Christan

Hi guys it's been a while since i posted on here abut any new experiences i have had, after living with the F, and clocking close to 3000 miles on it (stock) i now can write a very unbiased review (i will try).

First of all, i think the way the car is designed is beautiful. There have been lots of people taking photos of my car and standing next to it and when i come and unlock the doors they actually tell me that 'they did not realise' lexus made such a beautiful looking car. I always beam because I would have bought the IS250 purely because it looked so nice.

I drove my car stock without making any modifications, performance vise whatsoever. I found the ride to be okay, not really as stiff as a lot of people say, but maybe because Malaysian roads aren't that great to begin with anyway, but I know passengers in the back seat did say that it was a tad harsh and they could feel everything. I experienced choppy rides on the car a few times on my way to Singapore on a stretch of Highway, at 180 km/h but it was nothing i couldn't live with but since then i contemplated changing the suspension.

I love the way car performs, in a straight line that engine and that sound is brilliant, the cornering is surefooted enough but definitely not as precise as an m3, you would need a lot more ***** to drive the IS F in the way it's tail happy behind likes to sway around, overall though it is fun because it can be a little intimidating at times. Overall, the car is comfortable and i love the seats. The touch screen works great better than the idrive, mmi or whatever any day, so i do hope that lexus will not impose that mouse pointer thing in future models.

Overall, the car is easy to maintain even though there arent many in my country (bless toyota) and cheap too. It cost me 285 US dollars for an oil change, alignment etc.

There are a few niggly issues here and there but ill
summarise them below.

Pros:
Looks great
Quiet drive but great great sound thereafter.
Great and reliable engine and good power
Good interior
Cheaper maintanence and quiet fuel efficient.

Cons:
it can feel a little heavy (probably because it is)
Steering not as precise and responsive as it could be considering:
Harsh Suspension (it can get very hard)
No customisable settings (e.g. sports/throttle/suspension) awkward positioning of VDIM button - centre console near gear lever would be great.

Undecided:
8 gears.
I think the F really only needs 6. But sometimes when im cruising and do get to 8th gear on the highway, the car is smooth as... and i find myself forgetting i made that comment.

------------------------------------------ 3 months on and i've modded my car!

So here's what i've done to my F.

Aesthetics:
LED front lights and brighter lights for Fogs.
Tinted rear mirrors black
LED light for reverse light.

Performance:
JoeZ intake +
Toms Air Filter
Tein Sport Comfort Coilovers with EDFC (bought these cause there is a lot of support for tein (aftermarket and service) in Malaysia)
Toms Stainless steel muffler system.

i have had this set up for over a week now.
Now the ISF handles like a dream, precise and confident, the sound is even better, it is more comfortable (passenger tested) And most of all I can now add and R to my F. "IS RF" -- is really fast.

I get asked the question often, if you had a chance to do it again, as in buy a car again. Would you still be getting the F? My answer: Abso F-ing lutely. Twice over.

Thanks for all the support here guys. My experience would never have been the same without you guys!

FisforFast

Thanks for the review Christian! I think your review reflects how a vast majority of IS F owners feel about their car. It also goes to show how picky some of them are about the ride, which you and I both find bearable, even though considering how bad the roads are in either countries.

kyang91

iTrader: (5)

Thanks for the review.

Christan

Fist for Fast: I agree, but having switched to a more adjustable suspension system, there is i must admit a marked difference in handling and ride quality.

We have a 997 (911 Turbo) at home and the ride on that thing is amazing considering how low it sits to the ground etc. So i can see where the gripe was.
What i also forgot to mention was, i changed my tire setup from 225s up front and 255s in the back to 235s f/ and 265/r. When my car arrived it was on Bridgestone potenzas it is now on Michellin PS2.

Kyang: no problem

airlaird

After reading many reviews of the F...Once again..it appears the coilover suspension mod seems to bring the F suspension issues to a halt. Great right up...seems like the teins are the way to go..
airlaird

tmf2004

iTrader: (15)

Great write up... but,....................

We need pics...

Christan

I knew you'd say that, so here are some "mobile pics" (teasers) pending proper photography which should happen soonish.

Sorry for the noobish photography. did in like 3 minutes on an iphone lol

http://s846.photobucket.com/albums/ab28/christan77/

bnizzle87

great review sir! i too was looking at an intake + filter set up but primarily would like to keep my F stock. some mods are nice, but i live in an area where cops go crazy whenever the slightest decibel sound of an exhaust is above their liking. other than that, i like the mods you have set up.

Christan

bnizzle87, i love the sound of that v8 in the lexus, it is a sublime sound. I thought long and hard about deleting the cats but decided on a more "free" muffler system in the end because my garage is on the same level as the rooms in my house so if i did come home late it wouldn't be very considerate!

As for power, there is a noticeable increase in power the question is not so much "how much of a power increase" but rather, in the way power is delivered. It is stunning without wading into unfamiliar territory.

My next mods would hopefully involve an LSD unit (but we'll have to see) and a TOMs strut bar lovingly 'donated' to me by my friends for christmas!

anson89

iTrader: (1)

OMFG 1st IS-F in Malaysia FTW! Can't wait to sit my own in Malaysia next Summer Christian! See you there! Hahaha!

CDNROCKIES

Nice review Christan!

Must be pretty cool to have one of only a very limited number of cars in an entire country.

I would suggest that your "undecided" comment on the 8 gears is a little amiss. 7 or 8 are only in play to get you that extra couple mpg that don't exist in a C63 or M3.

Btw, what's the deal with that pos with the propellor on it, in the one pic, next to your F. J/K...it looks ok too.

Christan

HAHA anson: Hope you bring in one here in USB!!!! We could cruise together!
CDNRockies: Which is why i said after that when i am on the Highway cruisin along and i forget why i make that comment. Ahaha over all... i am having a blast with this car. And JoeZ's intake pipe makes the car roar even better. It sounds sick!