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Nice house and at least you have a two car garage for your two cars now. Interesting that your wife is already done with the sports sedan, it seems like she just got the car. For practical purposes she could always get a X3 M40i which is a great little CUV that is more practical than a sedan with an awesome engine. Or there is always the Model Y or Polestar 2 if you want to try an EV.
Nice house and at least you have a two car garage for your two cars now. Interesting that your wife is already done with the sports sedan, it seems like she just got the car. For practical purposes she could always get a X3 M40i which is a great little CUV that is more practical than a sedan with an awesome engine. Or there is always the Model Y or Polestar 2 if you want to try an EV.
Ford Mach E GT Performance. It comes with Magnetic shocks which is pretty nice. Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 are also great competitors.
I do really like the idea of the Mach-E or the Hyundai and Kia twins, though, range anxiety is still a thing for me. I wish BMW made a plug-in version of the X3 - though, there's the NX 450h+... But I know that it's just not going to feel like the same kind of vehicle as the X3. I suppose there's also the Volvo XC60... But, something about their UI scares me. I think there are other options, like the Audi Q5 plug-in hybrid, which might be a better compromise. But, my wife seems like she has found her brand, BMW, and wants to shop them first and perhaps only them. Nothing wrong with that - I have to say, I have enjoyed pretty much everything about ours so far - except for the hands-free trunk release's failure only a couple months in, I suppose, but even that's not a huge deal for a feature we seldom used.
I mean, if money was no object, I'd wait for the new Macan EV, or even just ****** up one of the ICE versions for now and trade up later, assuming the range is good.
I keep bringing up range because I live over 260 miles away from my family, who I visit a few times a year. Sometimes, they drive themselves here, but most of the time, it's my wife and I who are going in their direction. I'll have to see what sort of EV chargers are on the way there - as it might be doable if we could just stop once in each direction. Where they live, it's a pretty small town with limited charging opportunities, and I am not sure if they have an outlet we could use to charge an EV. These are all things I'd probably know by now if we did have an EV or were seriously interested. After all, I do recall seeing a couple of Teslas the last time we visited, parked at random houses we passed on the highway in the middle of the country between small towns. So it must be possible!
For now, I am still mandating "fun" driving has to be part of the equation, too.
Yesterday, I did another mountain run with some friends again - this time, a guy who just took ownership of his IS F and another who has a modified Lancer Evo IX. Sadly I didn't manage to take any more photos than these where I was waiting to meet up with the guys.
Of course, one reason to go up to the North GA mountains is to simply enjoy the views. Beyond the mountains you see in these photos, there's lots of green farmland to look at on the way up. There's a country feel to the area but thankfully, in a good way.
Naturally, it's fun to chase some faster cars on fun roads, but I should mention a couple of the surprising aspects of this mountain run. One was, people regularly pulled over to get out of our way. This was appreciated, as it stood in contrast to a few notable times where someone would be driving very slowly and just refused to let us by. Another was that I think I sleep on my own car a bit. Now that I am in these Lexus meets all the time, it's all about the IS F now and the modified cars. Mine is bone stock - original suspension, original brake pads, original exhaust, and original tires. I haven't even changed the air filter yet. Even so, I didn't get completely left in the dust by the F or the Lancer Evo except on the more open sections of road. The original intent was "Just a cruise, nothing too fast", but I really had to be liberal with my speeds there to close the gap. Their idea of a cruise, with more horsepower and better suspension, is about where I put "fast"! To give you an idea, I'll just say I don't use fourth gear for actual accelerating in spirited driving often. I was able to at least keep up. Maybe the favorable weight balance compared to the IS F combined with my summer tires versus his Continental DWS06 Plus helped out. Though, the Mitsubishi was running some Falken Azenis summer tires - 275-width at all corners! I suspect he was not going full blast.
Could I picture our BMW 330i keeping a similar pace out here? Well, with the all-seasons it is currently wearing, no. Those tires give it no chance of hanging on in the tight corners. I think it'll be interesting to ditch the run-flats and put some proper tires on there.
