Hey guys I was referred here. I'm am currently in the market for a 08-09 Lexus IS-F. I'm looking to stay under $25k which means it will have close to 100k miles or a little over. Coming from a cammed 09 Pontiac G8 Gt is their anything I need to look out for or be concerned about going into a higher millege isf? Strengths and weaknesses? Transmission issues? Any help will be greatly appreciated thank you.

 

Welcome to the board & forum. Great to see a prospective new owner seeking information.

Based on what I've read here, I would look carefully at the condition of the dash panel & door cards if you're considering a 2008 f (likely, as the vast majority are '08's). They tend to melt if over exposed to hot humid conditions. The parts were made more durable beginning in 2009, and are extremely expensive to buy new. FWIW, I bought a 2008 2 yrs ago with 60k on it and have not noticed any deterioration.

In addition, there can be some bothersome cooling system leaks (radiator, water pump, & beneath the valley plate) which look ugly but aren't serious enough to cause overheating.
Good luck with your search.

 

Thank you very much, I'm in love with this car. Are the coolant issues really expensive, or is the water pump and hoses a pretty simple task for DIY. So otherwise it's a pretty solid car with no major reliability issues like GM's lifters and German rivals!

 

Curious what or who turned you on to the ISF??? Usually guys who are domestic tend to stick in the LS universe as parts are cheaper more plentiful etc.......

 

I have always been a fan of the isf but of course I was a gm guy, but i wanted power and most of all reliability. The isf also make stock what I pushing cammed. Chargers are everywhere GM discontinued the g8 and SS. I'm looking to try something different that won't break the bank. I've owned BMW which was a mechanical nightmare and the isf competes very well against every segment. It's my unicorn lol.

 

Cool!

Guys on here are really helpful and will try to answer any questions you may have while you look or point you to links that will help with your decision making.

Good luck!

 

My ISF has over 100k miles on it. I bought it with 72k miles. I have yet to see any failure (knock on wood). I do know the previous owner before me had the water pump replaced. That being said, just fluid changes/top off, filters and spark plugs. I will note that inner front tire wear will come if you don't upgrade your front LCA bushings. Another side note is frequent tires ( if you drive with smiles on your face) and brakes.

 

Sounds like you had all good reasons man, hopefully you find one. Judging by the criteria you said, that should be an easy find, I found my 08 ISF with 90k on the clock for 24k. Im at 120k miles now and all ive done is water pump(wasn't leaking yet but I know the 08-09 had leaking water pump issue over time), changed rear diff fluid, and regular maintenance. No issues at all versus what proved to be a maintenance nightmare in my previous E92.

For the amount of power and class the ISF is in, it does daily driving a lot better than its competitors AND still could hold its own. Its truly win/win owning an F

 

Props for keeping an open mind about things, so rare to find that in people nowadays.

All good points, the car is pretty exclusive and is very fast out of the box and you won't be blending in with the crowed.

I will start by saying, try to find a one owner car that was garaged and see how it goes. Of course go over all the maintenance records of such are available.

I know you're on a budget, but sometimes taking a break from the performance car for just a little bit can yield some pretty cool things down the road. (Well, in my case it was 3 years and yielded a new 2013 IS-F but you may not want to wait that long)

Maybe try to squeeze a 2011? Worth the stretch.

Anyhowz, good luck with the search and welcome to the club.

 

I've had the water pump changed twice due to it leaking. I cant remember exactly what it cost but I think it was about 300 dollars to get it replaced the first time. Luckily it was under warranty the second time it was changed. I didn't do it myself but the mechanic told me it is a pretty tough job and can take a while to do. As other people have mentioned when you're looking for one check to see if the water pump is leaking, and I would check the serpentine belt as well. I had mine blow around 90,000 miles. I'd check the service history if you can, and also check to see if the recalls have been done. I think there's a recall on some of the interior pieces of the car as well. Good luck with your search!