Hi everyone, I've been lurking this forum for a very long time and I think it's finally time for me to come out of my nutshell and ask questions. I know that many of these questions may have been asked already, so I apologize in advance.

So recently I came across a Lexus ISF with 700 miles on the clock (demo car), year 2011 and been sitting on the showroom of a local Lexus dealership for a year or two now. Should i worry about anything or is it perfectly fine ?

My daily drive is a '12 C63 coupe, but it's a family owned car so I'm planning to get my own car. I gotta tell you that thing is very very fun to drive. The amount of low end torque that thing has is just perfect for city driving. C63 + crappy roads = headache. I'm wondering if the ISF would be somewhat similar to it, maybe more comfortable ?

Warranty issues. I believe if i purchase a 2011 ISF off the dealer, the warranty out of the 4-5 years is cut down by 2 years ? If that is so, would it be wise to purchase extended warranty. I ask this because I'm planning to keep the car.

Gas mileage. I'm just curious of what MPG everybody gets through highway + city driving combined. I won't be complaining about gas prices and fuel economy as this question is just out of curiosity.

That is all for now, thank you all in advance !

 

Compared to that AMG that you're currently driving (nice car, by the way), the IS-F will feel a little less harsh over rough roads, get vastly greater gas mileage (I get 24-26 on the highway and 17-19 city... my average for the last 4000mi is 19.9mpg and that includes sitting in some traffic, driving like I stole it, and normal commuting duties as well), and will give you less of a headache (and repair bill) down the road. The Benz is a tick faster though, stock for stock, and has an insanely aggressive exhaust note. But you don't have to listen to me, these comparos have been done plenty of times by all sorts of magazines and youtube car reviewers.

Yes, your warranty will be cut "in half" so to speak if you buy a 2011. It depends on a few things, but the warranty will generally expire in 2015. The good news is that extended warranties are relatively cheap on this car. If you've been lurking, there are several threads about Jerry, which is where you should purchase your warranty.

Lastly, I would not worry about a car that was a demo with only 700 miles on it. If they offer you an appropriate deal, consider it a good find! It's virtually a brand new car that they won't be able to charge brand new prices for.

 

1) A 2011 with 700 on the clock seems like a great find; I don't think you have anything to worry about. The only issue would be the battery, which has probably suffered from sitting for a few years. I'd request a replacement if the dealer has not already done so.

2) The remaining warranty on the car should be sufficient. This is not a C63 or M3 - there are very few major issues with the IS-F. Toyota manufactured, Toyota reliability.

3) This is NOT the car you should get if comfort is a primary concern. I also drive a c63, but that car is significantly more comfortable to drive than the IS-F. The IS-F has really stiff suspension, which makes the car (literally) bounce around. You will feel every single imperfection on the road. Running over potholes in a C63 may seem bad, but running over potholes in an IS-F is far worse. Do a simple search on the forum; the harsh ride can be a deal-breaker.

4) My C63 probably gets 17 mpg mixed and 20 highway. The IS-F has consistently gotten 27 mpg highway (during long road trips) and 23-24 mpg mixed. Of course, this all depends on your style of driving - the harder you drive the car, the faster the numbers will dwindle. You should know this coming from a C63. It's going to be hard to drive slow, but with the prices at the pump, I've tried my best to crawl from A to B.

I hope this helps!

 

I have 09 ISF, the suspension is pretty stiff, sometime the crappy roads gives me headache but according to other members here with 2011 and 2012, the suspension is a lot better now.

 

Last weekend I took a trip out to a vineyard and basically cruised at 80mph in 8th gear for about 70 miles. It was a peacful drive and I got 26.8mpg which blew me away. With my normal commuting (50:50 city/hwy) I'm averaging around 18mpg which I still think is outstanding for a 400+hp car. And I do get on it a lot.

The older ISF's have harsh suspension (but not as awful as people make it out to be). But over the years it's been improved so with a 2011 things are much better. The ISF is still primarily a sportscar though so if comfort is a big factor, maybe check out the new F-Sport GS...they're really nice.

But I think a 2011 ISF with 700 miles is definitely something to pursue.

Warranty is up to you...these are reliable cars though. I suspect if/when I do have a problem it's going to be something electrical since they're so much tech in the car. But with 60k on the clock the car has been troublefree.

 

That car should be an exceptional deal. Most dealers, not all....have their cars on a floorplan, which means they pay interest on these cars each month. Having a new car over a year old also hurts them in the aspect of getting new inventory, that car counts against them.....Other dealers pay for their cars outright and dont floorplan them......this dealer would also like to free up his cash and get rid of it. Good luck in your dealings! You will enjoy the car immensely!!!

 

I'm not so sure the warranty will be reduced. If the car was a demo, it was never registered, and should be sold as a new vehicle. The warranty should start on date of sale and registration. This is a question for the dealer, but I believe you should receive the full Lexus New Car Warranty.

Lou

 

The 0-60 is almost identical. The top end is limited to 155 mph. With the drivers package it will run with us. Not all that impressive given the extra herd of horses.

 

I think the 2012 suspension is great for city and highway. Stiff but not uncomfortable.

 

hi everyone. thank you for your responses. I'm still considering it because although i'm buying the car i have to account for opinions within my family as well. On another note, it's actually 700 KM not Miles on the car, which is another plus!!
Do you think i can haggle a few thousand off the car ? BTW i live in canada if that makes a difference.
Thanks everybody for your responses !

 

You cant go wrong with the ISF.

 

Anything under 1,000 in any metric is basically new. ;-)

You can try to haggle a bit...just tell them you are considering a local private party used 2011 with 7k miles on it which is $5k cheaper. Tell them you'd prefer the dealer car but need a reason to spend more. They may come down in price, or try to throw in an extended warranty, etc.. Something at least.

 

I have only had my ISF for a week. Vehicle before was an 08 M3. That car was like the C63. Headache on bumpy roads and uncomfortable on long drives... The ISF is amazing... Fast, comfortable, and decent MPG.... So far, im combined at 22.2 MPg according to the gauge. I dont a lot more freeway drving then city though. I used the ISF for long drives to work and the truck for city driving. No offense but I dont like MB. I have driven the C63 AMG, super fun and fast car but I just dont like anything about MB. I think you will be very happy in the ISF...