I think I can say now that the IS 350 is probably more capable on a back road than most people think. A good way to push the limits of a car safely is to ride with people who know the roads, and I definitely went a little quicker than before. I managed to keep it reasonable, though, with no noticeable understeer. Considering that, I have to say I think this car is actually worthy of being called a sport sedan. I feel genuinely comfortable driving the car fast now, and I think I would've kept pace with those guys even more if I had better brake pads or fluid. That's really the only issue I observed - I think I smelled my brake pads cooking a couple of times. Though, in fairness, I don't typically go fast like this and try to save my brakes. It was fun, though, to let loose a little.
I think something that came to mind after this experience is how bending the rules a little is just part of the experience of being a car guy or a "driver" if you will. We agree to do things that are dubious as long as we feel it's "safe" or "responsible". You could argue that the rare opportunities to do so make it more rewarding. Having said that, I ought to end a post like this with "Don't try this at home".
Recently, I had the rare opportunity to drive a 2022 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance, in fact, that very Ultrasonic Blue Mica 2.0 example in the photo above, thanks to the owner @DLPTony . See, this is what I love about having a community, both online and between people in a region. We can share knowledge and experiences, and with car people, just having people who share our interests around is welcome. Anyway, Tony was very gracious and let me have as much fun as I could in a downtown Atlanta setting. So, how was it?
In a word, familiar. At first, you might think I am ignoring the very important changes to the hood, and well, under it. Yes, I can see the hood bulge from inside the car, but it's what it represents that is so enticing about the 500. The engine and transmission, however, do not change the core identity of the IS. This car drives like a hot-rodded IS 350, which is not inherently bad. In fact, it might be the IS we all really want. Well, not everyone-everyone, but, you know, the self-centric version of "everyone". What I mean is, a more hardcore IS might detract from the things that make cars like my IS 350 good - it's fun, but not so shouty or springy to make my mother-in-law sweat while I am driving her around. In fact, I bet I could drive someone in this car without them even hazarding a guess that it has performance intentions.
I bet you thought I was talking about the IS 350. If so, yes, but also no. I was talking about both.
The IS 500 is pretty darned soft if I am being honest. When it rolls over cracked pavement, it responds by saying "Oh, by the way, there's some stuff here, just thought you should know, but you don't need to go around it or anything." It rides very well. I'm not sure if it's the Adaptive Variable Suspension (which my IS 350 lacks) or something to do with the different weight of the IS 500, but it rides at least as well, if not better, than my IS 350 does. The steering, too, is firm without feeling heavy, which gives me confidence but doesn't suggest to me that this car is ready to attack. The transmission is even smoother than the one in the IS 350 when I drive it in auto mode in Normal. It kinda drives like a luxury sedan... Makes sense, considering.
Just when I think that maybe the IS 500 is a bit too lazy, I put the car into Sport S+ (a name Lexus chose because, you know, Sport Plus was already taken) and give it a little more beans, and my, my, do things wake up. While the suspension isn't noticeably firmer, the transmission becomes a lot more willing to keep the car higher in revs per minute. Using the paddles commands shifts that are crisp, with minimal delay to their responses. This is all starting to feel a bit RC F. However, then when turning, I remember it's no F. Yet, I get the approval to smash the go-pedal from low speeds, and all hell breaks loose.
The lines are getting blurry. No, not the ones on the road. This car is quick, but not that quick. What I mean is, this car is fast, but it's certainly not a track car. It's almost like this is a sort of, I don't know... Grand touring car.
Huh.
I mean, all the ingredients are there. You start with an IS 350, swap the V-6 for a V-8, re-tune the suspension a bit, and presto, you have an IS 500. What was the expected outcome? Well, the past version of me who hasn't driven one would tell you "Oh, it'll probably be largely similar to the IS 350, but fast as **** in a straight line because V-8 go brrr."
I am surprised only by how correct past-me was. Is that a good thing? I'd say, yes. This car simply gives us what we've been asking for. Journalists who review the IS 350 are broken records of "Well, it's great, but needs more power." "The chassis is good and can clearly take more power." The list goes on. Now, we have it. The result? Journalists love this stupid thing, and so do I.
