. Same engine but its 4.6L, and same transmission with different shift logic. Just get coilovers and poly bushings, and you won't be disappointed for the 1/4 of the money you spent.
fair call mate
LS460 is 1URGSE. ISF 2URFE. They are related but not the same, but I absolutely do take your point about bang for the bucks.. I've driven a LS460 and own as ISF....the 460 is quick for it's size but nowhere near as angry as the ISF!
Shame they are not bringing the is500 to Australia 😭😭
I know how crazy is that!!!
or anywhere else only US - booo
The console and door trims aren't carbon - it's an aluminium weave.
The material is called Texalium.
Shame to see the factory forged wheels swapped out for cheap cast alloy Rotas :(
🥲 yeh I would keep the originals but I love the exhaust upgrade
Are you in perth? Looks like perth hills
Yes Perth local
@@RossReviewsau nice! Represent. That must have been O’Brien rd