metalgear

dooo it! IS-F FTW!

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

I don't own one but have driven one a few times and been a passenger.
That's great the ride is fine for you but some IS-F reviewers don't agree.
Here's some quick finds.
Edmunds.
"Bone-jarring suspension,"

The Lexus Enthusiest
"low speed driving has a tendency to be jarring, no matter how smooth the road."
"Well, there were times when the suspension felt just too stiff,."

Motor Trend
"The ride is fairly brutal,"

The IS F needs a electronically adjustable sport/comfort suspension option for a better ride and I think you'll see that available in the IS-F soon.
No doubt it's a great machine but not for a daily driver,IMO.

mikez

Unless this is a must have, you wont experience it again in life since you are going retire in like 10 years, I wouldn't finance a car for more than 3 years max unless the interest is really really low.

DASHOCKER

iTrader: (2)

6 years is too long a time period to finance a car a used car. If you require 6 years then this is too much car for you.. Keep what you have, pay it off & then shop for the car of your desire at a later time. Don't end up like the other CL member with the thread in the clubhouse who gave the bank sorry excuses & could not keep up with the payments of his 3rd gen GS. Be smart about it bro.

OutCaster

iTrader: (1)

yea you guys are right, 6 years is too long, 5 max. thanks! i will be patient

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

Good move!

mmarshall

CALL it harsh, Faymester. That is EXACTLY what the IS-F's ride is.......harsh, over almost anything but glass-smooth pavement. Any other term to describe it doesn't really do it justice. Even auto-enthusiast magazines, who are used to stiff-riding vehicles, have complained about it. The IS-F I reviewed last year thumped, bounded and hopped up-and-down over bumps like a porpoise.

Now, of course, that doesn't mean that OutCaster shouldn't buy one, if he (or she) can tolerate that kind of pounding over bumps. The IS-F has a lot going for it, quality-wise, and, except for the excessively stiff suspension, is an excellent sports sedan.

OutCaster, besides the economic questions of actually buying or trading for one, consider that insurance for an IS-F, particularly if (?) one is a younger unmarried male with a less-than-perfect driving record, is likely to be much higher than for an IS250. GEICO, in general, gives the lowest insurance rates, but they are often picky about who they will sell policies to.

As far as trade-ins go, in general, with average driving mileage (10 to 15K a year)
the best time to consider a trade is usually when the car is three to five years old. That is because depreciation (the general lessening of value as a car ages) is highest in the first two years (particularly in the first year), and starts to flatten out in the time period from 3 to 5 years, like a parabola curve. After 3-5 years, the depreciation each year slows down considerably, but, of course, the car is aging by then, and you face the prospect of things like new tires, brakes, timing belt, major maintenance, etc.... so you start to put more money into it. So, usually, 3-5 years is a good compromise between depreciation and the eventual cost of routine repairs.

In your case, of course, OutCaster, you are asking the question of trading a less-expensive 08 IS250 for a much more expensive, but same-year, 08 IS-F. I've already mentioned the insurance question, but, in your specific case, I guess the main issue is if you want the IS-F that much that it is worth the potential cost of trading. And a used IS-F in tip-top shape may not be easy to find.....not that many of them were sold as new cars (certainly not in the same numbers as the BMW M3), and the ones that WERE sold (and put on the used-car market) may have been driven pretty hard. If possible, try to find one that will qualify as a certified Pre-Owned Lexus....those cars have been re-conditioned, carefully inspected, and carry a special warranty.

Kelley Blue-Book is an excellent website for helping you determine used-car values and trade-ins.

http://www.kbb.com/

NADA is also useful but somewhat less comprehensive.

http://www.nadaguides.com/home.aspx

Byprodrive

iTrader: (1)

The wonderful world of cars is filled with compromises. Maybe a good compromise for you would be to get a IS350. In any event if you can sell your car yourself you should save $1,000 - $3,000.

OutCaster

iTrader: (1)

very nice tidbit mmarshall, thanks for the insight!

mmarshall

Sure..anytime.
Buying a car is generally not something to be taken lightly.....there's a lot of things to consider.

I see you're in Austin. Though I'm almost a lifelong Virginian, I spent some time there...many years ago, before it was the size it is today. Nice area. Some picturesque places just west of town, in the Texas Hill Country, to take your new car for a nice drive, once you decide on it. Watch for armadillos, though.....they pop up out of nowhere, especially at night.

Did my softmore year at A.N. McCallum High School, off Koening Lane, near Lamar Blvd, in north Austin. You know where it is?

CDNROCKIES

Tons of FAIL in this thread....especially from non-owners.

Check out the IS F forum itself and you'll get some opinions from people that actually own the car and use it as a daily driver.

mmarshall

I did check it out (I've also seen some of the posts before) Opinions, there, differ on the subject of IS-F ride quality, just like they do here in CL. In general, many owners found it stiff but tolerable.....the smoother the road surface, the more tolerence they had.

There is very little "FAIL" in this thread, in the sense that you are using the term.