But, at the same time, it took me some thinking before I came to that conclusion. At first, I was underwhelmed. "This thing drives exactly as I thought it would!" How silly of me. Isn't that all you can ask of a car? There's some novelty in things that are unfamiliar. Look at those VWs I drove. They were exotic and different for a Toyota/Lexus loyalist like myself. They were also the first turbocharged cars I'd driven, with the first dual-clutch gearboxes in any cars I'd owned. Not only that, they were the first Euro cars, too (made in Mexico). That's a lot of novelty. When I got back into an IS, the 2021 that I have, it just felt right. Novelty was there - I mean, yay, Mark Levinson and actually having the RWD car this time. But, it felt very much the same as my 2016 in most ways. Therefore, it follows that driving the IS 500 felt entirely familiar outside of the drivetrain. Drives like an IS. Huh, who'd have thunk it?
As for mine, I've been trying to enjoy the heck out of it. I've decided that, IS 500 or not, I have one now, and if I am going to get rid of it, I should enjoy it some more first.
I mean, look at it. It still looks almost the same as an IS 500, especially to an untrained eye. And, what I've realized is that the handling is still impressive to me. It has such great grip, in fact, perhaps the most road-holding ability of any car I've owned. Understeer has never been a thing in this car. It's not like I push to 10/10ths, but I have driven it pretty quickly through corners on occasion, enough to max out the car's G-force meter. Never did I feel like the car was getting out of sorts. It's amusing how this car just says, "All right, sure" undramatically no matter what road I throw at it. And, what's more, I just love showing up to friend/family functions in it. Even though I've had it for over a year, I still get asked about it. "Oh, did you do something to it? Looks different." No, it's just a great-looking car, and I am allowed to have those, thank you.
I just got notified I got a raise, even though I haven't been at my new job a full year yet. I was not expecting that. I know it's kind of stupid to just leverage the additional income to upgrade my ride, but also, without giving away any personal details, I'll say the budget has gotten a little easier for me anyway. So, I don't think it would be insane to do this, even if it is something I don't really need. I work from home as it is, and my car basically exists to do milk runs and to be a toy right now... which also has me thinking about other cars. Maybe I don't need four doors. Something still usable like an M240i or S5 would work well, or, since my wife has the four-door should we need it, I could theoretically go even smaller. (Z, anyone?) Though, I hate to make my wife's car the go-to for anything that involves more than the two of us, so, rear seats are preferable. In any case, the fact that I still love the IS 350 makes this all kinda moot, but I thought I would share where my head has been lately.
I say definitely get the IS500.
Yes you will pay more now for it but it will retain its value much better than IS350.
V8 NA powered sport sedans are not long for this world.
If you want more capable car that is super fun on backroads - highly recommend driving a Cayman and a 911 that are optioned right. If you want a manual then new 86/BRZ are great. Lots of great cars out there lol
Recently, I had the rare opportunity to drive a 2022 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance, in fact, that very Ultrasonic Blue Mica 2.0 example in the photo above, thanks to the owner @DLPTony . See, this is what I love about having a community, both online and between people in a region. We can share knowledge and experiences, and with car people, just having people who share our interests around is welcome. Anyway, Tony was very gracious and let me have as much fun as I could in a downtown Atlanta setting. So, how was it?
In a word, familiar. At first, you might think I am ignoring the very important changes to the hood, and well, under it. Yes, I can see the hood bulge from inside the car, but it's what it represents that is so enticing about the 500. The engine and transmission, however, do not change the core identity of the IS. This car drives like a hot-rodded IS 350, which is not inherently bad. In fact, it might be the IS we all really want. Well, not everyone-everyone, but, you know, the self-centric version of "everyone". What I mean is, a more hardcore IS might detract from the things that make cars like my IS 350 good - it's fun, but not so shouty or springy to make my mother-in-law sweat while I am driving her around. In fact, I bet I could drive someone in this car without them even hazarding a guess that it has performance intentions.
I bet you thought I was talking about the IS 350. If so, yes, but also no. I was talking about both.
