If you could do it again, would you?
05-23-12, 05:59 AM
#16
The F is the perfect blend of luxury, speed, comfort, and reliability with all the bells and whistles. I have peace of mind driving this beast knowing that there are numerous owners who have driven the F past 70K with little to no issues. I used to drive it in Auto, but now use Sport + M mode and have not looked back. On the highway around 60 mph I purposely keep it in a gear where I can hear the secondary intake around 3800RPM... I LOVE IT!
I see people taking pictures on the highway, pointing and staring, and even people turn their necks while driving. IMO The car does not need to be modded out of the factory but as time goes on there are more aftermarket parts available for the ISF. If you have 2-3K to spend get headers and you easily get nearly 50whp.
GET IT!
I see people taking pictures on the highway, pointing and staring, and even people turn their necks while driving. IMO The car does not need to be modded out of the factory but as time goes on there are more aftermarket parts available for the ISF. If you have 2-3K to spend get headers and you easily get nearly 50whp.
GET IT!
05-23-12, 06:27 AM
#17
Lead Lap
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: May 2012
Location: SoCal
Posts: 664
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I just got my F for 4 weeks, but only driven it on the weekends. To busy flying and just being home on the weekend. I have my IS250 for 5 years and its great to drive the only thing is missing is power. I should have got one sooner, but my situation didnt allow me to get one. I would absolutely buy one again. Maybe the same one 11 or 12s or even maybe 2nd gen F. I know it doesnt make sense having two of the same car, but thats just how I love the ISF.
05-23-12, 06:54 AM
#18
I would absolutely do it again 100%
I agree with everything said and especially the piece of mind you get from it. I bought because I wanted performance but also knew I wanted a reliable car as I would be doing a lot of driving. I put 33k miles on it in the first year alone after buying my CPO with 24k miles on it. I no currently have put over 50k miles on it in a year and 8 months of ownership. I have had zero problems with the car. One shocking thing and maybe I just don't drive the car hard enough but I am still on the same brakes as the day I picked it up with 24k miles on it. I was told when I bought it I would be lucky to get 25-30k miles out of my brakes and tires. Tires have been around that mark however the brakes are still going strong. I see no reason as to why I won't keep this car till it has 150k+ miles on it.
The F is the perfect blend of luxury, speed, comfort, and reliability with all the bells and whistles. I have peace of mind driving this beast knowing that there are numerous owners who have driven the F past 70K with little to no issues. I used to drive it in Auto, but now use Sport + M mode and have not looked back. On the highway around 60 mph I purposely keep it in a gear where I can hear the secondary intake around 3800RPM... I LOVE IT!
I see people taking pictures on the highway, pointing and staring, and even people turn their necks while driving. IMO The car does not need to be modded out of the factory but as time goes on there are more aftermarket parts available for the ISF. If you have 2-3K to spend get headers and you easily get nearly 50whp.
GET IT!
I see people taking pictures on the highway, pointing and staring, and even people turn their necks while driving. IMO The car does not need to be modded out of the factory but as time goes on there are more aftermarket parts available for the ISF. If you have 2-3K to spend get headers and you easily get nearly 50whp.
GET IT!
05-23-12, 07:43 AM
#20
I did it!
I got my 08 ISF as soon as it was available in Miami, late march 2008. This past february I decided to replace it and got a 2012 ISF. Once you drive an ISF (and I mean in the way it's supposed to be driven), it's really hard to find a replacement that will give you the same feeling. I've driven a coupe DCT M3, loved it! The car is a beauty, but I felt like going back to a 4-cyl due to the low torque. I've also driven a coupe C63 and liked it a lot, but it looks so similar to the regular C-class and they lack many options that are standard on the ISF. Yes, I test drove a coupe CTS-V and it's a monster, but the fun ends there, quality-wise an inferior car with a high power engine. I was tempted to get a Jaguar XF-R but it seems like Jaguar is not reliable these days. My choice was a no brainer, another ISF.
