Koolsport

I usually don't race, but....2 days ago at a stoplight a WRX STI pulls up and when the light turns green i started accelerating not thinking we're going to race, then I hear his intake open up hard and he begins to try to pass me so I floor it, he keeps up when he hits second but then the Fsport intake and Tanabe is screaming and I start pulling away. First race in years big adrenalin rush, but I love the Lexus 350 6cyl. and the low gearing!

v8MyFusion

I go to Mexico almost every week to do some spirited driving. I have "driven" against almost any car you could think of... sti, wrx, evo, dodge viper, corvettes, c63amg, diesel trucks, g35/37, ctsv, is-f, 335i, ect... you get the point. Most people are surprised when I beat them. But yeah the IS350 is definitely a sleeper.

v8MyFusion

although I'm not saying I won the IS-F, CTS-V, or c63AMG. But it was closer than both of us excepted.

Tro209

Whatever you do, don't post that In the ISF section... Last time some one made a comparison thread the ISF guys defended it to death the difference is too substantial to be close. As a matter of fact one of them posted a video of it to prove it lol. And the gap between the two cars was pretty darn huge

TsunamiF

There's plenty of "IS350 vs ISF" videos on YouTube that show the drag race in favor of either car (especially with so many variables coming into play such as reaction time, proper launching from a dig, tires, etc). Obviously, the ISF should win the majority of the races but what v8MyFusion is implying is that there is an expectation that the IS350 should be decimated during each encounter with the ISF but clearly this is not the case (hence its sleeper status).

Tro209

Yeah I understand. But what I'm saying is that will all things being equal, the ISF should win easily every time. I've had moments where my IS350 had trouble against a stock 2.0 Genesis, an old 90's 7 series BMW, and other vehicles that should easily lose to us. As a matter of fact just last night a previous generation 7 series was at a light with me and took off a little before I did. Let's say maybe a good second before I did. Now I know a second sounds like a little bit of time but when it comes to drag racing the slightest variable changes the outcome dramatically. I eventually caught up to him sure, but I'm also pretty sure the driver of the BMW thinks he won that little sprint to the next light even though I was starting to close the gap on him. From there he turned right and went home "victorious" lol. Hell I even ran into some young guy who was in one of those 2013 ish civic si coupes that apparently had nothing but an aftermarket muffler. We were on the a long straight raid and he took off before I did and it took me a while to start catching up but by that time he let off already. Once we eventually meet up at a light I compliment his car since I actually thought it looked kinda nice. The guy was really proud of his "win" and proceeded to compliment my car and say it was a nice "run". As if all things were equal and he legitimately thought he won that completely unfair race... Anyway, long story short, we line up again from a low speed roll and honk it off. I kid you not, I pulled a few bus lengths by the time I let off and once he caught up his face in absolute awe when he realized how fast the IS350 is. After that we give each other the thumbs up and we go our separate ways but this time with me setting the record straight lol.

And yes I know there have been videos where the IS350 wins against an ISF at a drag strip which is basically the most equal and fair setting. But to be honest something had to be wrong with the F or the driver if he loses to an IS350. The F on average traps about 8-10 mph faster than the average IS350 bone stock. So even if you did somehow pull on an ISF from a light due to bad launch or whatever, I guarantee it would only be for the first 2 gears at most, after that it's game over since tires and small variables matter less once the car is rolling. Stock vs stock the ISF has a higher redline, more gears, faster shifting if in manual and sport mods, 110hp more, the torque advantage, and a much more superior power to weight in general.

I know the IS350 can take out cars that are supposed to be faster than it, but a power to Wright difference like that isn't going to be overcome by the gears off the IS350. My brother has a 2009 G8 GT with headers, cutback and tune and makes approximately 400hp at the crank and weighs about 4000lbs with no one in it. That's less than a stock ISF makes and weighs about 200lbs more and only has a 6 speed traditional automatic transmission with longer shift times. I've raced him multiple times from digs, rolls, you name it and the gap he leave between me and him is huge. Like seriously, not even close. Sometimes I pull a fast one and take off a fraction of a second earlier than him and I'm ahead for a little while but once he passes he pulls hard and leaves me like I'm standing.. Keep in mind he's theoretically not even up to an ISF's performance level. So yeah it may seem like the IS350 is super fast sometimes, and I agree that it's faster than people give it credit for. Hell, that's why I bought mine over an IS250. But don't let your "close" races fool you. We're not that fast compared to those V8 monsters. Once both cars are in their sweet spots it's game over for us. I was honestly hoping my car would at least have a better chance from a dig or 20 or 40 roll but nope... If anything I jump ahead of him for a tenth of a second and boom he's out of there lol.

TL;DR
A split second difference in reaction time can make a car seem much faster than it is. But both cars leaving at the same time makes a huge difference and shows who really is faster. I raced slow cars and took a while to catch up, I raced fast car and had the same thing that happened to me happen to them. We're not even close to an ISF, 5.0, Scat pack, CTS-V etc..

v8MyFusion

Honestly you should be destroying the genesis and old bmw's. Maybe its your driving.. lol .hell I just drove against a 02 m5 and won. Sure if we're going from higher speed rolls he probably would end up pulling on me. But from a dig I almost always win.
I've driven an IS-F several times and even though stock for stock 0-70mph isn't much of a difference between the two. The IS-F feels a lot quicker and keeps pulling past 70.

Tro209

I do beat them but if they take off first the difference is a lot smaller. I mean most cars I race are only a few tenths off our times so a few tenths of a second head start can change everything in a random street race. Also the car is auto so not much involved in racing lol.

Only things I've lost to is a modded 335i, some modded turbo audi sedan, my brother modded G8 GT, a Firebird WS6, and recently a seemingly stock G37 sedan from a 0-60 sprint. However I did have a heavy passenger on that last one.

v8MyFusion

Everyone says that auto is faster than manual mode, and I know its been proven. But from my personal experience I seem to do better shifting myself with pwr. mode on.

Tro209

I'm thinking maybe it's because the car feels faster when you put it on power mode, and since your in manual your able to hold the gears longer than Power + Auto allows. Your still however not going any faster and it's really just because the throttle requires less travel to accelerate. In other words, it's all in our heads. Just like when you add an exhaust to the car, sure it sounds faster... But it's not

v8MyFusion

I get that it's not actually any faster. but when I'm in auto my car sometimes shifts a little bit early with or without pwr mode on that's why I usually have better luck in manual.

SeanO

iTrader: (1)

I've raced many cars/ suv's since moving to my new hometown. Some guy in an Acura MDX wanted to go the other night and I crushed him.. I also raced a hummer a while back and those things pull hard off the start I will say that.. However as soon as i hit second gear it was over.. I got absolutely dusted by an X5 M series not long ago as well, It must have been brand new and holy hell did that thing fly.. I knew I wouldn't win but I gave it up to 100km/hr and let off.. by which point he was at least a car length ahead of me.

Funniest story I can remember is some inconsiderate **** who has passed me on a 2 lane road in the middle of a school zone in the morning (before school starts) - usually I let him pass me (seen him before obvi) as I give myself plenty of time to get to work in the morning (unlike some people) - however one morning I floored it and kept him in the lane with traffic opposing him.. Needless to say he was forced to brake and fall in behind me lol I bet that bothered him all day lol

Keo

iTrader: (9)

So early in the morning at around 5 a.m. This was in Mexico btw. I was at a nice smooth big 3 lane street and had to be on the far left lane within, i would say the next 3-4 blocks. So since i was at the far right lane on a Red. I am almost certain i could easily past these other cars at a red as well. Next to me was a Acura TL basic model. not a Type S or anything just a standard i believe. Green light hit and i casually increase a little not in a douche bag way but just you know to be ahead of everyone for a turn. But.. this dude... decides to keep up on my tail. So i'm like okay.. idk whats going on but i decide to press the gas a little more. He still trying to keep up to me. Before i knew it, i was going pretty dam fast, just not flooring to the ground fast bcuz i didnt want my " V-Tech" to kick in. I know for sure that he was trying pretty dam hard to keep up with me. So almost to my stop i just step on it, Auto tranny down shift and V-TECH BABY ! dust that Acura TL. sorry.
* THIS WAS ALL IN MEXICO *

Tro209

Interesting I honestly thought it would do pretty well against us. Also whats so great about Mexico that makes everyone wanna race there anyway?? All my races took place in Tokyo.. Except for the last one, that one did in fact happen in Mexico

Keo

iTrader: (9)

guess you didn't catch my drift.