IS F (2008-2014) Discussion topics related to the IS F model

Did any one consider purchasing the CTS-V before buying the ISF??

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Old 09-28-17, 05:12 PM
  #16  
Lmood
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The v was also on my list when I was looking. REALLY wanted the wagon. You can almost sneeze in them and make tons of power. But I couldn't really find one in my price point and started to hear about a few problems. Hell I don't even remember what they were now. Found my F and still love the car!
Old 09-28-17, 08:21 PM
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AndrewISF
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The CTS-V/M3/C63/ISF were all on my list when I was considering my next car. I ended up picking the ISF based off all the great things I read about it on this forum, the rarity of it, the look, and the overall reliability. This is my daily car and I didn't want to have a couple grand not have it out of commission for a couple days in the shop for 'when' instead of 'if' a problem occurred like I've seen/heard of time and time again with the others. I've had my F for over 1.5 years now and still love getting into it and going for a drive. I've raced most of the Fs competitors at the track, won and lost but the margins of victory were very small either way so it's not like any of the mention 4 are far superior than another. I just say it comes down to personal taste in design which I liked the F the most.

Last edited by AndrewISF; 09-29-17 at 06:56 AM.
Old 09-29-17, 06:31 AM
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Quadrphnia
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I think they're cool man. Total members of the club. They look ok in the rear view, but I do think they're ugly as sin from the rear. When gauging my attraction to certain things in the wild, the rear end takes precedence.

Oddly, it always seems like CTS-V owners take **** care of them too - anyone else notice this? They're always dirty... shot wheels.. etc. Unfortunate.
Old 09-29-17, 06:59 AM
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Originally Posted by Quadrphnia
Oddly, it always seems like CTS-V owners take **** care of them too - anyone else notice this? They're always dirty... shot wheels.. etc. Unfortunate.
Nah, it's not the owners, it's because they are american made cars and just fall apart quicker than anything else on the road
Old 09-29-17, 08:58 AM
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Nautique
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I owned a 2008 ISF that I bought new in 2009; it had been a dealer demo with just under 5K miles. Black on black. That car was amazing and turned lots of heads! With Sikky headers, JoeZ PTS exhaust, JoeZ intake tube, small Odyssey battery, and blue-painted plastic engine cover … on drag radials it ran 12.1 @ 115. Never had trouble with that machine! Sold it to a dealer in Houston due to an overseas move…

Came back to the States and bought a new 2014 CTS-V sedan, w/ auto trans for the wife, most all other options. Black on black again. Kooks long tubes and X-pipe, stock mufflers, Airaid with K&N, D3 performance tuned; it puts 530 to the ground. Never been to the strip though :-(

The Cadillac is a brute. It pulls like a freight train. I haven’t had trouble with it in 56K miles, although the supercharger was replaced due to a service bulletin at about 35K. Truth is, more people compliment me about this car than any other I have ever owned. Admittedly, I do also get those who say, “My mom has a car just like that! It just doesn’t sound as good.” Um … is it the supercharged 6.2L V8? No? Then no … she doesn’t.

Comparatively, the tech stuff in the Gen II CTS-V cabin leaves lots to be desired. The NAV system is an embarrassment, but Waze on my phone works fine. I didn’t buy it for electronics though … the power is amazing. Handling is tight and the mag suspension is quite nice. Plus, I need the extra space for hauling my family around.

Drove several Gen III CTS-Vs at Circuit of the Americas last weekend. Very nice cars, but pricing is steep. Didn’t fool with many of the electronics, except the Cosworth PDR – a fantastic option for relatively low cost. Man, that car seems bigger than mine, but weighs 100 pounds less. 640 at the crank, and a blank canvas for light mods to add more. Wow.

Anyhow, IMHO, both my ISF and Gen II CTS-V have been fantastic. Both were good for me at different times in my life. I like them both the same, but I do think it would be fun if I could line up the old and new :-)
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Old 09-29-17, 09:34 AM
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Jz39
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Originally Posted by FFM
Yup, V8’s can be had in the 60’s. V10’s nearly dipping into the 70’s.

Once i relocate the wife into my F, acquire M car, the R8 is my planned third vehicle in a few more years. Likely a V10 since I assume prices will be down into the 60’s by then.

Plus us with a gated 6MT, one less thing to worry about maintaining.

interesting, my friend did the exact opposite, R8 to CTSV due to maintenance costs on the R8. He was charged almost 5000$ for a new headlight and ALL of his rims bent multiple times to the point that the dealer said the next time they bent, which they would have, he would have to get new ones. Doesn't sound like a sound option for low cost maintenance to me.

Plus there is an anti chick stigma of the CTSV--not that the ISF is a chick magnet by any means, but the Lexus name is a bit more so. My wife got into his CTSV and kind of chuckled that it was a Cadillac and I real quick had to chime in that "this was a very special Cadillac" to not hurt any feelings

Last edited by Jz39; 09-29-17 at 09:37 AM.
Old 09-29-17, 10:22 AM
  #22  
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I do all my own work on my cars. Always have. Everything but the tuning, I leave that to the local expert. Makes buying less than responsible vehicles not that big of a deal long as parts costs aren’t outrageous.

