Questions for the IS-F owners
09-02-09, 05:29 PM
#16
the IS-F is a great car...it's different from the other IS series and for Lexus first attempt at this type of car...they did pretty well....you won't see that many IS-F's compared to M3's so that's a good thing...I still enjoy taking out my F and it will now be my daily driver since I just got a GT-R...so it should be alright...
I currently have 11k miles on it...and I was one of the few early adopters of the car 02-15-08...so I paid MSRP...
LoL...
I currently have 11k miles on it...and I was one of the few early adopters of the car 02-15-08...so I paid MSRP... LoL...
09-02-09, 07:19 PM
#17
Lexus Champion
I'll start by saying that the pros far outweigh the cons. For starters, the car is virtually undriveable in the winter. At least this far up north. I know some people who put 245's all around and call it a day in the winter but I'd much rather store mine. The salt they put on the roads here is just horrendous.
Winter sucks big time. I'm looking at Winter Tires but we only have a few snow days here in Winter although last winter was the worst snow ever when even AWD cars got grounded on the snow. You'll have plenty of company with the M3 a C63 owners. The summer tires that come with it suck big time when the ambient temperature drops below 68F or rains. I will be swapping to all season when money permits.
Have you ever driven it in the winter in heavy snow? I use mine as a DD and guarantee you that I see more snow than both of you combined.I have a set of 18" winters with Bridgestone LM-V's on it and it is surprisingly great in the winter. I have as much confidence in the F as I did the AWD RX that we previously had. Don't drive like a jackass and it will all be good.
The OEM tires are high performance summer tires. They are not designed for cold weather and actually warn against using them below a certain temperature. They handle just fine in the rain.
I don't see what the point of giving up the traction of performance tires for all seasons would be?
Wheels: Oh man, you better like cleaning them. Brake dust is a beatch but I'm sticking with the OEM pads because I'm hearing conflicting stories about people using non OEM pads. Drive like a lunatic all of the time, yes they will wear down (it's a 3,740 lb car) and you may take out the rotors. But most of us thrash it once in a while and not on a daily basis. So it's no worry for me. For me, I get pleasure out of cleaning the car and the wheels. They are $1800 each, so be careful. I do not like the wheels on the 2010 one bit - but I'm not getting a 2010 so it does not matter to me.
Audio: The Mark Levison is overated. But you will probably not have a choice. Make sure you get a free IPOD interface installed. It will take out the SAT but in the NW here with trees, SAT craps out all the time unless you are in Seattle where there is a back up terestrial connection. But I switch it off when I am bored, drop down a couple gears and when the rpm hits 3,600 just listen to that raw.
The Levinson stereo is average at best. It sounds ok in the confined quarters of the F. However, the stock system in our ML 320 sounds equally as good and that's not even the Harmon Kardon. Don't understand at all why they didn't give us this option.I've got over 20K miles on mine as a DD already and aside from my "electrical gremlin" that hasn't appeared again it has been a fantastic vehicle. Maintenance has been simple and painless. My only complaint is that I don't have true ipod integration like in our MB or ventilated seats.
The car is tons of fun and the perfect balance of refined luxury for DD duties and high performance fun machine.
09-02-09, 07:28 PM
#18
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Only problem with driving it in the winter is that it's nearly $350 per tire for some nice Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3's, and the rims aren't exactly cheap either. You can get a beater that will far outlive these tires in any case and it will cost a fraction of the price all whilst having a little fun and not worrying about how your body pannels will look when the spring comes. The amount of road salt they put on the roads here is appaling.
Albeit it must me mentioned that driving in heavy snow is not the problem. I highly doubt you'll get stuck with this car in snow mode. I think it's a combination of icy hills and RWD that will make you cry yourself to sleep every night.
I plan on keeping the car for a long time... running it through the winter certainly isn't going to prolong it's lifespan.
Lastly, I'm pretty sure I get more snow here than you do. I think we get a full 2-3 ft. more a year, and that's in the city alone.
Albeit it must me mentioned that driving in heavy snow is not the problem. I highly doubt you'll get stuck with this car in snow mode. I think it's a combination of icy hills and RWD that will make you cry yourself to sleep every night.
I plan on keeping the car for a long time... running it through the winter certainly isn't going to prolong it's lifespan.
Lastly, I'm pretty sure I get more snow here than you do. I think we get a full 2-3 ft. more a year, and that's in the city alone.
09-02-09, 07:36 PM
#19
Lexus Champion
Only problem with driving it in the winter is that it's nearly $350 per tire for some nice Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3's, and the rims aren't exactly cheap either. You can get a beater that will far outlive these tires in any case and it will cost a fraction of the price all whilst having a little fun and not worrying about how your body pannels will look when the spring comes. The amount of road salt they put on the roads here is appaling.
Albeit it must me mentioned that driving in heavy snow is not the problem. I highly doubt you'll get stuck with this car in snow mode. I think it's a combination of icy hills and RWD that will make you cry yourself to sleep every night.
I plan on keeping the car for a long time... running it through the winter certainly isn't going to prolong it's lifespan.
Lastly, I'm pretty sure I get more snow here than you do. I think we get a full 2-3 ft. more a year, and that's in the city alone.
Albeit it must me mentioned that driving in heavy snow is not the problem. I highly doubt you'll get stuck with this car in snow mode. I think it's a combination of icy hills and RWD that will make you cry yourself to sleep every night.
