When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I haven't updated since September because I haven't driven the IS F since, and now it's stored until spring. I did manage to find some parts that I've been hunting for, though. I have a door card with the pocket panel intact that I purchased a couple of months ago. I literally just arrived home about 30 minutes ago, with an OEM LSD. I've been attempting to purchase it from a specific seller since September... The hunt is over. I'm going to have to research on the LSD oil, and what parts to replace/upgrade surrounding the differential.
The 2026 season is going to be spectacular for my IS F. The car should feel quite transformed once I install everything in the spring.
There's no magic OEM LSD oil. Just use a good synthetic like Red Line 75w-85 GL-5 and you'll be fine. I've run Red Line gear oil in my Supra's Torsen LSD for nearly 30 years without ever having an issue.
Yesterday, I purchased a car that will be replacing the TL. It genuinely may be faster than the IS F. We'll find out for certain in the spring or summer.
2016 BMW 340i xDrive with the MSPPK. I am now a part of the B58 cult. Online reports indicate that this configuration makes ~370 whp and ~370 wtq. It definitely pulls like the IS F.@media screen {}
2026 is going to be an incredible year for me as a car enthusiast. It will make 2010 feel like child's play, when I obtained my first dream car, a 2004 STi, at 18 years old. Although, I probably wouldn't be here now with my current stable if it weren't for that car.
I have the parts that I want for the IS F to get it to a state i deem satisfactory. Once winter is over, and the carcinogenic salt is washed away from the streets, I will pull the IS F out of storage and begin replacing parts. Now, in the meantime with my new daily driver, I'll take care of maintenance on the 340i and bring it up to par. The B58 is an exceptional platform, and I'm extremely eager to find out which car is faster when I line them up against each other in the spring or summer.
The same scenario as with the IS F, also occurs with the 340i, where there's no slop in the seat. So, the power doesn't feel as dramatic as it truly is since you're locked into position. It really is quick, though. It feels like the speedometer climb and the torque shove are on par with the IS F. In the TL, the ~240 WHP and ~210 WTQ feels more dramatic than it should be due to slop in the seat. Also, it's not that the TL is slow, per se, it's just that the IS F and the 340i are fast for street cars, honestly. There's nowhere to truly push the cars safely on the street.
I haven't pushed the 340i in the corners because the stock tires are stupendously lackluster; run flat, 225mm wide tires... That will be remedied in the coming weeks with brand new tires. I still have yet to play around and experiment with manual shifting in the ZF8. During normal driving, and spirited driving, the shifts are unbelievably smooth and fast. During WOT, though, I'm anticipating that power delivery is what will separate the winner between the 340i and the IS F, since I doubt the shifting difference will be perceivable at that point.
I really loved the TL and SH-AWD platform, with 4 different cars since 2022. Now, the 340i is playing a cruel joke because of how vastly superior it is. Different price points, though.
So, with the ZDX, I learned that weight matters, and is one of the "problems" with cars. It was my first, and last, SUV. It was the heaviest vehicle that I have owned yet, at over 4,400 lb.
Now, with the 340i, I'm learning that heat matters, and heat management is another "problem" with cars. With the TL and the IS F both being N/A, heat management was never an issue during my ownership. My prior experience with my STi was before I delved deeply into this, so I wasn't aware of, nor did I have the tools necessary at the time to observe. The 340i's operating temperature is in the ~230 F degree range... The TL hovers around ~180 F, and the IS F hovers around ~190 F.
@lobuxracer , if you have time and feel like it, could you share your experiences since you seem to have a lot of knowledge? Does your Supra operate at a higher temperature, as well?
The Supra turns all rubber hoses to glass in about 10 years. My IS still has soft, supple coolant hoses and vacuum lines, and it's 18 years old now. Underhood temperatures on turbocharged engines are always much higher than NA engines.