$1100 for a used headlight and a couple beers on a Saturday. No big deal
Old 09-29-17, 11:42 AM
  #23  
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Originally Posted by Nautique
I owned a 2008 ISF that I bought new in 2009; it had been a dealer demo with just under 5K miles. Black on black. That car was amazing and turned lots of heads! With Sikky headers, JoeZ PTS exhaust, JoeZ intake tube, small Odyssey battery, and blue-painted plastic engine cover … on drag radials it ran 12.1 @ 115. Never had trouble with that machine! Sold it to a dealer in Houston due to an overseas move…

Came back to the States and bought a new 2014 CTS-V sedan, w/ auto trans for the wife, most all other options. Black on black again. Kooks long tubes and X-pipe, stock mufflers, Airaid with K&N, D3 performance tuned; it puts 530 to the ground. Never been to the strip though :-(

The Cadillac is a brute. It pulls like a freight train. I haven’t had trouble with it in 56K miles, although the supercharger was replaced due to a service bulletin at about 35K. Truth is, more people compliment me about this car than any other I have ever owned. Admittedly, I do also get those who say, “My mom has a car just like that! It just doesn’t sound as good.” Um … is it the supercharged 6.2L V8? No? Then no … she doesn’t.

Comparatively, the tech stuff in the Gen II CTS-V cabin leaves lots to be desired. The NAV system is an embarrassment, but Waze on my phone works fine. I didn’t buy it for electronics though … the power is amazing. Handling is tight and the mag suspension is quite nice. Plus, I need the extra space for hauling my family around.

Drove several Gen III CTS-Vs at Circuit of the Americas last weekend. Very nice cars, but pricing is steep. Didn’t fool with many of the electronics, except the Cosworth PDR – a fantastic option for relatively low cost. Man, that car seems bigger than mine, but weighs 100 pounds less. 640 at the crank, and a blank canvas for light mods to add more. Wow.

Anyhow, IMHO, both my ISF and Gen II CTS-V have been fantastic. Both were good for me at different times in my life. I like them both the same, but I do think it would be fun if I could line up the old and new :-)
I might just have to purchase both cars now, thanks for the input you just made my decision even harder!!
Old 09-29-17, 11:46 AM
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Originally Posted by FFM
I do all my own work on my cars. Always have. Everything but the tuning, I leave that to the local expert. Makes buying less than responsible vehicles not that big of a deal long as parts costs aren’t outrageous.

$1100 for a used headlight and a couple beers on a Saturday. No big deal
I own a performance shop in SoCal so cost of maintenance is not a huge factor for me either, that being said parts cost do a play a factor as well as reliability.
Old 09-29-17, 01:07 PM
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TBH, what got me into the F vs. Rs4, C/E63, M3, & Cts-V is that's it's a Toyota product. Old skool brand loyalty.

The Cts-V has lots going for it with the manual transmission & three body styles. I do love the looks of the coupe, though the unicorn manual wagon would be the one for me.

What does your performance shop specialize in?
Old 10-02-17, 06:34 AM
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Originally Posted by awdson
I might just have to purchase both cars now, thanks for the input you just made my decision even harder!!
Great idea!!!
Old 10-02-17, 12:26 PM
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Originally Posted by tas02
TBH, what got me into the F vs. Rs4, C/E63, M3, & Cts-V is that's it's a Toyota product. Old skool brand loyalty.

The Cts-V has lots going for it with the manual transmission & three body styles. I do love the looks of the coupe, though the unicorn manual wagon would be the one for me.

What does your performance shop specialize in?

We build Rally Cars.
Old 10-03-17, 03:20 AM
  #28  
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The ctv-s is an ugly car, the headlights and tail lights NO , but it goes like a cut snake. To me my ISF looks good every time it take it out, which is every second day and it does everything right. Power isn't what a car is about is how it makes you feel when you drive it, I have had a lot of V8s but none as reliable as the ISF and as pleasing. The other thing is bugger all people know what it is even mechanics, did I mention the build quality, long live the ISF KING.
Old 10-03-17, 12:39 PM
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I wanted to buy the V when I started saving for it back 2 years ago but when it came time to buy few months ago...damn. That car aged worse than a P***star, interior and electronics, rear end, wheels, all look horrible. Yeah it was slightly faster but it is a big boat as well. So I looked up the ISF, loved the look, interior is not so bad and is much lighter. Also, there were none in my price range (<$30k) with okay miles so the F was slightly cheaper.
Old 01-02-18, 12:31 PM
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Originally Posted by Vitveet
Stock for stock, the ctsv sedan and isf are equal as far as 0-60 and 1/4 mile times. The V sedan is super heavy.
If modding is your thing, the V gives you many more options tuning wise though.
And short answer, no, the V will not compare maintenance/reliability wise to a comparable year/mileage F.

V.
Old post, but as someone who has owned 2 CTSVs this is very untrue.

yes, the CTSV is heavier but the ISF is not equal to the CTSV in terms of 0-60 and 1/4 mile times...unless you are referencing the old 2004-2005 CTSVs and not the 2009-2014?

Stock Vs usually go in the ballpark of 12.0@114-118 mph give or take and stock ISFs are more in the ballpark of 13.0@108-112 mph and a full second is an absolute ton at the drag strip for those of you that dont know. Aftarmarket the gap just widens.

If you want the fast straight line car hands down the CTSV is the way to go. Endless aftermarket for it as its an LS engine.


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