Just curious [why buy an isx50 instead of an IS-F?]
02-06-16, 07:25 PM
#1
Just curious [why buy an isx50 instead of an IS-F?]
Hey guys...
just curious i've noticed a lot of you guys mod your isx50....and with that being said not putting a little amount of money into it...but a decent amount especially when you put some nice wheels on.
how come you guys decided to buy an isx50 instead of an IS-F...for the amount of money some of you guys are putting into your cars id figure you'd want much more car than an is250 which is much much slower and an is350 which has decent speed.
i made the jump from an is250 a year later into an ISF because the amount of money i was starting to spend on the is250 was just stupid when i could have an ISF for only a couple hundred more a month.
my 08 is250 was 23k OTD and i know some of you guys had spent way more than that. My 2010 ISF was 40k OTD with just an extra year or so of payments and a couple hundred more a month...insurance isn't that much more either. Gas on the other hand HA. 16mpg compared to 25.
i put 4-6k into my is250 which is about 1.5-3 years of an extra amount towards the car payment for my ISF now. TBH it was WAY worth it.
just curious i've noticed a lot of you guys mod your isx50....and with that being said not putting a little amount of money into it...but a decent amount especially when you put some nice wheels on.
how come you guys decided to buy an isx50 instead of an IS-F...for the amount of money some of you guys are putting into your cars id figure you'd want much more car than an is250 which is much much slower and an is350 which has decent speed.
i made the jump from an is250 a year later into an ISF because the amount of money i was starting to spend on the is250 was just stupid when i could have an ISF for only a couple hundred more a month.
my 08 is250 was 23k OTD and i know some of you guys had spent way more than that. My 2010 ISF was 40k OTD with just an extra year or so of payments and a couple hundred more a month...insurance isn't that much more either. Gas on the other hand HA. 16mpg compared to 25.
i put 4-6k into my is250 which is about 1.5-3 years of an extra amount towards the car payment for my ISF now. TBH it was WAY worth it.
02-06-16, 07:52 PM
#2
Lexus Champion
Hey guys...
just curious i've noticed a lot of you guys mod your isx50....and with that being said not putting a little amount of money into it...but a decent amount especially when you put some nice wheels on.
how come you guys decided to buy an isx50 instead of an IS-F...for the amount of money some of you guys are putting into your cars id figure you'd want much more car than an is250 which is much much slower and an is350 which has decent speed.
i made the jump from an is250 a year later into an ISF because the amount of money i was starting to spend on the is250 was just stupid when i could have an ISF for only a couple hundred more a month.
my 08 is250 was 23k OTD and i know some of you guys had spent way more than that. My 2010 ISF was 40k OTD with just an extra year or so of payments and a couple hundred more a month...insurance isn't that much more either. Gas on the other hand HA. 16mpg compared to 25.
i put 4-6k into my is250 which is about 1.5-3 years of an extra amount towards the car payment for my ISF now. TBH it was WAY worth it.
just curious i've noticed a lot of you guys mod your isx50....and with that being said not putting a little amount of money into it...but a decent amount especially when you put some nice wheels on.
how come you guys decided to buy an isx50 instead of an IS-F...for the amount of money some of you guys are putting into your cars id figure you'd want much more car than an is250 which is much much slower and an is350 which has decent speed.
i made the jump from an is250 a year later into an ISF because the amount of money i was starting to spend on the is250 was just stupid when i could have an ISF for only a couple hundred more a month.
my 08 is250 was 23k OTD and i know some of you guys had spent way more than that. My 2010 ISF was 40k OTD with just an extra year or so of payments and a couple hundred more a month...insurance isn't that much more either. Gas on the other hand HA. 16mpg compared to 25.
i put 4-6k into my is250 which is about 1.5-3 years of an extra amount towards the car payment for my ISF now. TBH it was WAY worth it.
It's funny because not so long ago we head a thread about why buy an IS250 instead of IS350 and that went on for a long while. With answers ranging from AWD (on earlier years) to slight difference in Mpg and price.
Basically the IS250 is good for those who want an IS but don't care about speed but more about image and luxury. Oh and AWD I guess... And the 350 is for people who want "enough" power for a daily driver and what not. In the end the real reasoning was Price. A newer lower mileage 250 is easier to find than a 350 and it cost less on average. Especially if buying new of course.
