Depends on the practically of you as a person to be honest - that's why this question is so hard to answer. It really depends on the maturity of the owner too.

Here's my break down from a practical standpoint, if you're considering the 4 door vehicles:

Track car: Get a slightly used IS-F or wait for the new IS-F. 90% of the time, you'll be "wasting" the 400+ hp and will never get a chance to unleash the beast to push the engine toward it's top speed. Hence, why if you intend to track the car, this is the better option.

Daily Drive: Get the new IS350 F-Sport. You'll get all the cool new electronics & comfort amenities. The car will also be a lot less expensive car to maintain. Additionally, you'll probably see somewhere around 5-6 mpg better real world numbers with about an equal mix of city to hwy driving. I find the IS350 to be a great mix between a sporty luxury "everyday" type of sedan and a family car.

Family car/Full size sedan: Look into the 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring Model. It gets 50 mpg city/45 mpg hwy (47 mpg combined). The engine's efficiency numbers are some of the best I've never seen on any sedan. This is what happens when you introduce a new engine, which unfortunately Lexus has failed to capitalize on. The car has a lot of comfort and plenty of space for 4-5 adults. 0-60 times are not bad either for a car in this segment (I think that I've came across 7.5 sec or so), but it's no sports car. The suspension is not exactly designed for sprinted driving/quick cornering either.

Hope this helps,

~ Im2bz2p345

 

I've been in an ISF for 3 years now and I realize that I can't really make use of all the power. I'm actually thinking of going into a 3IS maybe in the next year or so.

Just wanted to say that your statement about service may be true for the M3 but isn't true for the ISF. I have about 35K miles and the only maintenance i've had to do was oil and filter changes and Tashmo does synthetic oil changes for less than $80.

 

^^^^
This. Also traffic citations are now a trusted and sustainable source of revenue. I got several in the Genesis because I just had to use the 429hp somewhere, someway -- because it was there -- and I paid for it -- and it is such a blast to accelerate hard.

I now have a point on my record and can't use traffic schools for 18 months. That's real world, my friend.

 

IS-F is hands down the better car. I would choose that car over the 3IS 350Fsport.

BUT the 350 is cheaper to maintain in the long run. If your okay with doing $1k brake jobs, more expensive oil changes, etc. then get the IS-F. If not then 3IS

 

I wasn't saying either the M3 or the ISF weren't reliable. I would still expect Lexus quality in a IS-F. I was saying that if something does go wrong outside of the warranty period than it will be expensive. As the poster above me mentioned, a common expense on an older IS-F could be buying new brakes. Have you bought a new set of brakes yet outside of the warranty? If the OP buys someone else's IS-F he could be buying one that WAS ridden hard, if so it might need new brakes soon. I know it sounds like downer thinking but it something that should be thought about if you are buying a used car, especially one that has a lot of HP and torque.

Don't get my post wrong, I love the IS-F. It's the big brother our IS350s and 250s look up to. As UncleSpud said, you can't tune our 3ISs to make 400hp so the IS-F is no joke. But with it being so close to a new design, I couldn't justify an older IS-F myself.

 

I had to laugh. I mean no offense -- I just found it to be funny -- I was reading reviews of Uncle Spuds Mustang and came across this in the Truth About Cars --
"…except, perhaps, value. It depends on how you look at it. The car simply doesn’t offer $42,000 worth of superslab-cruising or baby-seat-carrying value. An Audi A5 is a far more pleasant vehicle in which to travel long or short distances. It’s a tough choice: do you buy the $32,000 GT and have the fastest car that amount of money can buy, or do you buy the $42,000 GT and, well, okay, you’ll still have the fastest car that amount of money can buy, but wouldn’t that sexy little grad student who lives next door be more impressed by some four-cylinder BMW?"

 

Go new or go home!

 

Glashub, I want to let you know that I take speed seriously. But I take big ***** even more seriously...

 

Glashub, you've shown me the error of my ways. What I need is a 4 cylinder babe-magnet. Can't afford a BMW, so I'll be trading in the Mustang for a used Pontiac Aztek in the morning.

 

If u like the ISF used exterior, go for it
If u like the V8, go for it
If you like the RWD go for it
If you are going to track your car, once in a while
If none of those above applied, go for 3Is

 

Well you're on to my secret. Chicks dig the Aztek.

 

I wouldnt get the ISF because to me, it looks "old" and agreed with the rest about it being thrashed.

Also, i cant own a secondhand car, as i am a bit of a germaphobe.

If you still have a daily drive and want something powerful. I'd wait for the RC-F

I am waiting for the RC-F, maybe 3-4 years from now.

 

get 3is for sure. isf is nice, but it is an 06 car inside. regardless the nice motor and nice engine note, it is still an 8 yr old car. in my opinion, when you buy a car, you will spend most time sitting inside it. the build quality and how nicely improved 3is compared to 2is win me. especially those LFA inspired gauges, it makes me feel like Tony Stark.

 

Yeah the RC-F may be an option depending on market conditions.

 

I'll throw my hat in with the people saying that a lot of horsepower is a waste on the public roads, because you can't really use it 95% of the time without running the risk of being heavily fined. What is more important, in my opinion, is torque, and torque that comes low in the rev range. It's amazing for passing or otherwise getting away from trouble/stupidity and it makes the car feel fast in every day driving. Given that the IS-F V8 makes 371 ft lb at 5200 RPM, I'd be skeptical about it's low range punch. Then again, I've not driven a N/A V8 in that displacement range so I don't know if it has enough displacement to give low end kick. I've driven a supercharged 5.0 V8 which obviously made ****-loads of torque starting at 2500rpm, and a 6.2L V8 which due to it's displacement had enough torque down low to be passable. Then I've driven V6's in the 3.5-3.8L range which were starved for torque down low and needed multiple downshifts during passing/heavy acceleration. I'm just not a fan of engines that need to be strung out to get the most of of them. It's not really reasonable to drive that way in traffic and it wastes a lot of gas.

If Lexus goes to some sort of FI V6 for the 350's, it will probably feel faster than an IS-F in the real world. Without the fuel economy and maintenance penalty.