RC F Newbie review (1week)
09-04-20, 08:44 AM
#1
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
RC F Newbie review (1week)
Warning: long read and all reviews are subjective and at times, biased. Here are my own $0.02 without any outside influence for my used 2017 RC F with 10k miles
I know there are many lurkers out there for the RC F, trying to decide their next choice among multiple other vehicles. My choice over the past year was pretty broad. My background is roadcourse with much more time on 2 wheels than 4, coached hundreds in the 2 wheel world, so yes, I like performance, even had a barstool racer. Some of my past vehicles included but not limited to the STI, 2 EVO's, 135i, 335i, zl1, cts-v coupe, 370z, g35 coupe, s2000. Here are a few vehicles I had my eye on, most of which weren't even comparable with each other:
RCF (obviously)
C63 S & GLC63 S (used)
x4, x3, m3, m4 (new/used)
ZL1 (had one before)
GTR (who doesnt want one?)
Infiniti's redsport
Palisade, GV80, Telluride
Trackhawk (used but leaning towards new) Almost bought new a year ago, funny story for another thread
Charger Hellcat widebody(new)
GT500 New (would have been the ultimate choice for me but not attainable with mark ups)
CTS-V sedan latest gen Used
So to be honest, I went the day before i picked up the RC F to look at the Charger widebody hellcat new, dealer had a finance that fell through and was waiting on a return from customer, so had to wait. Looks are subjective, but going into this, I would have to deal with personal demons that the widebody was done cheap, along with 90% of the vehicle.
Why I didn't jump on others? I have 2 boys 8 and 10 so I had to keep that in mind which puts the ZL1 out of the equation as I owned the 17' and had the steering wheeling almost against my chest with my younger one in the back. GTR, nothing local and wasn't willing to go elsewhere, last time I looked, had the same issue in the back seats as the ZL1.
Mercedes and BMW, I had two BMWs before, not going to get into another headache, and yes, the stereotype for drivers is real, not 100% but it's definitely there.
Infiniti...... bleh not much to say there, had a g35 coupe back in 04', was a turd, viewed the redsport once in person, never went back.
Kia, Hyundai, Genesis - if the RCF wasn't available, I would have gone next to view these for comfort/luxury; had a sequoia just before the RC F. I said a long time ago I'll never own a Korean vehicle but obviously they have come a long ways.
Trackhawk - while deal was being finalized with bank, wife and kids were demanded in the most rude fashion to get out of the trackhawk we were purchasing (i had the temp tags and keys in my hands already)...... because its a 100k vehicle!!! (what random sales guy yells, more details to the story but I'll leave it there)
Ok, onto my 1 week ownership review....
CONS: Always craving for more power, in the street you would never know I had track time no matter what I am driving/riding but everyone still has that occasional play time. It's one of those quiet mentions when a hellcat or something significant comes your way, you wish you could play.....competitively even if only in a straight line. Definitely want to get an exhaust but the car is just too slow, maybe not stock civic slow but I don't want the car "sounding" more aggressive than it really is. Navigation and touch pad (???), besides music, ill stick to my cell phone geesh. The brake squeal, not so much a negative but I have to put it out there, I find myself regulating the brakes to avoid it and having people at red lights glancing over wondering why i haven't changed out the pads. Final con.... everything is friggin expensive for aftermarket on this car. I forgot just how expensive JDM/import stuff is, well not forgot but the past few days researching have been a harsh reminder
Pros: Ok..... so after my earlier mentions, why the RC F? I like the design/looks, yes my ricer side is coming out, love the quality and interior. Every time I open the door, the damn seats and interior..... gives you that pride of ownership. The drive, there is a feeling of quality you get with just about everything this car does, looks, and feels. The suspension, feels great with spirited driving in the curves, not sure if it will be what I want on a road course but those days are getting slimmer as time goes on with my kids. On long sweepers, the car is planted, with a hump/bump mid corner, it doesn't do the ship at sea swaying motion. Yes it has decent power but its begging for F/I, we will see how long I can hold out. Both my kids love it, they say that sitting in the car, it feels unique. The auto shifts are fast enough, not nearly as fast and brutal like the a10 in the ZL1 but its still good.