The IS 500 is pretty darned soft if I am being honest. When it rolls over cracked pavement, it responds by saying "Oh, by the way, there's some stuff here, just thought you should know, but you don't need to go around it or anything." It rides very well. I'm not sure if it's the Adaptive Variable Suspension (which my IS 350 lacks) or something to do with the different weight of the IS 500, but it rides at least as well, if not better, than my IS 350 does. The steering, too, is firm without feeling heavy, which gives me confidence but doesn't suggest to me that this car is ready to attack. The transmission is even smoother than the one in the IS 350 when I drive it in auto mode in Normal. It kinda drives like a luxury sedan... Makes sense, considering.
Just when I think that maybe the IS 500 is a bit too lazy, I put the car into Sport S+ (a name Lexus chose because, you know, Sport Plus was already taken) and give it a little more beans, and my, my, do things wake up. While the suspension isn't noticeably firmer, the transmission becomes a lot more willing to keep the car higher in revs per minute. Using the paddles commands shifts that are crisp, with minimal delay to their responses. This is all starting to feel a bit RC F. However, then when turning, I remember it's no F. Yet, I get the approval to smash the go-pedal from low speeds, and all hell breaks loose.
The lines are getting blurry. No, not the ones on the road. This car is quick, but not that quick. What I mean is, this car is fast, but it's certainly not a track car. It's almost like this is a sort of, I don't know... Grand touring car.
Huh.
I mean, all the ingredients are there. You start with an IS 350, swap the V-6 for a V-8, re-tune the suspension a bit, and presto, you have an IS 500. What was the expected outcome? Well, the past version of me who hasn't driven one would tell you "Oh, it'll probably be largely similar to the IS 350, but fast as **** in a straight line because V-8 go brrr."
I am surprised only by how correct past-me was. Is that a good thing? I'd say, yes. This car simply gives us what we've been asking for. Journalists who review the IS 350 are broken records of "Well, it's great, but needs more power." "The chassis is good and can clearly take more power." The list goes on. Now, we have it. The result? Journalists love this stupid thing, and so do I.
But, at the same time, it took me some thinking before I came to that conclusion. At first, I was underwhelmed. "This thing drives exactly as I thought it would!" How silly of me. Isn't that all you can ask of a car? There's some novelty in things that are unfamiliar. Look at those VWs I drove. They were exotic and different for a Toyota/Lexus loyalist like myself. They were also the first turbocharged cars I'd driven, with the first dual-clutch gearboxes in any cars I'd owned. Not only that, they were the first Euro cars, too (made in Mexico). That's a lot of novelty. When I got back into an IS, the 2021 that I have, it just felt right. Novelty was there - I mean, yay, Mark Levinson and actually having the RWD car this time. But, it felt very much the same as my 2016 in most ways. Therefore, it follows that driving the IS 500 felt entirely familiar outside of the drivetrain. Drives like an IS. Huh, who'd have thunk it?
As for mine, I've been trying to enjoy the heck out of it. I've decided that, IS 500 or not, I have one now, and if I am going to get rid of it, I should enjoy it some more first.
I mean, look at it. It still looks almost the same as an IS 500, especially to an untrained eye. And, what I've realized is that the handling is still impressive to me. It has such great grip, in fact, perhaps the most road-holding ability of any car I've owned. Understeer has never been a thing in this car. It's not like I push to 10/10ths, but I have driven it pretty quickly through corners on occasion, enough to max out the car's G-force meter. Never did I feel like the car was getting out of sorts. It's amusing how this car just says, "All right, sure" undramatically no matter what road I throw at it. And, what's more, I just love showing up to friend/family functions in it. Even though I've had it for over a year, I still get asked about it. "Oh, did you do something to it? Looks different." No, it's just a great-looking car, and I am allowed to have those, thank you.
