Likely future ISF owner (?s) (former WRX/EVO owners step in)
 

It is very likely that I'll be buying a 2012-2014 ISF in the near future. I currently drive a 2012 WRX Limited hatchback with a Stage 1 tune, a very pricey Bilstein shock/spring setup, sway bars, fancy larger/wider rims, Michelin Pilot Super Sports, plus a handful of other mods to improve driveability, turbo spool, and creature comfort.


I've eyed the ISF ever since they came out and the improvements to the 2011+ cars sweetened the deal. I've owned my WRX for almost 3.5 years now and it's been bulletproof. The thing is amusingly raw, quite quick with the Stage 1 tune (low low 13s@104mph), and with the suspension and wheels/tires, the handling is bonkers compared to stock (which wasn't bad at all to start with). However, the interior quality is lacking, specifically the car is a rattle trap. I've spent countless hours removing nearly every interior panel and using well over 100 linear feet of black felt tape to quell the rattles. The car now is quite solid and is nearly rattle proof. It's fine for what it is, a souped up economy car (paid $28,200). However, the hollowness of the doors, the plastic fantastic interior (hardly any soft touch materials), and general cheapness of the car was worn on me a bit and I think I'm ready to get back into a sport luxury car again. I had owned a modded G35 sedan for 7 years prior to the WRX. To me, the ISF seems to represent both the qualities of my old G and the WRX.


So, now you know my lengthy story. I'd like to get some opinions from those, especially that owned WRXs and EVOs prior, regarding their feelings of the ISF after owning it for a while. Specifically:


1) Do these cars rattle and creak much, especially in the winter? I do live an area that experiences sub 30 degree temps for weeks on end.


2) Prior WRX/EVO owners: Are you bored with driving a more refined sports/muscle sedan? Do you miss the rawness, point/shoot capability, and nutty launch potential of an AWD turbo car?


3) Does driving the automatic get old? My G was an auto. I'd likely use the manual mode in the ISF fairly often, but I'm worried that may get boring.


4) What are people seeing 50% city and 50% highway driving? My WRX sees about 21-22 in this type of driving and I'm not exactly soft on the throttle when given the change. Fuel costs aren't a big deal to me, I just want to make sure I'm not having to fill this thing weekly and only get 250 miles to the tank.

I daily a 2008 Evo X.
I'm excited to drive the ISF every time. I'm also excited to the drive the Evo most of the time as well.
If you don't get a loud exhaust, your car shouldn't creak much. I have no cats from the exhaust manifolds down and the car doesn't like to keep quiet. However, all of that has been mitigated with foam tape.
I can't comment on winter driving.
The exhaust note of the F is incredible, especially when paired with an exhaust. The tranny upshifts virtually as fast as a dct. I find that a mix of manual from the evo and paddles from the F offers the perfect balance--but it's a given that too much of one thing does get annoying. I miss the clutch pedal in the F sometimes, and I even try to ghost-paddle shift in the Evo. You won't be disappointed with the tranny, but members on here do yearn for a manual.
You'll probably get around the same gas mileage (8 gears). Most I've gotten on the highway continuously was 29mpg.
ISFs trap in the mid teens so you'll definitely enjoy the power bump. Only gripe I have is the lack of aftermarket, but that's surely being looked at by dedicated vendors on here :)
Good luck in your search. The F is sensational!

Good post JDMV8 you are correct. There are some plus and minus, its a very solid car and don't have any creaks of vibrations. Aftermarket is terrible, not many will spend the time and money to create a product for such a small pool of potential buyers. You'll surely miss the sound of a turbo in the exhaust, but the F can deliver a deep powerful note you'll forget about. Manual shift is extemely quick, paddles or shift knob, would love a manual just for the leisure of being "one" with the car, but the auto in traffic is definitely nice. Can't really go wrong, its a rare car, especially in kansas. Whatever your choice is, good luck!

The ISF is one of a kind. I love the way it is a sleeper. Not a lot of people know about these. I hate it when people think it's a "F Sport"

Turbos are fun and the surge is amusing. I've never gotten quite used to the lag though, especially at throtten tip-in. It would be nice to have a strong NA motor again. The ISF would be the quickest and fastest car I've ever owned. Also the nicest.