That unique word.... there aren't many out there, I really think this is in a class of its own besides the GS F because of its positives and yes, a negative. Most of the population that can afford this vehicle will get an M3/4 but those that can overlook the outright performance and view the total car aren't looking short term ownership, will seek something else like I did. Starting over, if there was a dealer with all the vehicles I mentioned would I still choose the RC F? I can't say for sure that I would, but there are absolutely no regrets with my current decision. There are a couple vehicles I would have been happy or satisfied with, and definitely some on my list that I would have had buyers remorse sooner or later.
My last positive.... the dealerships. We had a GX recently and the service centers we dealt with were 100% great to us. I won't even mentioned other branded dealerships I have had interesting experienceswith, even owning one of their flagship vehicles.
All in all, if the numbers/specs on paper are what matters to you the most, this car isn't for you. But if you have acquired the taste for something more complete and well rounded, I would definitely say put this car on your list and get an extended test drive from the dealership.
I know there are many lurkers out there for the RC F, trying to decide their next choice among multiple other vehicles. My choice over the past year was pretty broad. My background is roadcourse with much more time on 2 wheels than 4, coached hundreds in the 2 wheel world, so yes, I like performance, even had a barstool racer. Some of my past vehicles included but not limited to the STI, 2 EVO's, 135i, 335i, zl1, cts-v coupe, 370z, g35 coupe, s2000. Here are a few vehicles I had my eye on, most of which weren't even comparable with each other:
RCF (obviously)
C63 S & GLC63 S (used)
x4, x3, m3, m4 (new/used)
ZL1 (had one before)
GTR (who doesnt want one?)
Infiniti's redsport
Palisade, GV80, Telluride
Trackhawk (used but leaning towards new) Almost bought new a year ago, funny story for another thread
Charger Hellcat widebody(new)
GT500 New (would have been the ultimate choice for me but not attainable with mark ups)
CTS-V sedan latest gen Used
So to be honest, I went the day before i picked up the RC F to look at the Charger widebody hellcat new, dealer had a finance that fell through and was waiting on a return from customer, so had to wait. Looks are subjective, but going into this, I would have to deal with personal demons that the widebody was done cheap, along with 90% of the vehicle.
Why I didn't jump on others? I have 2 boys 8 and 10 so I had to keep that in mind which puts the ZL1 out of the equation as I owned the 17' and had the steering wheeling almost against my chest with my younger one in the back. GTR, nothing local and wasn't willing to go elsewhere, last time I looked, had the same issue in the back seats as the ZL1.
Mercedes and BMW, I had two BMWs before, not going to get into another headache, and yes, the stereotype for drivers is real, not 100% but it's definitely there.
Infiniti...... bleh not much to say there, had a g35 coupe back in 04', was a turd, viewed the redsport once in person, never went back.
Kia, Hyundai, Genesis - if the RCF wasn't available, I would have gone next to view these for comfort/luxury; had a sequoia just before the RC F. I said a long time ago I'll never own a Korean vehicle but obviously they have come a long ways.
Trackhawk - while deal was being finalized with bank, wife and kids were demanded in the most rude fashion to get out of the trackhawk we were purchasing (i had the temp tags and keys in my hands already)...... because its a 100k vehicle!!! (what random sales guy yells, more details to the story but I'll leave it there)
Ok, onto my 1 week ownership review....
CONS: Always craving for more power, in the street you would never know I had track time no matter what I am driving/riding but everyone still has that occasional play time. It's one of those quiet mentions when a hellcat or something significant comes your way, you wish you could play.....competitively even if only in a straight line. Definitely want to get an exhaust but the car is just too slow, maybe not stock civic slow but I don't want the car "sounding" more aggressive than it really is. Navigation and touch pad (???), besides music, ill stick to my cell phone geesh. The brake squeal, not so much a negative but I have to put it out there, I find myself regulating the brakes to avoid it and having people at red lights glancing over wondering why i haven't changed out the pads. Final con.... everything is friggin expensive for aftermarket on this car. I forgot just how expensive JDM/import stuff is, well not forgot but the past few days researching have been a harsh reminder
Pros: Ok..... so after my earlier mentions, why the RC F? I like the design/looks, yes my ricer side is coming out, love the quality and interior. Every time I open the door, the damn seats and interior..... gives you that pride of ownership. The drive, there is a feeling of quality you get with just about everything this car does, looks, and feels. The suspension, feels great with spirited driving in the curves, not sure if it will be what I want on a road course but those days are getting slimmer as time goes on with my kids. On long sweepers, the car is planted, with a hump/bump mid corner, it doesn't do the ship at sea swaying motion. Yes it has decent power but its begging for F/I, we will see how long I can hold out. Both my kids love it, they say that sitting in the car, it feels unique. The auto shifts are fast enough, not nearly as fast and brutal like the a10 in the ZL1 but its still good.
