BDNY7

Hey guys so I am no stranger to Lexus as I used to own an 03 is300 and also an 09 is250 however about two years ago I got a crazy price on a BMW 335 and couldn't resist the twin turbos. It has been a really fun car and with all my mods my 335 puts down about 400awhp and about 420awtq but it isn't the most reliable car so I am going to be selling it soon and think I am sold on the IS-F. What are things I should look for in my search for an IS-F? From my research it seems like I'd want a 2011+ because of the suspension and led headlights? Thanks guys and here are some pics of my current 335

laopadak

iTrader: (2)

This says alot IMO. With the Lexus you get Toyota reliablity. I would guess to say most F owners considered German cars at some point, whether it's the M, C63, E63, S4, RS4 possibly even American muscle. With me, I was sold on the reliability and rarity.

2011+ does have the newer suspension, headlights, gauge cluster, rear LSD and a few other features not available on the earlier models.

When searching for your F, it's the same as all other cars. Dealer serviced / maintained, adult owned, garaged, weekend driver, not beat to **** etc.

tronim

iTrader: (1)

LOL That's a nice personalized plate...but how long can that stand to be true on a car like this? :P

VtotheJ

iTrader: (2)

Reliability & rarity (how many ISF's have you seen on the streets....). Also, SARD Japan is also very close to reaching a tuning solution for the ISF.

Those 3 things alone should sway you. Which part of NY are you in? I think you'd be sold if I invited you to a NEISF meet.

dannyk8232

No brainer........you should go for it

LesRok

I used to own an M3. It was a great car, loved it, but 75% of the it was at the stealership. So my point is German cars are like women, they are very beautiful and sweet but unreliable that cheat, but if you don't mind that keep having them. I'd rather have a not so great looking chick, but at least she's faithful and reliable.

vbb

iTrader: (3)

I am a former 335i owner (I had mine tuned to about 315whp and 330tq at the wheels, so more conservative than yours). I ordered that car at my dealership in 2007 and followed the build process online through BMW for the 2 months or whatever it was while it was being assembled. When I got it, built exactly to my specs, I was more excited than I'd ever been about a car. The fact that a minor "tune" could unlock so much more power was also fascinating.

While I had that car, my wife had an IS250. I always like the interior and dash layout of her Lexus way more than my BMW. The Lexus seemed to be lush and plush and the BMW was spartan. But hey, cars are meant to be driven, right? And there was no comparison with the driving dynamics. My car handled well, was fast and I was happy. Then I started getting the HPFP problems. Not to bore you with a long story you probably know too well, but my car was in and out of the shop for unscheduled maint for WEEKS dealing with that nonsense. It quickly soured my impression of the car and of BMW as a whole. I went totally back to stock with the tune, and it still had the problems.

After 2.5 years, I decided to go back to my original love of Japanese sports cars, got rid of the BMW and got another S2000, and then got a TSX as my daily driver. Never had any problems with either of those cars (until I decided to turbocharge my S2000, but that's another story entirely). Finally I decided I wanted one car that would do it all. A car that I could drive on long trips, that looked good inside and out, that was reliable, and most importantly, that could perform. I shopped for awhile, but loved the ISF right from the beginning. It had everything I liked about my wife's IS250, more performance than my 335i, and was rare to boot. The rest is history...

BDNY7

Awesome thanks man! Also are there any specific issues I should be aware of when looking for the car as well? Definitely going to look for a 2011 or greater, the lsd alone sold me on it!

Thanks was definitely trying to be different and creative with it, but no codes on an n54 335 is an impossible feat haha

islandbeef

What puzzles me is that folks still have not realized that BMW+Reliability don't go hand in hand. If your time/money/sanity are important to you, it seems like common sense to steer clear from a BMW.

/shrugs

dannyk8232

Did you just call my car fat?

To the OP....I think you should go test drive an ISF asap. Too much awesomeness to list, but I'll leave you with this - everybody and their kids have BMW's these days

SunnyD09

I came from an N54 135 that wasn't making as much power as yours (JB4 Map 1+ DCI) and while I miss the torque, the ISF more than makes up for that in the driving experience. In terms of specific issues, nothing to really watch out for and definitely nothing as problematic as the HPFP on the N54s. If it's the LSD that you really want, you can also look at 2010s, which is the first year the ISF got them. 2011+ got LED running lamps, revised suspension and steering ECU, and updated gauge cluster.

BDNY7

The rarity and reliability are definitely two main components that made me consider the F. I am a pretty active member and attend meets all over the tri-state area and rarely see the IS-F which is definitely a cool bonus. I am in the Country Club/Throggs Neck section of the Bronx but work in Westchester and would love to come to one of your meets

Awesome about the tuning solution! That is definitely a huge plus for me. I think I'm sold

I think I definitely am just need to part my car out and trade it in

Definitely with both of you! While I have not had any major issues with my car YET, I fear the day the problems start and want to get rid of it before then! I am definitely looking forward to starting a new project

dannyk8232

For me, that would ruin most of the fun of the car by itself...

BDNY7

haha yeah I definitely want to go test drive one asap but unfortunately I don't know how soon this will all happen since I imagine it will probably be a time consuming project to just part my car out and trade it in. And yeah it definitely ruins it for me and that's why I want something more reliable that I can be confident in.

Yeah my car is (JB4 Map 5 with a fuel flash for e85 and it is full bolt on). You hit the nail on the head about the torque, I am worried I will miss all that instant torque of the n54 but I guess I won't miss the repair bills haha. Thanks for all the info man!

itsmike177

iTrader: (3)

Since you're coming from a modded 335 with 400+hp dynoed, the ISF will feel slower. And is slower. Test drive one and you'll notice a big difference in low end torque.

I hear horror stories about BMW and how they're always in the shop for something, but then, I also hear people who have no issues as well. Lexus on the other hand, I hardly hear from others about mechanical problems and their cars being in the "shop for weeks." True, ISF performance and mods may be lacking compared to a modded 335 or M3, I suppose Toyota plays it safe in "tuning" to increase reliability.

Go with the ISF if reliability is on the top of your list. The past 4 years, I have previously owned an 08 and now an 11 ISF, ~25k miles year, daily driven hard, and never had drivetrain problems that left me stranded. Driven hard, meaning, if I am the first car at a stop light, 90-100% throttle; on ramps taken at near max suspension load and 100% throttle afterwards; downshifts/upshifts in manual mode all the time. Not abusive, but definitely more aggressive than "normal" driving.. 300 miles of track days on the 2011 so far, around 800 miles of track days on the 2008. Track days can be easily 80-100 miles. Sure, not the fastest on the track, but not one problem either.

As much I like how the 335 and M3 drives (which is better than the ISF, don't say it's not,) I am pretty sure if I drove an M3 or 335 the way I drive the ISF, something would have gone wrong by now or be quite costly to maintain.