I'm not too worried about the aftermarket. It's plenty for me and the car appears to be fast enough. My goal is to have a newer Cayman S manual in the stable in another 3 to 4 years. The ISF would stay for a very long time. The reliability factor is huge for me. I know an M3 is arguably the better performer, but I want something that will last. I'm willing to trade a few tenths of a second here and there for the peace of mind.

I bought my 07 STI new, drove it daily for 7 years and in the past year of owning the ISF, I don't miss the STI at all.

I don't miss my lightly modded WRX at all. I kind of miss shifting, but the auto does a better job shifting than I could and is surprisingly quick for what it is. All in all I don't regret moving on and not having a manual isn't killing me.

I average about 270 a tank and fill up probably once a week........... so don't know you'd fare but more than likely it'll be under 300 miles a tank depending on your foot and weekly fill ups.

Actually, at least at VIR, a 2011 has better performance than an m3.

I had a pretty heavily modded Legacy Spec B (bigger turbo, injectors, FMIC, E85 tune, coilovers, sway bars etc,). It was a very fast but very raw car. 0-60 and 1/4 mile in a heavily modded suby will probably always be slightly faster - but after 60 mph, even in stock form, the F is relative beast compared to my Suby. IMO, highway speed stability and acceleration is at a completely different level with the F.

Some answers to your specific questions.

1 - My F is rattle free - and it is incredibly refined (compared to the suby).

2 - I miss the AWD - the F needs to be handled gently in the rain, no more flooring out of a corner in the wet. At the same time, its nice to be able to launch hard in the dry and not need to worry about your clutch.

3 - I love the auto - it shift incredibly quickly in sport mode and is much quicker than shifting manually. With that said - I miss "feel" of the manual. I am not sure any auto or dual clutch tranny can ever give you that feel tho.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

I had a heavily modded 04 STi. I got tired of the unreliable 400whp thing. I went through one block at 25k and then it was on its way out at around 65k after being built. I dumped it and got my 08 isf. I miss the fact that I didn't much care if the the STi got dirty when i took it on trips or camping or out in the field. That's about all I miss from it. Driving the ISF never gets boring. It's a solid car.

What everyone else has said, very reliable solid car - really does feel like a quality luxury car inside. Side note I drove the M3 and ISF back to back (both 08) and the performance gap between them is so close to nonexistent it doesn't matter, and the '11 is apparently faster than an M

That was a lesson I learned quickly. I had RWD before the F, but not nearly at the same power level...rain is a completely different experience now. :eek2:

I just picked up my 08 ISF after owning an 07 STI for 5 years.

1) Do these cars rattle and creak much, especially in the winter? I haven't noticed anything but I also drive on stiff suspension and low.


2) Prior WRX/EVO owners: yes and no. I love the sound of a v8 but I do miss having boost at times.


3) Does driving the automatic get old? the paddle shifters are fun and shift very fast but I do wish it came in a manual like the M3.


4) What are people seeing 50% city and 50% highway driving? I'm averaging about 18-20mpg but my commute is only 10 miles each way so its mostly city driving.


To be honest I do miss the STI but would never get rid of my F for another one. I don't miss the cheap interior, ringlands, or always getting pulled over. I also love being able to run a staggered wheel setup.

I had an 02 WRX, 13 STI, and 04 WRX wagon. They can't hold a candle to the ISF. They're slow, laggy, feel cheap, and you constantly worry about blowing a ringland or the tranny.

The ISF is better built, more grown up, and an absolute beast. Just drive one! I haven't looked back at any of my Subarus for a second after I got this.

damn looks like the progression is EVO/STI to ISF to GTR . A whole lotta letter and speed LOL

I'm hoping mine goes STI to ISF to 911.

It was either IS F or M3 and I decided IS F for there reasons:
Less common
I'd rather spend my money on mods than repairs

2015 WRX to 2011 ISF here.

but have been a previous lexus owner and should have just bought the F a long time ago..

I have always liked wrx's since I was a kid so im glad I got it out of the system but the car isnt for me, yes it has the grip (which is amazing - I upgraded to STI 18x8.5s and potenza's and had eibach springs) but I dont know the car just didnt ' do it' for me, it didnt feel special - as other guys have said when you just start up the F you instantly have a smile and the car just feels well, special..

once you get one you will know what we are all going on about :)

I have tuned hundreds of WRX/STi's and some EVO's, S2000's, BRZ's.

