1QWKGS4

iTrader: (3)

Hey Gang,
I've been along time CL member and most of ya'll know me so don't think this post is a Bash on the F but my test drive was very disappointing and I want the 'F' members or members who has driven the 'F' extensively to give some insight.

Today, I was at Bimmer store looking at a 3 Series coupe because my girl wants to trade her MB350 for one. I was happily willing to do the footwork for her. After looking at the Bimmer, I saw a Red F on the next lot at the Jag Store. I go over to take a peep. I was offered a drive. I was very excited as this is my first drive with the 'F' the car was a trad-in with 11k miles an '08 model.

The Test Drive - Got her on the feeder (inside hwy in Texas) - F seemed pretty much like a stronger IS350 below 3k rpm and then the second air intake kicked-in after 3K, it was unexpected and very pleasant but seemed alittle weak for a 400 horse car, so I 'thought' to myself. I got her into some stop-n-go situations and she's very stout but to me felt like the car was not operating in full-power like it was in 'limp mode" or something. I drove her pretty hard as the Jag sales guy was eager for me laid the pedal to the metal. i did a couple of red light-out of the hole launches - never got a chirp or wheel spin out of the tires?!?! At my next stop - I put the car in 'Sport' mode and disable traction control - nothing changed in power except maybe the car drove tighter. Got her on the hwy and she was strong but i'm tellin ya my modded GS could have taken this Specific F-car, We were open and i had 2 mile stretch before the highway split North/South.. I was doing 40-45 mph and I punched her seemed like it took forever to reach 100mph.. I was quite puzzled, what the heck is going on here??? I was disturbed, disappointed and shocked.. I told the Sales guy - i don't know what to say - i've own alot of high powered cars and my only explanation is something is wrong with this particular 'F'.. Its unfortunate that this 'F' was my first F's test drive.
We got back to the dealership and he said he will run a carfax so the report comes back clean but it already had 3 owners in 11k miles?!? I did remember the 2nd intake sound was very muffled sounding?There has to be something wrong with this car..?? I saw that the car was registered in IL, MI, AL, TN..

Could it be a faulty 'F' or an very abused 'F'??

vraa

iTrader: (2)

Sucks bro, something was wrong
The reason I went to wider tires in the back was because I got tired of chirping from 1st to 2nd and then 2nd to 3rd!
Plus who knows with those Momentum guys, half the Jag/Volvo had lobotomies

DRE1615

Unfortunate experience. This is a weird statement, but to most people, the ISF in normal mode doesn't "feel" that fast. B/c it is dialed down a hair. Not in power just in responsiveness. Most people actually call normal drive, limp mode. I have absolutely no excuse for when you had it in sport. If you are trying to stomp from 8th gear to 1st, that will take some time. The shifting speed comes with just miles of driving. You learn what to do to make it shift to your likeness.

Again, bummer. Hard to explain

testmetest

Were you, your GF, and the saleman in the car? Is he fat? There is a huge difference from just me driving vs. driving with 3 people.

Maybe it is a bad car. 3 owners in 11k miles? Can you contact the old owner and ask why he sold it?

350PsDMeuP

iTrader: (1)

were you at dealer off of 59?

vraa

iTrader: (2)

Had to be, only place the Jag and Bimmer places are next to each other
Yes this makes a BIG difference!
What? Normal reduces hp? No I do not think that is true, I think it just reduces responsiveness. Which doesn't matter if you're kicking down though as we all discussed in another thread (the one where someone was having slow shifts in manual sport mode because the tranny was moving sequentiallyl, but in auto mode it skipped gears to downshift)

IS-Fly168

iTrader: (1)

My advice to you is get the K and N intake and the Blitz throttle controller. Totally different car with these two simple mods. I swear my G37 was faster than my F when I test drove it the first time. I personally think Lexus messed up on the gas pedal, its too too heavy especially for most ppl that are geared toward 400+HP Most ppl probably agree with me that the gas pedal is not responsive at all on the F especially if you are not in Sport mode. Get the Blitz throttle controller, it totally changes the gas pedal response and the tranny shifts hella faster too, mainly cause it dont gear hunt anymore with the Blitz. I tried it on the highway and without the Blitz it downshifts from 8th to 6th, maybe 5th if you are pedal to the metal. But even when it downshifts, it seems to gear hunt for a split second before going into the appropriate gear. with the Blitz, It went from 8th to 4th on the highway with absolutely no hesitation and it put a hella big grin on me afterwards. Btw, no way your Gs is faster than the F, unless you got forced induction. It just feels more responsive if you ask me.

vraa

iTrader: (2)

Dude the guy hasnt even bought the car and is wondering if it's normal for it to feel slow, and you're already telling him to get and intake and throttle controller?

I feel like bashing my head against the wall sometimes!
Lobux where are you!!!

LEXUSF

iTrader: (3)

all i gotta say is that maybe it was not working up to par? i will let u drive mine when i down visiting the folks and show u it was not a normal IS-F!

kickhard

LOL I was saying the same thing to myself. I mean modding this car with all that stuff and this car might have problem plus it was only a test drive he doesnt even own it!!! Take the time to read and understand the original post. LOL

3 owners in just 11k kinda tells you something. This car could have been a buy back from lexus. This is also not the first time that I have heard what the OP has said.

My stock car chirps in 1st and 2nd no problem and even though this car gets to 100mph quick to me its very quiet and subdued.

btwanky

sounds like sport mode wasnt enabled

n0th1ng

iTrader: (9)

i would goto a lexus dealer to test drive the F and tell us if you feel any difference..

t0e

iTrader: (1)

You know I was having the same issues with my IS350....

So I spent an entire day (wasting gas) smashing on the pedal....

By the end of the night, it was kicking down to 2nd gear from 6th--on the freeway..

Usually, it would jump from 6th to 4th.. Takes the ECU some time to get out of "Baby Mode."

Maybe you should have them reset the ECU -- then take it out for a spin again.

tmf2004

iTrader: (15)

I would say the same thing. Go to another dealer and test a new one..

IS-Fly168

iTrader: (1)

I was basically trying to point out the same, by letting him know that I got a blitz to improve response and intake to add hp, but we got so many rude comments here already by other forum members. I read the entire post, if I wanted to be a dikc like some of you guys, I would have busted his chops instantly and said hes retarded by saying his GS feels faster. My suggestion was to get those two items if he did buy the F, whether that particular red one or a brand new one and only if he bought one. Why does everyone make such a big fuss over simple suggestions on this forum? let me ask you, why even bother replying if everythings self explanatory. No one should even reply but say to him, buy the 3 series you were originally looking at, he had no original intentions to buy a F. So it all comes down to everyone wasting time explaining that the red F has problems, So is everyone gonna bash their head on the wall?