That unique word.... there aren't many out there, I really think this is in a class of its own besides the GS F because of its positives and yes, a negative. Most of the population that can afford this vehicle will get an M3/4 but those that can overlook the outright performance and view the total car aren't looking short term ownership, will seek something else like I did. Starting over, if there was a dealer with all the vehicles I mentioned would I still choose the RC F? I can't say for sure that I would, but there are absolutely no regrets with my current decision. There are a couple vehicles I would have been happy or satisfied with, and definitely some on my list that I would have had buyers remorse sooner or later.
My last positive.... the dealerships. We had a GX recently and the service centers we dealt with were 100% great to us. I won't even mentioned other branded dealerships I have had interesting experienceswith, even owning one of their flagship vehicles.
All in all, if the numbers/specs on paper are what matters to you the most, this car isn't for you. But if you have acquired the taste for something more complete and well rounded, I would definitely say put this car on your list and get an extended test drive from the dealership.
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1wacko (09-04-20)
09-04-20, 11:42 AM
#2
Lexus Test Driver
Obviously, not nearly as quick as your ZL1 etc., but definitely SHOULD feel much faster than everything your previous cars except the ZL1 even stock.
Last edited by 05RollaXRS; 09-04-20 at 11:48 AM.
09-04-20, 12:38 PM
#3
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Good review. However, was wondering about that. I have had a full exhaust for 2 years so I have forgotten how stock feels like, but it still felt very quick stock when I first drove it. It should not feel "very slow". Mid-12s 0-150 mph in 20 something seconds. It gets to triple digits before I realize. Now with exhaust adding about 20 whp and more than 10K miles and better tires, it is beginning to feel like a beast that is wanting to go fast. As long as I am in sport+/manual mode above 4000 rpm, it really reels in whats on the road very quickly.
Obviously, not nearly as quick as your ZL1 etc., but definitely SHOULD feel much faster than everything your previous cars except the ZL1 even stock.
Obviously, not nearly as quick as your ZL1 etc., but definitely SHOULD feel much faster than everything your previous cars except the ZL1 even stock.
09-04-20, 01:09 PM
#4
Lexus Test Driver
It is a high-revving V8 so the powerband characteristics are very different from most of what you owned. You can think of it like an 8 Cylinder S2000 engine in terms of how hard you have to rev it. However, it pulls very strongly between 4000 rpm to just under 7500 rpm where the powerband is very linear. The down side of that is, you don't feel the speed. It is pulling very consistently so the rate of change of acceleration is minimal unlike VTEC where you get a suddenly surge at 5800 rpm etc. It masks speed deceptively well. Also, modes make a difference where sport+/manual mode is where it really "wakes up".
Having said that, the exhaust does help the midrange a lot. It really thickens the power curve as the following video shows. Again, a disclaimer that this video is not scientific, but since both of them are mashing the pedal in auto mode from a dead stop, it can be reasonably assumed that the RCF with the Invidia full catback is quite a bit quicker than the stock RCF I have the same exhaust. It is phenomenal. Not too aggressive and not too mild. Has a more mellow and smooth/soft tone rather than the brute, muscly-V8 tone of American muscle.
If you are willing to spend more then the RR racing bazook valved exhaust is one of the best options avaiilable where you can open/close the valves.
Having said that, the exhaust does help the midrange a lot. It really thickens the power curve as the following video shows. Again, a disclaimer that this video is not scientific, but since both of them are mashing the pedal in auto mode from a dead stop, it can be reasonably assumed that the RCF with the Invidia full catback is quite a bit quicker than the stock RCF I have the same exhaust. It is phenomenal. Not too aggressive and not too mild. Has a more mellow and smooth/soft tone rather than the brute, muscly-V8 tone of American muscle.
