RSXiMUS

iTrader: (7)

EDIT! Nevermind, thanks to the advice from CL members, the problem was because the car wasn't fully warmed up. After the second drive, I can confirm that transmission is AMAZING.

I currently drive a 2011 IS350, the engine is great but the transmission drives me insane. Slow response in upshifts, downshifts are quicker but still laggy while using the paddles.

My first choice was an E90 M3 with DCT, so I went to test drive a few but they all felt really unrefined, very low end torque (my IS350 feels peppier around town believe it or not). The body style once I admire so much, looks absolutely dated now. The transmission is amazing though, very responsive and instant. I've read the IS-F's transmission behaves almost like a DCT.

I found a 2012 IS-F in MINT condition with 30k on the clock. Went to go test drive and buy it.

My first impression about the car.

Steering: It feels night and day better than the IS350, the wheel physically feels way thicker which I love, the way it tracks is very BMW like, dead center and tank like on the freeway, it feels like 2x more effort to turn compared to the IS350 which again I love. The IS350's steering feels very light and inaccurate compared to the IS-F.

Brakes, almost sent the salesman out the windshield first time I stepped on it. Wow talk about sensitive, it feels VERY powerful.

Engine, I didn't really get on it too much but it feels nice and torquey, sounds much quieter in person than I thought.

Transmission (biggest disappointment), I switched the lever over to manual and hit the sport button on the steering wheel. Then I started shifting through the gears, the car has a very bad delay when shifting up or down. What's going on? I was expecting it to respond to the paddles like a dual clutch setup but it lags just the same as my IS350. I'm talking about a second to shift when I pull the lever. I've driven the F30 335i with the 8spd auto and it responds way faster to paddle commands, very DCT like. Does the IS-F tranny only respond quicker in the higher RPMS? Cruising around town it's slow as molasses in response to the paddle shifters .

Am I doing something wrong? I have another appointment to retest drive it tomorrow, is there something I missed? Please help because I love everything about the car except the transmission is giving me second thoughts, so much that I'm building an M-Tech 335i on the BMW website at the moment. Arggghh...

ISFPOWER

iTrader: (20)

fast upshifts are good at WOT in sport. why would you want fast upshifts during low to medium rpms?

RSXiMUS

iTrader: (7)

Okay gotcha, so only during WOT the shifts will be instant?

As for wanting fast shifts during low to medium rpms, I guess it's more a feeling of control, like total control over what gear you want to be in and the car responding "right now'. If I pull the paddle and the gear changes immediately, I would feel like I'm in something special and performance oriented. If it lags a second or two, it would behave like any other automatic with "paddle shifters" like the ones you find in SUV's and economy cars.

I driven DCT's and the new F30 BMW 335i's with the 8spd autos and they respond to commands instantaneously no matter what RPM or WOT or not. I was expecting the IS-F to behave similarly, I guess it doesn't. Although I haven't driven the 3rd gen IS350, I heard their 8spd autos respond with instant shifts to paddle commands at any RPM also.

I guess as long as it responds instantaneously and I don't hit the rev limiter at WOT, I could deal.

Lets Drive

iTrader: (3)

You probably want to drive the car a bit more. The cars behavior changes once you're in the mid-range, and I feel the gearing/powerband favor some throttle/RPMs. It really comes into its own when allowed to stretch its legs.

If you're actually driving the car, you'll notice more aggressive transmission behavior, such as throttle blips/rev matching (if you're in auto mode, the car will hold gear, instead of upshifting). If you're just putzing around at light throttle, it tends to keep things smooth and less "tactile".

Personally, I'd be annoyed with harsh shifts when just moving around town. Since sport mode also increases throttle response, I'll often drive with it on, because I prefer the feel, but I don't always intend to drive (shift) hard.

ilv1004s

iTrader: (8)

also the transmission learns how u drive as well
i drive my car in manual mode all the time and shifts about 3K are almost instant

VtotheJ

iTrader: (2)

I think what people have missed is the fact that the car needs to be warmed up before pushing it in manual mode. It's an excellent feature that the ISF has. We're talking 10 quarts of oil that needs to warm up. When I haven't driven the F in a while, I feel excited and want to floor it immediately but I know that it won't allow me to push it in M mode. Once oil temp hits 2 bars, shifting should be quicker even when not going WOT. That is the case for me.

Also, I tend not to use Sport mode around town because it's too jerky for me. Use Sport mode for quicker shifts and better throttle response.

MisterSkiz

iTrader: (2)

Came here to say this.

The car needs to be fully warmed up before you can push it, otherwise it won't shift, or won't shift as fast.

SunnyD09

Downshifts I agree could be a little quicker, especially compared to the DCT transmission in BMWs, but upshifts occur in 100ms. That's pretty darn quick.

dannyk8232

The shifts in my car are lightning quick.

786

Same here, shifts are ridiculously quick when the car is properly warmed up and i'm on it. Couldn't be happier.

dabs

Mine are also lightning quick. Any quicker and I'd be leaving my exhaust behind

I8ABMR

surprised to hear this since multiple journalists say that the closest paddle shifted tranny to the ISf would be the system in the Ferrari 599 GTB

LionelHutz

Warmed up and in sport mode I think the IS-F manual shifting is just as quick as a modern DSG/DCT, but less violent on hard shifts. You should have another test drive.

chrisp1

car doesn't get fun until 4k rpm and up

ULTSISF

iTrader: (2)

OP weird on your experience with the isf. Another question nobody asked. Is this vehicle at mom/pop auto sales? Lexus dealer? Perhaps there is an issue with the tranny on this particular isf idk just saying. But yea give it another try if anything try to drive another isf.