I just got notified I got a raise, even though I haven't been at my new job a full year yet. I was not expecting that. I know it's kind of stupid to just leverage the additional income to upgrade my ride, but also, without giving away any personal details, I'll say the budget has gotten a little easier for me anyway. So, I don't think it would be insane to do this, even if it is something I don't really need. I work from home as it is, and my car basically exists to do milk runs and to be a toy right now... which also has me thinking about other cars. Maybe I don't need four doors. Something still usable like an M240i or S5 would work well, or, since my wife has the four-door should we need it, I could theoretically go even smaller. (Z, anyone?) Though, I hate to make my wife's car the go-to for anything that involves more than the two of us, so, rear seats are preferable. In any case, the fact that I still love the IS 350 makes this all kinda moot, but I thought I would share where my head has been lately.
Nice write up! Just love that photo there
IS350 definitely does have adaptive variable suspension as an option. That said.
If I were you. I would update your 350 to the 500. Even though the engine is quite old (even though I have been critical on how old it Is), it’s a once in a lifetime chance to own this experience. I think the 5.0 works better in the IS than it does in the LC because it has “heritage” from the past IS. I also like how Lexus does not flash V8 anywhere on the car as well, very non pretentious IMO. Could even de-badge the IS500 script as well. The iridium colour is special too. Would be even better if you custom ordered it and had to wait …that is a special
YOLO….nice raise…,I say go for it….I’m rooting for you
Haha thanks, all. I am still giving it some thought. Right now it's pretty hard to come by used ones, so it may end up being a new 2023 or '24 model if it happens. Of course there are other ways I could go. Overall I still find myself feeling very fortunate with both our cars and not feeling super motivated to change yet - even for the V-8 lol!
First, you are more than welcome, the car needs to be driven to be fully understood. What was written couldn’t have been said any better.
Out of my 5 Lexus’s, this car makes me want to drive it every chance I get. It will be 5 months of ownership soon and I had my 5K mike check up yesterday. Five thousand miles and I work from home, so what on God’s Green Earth am I doing?! 😂
The ML is super-freaking amazing, but half the time the stereo is off. The V8 is all the soundtrack you need, no matter the speed. 😉😍
Ultra-Congrats on the raise my friend! Thank you so much for inviting me to join the car group. The experience has been awesome. 👍🏽
As many of you have no doubt seen, I recently had a chance to drive a 991.1 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 for a whole day in the San Francisco Bay area. This experience got my gears turning. It had been some time since I drove a real sports car like that 911; heck, I had not even so much as driven a rental Mustang or Camaro. When I drove the 911, I remembered that speed is not why people buy sports cars. Yes, 350 horsepower in a car that weighs 3200 pounds is not bad in terms of power-to-weight, and the car certainly gets out of its own way. Sports cars tend to be faster than average, but I don't think that's why they exist. No, I think the real selling point of these cars is the driver immersion in the experience. In that 911, even with its much-derided electric power steering, I felt all the interactions of chassis and road through the seat and through the steering wheel. However, it was never crashy or harsh, making the Carrera seem like something of a sport-touring coupé rather than a track beast. It was, in short, a sensational car to tool around in, let alone attack a winding road.
However, I couldn't help but feel just a little bit fatigued after a few hours out and about. We could blame it on the traffic or perhaps the somewhat droning exhaust system of this particular car. It had a valved setup, which was quite docile when closed, but sometimes it still vibrated or let lower frequencies into the cabin. In spite of that, I think that's just partly the nature of the car - it gives me a lot of sensory input, which takes brain power to process, incidentally, even if most of said input means nothing to me when I am driving down Highway 101. '
... Not so much when it comes to my 2021 Lexus IS 350. F Sport, yes, but not F Sports-Car. This car is a proper four-door sedan, with a normal-car step-in height, relatively quiet exhaust setup, and plenty of space for the front-seat occupants to stretch out. Yet, if I look at the interior, I immediately notice something. It's cocooning, and the seats are more bucket-y than I would get in most cars of this class, outside of dedicated performance variants like AMG and M cars. When I drop into the car, it feels sports-car-like without going all the way. Something about sitting in this car gets me in the mood to go driving. Yet, unlike the 911, I can drive this car 200 miles in one day and still be up to take it right back out for some grocery shopping afterwards. Yes. That is how I spent my day yesterday.
