Should I Get An IS-F?
10-19-18 | 10:51 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 274
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From: FL
Should I Get An IS-F?
Am I crazy? I'm probably done with my 2016 IS lease in about a year. But, I don't really want to purchase the car after the lease is up. Now I'm thinking of buying a Lexus and keeping it. The ISF just came up and damn, now I want one. I think my wife will think I'm crazy if I tell her I'm getting in reality, an older car. I just never thought the market for this car would be so tough. When you find one at a decent price, the next day it's sold. I wish I knew about this car way sooner.
Anyways, what I'm trying to say; is it worth it?
I think finding the right ISF might also take some time.
Anyways, what I'm trying to say; is it worth it?
I think finding the right ISF might also take some time.
10-19-18 | 11:32 AM
#2
Rookie
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 95
Likes: 6
From: British Columbia
I used to own a 2015 Lexus IS250 and I was itching to get rid of it for an IS-F. I finally done it just last month, and it is absolutely worth the switch and depreciation.
Just like you, I wish I knew about the IS-F earlier and bought it from the get-go. My IS-F is a 2008 starfire pearl with the series 2 package (ML Audio, navi, backup cam etc)
You think its tough to find a decent IS-F in the US? Just come to Canada, only 560~ out here
Just like you, I wish I knew about the IS-F earlier and bought it from the get-go. My IS-F is a 2008 starfire pearl with the series 2 package (ML Audio, navi, backup cam etc)
You think its tough to find a decent IS-F in the US? Just come to Canada, only 560~ out here
Last edited by 3ISOwner; 10-19-18 at 11:39 AM.
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CarlitoIS (10-20-18)
10-19-18 | 12:55 PM
#4
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Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 3,086
Likes: 972
From: Indiana
faster... yes. Better is subjective.
i am 32 and have owned 34 cars of all makes and models. I bought an 08is350 18 months ago and fell in love with the platform. I finally bought a 13 ISF this spring. I kept both cars because they are so good and well built. Everyone thinks my 08 is a new car because of how well it has held up.
I have a daily driver that everything works, it looks new, it gets 27 mpg, looks good and nothing is more reliable. It also runs mid 13s.
I have a good weathered pampered F that rarely loses a race, has all the above attributes and is truly a rare car, plus it sounds like “thunder” according to my friends. I personally think nothing is better than this platform. My only complaint is there isn’t much room for my taller friends when we all take my car. It’s cramped for 4 adult men. I can deal with that though, my family is small and I’m only 5’9”. I wish a I could add 2-3 inches of legroom though.
in 10 years I will still have both cars. I don’t care what comes out in that time frame.
If my car were a woman, she would have been the one that ended my wild dating days. She is the keeper.
good luck in your search.
10-19-18 | 01:27 PM
#5
Pit Crew
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 139
Likes: 34
From: Tennessee
I would say, find one and test drive it. Decide after you have sat behind the wheel. We are very biased, but the truth is that these really are great cars. Check out the thread at the top of the forum for more info about what to look for if you get serious.
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CarlitoIS (10-20-18)
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10-19-18 | 02:27 PM
#8
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 674
Likes: 50
From: CA
Any thoughts on RCF? Or is that out of price range? 2015 can be had for like low to mid 40K's now.
Only bringing this up because I'm curious to see why people choose ISF over RCF or the other way around.
Note: ISF owner here
Only bringing this up because I'm curious to see why people choose ISF over RCF or the other way around.
Note: ISF owner here
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CarlitoIS (10-20-18)
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10-20-18 | 07:22 AM
#10
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 274
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From: FL
Interesting. Faster and better? Sure. But price range? Reliability? I wonder what sedans you are talking about. I do want to test drive the IS-F. I think there's a 2008 model at my local Lexus dealer.
10-20-18 | 09:58 AM
#11
faster... yes. Better is subjective.
i am 32 and have owned 34 cars of all makes and models. I bought an 08is350 18 months ago and fell in love with the platform. I finally bought a 13 ISF this spring. I kept both cars because they are so good and well built. Everyone thinks my 08 is a new car because of how well it has held up.
I have a daily driver that everything works, it looks new, it gets 27 mpg, looks good and nothing is more reliable. It also runs mid 13s.
I have a good weathered pampered F that rarely loses a race, has all the above attributes and is truly a rare car, plus it sounds like “thunder” according to my friends. I personally think nothing is better than this platform. My only complaint is there isn’t much room for my taller friends when we all take my car. It’s cramped for 4 adult men. I can deal with that though, my family is small and I’m only 5’9”. I wish a I could add 2-3 inches of legroom though.
in 10 years I will still have both cars. I don’t care what comes out in that time frame.