As for why I didn't buy an ISF, don't get me wrong. I WANTED an ISF lol, and now that tunes are available I REALLY want one
BUT..when I was buying my IS350 I was upgrading from a low 15 second BMW. So my car was a rocket compared to that thing AND had reliability and luxury the BMW couldn't match. However I was keeping myself to a budget of about $20,000 and as you know an ISF at the time was still about $35,000 for a decent one.
In the end I don't regret my IS350 one bit. If I had gotten an IS250 I would have regretted it for sure. But my car provides enough power to pass most cars on the road and looks great while doing it. Plus I save a few Mpg's compared to an ISF (not that it really matters to me anyway lol).
I was actually also considering trading my car in and getting an ISF but decided not to, since I already spent about $2000 on it. Plus I would end up owing whatever I owe for the 350 on top of the payment for the F. So F that lol. Sorry for the long post
02-06-16, 07:56 PM
#3
I was 18 when I bought my is350, saved up every penny from the time I was 15. Given my circumstances, I was not at a point were I was able to afford an ISF. I paid 20k for the 350 and isf atm was going no less than 40-42k. (This was back in 2010 so there wasn't many used isf to begin with) after modding the car out, you kinda just let the hp go? For me I've commited enough to not go back or, not worth the switch anymore. I would want to try out a different make for my next car.
Not everyone has the same circumstances as you OP, there's a reason Lexus offers 3 different models
Ps, isf don't come awd,
250 was mainly bought for AWD and MT
350 was the affordable option for those out of the F league(myself included)
Not everyone has the same circumstances as you OP, there's a reason Lexus offers 3 different models
Ps, isf don't come awd,
250 was mainly bought for AWD and MT
350 was the affordable option for those out of the F league(myself included)
Last edited by Icy350; 02-06-16 at 08:06 PM.
02-06-16, 08:04 PM
#4
Lexus Champion
I was 18 when I bought my is350, saved up every penny from the time I was 15. Given my circumstances, I was not at a point were I was able to afford an ISF. I paid 20k for the 350 and isf atm was going no less than 40-42k. (This was back in 2010 so there wasn't many used isf to begin with) after modding the car out, you kinda just let the hp go? For me I've commited enough to not go back or, not worth the switch anymore. I would want to try out a different make for my next car.
Not everyone has the same circumstances as you OP, there's a reason Lexus offers 3 different models
Ps, isf don't come awd,
250 was mainly bought for AWD
350 was the affordable option for those out of the F league(myself included)
Not everyone has the same circumstances as you OP, there's a reason Lexus offers 3 different models
Ps, isf don't come awd,
250 was mainly bought for AWD
350 was the affordable option for those out of the F league(myself included)
Pretty much what i was trying to say as well , only shorter lol. I was only 19 when I got my IS350 back in 2014 (yeah I'm young) so getting something like an ISF was basically impossible unless I had help from my parents which I refuse. I'd much rather know that I got my own car this time without any help from anyone than the other way around. Guess it was just a pride thing but yeah..
Also like Icy350 said, everyone has different circumstances and that's why Lexus made 3 different cars. That's one of the main reason why most 250 owners have a 250. Lower initial cost, lower payments, with the same image
02-07-16, 05:23 AM
#5
I bought my IS350 in October 2006 when it was still the fastest Lexus model at the time. Lo and behold, exactly three months after my purchase, Lexus unveils the then new IS-F at the the Detroit Auto Show on January 2007. When I inquired at my dealership about trading in my still new IS350 for the IS-F, they wanted to severely lowball me on the trade in value. Hence why I've had my IS350 for nearly 10 years now with plenty of mods to show for it!
02-07-16, 09:27 AM
#6
At the time I needed a new ride (early 2011), I had a budget in mind and the IS350 I picked was right there at my max. The IS-F (at the time) was just way too expensive to budget the monthly payments.
Good thing is that this year it'll be paid off and the monthly pymts I can start building up my "mod budget". LOL! J/K, saving for something bigger and better...perhaps a GS-F, when some used ones come on the market.
Good thing is that this year it'll be paid off and the monthly pymts I can start building up my "mod budget". LOL! J/K, saving for something bigger and better...perhaps a GS-F, when some used ones come on the market.