They both (2008 and 2012) drive very similar. So far I've noticed the LSD only when driving agressive in rain, the main difference must be a smoother ride on the 2012 due to the improved suspension. I know people can get 30 MPG on HWY cruising at 55 MPH, not my case. My driving style gives me an average of 16 MPG on HWY, so MPG is not an advantage over an M3 (maybe a very small advantage over a C63 though). Things that I miss from my 08 are the adaptive headlights, the sunroof control (dial **** instead of a push button), and the faster reaction time on the touchscreen controls.
I got my 08 ISF as soon as it was available in Miami, late march 2008. This past february I decided to replace it and got a 2012 ISF. Once you drive an ISF (and I mean in the way it's supposed to be driven), it's really hard to find a replacement that will give you the same feeling. I've driven a coupe DCT M3, loved it! The car is a beauty, but I felt like going back to a 4-cyl due to the low torque. I've also driven a coupe C63 and liked it a lot, but it looks so similar to the regular C-class and they lack many options that are standard on the ISF. Yes, I test drove a coupe CTS-V and it's a monster, but the fun ends there, quality-wise an inferior car with a high power engine. I was tempted to get a Jaguar XF-R but it seems like Jaguar is not reliable these days. My choice was a no brainer, another ISF.
They both (2008 and 2012) drive very similar. So far I've noticed the LSD only when driving agressive in rain, the main difference must be a smoother ride on the 2012 due to the improved suspension. I know people can get 30 MPG on HWY cruising at 55 MPH, not my case. My driving style gives me an average of 16 MPG on HWY, so MPG is not an advantage over an M3 (maybe a very small advantage over a C63 though). Things that I miss from my 08 are the adaptive headlights, the sunroof control (dial **** instead of a push button), and the faster reaction time on the touchscreen controls.
05-23-12, 07:57 AM
#21
Pole Position
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Texas
Posts: 223
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I am happy with my baby. If i had to do it again, i would have probably chosen another f. I love the m3, and as said before the only car i would choose over the f is the gtr.
05-23-12, 12:08 PM
#23
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ca
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ah, bummer! Btw, how do you like it compared to the GTO? I had an LS1, but did headers, cam, etc. was putting out 450whp. I miss POwER, hence my interest in the IS F. What mods can we do in CA that will pass smog? I know there isn't a tune... I can't imagine the exhaust + intake will give 30+whp??
05-23-12, 12:34 PM
#24
I bought my 2008 ISF back in February and although it was more than what I was looking to spend (I was actually in the market for a is250/350), I don't regret any bit of it. I ended up buying the car with 75k miles on the odometer for $35k ($38k after taxes/fees). I haven't had any issues with the car *knock on wood* and I daily drive this thing to and from Fremont to Oakland everyday on 880. You should know how bad the rush hour traffic is. I'm still averaging 21mpg and that's with a heavy foot getting on the freeway and passing cars. It really is a GREAT feeling driving this car everyday.
As far as smog, this has been my big issue when deciding on what mods I want to do since I always had issues with my heavily modded integra before this. I'm assuming you could do intake and exhaust and pass the smog visually and through the sniffer, even though there are no CARB legal parts for our car. As far as the headers go, I talked to my buddy who works at SpeedElement and he said because of California's strict emissions laws, he decided to not do the headers on the F. He said it was simply too much work and hassle. I'm sure even if you were to do headers, you could pass the visual but I know for a fact you'll probably fail the sniffer unless you have high flow CA approved cats put in. I want to do headers sooo bad since the gains are amazing, but I really don't want to try to find someone to "hook" it up when it comes time to smog. If you have that connection, then go for it. GOOD LUCK!
As far as smog, this has been my big issue when deciding on what mods I want to do since I always had issues with my heavily modded integra before this. I'm assuming you could do intake and exhaust and pass the smog visually and through the sniffer, even though there are no CARB legal parts for our car. As far as the headers go, I talked to my buddy who works at SpeedElement and he said because of California's strict emissions laws, he decided to not do the headers on the F. He said it was simply too much work and hassle. I'm sure even if you were to do headers, you could pass the visual but I know for a fact you'll probably fail the sniffer unless you have high flow CA approved cats put in. I want to do headers sooo bad since the gains are amazing, but I really don't want to try to find someone to "hook" it up when it comes time to smog. If you have that connection, then go for it. GOOD LUCK!
