Best and Worst of the IS
06-23-14, 01:34 PM
#16
What I dislike is the rear room and the noise it makes when I'm charging my Android with the outlet while using the phone for aux. Makes this whistling noise which is louder when my rpms are higher. Also has this bad static at times. Wish the mirrors would move down by itself when you're trying to reverse park. What I like is the community behind the is. Tons of people to help ya out. Good amount of mods at hand but with the large community, there should be just a little more
06-23-14, 02:04 PM
#20
Lexus Test Driver
I have my IS250 for over a year now so here we go
What I like:
Look and style (love the design)
The little trick the speedo and tacho do when I start the car.
The way it handles and drives(hate the power tho)
Very well finished (the way it looks inside, the covers on the engine, the weight of the trunk)
The convenience of bluetooth , playing music from your phone etc...
What I hate:
Paddle shifters marketing lie
Very slow car and gets bad mileage for the power. This gave me buyer remorse for a year. I still want to sell it.
Cheap materials...lots of rattles and noises , especially when the car sits in the sun.
The transmission is poor designed. you need to really push on that acceleration paddle to make it going,
What I like:
Look and style (love the design)
The little trick the speedo and tacho do when I start the car.
The way it handles and drives(hate the power tho)
Very well finished (the way it looks inside, the covers on the engine, the weight of the trunk)
The convenience of bluetooth , playing music from your phone etc...
What I hate:
Paddle shifters marketing lie
Very slow car and gets bad mileage for the power. This gave me buyer remorse for a year. I still want to sell it.
Cheap materials...lots of rattles and noises , especially when the car sits in the sun.
The transmission is poor designed. you need to really push on that acceleration paddle to make it going,
06-23-14, 02:23 PM
#21
I love my car.....my only pet peeves are no heated seats or navigation. I got my 6sp manual though which was the only must have and that was hard to find in my area to begin with so I'll take it! It's been 7 months and I honestly haven't missed my heated seats at all really. I have however missed my in dash navi. I'll be getting a fly audio unit to satisfy that need lol 
06-23-14, 03:53 PM
#23
I have my IS250 for over a year now so here we go
What I like:
Look and style (love the design)
The little trick the speedo and tacho do when I start the car.
The way it handles and drives(hate the power tho)
Very well finished (the way it looks inside, the covers on the engine, the weight of the trunk)
The convenience of bluetooth , playing music from your phone etc...
What I hate:
Paddle shifters marketing lie
Very slow car and gets bad mileage for the power. This gave me buyer remorse for a year. I still want to sell it.
Cheap materials...lots of rattles and noises , especially when the car sits in the sun.
The transmission is poor designed. you need to really push on that acceleration paddle to make it going,
What I like:
Look and style (love the design)
The little trick the speedo and tacho do when I start the car.
The way it handles and drives(hate the power tho)
Very well finished (the way it looks inside, the covers on the engine, the weight of the trunk)
The convenience of bluetooth , playing music from your phone etc...
What I hate:
Paddle shifters marketing lie
Very slow car and gets bad mileage for the power. This gave me buyer remorse for a year. I still want to sell it.
Cheap materials...lots of rattles and noises , especially when the car sits in the sun.
The transmission is poor designed. you need to really push on that acceleration paddle to make it going,
06-23-14, 04:18 PM
#24
+1. I do think we have solutions to some of the cons.
#1 wish they come with real paddle shifter not some gear limiter. Fixed in the 3rd generation.
#2 not to be able to tune the car. I suspect this is related to quality control to keep their cars reliable so it is somewhat of a cons as well as a pro.
#3 not enough aftermarket support. I think Figs, tons of wheels vendors, F Sport line are improving a bit
#5 interior looks outdated esp headunit w/o navi. Get the navigation
#6 weak leg room in the back. Fixed in 3rd generation.
#7 not enough side bolster support for the seats. Get the F Sport model seats.
#1 wish they come with real paddle shifter not some gear limiter. Fixed in the 3rd generation.
#2 not to be able to tune the car
. I suspect this is related to quality control to keep their cars reliable so it is somewhat of a cons as well as a pro. #3 not enough aftermarket support. I think Figs, tons of wheels vendors, F Sport line are improving a bit
#5 interior looks outdated esp headunit w/o navi. Get the navigation
#6 weak leg room in the back. Fixed in 3rd generation.
#7 not enough side bolster support for the seats. Get the F Sport model seats.
Cons:
#1 wish they come with real paddle shifter not some gear limiter.
#2 not to be able to tune the car
#3 not enough aftermarket support
#4 no manual for is350
#5 interior looks outdated esp headunit w/o navi.
#6 weak leg room in the back
#7 not enough side bolster support for the seats
that's it so far. I know there's more
Pros
#1 reliable
#2 looks nice
#3 rwd
#1 wish they come with real paddle shifter not some gear limiter.
