Tmirk

iTrader: (3)

So last night was the first time I really got to hit a canyon road pretty hard.

I'm overall pretty happy with how the car performed.

The road is San Francisquito Canyon between Valencia and Green Valley. 2 lane road for the most part, with a couple of long straightaways, and then lots of little back and forths, and a few sweeping turns, even a little chicane.

Anyway stuck it into sport mode, leaving VDIM active, and had quite a bit of fun. During the straightaway I got up to a lil over 110 before I cut myself off. That is the fastest I've been in this car thus far, and it definitely could have kept going. Road/wind noise was minimal, as was engine noise. You could hear the engine/exhuast, but never really felt like it was out of its comfort zone. Really pretty smooth for those speeds.

During the more twisty section I was in 2nd, 3rd and 4th, manually controlling the whole way. I had no trouble getting into the gear I wanted or needed except when I tried to downshift at too fast a speed... I would get a double beep.... never knew about that one. This happened twice. Little more brake, and downshift and down it went.

I was consistently in the upper RPM ranges for probably about 10 minutes; shifting up and down via paddles. With the majority of my attention on the road, I had no problem knowing what gear and where in the RPM range I was. There was definitely enough engine noise to get good feedback. Even though I attempted to downshift a bit too early twice, I found the car actually pretty responsive in both going up and down.

The actual handling I'm still a little unsure of. It handled everything I threw at it, but in terms of feedback from the body/suspension/tires I'm a little mixed.

I found body roll to be perfect. It really didn't feel like there was much body roll at all, even hitting back to back left to right to left. There was certainly enough to know, but it really did not bother me at all. In terms of brake dive front to back. While it was certainly there, it was less evident than body roll.

The tires are absolutely worthless in regards to feedback. No squeal makes it tough to judge if you are spinning or not, or at the borderline of traction. I think this may be the absolute biggest problem with the lack of feedback in this car. Feel while overall is "subjective" it all stems from touch/sight/sound senses..... and if you eliminate one of those aspects, you put more pressure on senses that you don't normally use. With practice/familiarity this can be overcome, but you really need to train yourself.

The suspension feel overall, not bad. Transitions on this road were quick and smooth. Very uniform back and forth. Not once in the back to backs did it feel like I was throwing a ton of weight that way. Steering response was right on. Traction was good throughout. I didn't get the VDIM beeps at all. At a couple of points when I came in a bit hot, I got some sideways wheelhop, or at least thats what it felt like.

I would think that VDIM or traction control must have had something to do with that, because it was really an odd feeling. Of course, no tire/noise feedback so not exactly sure what was going on. I was also back on the gas almost immediately, and there was no cut in power, which is opposite of my experience when trac control kicks in. So maybe I was bouncing a bit and it caught? Not sure but it only happened twice, and it felt the exact same way (both 75º left handed turns, coming from 4th down to 2nd.)

So with that, The only thing I wish is that there was a bit more feedback on what is happening with the rear of the car with regards to traction. Tires and this kit are more than likely what I will try. I know on past cars changing control arms and such made a huge difference in feel so this is cheap enough it's worth a try.
http://www.l-tunedparts.com/product/?id=2292

It was a lot of fun though, and overall I'm more than pleased. I threw a hefty load at it, and it was quite fun.

I'll get to do it again this week (as its a work delivery that is 20 mins from my house)!!!

Batmobile

iTrader: (2)

nice write up... made me feel like i was doing it without beating my car up

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

Good to hear that you liked the car's performance.

All in all, it really depends on the driver. I'm happy to hear that the IS provides you with enough performance for "spirited driving."

GlacierIS

very nice, the one thing that i've had problems with some times are the front tires not having enough traction the potenzas 050. I've encounter several turns where the front just understeers and then right after i get a slight over steer. I wanted to install thicker bar on the rear to help with this. Over all great writeup and i do agree that the cars doesn't provide much feedback. I have never heard my tires squeal not even with the back fully loose.

projectdna

iTrader: (56)

great write-up. just wanted to know: is your suspension setup stock? and if it is, is it regular or sports pkg'd?