02-07-16, 09:29 AM
#7
Lexus Champion
At the time I needed a new ride (early 2011), I had a budget in mind and the IS350 I picked was right there at my max. The IS-F (at the time) was just way too expensive to budget the monthly payments.
Good thing is that this year it'll be paid off and the monthly pymts I can start building up my "mod budget". LOL! J/K, saving for something bigger and better...perhaps a GS-F, when some used ones come on the market.
Good thing is that this year it'll be paid off and the monthly pymts I can start building up my "mod budget". LOL! J/K, saving for something bigger and better...perhaps a GS-F, when some used ones come on the market.
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02-07-16, 12:23 PM
#9
i totaled my first car which was a 2006 mitsubishi eclipse v6 gt, my mom matched what i put in and i got an is250 around may 2015. i just totaled a car so i couldn't argue for anything faster than what i was getting, i couldn't complain lol. originally i was looking at is300's and g35s
02-07-16, 03:51 PM
#10
Some people just like modifying cars. And not every mod is about performance. And people have different budgets. Some people would rather spend 25k on a 350 and 10k on mods making it really unique, rather than 35k on a stock isf.
02-07-16, 06:56 PM
#11
The IS350 is at a kind of sweet spot, VERY quick, still has creature comforts like the cooled seats and full rear seats, and is still a far cheaper option. The ISF is still almost $10k more than a comparable IS350 (same mileage), I simply could not justify the additional 10k, my budget was $20k Now, in another year or two when they are closer to 20k or under I will likely buy a lower mileage ISF and keep my IS350 as a daily driver. If I financed a car I might consider just going for the ISF as if I am going to have a car payment I might as well drive an F, I just don't like the idea of not owning my vehicles, it's a very uncomfortable feeling.
That being said, there are other things that have me a little undecided about the F. First, the added 300lbs, the fact that it uses EXPENSIVE tires, and costs more to insure, also, the models that I would be considering are the 2008's at this point which have a kidney busting ride quality (as reported by many). The hood bulge is also a little unsightly, as are the fender flares IMO. Last thing, I have heard that the throttle response around town is actually better in the 350, likely due to the high final drive ratio and gearing. I love the way the 350 feels around town, it feels like it always has a ton of power. Still, I would love to have an ISF someday...probably in the next year for me as first I need to get a house+garage to put the cars in
Man, you guys that got these cars in college must have had some great jobs, or parents. I drove a paid off Acura Legend 6MT coupe and barely had enough for food and rent every month, I was lucky to save $400 a month, I am definitely envious as it was DAMN difficult to save for my IS350; I bought it as a college graduation present to myself.
That being said, there are other things that have me a little undecided about the F. First, the added 300lbs, the fact that it uses EXPENSIVE tires, and costs more to insure, also, the models that I would be considering are the 2008's at this point which have a kidney busting ride quality (as reported by many). The hood bulge is also a little unsightly, as are the fender flares IMO. Last thing, I have heard that the throttle response around town is actually better in the 350, likely due to the high final drive ratio and gearing. I love the way the 350 feels around town, it feels like it always has a ton of power. Still, I would love to have an ISF someday...probably in the next year for me as first I need to get a house+garage to put the cars in
Man, you guys that got these cars in college must have had some great jobs, or parents. I drove a paid off Acura Legend 6MT coupe and barely had enough for food and rent every month, I was lucky to save $400 a month, I am definitely envious as it was DAMN difficult to save for my IS350; I bought it as a college graduation present to myself.
Last edited by soloist3; 02-07-16 at 07:00 PM.
02-07-16, 08:41 PM
#12
The IS350 is at a kind of sweet spot, VERY quick, still has creature comforts like the cooled seats and full rear seats, and is still a far cheaper option. The ISF is still almost $10k more than a comparable IS350 (same mileage), I simply could not justify the additional 10k, my budget was $20k Now, in another year or two when they are closer to 20k or under I will likely buy a lower mileage ISF and keep my IS350 as a daily driver. If I financed a car I might consider just going for the ISF as if I am going to have a car payment I might as well drive an F, I just don't like the idea of not owning my vehicles, it's a very uncomfortable feeling.