I plan on keeping the car for a long time... running it through the winter certainly isn't going to prolong it's lifespan.
Lastly, I'm pretty sure I get more snow here than you do. I think we get a full 2-3 ft. more a year, and that's in the city alone.
Full set of Bridgeston Blizzak LM-V's with OZ rims was only $2200.
There's a reason why we're a world ski destination here.....there aren't many places in the entire world with better snow than here.
09-02-09, 07:43 PM
#20
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Mont Tremblant, Le Massif and Stoneham are world ski destinations too. A lot of skiers from the UK prefer going there than skiing in the Swiss Alps. What's your point?
You live in the prairies... of course you've had no problems, your nearest neighbor is fifteen miles away. I live in the city, henceforth a lot of problems when it comes to salt and calcium. RWD and 410hp is only 1/4th of the problem... salt and corrosion is a majority of it. I have driven RWD cars in the city winter... no fun.
You live in the prairies... of course you've had no problems, your nearest neighbor is fifteen miles away. I live in the city, henceforth a lot of problems when it comes to salt and calcium. RWD and 410hp is only 1/4th of the problem... salt and corrosion is a majority of it. I have driven RWD cars in the city winter... no fun.
09-02-09, 07:52 PM
#21
Lexus Champion
Mont Tremblant, Le Massif and Stoneham are world ski destinations too. A lot of skiers from the UK prefer going there than skiing in the Swiss Alps. What's your point?
You live in the prairies... of course you've had no problems, your nearest neighbor is fifteen miles away. I live in the city, henceforth a lot of problems when it comes to salt and calcium. RWD and 410hp is only 1/4th of the problem... salt and corrosion is a majority of it.
You live in the prairies... of course you've had no problems, your nearest neighbor is fifteen miles away. I live in the city, henceforth a lot of problems when it comes to salt and calcium. RWD and 410hp is only 1/4th of the problem... salt and corrosion is a majority of it.
Wth, does my handle say.
Bunny hills compared to out here. Mont Tremblant and Le Massif combined are one eighth the size of out here, have 1400 feet less vertical and get an average of 20 feet less snow a year.
Sorry for the off topic posts everyone, but this guy clearly is misinformed.
09-02-09, 08:06 PM
#23
Lexus Champion
Wth does that have to do with anything?
You stated that the F was a poor winter car. It isn't.
How many miles do you have on yours? Have you ever put winter tires on it and driven it? Have you even had it for a winter to comment?
If not, don't make blanket statements that you know nothing about.
You stated that the F was a poor winter car. It isn't.
How many miles do you have on yours? Have you ever put winter tires on it and driven it? Have you even had it for a winter to comment?
If not, don't make blanket statements that you know nothing about.
09-02-09, 08:11 PM
#24
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1. It has a lot to do with it. People who drive these kinds of cars in the winter typically lease them; those who are true enthusiasts buy them and keep them in pristine condition.
2. 400hp RWD sports sedans are poor winter cars.
3. 17,000 km.
4. I own a Yokohama distributor and worked in tire shops all my life - my father owns several Canadian Tires on the South Shore of Montreal, too, as well as a Unipneu outlet in St-Constant. I think I know what I'm talking about. Yes, I did buy a set and put it on the car. I drove it in snow mode and it was absolutely horrible; the car looked horrible too. Sold them the next year.
Let me put it this way. If you drive this car in the winter, you simply do not care about it. It's just another car too you, and judging by your signature you're treating it exactly like those crossovers you own and owned.
2. 400hp RWD sports sedans are poor winter cars.
3. 17,000 km.
4. I own a Yokohama distributor and worked in tire shops all my life - my father owns several Canadian Tires on the South Shore of Montreal, too, as well as a Unipneu outlet in St-Constant. I think I know what I'm talking about. Yes, I did buy a set and put it on the car. I drove it in snow mode and it was absolutely horrible; the car looked horrible too. Sold them the next year.
Let me put it this way. If you drive this car in the winter, you simply do not care about it. It's just another car too you, and judging by your signature you're treating it exactly like those crossovers you own and owned.
Last edited by FisforFast; 09-02-09 at 08:15 PM.
09-02-09, 08:15 PM
#25
Lexus Champion
1. It has a lot to do with it. People who drive these kinds of cars in the winter typically lease them; those who are true enthusiasts buy them and keep them in pristine condition.
2. 400hp RWD sports sedans are poor winter cars.
3. 17,000 km.
4. I own a Yokohama distributor and worked in tire shops all my life - my father owns several Canadian Tires on the South Shore of Montreal, too, as well as a Unipneu outlet in St-Constant. I think I know what I'm talking about. Yes, I did buy a set and put it on the car. I drove it in snow mode and it was absolutely horrible; the car looked horrible too. Sold them the next year.
2. 400hp RWD sports sedans are poor winter cars.
3. 17,000 km.
4. I own a Yokohama distributor and worked in tire shops all my life - my father owns several Canadian Tires on the South Shore of Montreal, too, as well as a Unipneu outlet in St-Constant. I think I know what I'm talking about. Yes, I did buy a set and put it on the car. I drove it in snow mode and it was absolutely horrible; the car looked horrible too. Sold them the next year.
And all the other F owners that drive theirs in the winter are of course wrong. Do a search....there are many owners that happily drive their cars year round with proper winter set ups. Some of them look really good too.
09-02-09, 08:20 PM
#27
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09-02-09, 08:29 PM
#28
Lexus Champion