Tmirk

iTrader: (3)

Stock setup with 18's.

KevinL

Sounds like you had a great time! I have "Spirited" my way down that road many times as it is right in my back yard. I am up Seco Cyn. Definitely a great road to push the limits a bit. Be careful though, there is alot more traffic on that road these days than there used to be. I used to take my '00 6-speed SS Camaro back there and tear it up something fierce!

Tmirk

iTrader: (3)

Well we're practically neighbors, as I'm basically at northpark/san fran and copper hill.

jman-is350

Keep the good times rolling... We do this kind of drives all the time down here in SD at Palomar Mts.

KevinL

Well then when I get my IS we'll have to get together. I am at the top of Seco in the Pacific Crest hood. Actually maybe we should get together sooner so I can see your car!

meteoro

Great write up, pretty accurate and I share most of your feelings regarding the car dynamics/handling.

Auto-x'ng the car 8 times and going to one track day event this past year, I have been able to push the car to its limits, and gone beyond a couple of times (couple of spins, all in controlled conditions on a track).

From my experience, body roll is excessive, but it is common for the IS's, 1st or 2nd gen. What is peculiar is the level of grip even with the roll. You have to get used to it, just to know the car is going to stick even though is leaning massively.
The car is very softly sprung too, but it is a Lexus aferall.

I agree with the level of communication, the steering needs to communicate more, and the gas pedal too. The brakes are just fine. I think though its the philosophy of lexus, and the level of isolation. I do not mind it much, only when doing some serious racing, but that is the a small percentage of my seat time in the car.

As far as the tires, I tend to disagree, and depends on the tire as well. I have had the Sport Maxx, and RE-050 Pole position (got changed to the RE's cuz of the weak sidewall issue on the SP). The Sport Maxx communicated better and had overall better grip than the RE's, also the withstood heat cycling better. They RE's become worthless if they heat up. The advantage of thr RE's is that they have a slight better ride, and a bit quiter.

Now on both, what is peculiar is the lack of squeal. Neither squeal very much, but that does not mean they do not communicate either. At the limit, you feel as the tire begins to loose adhesion, the SP just do it more progressively than the RE's. What you hear instead of squeal is sort of like a low pitch draggin noise, hard to explain, sorta like if you were using sand paper, a thick grit paper. On a side note, my instructors always told me, if the tires are squealing, you have gone too far.

BTW, if you had VDIM on, and you did not hear the beeps, the tires most likely did not break loose. Did the track light go on? Weird that you got it sideways without activating VDIM, mine goes off fairly quick if I start going sideways.

Where I notice the biggest difference between the tires is coming out of tight corners and the tail stepping out. With the Sport Maxx it was very progressive and controllable, the RE's bite your behind, you have to be ready to catch the tail. Its like, grip, grip, grip and all of the sudden boom they break loose, no in-between. Though I have gotten some very, very nice drifts!!!!

Now what I have noticed lately is that the car is a bear to change direction, like in a slalom, boy do I have my work cut out then, wish it was a bit more nimble in that dept. Auto-x'ng, in the fast courses, I typically can easily beat 3-series, G35's, WRX's, even with R-compound race rubber. But in tight courses, I am behind them by a sec or so.

The car is a shore to drive in tight courses, and it has a tendency to understeer pretty bad coming into tight turns. You have to get your braking done in a straight line, set up, and accelerate. No trail braking at all, if you do, it will understeer like crazy and eat up the front tires.

Also, with VDIM on, the car will understeer even more, to really appreciate the balance of the car, VDIM needs to be off. The times I have raced with VDIM on, the car car feels numb. Now for canyon runs, I would most likely leave it on too. I only disable VDIM when I am on a track. My suggestion, before replacing parts, drive the car with VDIM off, in a controlled situation though.

Wai

Glad to hear that you had fun on the canyons.

But please be very careful with that, or better yet, take the car to a track where you can explore the limits in a controlled environment. You would quickly realize that, not only the IS350, there are many cars out on the market now are far more capable than a normal everyday driver. Upgrading parts become unnecessary.

Happy driving!