So I'm in the hunt for an ISF but I've never driven one. Just my ES350.

So, normally when I buy a car a drive a bunch of the same car to get a sense for what normal is.

With the F unless I get lucky I'll have to fly/drive to it and buy on the spot.

Any thoughts on how to give me a sense for what an normal ride feels like vs one that's been beat on or worse, wrecked?

Open to ideas.

 

See if some F owners in your local community would be nice enough to let you drive their car? That is what I had to do when in a similar situation.

 

That's a good idea. I reached out to the F crew on Instagram. Is there another way to find local F clubs on this site? I'm in Chicago

Thanks in advance.

 

they have IS F chicago club...search the facebook or instagam. one of the member has a modded GS F... he's a cool guy.

 

First off listen to what your asking for. Normal is a relative term. What’s normal to one person might not be to another. Second how does one go about knowing if the car they have test driven has been beat on? Seriously how does one do that. What I consider beat on might be over kill for you. Wrecked just check carfax and vin plates on panels.

 

Thanks for your response and I can see your point but I'm not talking about a lab test or using the scientific method. I'd also rather have some context vs none. Some data vs none.

And car fax doesn't catch everything as I'm sure you know. To find accident damage requires visual inspection and driving the car.

Cheers.

 

Best thing I can tell you if your mechanically inclined check and finger fu*k everything on the car. Prior to me buying mine I brought a jack and tools with me to check stuff on the car. The owner was nice enough to let me do as I pleased and I couldn’t find a single thing wrong with the car. Even with that mine gave me inconvenient issues months after buying it. Mine was bone stock when I bought it. As far as body damage your right if it’s not reported it won’t show up so check for vin plates matching/missing and seam welds or any welds that don’t look factor.

 

Not to hijack your thread but I have a clean 2011 ISF with 43k for sale.........


https://www.clublexus.com/forums/market/928460

 

No worries on hijacking my thread. haha. A low mile 2011 sounds nice but out of my range. And too bad you don't live in Chicago otherwise I'd request a "test drive" anyway - helping to solve my dilemma. - Cheers

 

I live in Indy and am willing to give you a ride, if your ever this way. We have a few Chicago members.

 

I'm also in the South Bend, IN area if you are ever out this way, you're more than welcome to test drive mine. Not for sale though But yeah, if you're on Facebook join the Chicago F Club and ask, maybe someone more local would be willing.

 

My input from first hand experience. My late wife had a 2008 ES350 and I hated it the darn thing. In my mind the handling was atrocious. Conversely she was not that happy with my ISF. Two very different cars for different people.

Lou

 

Really appreciate that offer! If I'm in the area I will definitely reach out!

 

I think of beat on as a case where prior owners flew over rail road crossings, speed bumps, curbs, pot holes etc.... with no regard for long term vehicle reliability.

That said one can tell as cars treated this way tend to have a lot more rattles. Then you look at the service history and find new shocks at 45,000 mi when they could last 110,000. These are clues into its past telling us useful info.

A good reason to get a potential new purchase in the air and look at the bump stops both compressed and fully extended. If the contact patch is large or stop itself is cracked, splitting or missing, all clues they didn't slow down for much.

Rapid collapse / extension boils the fluid and kills the dampers.... not to mention the bushings and everything else.

 

I’m in Chicago too. Look up Chicago F club on Facebook