Fell in love with Lexus ISF - Can I be talked out of buying one?
 

Sadly this is one of "those" threads, but hey.. It never hurts to ask.

So the other night I was out with a friend who has a 2008 ISF, dumped on work wheels, sticky headers and Joe-z exhaust... the sound this car makes...OMG.

For the record;


So now I'm all hot and bothered with an ISF, I was watching for the right E90 M3 to come up for sale.. but now thats a distant memory.

Having said all that, any ISF owners/former owners on here feel like commenting on their experience with the car?

Any input is appreciated :)

clublexus.com is where all the answers to your questions are my friend

Been all over it, mostly positive, but you know how people tend to form biases.. and usually when someone moves on to another car, they don't go back to the old forum to bitch about shit they hated about the car :s

+ All my friends that have had one loved the car, just expensive brake pads I guess :s but now HAWK makes a pad thats much cheaper.

An AMG fanboy here but what about one of these:
**Warning, super loud, turn down speakers**
skip to 1:44 Inb4 Anthony Espinosa...

In b4 DrMike and Scamthony Letmeknowsa reference

+1 for c63 over the lexus.

Ive driven an ISF for a bit and there were some things i liked and disliked...

I liked how it seemed relatively good on gas as it does have an 8 speed transmission so ur pretty much at like 1500ish rpm at almost any cruising speed.
I love the the engine sound it makes past 3500rpm.
I guess it would be relatively reliable just cuz Lexus but I heard that the E9X M3's are pretty reliable too but I really dont know...

I dislike how stiff the suspension is for a lexus even though it is performance oriented.
I find it kinda boring... maybe because I prefer manual.
I noticed that there isnt much leg room for the back seats either. It would be uncomfortable for adults to be sitting in the back.
I also noticed that there isnt much aftermarket support for the ISF. The only headers that are available are the Sikky headers pretty much. And the aftermarket parts you would prob have to buy new just cause there isnt much used parts for sale from forums etc. from what I notice.

And wouldnt an M3/C63/RS4, etc. all sound good with headers and exhaust anyway?

I would personally pick the E9X M3 just cause of the aftermarket support and the option for manual transmission.
I would pick the C63 if you plan on leaving it stock.
I would pick the ISF for long term for possibly good resale and reliability.

Couldn't have said it better myself, if E9X M3 did not exist I would probably have gotten the IS-F cuz its surprisingly good, just not as good on one end of the spectrum as the C63AMG and the M3 at the other end..

There is a RS user here that drives an ISF (who is also an Audi Western Canada Member).

I'll PM him and ask him to post here directly or to PM you directly.

i love the ISF as well the only downfall for me is that cabin is claustrophobic, i felt like i was in a cave with leather walls. The C63 and M3 have relativily the same size cabin however they seem more spacious.Also Fun factor lacks compared to the german trio (M3/C63/S4)

I won't lie, I want an ISF as well

My father currently owns a 08 IS-F, the car is great. The reliability is awesome, we havent had any mechanical issues since we got it. Fuel efficiency is quite good for a 5 liter V8 due to the 8 speed transmission. The only thing I dislike about the car is the interior dashboard seems plain and plastic. Regardless it is a great alternative to the M3. Feel free to pm me if you have any more questions.

fwiw, i have always loved the isF, and i love it even more since it seemed to be the least popular of the v8 sedans of the era. i changed the tires on a silver one this week and it didn't looked like its aged a day. definitely a future classic, and has held its value quite well. the biggest downfall for me is no manual transmission.

had a chance to drive a 08 for some time on and off, and honestly, i would wait for a e90 M3>c63>isf

yes its fast, its reliable(hey its a toyotoa/lexus after all), but the interior is just CRAMPED for me. just like everyone else mentioned, the interior for some odd reason is cramped compared to a m3/c63 when its same size/class, maybe its due to the high center armrest design. also, green interior light?! it bug the shit out of me having green interior lights, and the GPS cannot be bypassed so that means majority of the touch screen functions cannot be used unless the ebrake is on.

if u r seriously set on getting one, although through out the years there werent any major changes, the 10+ version added a LSD stock, and i think 11+ had the led in the headlights and a new center tach with digital speedo, i personally go with the 10 since it has the old style dual gauge cluster and the added LSD

but i suggest u wait and find the right M3, cus personally i think even my 335 offers a better driving feedback than the ISF did

oh and the leather used in the ISF tend to stretch within the first week and leave butt marks, i think later years lexus changed to alcantara n it doesnt stretch as easily.

in before someone comments fakequadexhausttips

Just dont get one from anthony espinosa

driven both c63 and isf. sat in m3.

i love the steering in the c63. isf is too sensitive so it feels slightly artificial. because i never driven the m3, i cant say. but the m3 just didnt feel that fast for me compared to the two (maybe the low torque?) and was way too quiet on the street.

for me, the problem with the isf is that it has four seats instead of five and not a lot of room inside.

obviously, i would have either three of them. oh yea, what about the rs4, it comes with a manual.

Oh jesus, the ISF with exhaust :sweetjesus:

i want one now...

2010+ Series 2 comes with LSD. Might want to consider that when you're into buying one. Unless you don't mind the open diff then 2008 is good too.

Series 1 has issues like blown subwoofer, rear view mirror vibration. Otherwise, much more affordable alternative.

It's the low torque on the M3's NA engine.

Same low torque on the RS5.

For 4 doors, the RS4 is what I would get instead of the ISF.

Good luck OP.

dat redline sound :sweetjesus:

get the Lexus if you want the slowest car in the segment

Thanks for all the comments, just to provide some clarity;

I already have a modded E46 M3 that acts as the "fun car", so it really doesn't matter to me if there is a lack of aftermarket or if it's the "slowest car in the segment".

What this car will provide me with is a comfy highway cruiser, dumped on dished wheels, with an exhaust note that makes me smile every time I beat on it :) So the fact that it's auto is really not an issue.

It will get wheels, coils, and full exhaust, nothing more.

Camry + 302 + T5

^ the poor man's is-f?

do it jason, that engine and its variants are tough as nails! I personally have friends who have variants of that engine running beyond 200,000 with just routine maintenance + oil changes

That's what we all keep telling ourselves. :fuckthatshit: