ming15237

iTrader: (3)

Op you now should have enough info to make an informed decision, and that's really all we can do. I for one am not one to toot my own horn (or an optimist ), so I am more interested in letting a potential buyer know the shortfalls of the vehicle, than it's obvious merits. Merits are it is damn quick for a 4dr car. Gas mileage is fantastic for a 5.0L V-8 I have to say this is partly due to the 8 speed transmission I hate so much... Seats are very comfy, and interior is tastefully done. Things I don't like so far, NASTY front tire wear, finish on the wheels has been one GIANT FAIL!, Transmission does NOTHING but shift all the time in a hilly terrain area like Pennsylvania, not to mention the 3 second pause between throttle application and the down shift of the transmission (I will say that I have NEVER seen a auto transmission take this length of time to select a lower gear when a downshift was required), suspension is rock hard, the NAV system SUCKS, if it wasn't designed by a room full of trial lawyers, then it definitely had something to do with a potential "revenge plot" for WWII arrgg... Brakes squeal like a stuck pig (very annoying in stop and go traffic). Hope this helps.

LexFather

Courtessy of dunnojack

Poser999

Thanks Ming, that is the kind of info I am looking for. Does the LS suffer the same criticism from the 8 speed trans?

What is wrong with the wheel finish? Have they addressed that with newer models?

The brake squeal... is that fixable (grease the shims) ?

ming15237

iTrader: (3)

Not sure on the LS with the 8spd, but that vehicle is also marketed towards a different clientele. When driving an LS the engine note is so muted and shifting has been softened so much so that it is almost imperceptible. Again they are marketed after a different age/interest group.
As to the wheel finish problems, Lexus said there "was no problem". however a large percentage of us 08 owners had severe pitting on the finish in less than 5k miles! and Lexus's response was sorry that's just how it is...There is nothing to see here please move along... Then the problems disappeared with the next batch of BBS wheels... Oh how convenient. I should NOT have to threaten to sue a company for them to stand behind their product!
To my knowledge there has been no fix for the brake squeal, and despite my best efforts with shims, grease, and different pads I have been unable to address it. When in stop and go traffic this thing sounds like a Plymouth!!
SCREECH!! And the hotter the pads get the worse the noise! Again I understand that some ppl worship their cars, and feel it is the best thing since sliced bread, however, I am NOT a "F" "Fanboy" ! I DON'T think just because I own it it has too be the best! This car has it's merits, don't get me wrong, but there is a LOT of things Lexus should have done better and or corrected. Not sure how many of you were in the car business when the first LS series came out, but what Lexus did with that car was raise the bar to a whole new level! What they did with this vehicle IMHO was create a vehicle that was "good enough" but NOT superior too it's rivals... That to me is unacceptable. It is not acceptable for me to match my rivals in competition, I MUST beat them, otherwise I am simply a copy cat / also-run... IMHO there are better vehicles out there for the money, or close too it. When asking about a vehicle I don't want to know "just" what you love but also what you want to see changed. Again I may be different than most, but that's just me.

16n69

Just curious...without "Fanboy" bias...if you can be objective...what made you decide against the BMW M3...I own a 2002 3 series...BEST & most reliable car I ever owned. Magical 50/50 balance and balance & performance of the Inline 6 is amazing.
I DO love the look of the IS-F...although, for me only the exterior.
I think the M3 is more solid looking, "sporty" inside, less fru-fru glittery bling-bling.
The 2011 IS-F does come close to the handling of the M3...M3 w/DCT is faster 0-60 (3.9-4.1)...tell me why I should not go for the M3.

The obvious is I will lose money trading in the Lexus, but I don't care, just want a fun sporty car I can keep for a long, long time. I do not get tired of cars I love, in fact, like to keep them very long.
What do you think the long term reliability of the IS-F vs. the M3 will be?
Both may be too "NEW" to know yet???
M3's are probably the most reliable of ALL BMW's...a lot of "pride & heritage" comes out of the "M" division...they REALLY care about the cars.

If I keep the IS-F...I need new wheels to put wider tires on than factory...and the IS-F needs a "true" qaud exhaust, instead of the fake one it comes with.
Should have considered that before purchase and factor it in...as the M3 includes both from the start.

itsmike177

iTrader: (3)

I would have to agree with the transmission shifting behaviour as well. Going 65-75mph, Sport mode on, D mode, full throttle acceleration does not automatically and immediately shift into from 8th to 3rd. What happens is a pause for 2-3 seconds, then downshifts into 4th, only to immediately downshift into 3rd. By the time it begins to accelerate, 3.5-4 seconds has passed. That is a LONG time.

Suspension on the 2008-2010's is very rough, no matter what others say. For spirited street driving, where the roads are hardly ever "track" smooth, bumps and dips do upset the dynamics of the car on hard cornering. Why else would they (retune) soften up the suspension on the 2011's? Harder in this case, isn't faster.

Extreme front end tire wear can be negated by a good alignment shop.
My OEM brakes squeak rarely and only on very hot summer days.
Wheels finish - just need to clean the wheels every week and you should be fine.
Never did like OEM NAV's no matter what automobile. Nothing like Google Maps on smart phones. I've only used the OEM NAV maybe 5 times max. But then again, I still use Thomas Guides as well...

Weapon F

"What do you think the long term reliability of the IS-F vs. the M3 will be?
Both may be too "NEW" to know yet???
M3's are probably the most reliable of ALL BMW's...a lot of "pride & heritage" comes out of the "M" division...they REALLY care about the cars."

Regarding quality and reliability check out some of the M3 forums, not trying to bash here but if you look at several different M3 forums you will see that many owner are still experiencing issue with there M3's such electrical, DCT problems, fit and finishes issues. I'm not say all M3 owner are experiencing problem, there are folks out there that have had zero problems with there cars but not enough for me to be comfortable with putting down 70k or more and having my car sit at dealership several times year being worked on.

From what I have seen so far IS-F has not experienced any major electrical,transmission or engine problems to date it pretty rock solid. M3,IS-F,and C63 all three great car good luck selecting one.