#2 not to be able to tune the car
#3 not enough aftermarket support
#4 no manual for is350
#5 interior looks outdated esp headunit w/o navi.
#6 weak leg room in the back
#7 not enough side bolster support for the seats
that's it so far. I know there's more
Pros
#1 reliable
#2 looks nice
#3 rwd
06-23-14, 04:32 PM
#25
Here is my take.
What I like:
1. Beautiful exterior design. Love at first sight.
2. Modern interior design.
3. Fun to drive.
4. Reliable.
5. Easy to maintain.
6. Japanese High technology.
7. Nice cluster needle moving back and forth when start the car. What a unique and elegant welcoming feature from Lexus.
8. F Sport package.
9. Great extended warranty from Lexus.
10. You drive a LEXUS! WOWWWWWW!
What I don't like:
1. Not good review from many auto blogs, websites especially from Bimmer fan boys reviewers.
What I like:
1. Beautiful exterior design. Love at first sight.
2. Modern interior design.
3. Fun to drive.
4. Reliable.
5. Easy to maintain.
6. Japanese High technology.
7. Nice cluster needle moving back and forth when start the car. What a unique and elegant welcoming feature from Lexus.
8. F Sport package.
9. Great extended warranty from Lexus.
10. You drive a LEXUS! WOWWWWWW!
What I don't like:
1. Not good review from many auto blogs, websites especially from Bimmer fan boys reviewers.
06-23-14, 10:42 PM
#27
Driver School Candidate
Join Date: May 2014
Location: ON
Posts: 44
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i have an 07 is350 rwd
likes..
- great power for the price (bought used)
- great gas mileage for the power (i get close to 550km/tank and its defintely cheaper to fill up then a g35/37)
- timeless styling
- reliability
dislikes..
- goes to 4th everything i turn it to "s" manual mode (biggest pet peeve of this car!!!)
- wish the oem steering wheel was thicker.
- hate the handrest/middle compartment how it flips up. sometimes you lean on it to reach for something and it feels like you almost break the dam thing
- horrible traction in the snow. (i've only had this car for one winter with decent winter tires so maybe my opinion will change this coming winter when I put some good winters on it)
and for the people that said not enough aftermarket support? i simply dont understand. because if you wanted enough aftermarket support to turn this into an all out racecar, then this not the car for you.
likes..
- great power for the price (bought used)
- great gas mileage for the power (i get close to 550km/tank and its defintely cheaper to fill up then a g35/37)
- timeless styling
- reliability
dislikes..
- goes to 4th everything i turn it to "s" manual mode (biggest pet peeve of this car!!!)
- wish the oem steering wheel was thicker.
- hate the handrest/middle compartment how it flips up. sometimes you lean on it to reach for something and it feels like you almost break the dam thing
- horrible traction in the snow. (i've only had this car for one winter with decent winter tires so maybe my opinion will change this coming winter when I put some good winters on it)
and for the people that said not enough aftermarket support? i simply dont understand. because if you wanted enough aftermarket support to turn this into an all out racecar, then this not the car for you.
06-24-14, 06:43 AM
#28
One of the biggest hindrances to the Lexus aftermarket support is the lack of tuning options for its engines (due to Toyota/Lexus making their ECUs neigh-uncrackable). Below is an example from SARD Japan of what we could be seeing if we had the able to tune our ECUs (which would attract more enthusiasts to the Lexus brand and potentially bring more aftermarket support):
Here are my likes and dislikes with the 2IS350:
Likes:
- IS350 was the first vehicle to incorporate the Toyota D4-S fuel injection system which provides a near linear torque range throughout the RPMs on the 2GR-FSE.
- L-Finesse body style
- Bulletproof reliability
- Deceptively fast 0-60 for its HP rating and weight.
- First range of Lexus models to receive the high performance F-Sport Accessories package and F-Sport Factory Package.
- NAV + ML + DVD Override = Movie Theatre inside the car
- Lightsaber style tachometer and speedometer needle
Dislikes:
- Squeaks and rattles
- Dash material should be considered a defect item
- Stock IS350 VDIM is very intrusive (Can be improved with IS-F Steering ECU)
- Stock steering feel is very isolated (Can be greatly improved with IS-F Steering ECU)
- No mechanical LSD offered as a factory option
- Gear limiters instead of a true paddle shifter (It is usable but not ideal)
- Lack of ECU tuning options
06-24-14, 10:06 AM
#30
redspencer, I do agree with what you said and Lexus should offer the choice and flexibility for people who want to max out their engines. However, don't you think Lexus lock down the ECU not to be tuned so that they ensure that the engine runs under the limit to prolong the life of the engine. I mean a tuned max out engine definitely will not last long.