That being said, there are other things that have me a little undecided about the F. First, the added 300lbs, the fact that it uses EXPENSIVE tires, and costs more to insure, also, the models that I would be considering are the 2008's at this point which have a kidney busting ride quality (as reported by many). The hood bulge is also a little unsightly, as are the fender flares IMO. Last thing, I have heard that the throttle response around town is actually better in the 350, likely due to the high final drive ratio and gearing. I love the way the 350 feels around town, it feels like it always has a ton of power. Still, I would love to have an ISF someday...probably in the next year for me as first I need to get a house+garage to put the cars in
Man, you guys that got these cars in college must have had some great jobs, or parents. I drove a paid off Acura Legend 6MT coupe and barely had enough for food and rent every month, I was lucky to save $400 a month, I am definitely envious as it was DAMN difficult to save for my IS350; I bought it as a college graduation present to myself.
That being said, there are other things that have me a little undecided about the F. First, the added 300lbs, the fact that it uses EXPENSIVE tires, and costs more to insure, also, the models that I would be considering are the 2008's at this point which have a kidney busting ride quality (as reported by many). The hood bulge is also a little unsightly, as are the fender flares IMO. Last thing, I have heard that the throttle response around town is actually better in the 350, likely due to the high final drive ratio and gearing. I love the way the 350 feels around town, it feels like it always has a ton of power. Still, I would love to have an ISF someday...probably in the next year for me as first I need to get a house+garage to put the cars in
Man, you guys that got these cars in college must have had some great jobs, or parents. I drove a paid off Acura Legend 6MT coupe and barely had enough for food and rent every month, I was lucky to save $400 a month, I am definitely envious as it was DAMN difficult to save for my IS350; I bought it as a college graduation present to myself.
To answer OP's question, not everyone is performance and speed orientated so owning a fast car like an ISF is not what they are looking for. IS250 and IS350 are great cars that serves the purpose of the owner whether it may it the aesthetics, MPG, or AWD.
Last edited by F Monster; 02-07-16 at 08:46 PM.
02-07-16, 09:36 PM
#13
Lexus Champion
Before I joined this forum, I was dead set on an IS250 because of the LED headlights then people on this forum persuaded me and many others that 250's are grandma's cars so I shopped for an IS350, white on black which is EXTREMELY rare if you're shopping for a used one. I kept looking around for one for about 2 years and eventually gave up. In those two years I found a better job and eventually saved up enough money to easily purchase an IS350 but at that point I was looking into an F since they were getting more into my price range. The IS350's are faster from 0-60 I believe, but after that the F just keeps on pulling into triple digits. I love everything about my F, the bulge of the hood, quadtips tailpipes, and the side fenders are definitely my favorite. Insurance is only $20 more for me in an F than a 350 so it was a no brainer, gas.. well... it gets less MPG only by 1-2 from an IS350 so it's not a big difference. Reliability remains the same, the only really "downfall" is performance tires which if you are shop savvy you should be able to shop for similar priced tires compared to an IS350. Although performance tires are expensive, they do last pretty long as long as you don't beat on the car, my F has original Michelin Super Sports from the dealership and it has 34k miles on it now. There are still some threads on it, maybe another 1k-2k and I'll change it. I'm still in college and working full time while financing my F.
To answer OP's question, not everyone is performance and speed orientated so owning a fast car like an ISF is not what they are looking for. IS250 and IS350 are great cars that serves the purpose of the owner whether it may it the aesthetics, MPG, or AWD.
To answer OP's question, not everyone is performance and speed orientated so owning a fast car like an ISF is not what they are looking for. IS250 and IS350 are great cars that serves the purpose of the owner whether it may it the aesthetics, MPG, or AWD.
Just to be clear I still want an ISF really bad, but it wouldn't be worth trading my 350 for it. Maybe in the future after I pay off my ride I'll consider it but I'm most likely going after something bigger and better , something like a GS-F
Last edited by Tro209; 02-07-16 at 10:27 PM.
02-07-16, 10:10 PM
#14
Lexus Champion
I bough IS250 for the wife and IS350 for me. I mod my IS350 but non on IS250. After year we trade it in for ES350. But wish I went with IS-F but back then the price was pretty high.