I decided to take it out to the mountain roads again. My first choice was Richard B. Russell, which seems to be the most well-known road of this type in the area. This means I usually run into some other folks who are out doing the same thing as I am, and I did. I met two very nice motorcyclists named Ashwin and simply "Dee", who also happened to be in the software engineering discipline like myself. I also encountered perhaps the largest number of Audis I've ever seen in one day, especially if you count the 5 TTs that I saw. There was even a stock Q3... with a roof rack mounted to it, bombing through the hills. Hilarious.
Anyway, I wanted to return to these roads because the 911 reminded me that it's fun. Well, that Porsche is what many would consider a "real sports car"... This Lexus is not, as I have stated prior. It's all a bit insulated from the road, with the suspension filtering out most imperfections in the pavement with no issues. The steering, while nicely weighted and providing some modicum of feedback, is also nowhere near as communicative as the worst steering to be offered in a 911. While hated-on, that 991.1 still had better steering than most cars I've driven. Anyway, the Lexus's steering, at least, provides a more natural feeling than something like a GTI with its variable-ratio setup, or a modern BMW 3-series, but it's still nothing that wriggles in my hands.
The engine, too, has some personality in its sound and its mechanical nature - sports car things, right? But, it's not incredibly rewarding to wring it out like it would be in a 911. The transmission is similar - it gives me a little kick on the upshift in manual mode, and the engine braking on downshifts it notable, too. However, it's all a bit lazy in its responses compared to PDK or ZF 8-speed auto. Personality, not performance.
Did I have a good time? Yes. This car still delights me at how effortless it is to pitch into a corner. Sure, the drivetrain is less effortless. I feel as though I have to keep it above 4000 RPM for it to really feel strong, which is not something I'm keen to do for extended periods of time on my daily driver, which has to survive between oil changes. Yet, for the few times I allow this, it is nice to hear the V-6 purr, and it pairs nicely with the confidence inspired by the car's stabile yet agile handling. Brakes held up excellently as well - no fade here, and a very progressive, linear feel - none of this grabby nonsense from many other brands. That is a trait this car genuinely shares with the 911 - well-tuned brakes. The cynical among us may say it is because Lexus is re-using a car from 2014 without bothering to update the braking, but I say, if it's excellent, milk it. Maybe a slight spin on "It it ain't broke, don't fix it."
All in all, this car is worth driving 1.5 hours just to get to a good road. It's fantastic. And guess what? None of the bikers or other random folks I encountered batted an eye at it. This Lexus sedan was not exactly screaming "I was speeding on my way here". Then, I had another 1.5-hour drive home, and my wife informs me as I arrive that it's time to stock up on groceries. We hop right back into the Lexus and take it to Publix. Am I tired? Nope.
That's what is so beautiful about this car - I can drive it literally all day long, without being tired, while having fun with it. I think a lot of cars think about how to impress the driver on an initial test-drive, or what will wow the auto journalists. This one seems like it was designed to be used in the real world. Is it a true luxury sedan? Perhaps not. Is it a sports car? Heck, no. However, I can, at various times, pretend that it is either of those things, or both at once - making this a real sport sedan.
This post serves absolutely no purpose, but I thank you for letting me share it with you.
Well, I took the IS in for its almost-15,000-mile service. And what do you know? I forgot to tell them not to wash the car. And I've paid for it, unfortunately.
Not only do the wheels look even dirtier than when I arrived, they are now scratched and swirled. "Well, we put about 150 cars a day through that car wash and never see any issues." Well, how about now? <points at wheels>
Thankfully, they agreed to try and re-finish them - i.e., strip the existing wax from the wheels and re-wax and polish them. Hopefully that works; in the meantime, I've been loaned an RX 350 to tool around in.
So yeah. 2021+ IS 350 owners (except for DHP-equipped cars), just say no to dealership car washes!
03-01-22, 07:56 PM
After all, I do recall seeing a couple of Teslas the last time we visited, parked at random houses we passed on the highway in the middle of the country between small towns. So it must be possible!