05-23-12, 04:07 PM
#25
Pole Position
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Ft. Worth, Texas
Posts: 294
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm in my second F if that says anything. I also owned an E90 M3 in between.
I'm not going to say that the F is a better car than the M3. It is just different. The M3 feels lighter and better balanced to me, but the F is more fun around town due to the added low end torque. You really have to wind the BMW up to get the blood flowing. Also, the auto in the F is smoother than the M-DCT when you are just cruising around town. I do sometimes miss my M, especially when there are 4 adults in the car because the BMW has more rear sear room.
My first F was a 2008 and now I have a '12. There was too much time between the two cars for me to give an accurate comparison of the two suspension setups. However, I do remember my 2008 having more of a propensity to understeer than the new car. Also, the '12 definitely takes the edge off of sharp bumps. I don't track so I'm not sure I will ever see much of a benefit from the LSD, but it is nice knowing I've got one.
I'm not going to say that the F is a better car than the M3. It is just different. The M3 feels lighter and better balanced to me, but the F is more fun around town due to the added low end torque. You really have to wind the BMW up to get the blood flowing. Also, the auto in the F is smoother than the M-DCT when you are just cruising around town. I do sometimes miss my M, especially when there are 4 adults in the car because the BMW has more rear sear room.
My first F was a 2008 and now I have a '12. There was too much time between the two cars for me to give an accurate comparison of the two suspension setups. However, I do remember my 2008 having more of a propensity to understeer than the new car. Also, the '12 definitely takes the edge off of sharp bumps. I don't track so I'm not sure I will ever see much of a benefit from the LSD, but it is nice knowing I've got one.
05-23-12, 04:18 PM
#26
You should try driving an IS350. When I was looking for my car I drove both an '08 F and 350. They felt the same to me in a straight line (although the F sounded wayyy cooler). The handling in the F was more "sporty" ie the car had a rougher ride which is mainly why I went w/ the 350. Also I couldn't justify the price difference for the F upgrades that IMO didn't make it feel enough like a totally different car.
Oh! And yes I would still go w/ the IS350...although I would have waited for one in white.
Oh! And yes I would still go w/ the IS350...although I would have waited for one in white.
05-23-12, 04:48 PM
#28
Driver School Candidate
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: CA
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I know people can get 30 MPG on HWY cruising at 55 MPH, not my case. My driving style gives me an average of 16 MPG on HWY, so MPG is not an advantage over an M3 (maybe a very small advantage over a C63 though). Things that I miss from my 08 are the adaptive headlights, the sunroof control (dial **** instead of a push button), and the faster reaction time on the touchscreen controls.
05-23-12, 05:56 PM
#30
Rookie
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: NSW
Posts: 75
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Abso-bloody -lutly... The F is an amazing piece of kit...
2 years on and it still turns head, brings a smile to my face every time i mash the LOUD pedal..
Nothing sounds quite like the intoxicating ROAR of the F when she hits that 3600 rpm check point...
I hit the gym yesterday , and had a guy eye ball me from the drivers seat of his '10 M3... only to come ask me what it was like to drive... "bloody awesome.". was how i replied..
Us Aussies aint got any headers as yet , but from reading all y'all posts , i think when the pipes are available , it will great to get a set on and listen to her Roar again.!
2 years on and it still turns head, brings a smile to my face every time i mash the LOUD pedal..
Nothing sounds quite like the intoxicating ROAR of the F when she hits that 3600 rpm check point...
I hit the gym yesterday , and had a guy eye ball me from the drivers seat of his '10 M3... only to come ask me what it was like to drive... "bloody awesome.". was how i replied..
Us Aussies aint got any headers as yet , but from reading all y'all posts , i think when the pipes are available , it will great to get a set on and listen to her Roar again.!