If my car were a woman, she would have been the one that ended my wild dating days. She is the keeper.
good luck in your search.
I have owned mine for 9 years and plan on driving it into the ground.
If it got totaled today I would go pick up a new M3 with an extended warranty.
10-21-18 | 10:17 AM
#12
Racer
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,502
Likes: 73
From: On a sand dune
Of course asking if you should get an IS-F in an IS-F forum will get you some biased replies.
Still I bought mine straight from the dealer for 2 reasons, Love the way it looks and the sound is like nothing I've heard.
Seeing how rare it's become I'm keeping the IS-F until it drops dead (hope that never happens), in the UK I believe there's only like 130 registered IS-Fs and the number is reducing.
Everyone that's seen the car just sits there wondering WTF is that, then they hear the exhaust and love it.
Having said that I'm not sure if I was in your position and had the money to buy a new car that I would go this route because it is a 10 year old car, and maybe the bandwagon has already passed to truly benefit from all the perks the car can give.
The final question is do you want a car that's faster or reliable? if it's faster then go buy something newer and live with the crappy exhaust sound lol, if it's reliability and plan on keep the car for 10 years or so then maybe the ISF will tick all the right boxes.
Still I bought mine straight from the dealer for 2 reasons, Love the way it looks and the sound is like nothing I've heard.
Seeing how rare it's become I'm keeping the IS-F until it drops dead (hope that never happens), in the UK I believe there's only like 130 registered IS-Fs and the number is reducing.
Everyone that's seen the car just sits there wondering WTF is that, then they hear the exhaust and love it.
Having said that I'm not sure if I was in your position and had the money to buy a new car that I would go this route because it is a 10 year old car, and maybe the bandwagon has already passed to truly benefit from all the perks the car can give.
The final question is do you want a car that's faster or reliable? if it's faster then go buy something newer and live with the crappy exhaust sound lol, if it's reliability and plan on keep the car for 10 years or so then maybe the ISF will tick all the right boxes.
10-21-18 | 02:07 PM
#13
Moderator
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 3,086
Likes: 972
From: Indiana
The newer m3s feel faster with their low end torque. I didn’t like the M3 personality as much as the F. The M3 was stock though. They are great cars. I would never own one because I have many hesitations against German cars. Some of it may be the hype and America’s disdain for German car repair bills.
10-22-18 | 07:26 AM
#14
Driver
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 199
Likes: 16
From: VA
Personally, I would not buy an ISF from a newer gen IS car. The design and tech is just way too old. I'd aim for an RC-F at this point. Maybe a used newer gen M3, F10 M5 with extended warranty or M6? Now if you are getting a deal on the ISF thats different.
10-22-18 | 09:10 AM
#15
Test drive it and see for yourself, better yet test drive a lightly upgraded one. There's been quite a few members on the FB groups go from 3IS to ISF and have zero regrets.
The car is a little dated but it's only getting rarer, far rarer than CTSV, SS, M3, C63 etc. There's not too many sub $40k 4 doors out there that can hit mid 12's and 28mpg highway that you can also trust to almost never see the shop. Even the cheapest RCF or M4 is about $40k so that makes little sense to compare, especially when you can get even faster cars than them for that much. I went from a 2013 Infiniti to an 08 ISF and have zero complaints, honestly the ISF had more tech. I will hit the 2 year ownership mark here in another week, and have put 50k miles on it without a single issue. I contemplated upgrading to an RCF, 392SRT, 5.0 Mustang, or even C63 but decided to just upgraded the LCA bushing(highly recommend Figs or USRS) and headlights and boom, it's like a new F. Now I am trying to say no to headers/tune, but the want to hit 11's is real!! My favorite thing is not seeing any other ISF on the roads and having people have no idea what it is.
The car is a little dated but it's only getting rarer, far rarer than CTSV, SS, M3, C63 etc. There's not too many sub $40k 4 doors out there that can hit mid 12's and 28mpg highway that you can also trust to almost never see the shop. Even the cheapest RCF or M4 is about $40k so that makes little sense to compare, especially when you can get even faster cars than them for that much. I went from a 2013 Infiniti to an 08 ISF and have zero complaints, honestly the ISF had more tech. I will hit the 2 year ownership mark here in another week, and have put 50k miles on it without a single issue. I contemplated upgrading to an RCF, 392SRT, 5.0 Mustang, or even C63 but decided to just upgraded the LCA bushing(highly recommend Figs or USRS) and headlights and boom, it's like a new F. Now I am trying to say no to headers/tune, but the want to hit 11's is real!! My favorite thing is not seeing any other ISF on the roads and having people have no idea what it is.