The bottom line difference is that you will save money in the long run w/ the ISF if you are comparing reliability of any modified 4-banger to the ISF. When I see new STi's selling for $38k, I have to laugh. I personally think an ISF with 80k miles is more reliable than a new STi.

That said, well modified EVO, S2000, or BRZ handle really well, and have that go-kart point and shoot feeling that is hard to match with a heavy sedan like the ISF... which is why you need our RR-Racing/Penske coilovers which push the limits of handling and response of the ISF to another league:-)

Rafi

2004 STi Stage 2 here. Purchased 03/03/2004, sold 01/10/2010.

I don't miss the harsh ride, the wing and the look. I do miss the turbo surge, RECARO seats, Defi gauges and the sound the blow-off valve makes when letting off the throttle. (thanks to the APS CAI 65mm)

Also driven just about every Evo that came to U.S shores since 2003 (Evo 8 GSR, Evo 8 MR, Evo 9 GSR, Evo 9 MR) a buddy of mine back in California has a fully built Evo 9 MR. Great car.

The IS-F is a different beast, mine does not have any rattles and I enjoy driving it on the weekend. Many others daily drive their IS-F's.

You won't get bored with the power, the V8 sound and how comfortable it is.

Thank you everyone. I've become very comfortable with making the decision to go forward with getting an ISF. The problem now is finding one local to me in Kansas City. So the search begins.

Now I need to start removing parts from my WRX hatchback. It absolutely blows my mind that I paid $28,200 for my WRX new back in March 2012 and it is still worth $25,500.

Great job on the decision and good luck. Take it for what's its worth but try looking out of kansas City and all over.. I live in Northern Cali and I flew to Houston Texas to get my ISF. Best decision because I couldn't find what I wanted in all of California... and I saved over 3K in sales tax alone by buying out of state. . I searched cars.com, auto trader a d CL all over the nation before I found the right one.. I'm so glad I did.. And that 2400 mile trip back to Cali inn the 2 days I drove it was amazing.. Really got an appreciation for the F..

Check out www.cars.com... they show a 2008 pearl white ISF with 54k miles listed for $33k in Pryor Oklahoma. You can probably knock them down below $30 if you push hard. 54000 miles is nothing on an ISF. Will be more reliable than a new STi:-)


there is also a really nice 2012 ISF gray, with 36k for $40k in Tulsa OK.


Rafi

Yep, I was really eyeing that gray 2012 and inquired about it the day it showed up on Cars.com. They were all over me trying to buy it. Two days later the Carfax posted showing two wrecks. I inquired about the wrecks and they have been completely unresponsive since. This is an L-certified car too :sad:

I've also been looking at a silver 2013 ISF with 11K miles in Oklahoma City. The issue I have with the car is that it has a KN intake. Another L-certified car too LOL. I told them I'm not a fan of aftermarket parts on cars I'm buying. I said I'd be interested in the car if they'd replace the intake with the OEM system. They're not interested in doing that. That car has been sitting on their lot for 6 weeks.

I'm not terribly impressed with the L-certification process to say the least.

I ended up going non Certified just because the examples I found were out of my price range. wasnt going over 35K for an ISF,, i was very fortunate to find a ISF that had been dealer serviced since inception and got the full service history from Lexus of Clearlake when i had it there for a pre purchase inspection.. it was money so i grabbed it. I may go for an extended warranty later but for now I'm figuring it all out..

Check out this ISF at Sewell. I spoke to the sales manager for 30 min over this car as i was a click away from buying my plane ticket and flying out to purchase it. However i went with a 2011 ISF in Houston instead that poped up right after i spoke to them about this one. This one is clean and its 1 owner and he sent me some more pictures, silver just wasnt the color i was looking for. They have had this a while so if you can get maybe 2-3K off its a steal...
I have the sales managers info if you want it. .. Not to far from Kansas City.. :P

http://www.sewelllexus-dallas.com/Ve...arch=certified

Resale on turbo Subarus is abnormally high - and not because they're worth it IMO. Enthusiast market keeps them artificially high. Less desirable models don't sell for as much. For instance my BRZ barely sold for just over $18K almost 3 years after I bought it for $27.5K, before T/T/L.