If you are willing to spend more then the RR racing bazook valved exhaust is one of the best options avaiilable where you can open/close the valves.
09-04-20, 07:34 PM
#5
Every car is a compromise. My experience of the F cars is, it may be tough to find a more balanced car with a better driving feel. Lexus should a creating a particular ‘feel’ in their F cars that is unlike any other and I for one really like what they are doing.
a boss hoss these are not. Heck even the LFA is ‘short’ on power.
for weekend thrills there are much faster, for long term ownership there are very few better.
a boss hoss these are not. Heck even the LFA is ‘short’ on power.
for weekend thrills there are much faster, for long term ownership there are very few better.
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bob67 (09-05-20)
09-04-20, 08:32 PM
#6
Lexus Test Driver
09-04-20, 09:28 PM
#7
I dunno, mine is plenty fast for the street. 0 - Jail in no time at all. I will say the car doesn't "feel" fast... which is a big part of the problem maybe?... but honestly I prefer a fast planted car that is a little on the heavy side which not only feels more confident but in this case is more confident at high speed... The RCF is plenty fast for most cars you are actually going to see on the street. I mean, I have yet to even see a Hellcat on the road lest be anywhere near it to "play".... I have maybe seen a Camaro ZL1 on the street twice since they were made. I mean, you obviously made the choice to go with an RCF that will last and passed on an American product that isn't or is going to be in the shop as fast as it hits 60. The Chevy products are not much better then the BMW/Merc/Audi when it comes to reliability... I don't think people mind with Chevy products though because when something inevitably fails it gives you an excuse to dip into the affordable aftermarket and upgrade stuff.
Most of what I encounter on the street that would be contenders are Mustang GT's (A TON), Camaro SS (A FEW), Dodge 392 Cars (SOME). On occasion a C7 Corvette, but those are old guys cruising on the weekend at best... lol. The RCF is capable of playing with those cars (Not the C7).... and at the end of the day you have a better car all the way around... I commute and live in the Tampa Bay area in Florida, maybe that's why... I dunno.
I have 0 brake squeal. I am not sure why some people do.
I agree with the $$$ aftermarket... I chalk it up as the price to pay to have a low production vehicle... but yeah, it sucks.
I have thought about the RRacing FI but honestly I feel it would be wasted for the street as 99% of my driving time won't be racing something faster.
Most of what I encounter on the street that would be contenders are Mustang GT's (A TON), Camaro SS (A FEW), Dodge 392 Cars (SOME). On occasion a C7 Corvette, but those are old guys cruising on the weekend at best... lol. The RCF is capable of playing with those cars (Not the C7).... and at the end of the day you have a better car all the way around... I commute and live in the Tampa Bay area in Florida, maybe that's why... I dunno.
I have 0 brake squeal. I am not sure why some people do.
I agree with the $$$ aftermarket... I chalk it up as the price to pay to have a low production vehicle... but yeah, it sucks.
I have thought about the RRacing FI but honestly I feel it would be wasted for the street as 99% of my driving time won't be racing something faster.
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09-04-20, 09:49 PM
#8
Lexus Test Driver
I have brake squeal on my OEM pads some times, but it is a well known thing since the brake pads are high friction compound pads for the race track. Under a TSB issued because of the complaints, Lexus replace them for free with pads that don't squeal at all, but from the people who got them, they don't have the same stopping power, but still plenty strong for the streets.
Porsche even made a video about it
Porsche even made a video about it
09-05-20, 11:01 AM
#9
You mean even Lexus made a video about it
Lexus: “You have a high performance car! Yo brakes gonna squeal! Calm yo tittays!”
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1wacko (09-07-20)
Brakes plenty good.
09-11-20, 01:32 PM
#11
Driver School Candidate
That unique word.... there aren't many out there, I really think this is in a class of its own besides the GS F because of its positives and yes, a negative. Most of the population that can afford this vehicle will get an M3/4 but those that can overlook the outright performance and view the total car aren't looking short term ownership, will seek something else like I did.
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