Yes, but I'm not complaining. When I bought the car, I knew resale would be stellar. Now that Subaru got rid of the hatchback, it's extremely desirable and resale is stronger than ever. The car is in excellent condition too. In 3.5 years of ownership, my WRX never once had to go back to the dealer for a single problem.

My garage plan for years has been an ISF and a Cayman S or 911 S. That's all I'll ever want.

My 04 STi had 60k on it and it was worth 20k. Crazy resale values!

I got $17k for my 04 STi with 110k miles.

I wish I kept it. FP Green, APS top mount, EL header, meth etc, what a blast.

Lol, I doubt you could kill the STi 6 speed. Ringlands were only an issue if you didn't know how to tune. I was at well over 400whp on my 04 STi (supposedly weakest pistons) and had no issues for 6 years.

I had Cobb turbo back, aps front mount, aps sr40 turbo @ 21 psi, perrin big maf, perrin inlet, aps 50/50 recirc, injectors, walboro fuel pump, open source tune and upgraded internals. Mine did not have the reliability yours did...

XutvJet, do you plan on daily driving the F? Just curious. I'm in St. Louis and am also looking for an F but the winter has me worried with a RWD car. It would be my only car.

Tires make the winter car for sure. Blizzaks keep cars that have no business on the road and driving like they were made for it. Putting the ISF in snow mode helps keep it under control, but I can't stress what a proper winter tire will do to your stability and confidence.

Yes, I will be driving it in Kansas City during the winter. I will end up getting winter tires and a set of 18" winter rims. I managed to pilot my RWD 2003 G35 sedan through 7 winters on all season tires with no major issues. Given the additional torque of the ISF, I think winter tires will be a necessity. I may also purchase a set of "auto socks" just in case I get stuck in a major storm. I had auto socks for my G35 and they were flat out amazing. I could completely stop the G on a very steep incline in 5" of powder snow and the car would leave the line without an ounce of spin. I only tested them though and never had to break them out to get around town. Luckily, with my job, I usually work from home during winter events. My wife has a new Outback which will be the primary snow cat.

Not directing this at you, but I always found it amusing that people got pissed when their WRX motor blew when pushing more power. In stock form, the 2009+ WRXs and STIs are pushing 120-125hp/liter. That's a huge amount of power per liter and not many cars on the market push that sort of power per liter, even nearly all exotics. All ISF for example is only pushing 83hp/liter. I highly doubt an ISF V8 would live long behind 625hp (125hp/liter).


It's not shocking that ringlands and rod bearings can let go on WRX motors once you go Stage 2 and beyond. It's just too much to handle for a garden variety motor found in a $25K base car. An OEM shortblock is only $1900 for the WRX. Buy a new shortblock, a set of $600 forged pistons, some better bearings, and a couple of other cheap safeguards and the WRX motor goes from becoming rather fragile at 140-150hp/liter to easily handling 175-200hp/liter. Not many motors can claim that type of power and reliability for merely $3,000 and ~$5,000-6,000 installed (all in). A WRX pushing 450hp is easily an 11 second car. I wasn't interested in that though. I'd rather buy a fast car from the start and modify the motor a little bit. Much fewer headaches.

Perhaps I had some luck.

Also, I was one of the devs on the Subaru open source tuning programs. I eventually wrote my own and only gave it to friends. What I'm getting at is that I was obsessive about tuning and knock and spent more time on my tune than a normal person should ;)

Great combo of parts you listed!

Above post, the hypereutectic found in the subarus were a compromise. Strong, but more brittle and less happy with knock and ring lands. The upside was that thermal expansion was lessened compared to forged pistons. I loved my STi, though would have gone EVO if they were near as reliable.

Owned 06 sti for 6 years and went from stock to professionally built motor, brakes, suspension and just about everything else on the car. With meth injection it was fairly reliable at well over 400whp. Sold it and bought my 2011 isf over the Internet, then drove from ri to Delaware to buy the car. It was such an amazing ride home! This car does not disappoint! Ran a 12.89@111 stock and the car is bulletproof. You won't regret making the upgrade