Austin,tx: Roll Call
Driver
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 126
Likes: 2
From: TX
Welcome fellow IS350 owner.
You know, people say the ISF is rare and they would be right. But most people underestimate how rare it is to see an IS350. When you're roaming around Austin or walking around parking lots and see a 2IS check the badge, 99.99% of the time it'll be an IS250.
I think I've only seen maybe 3 IS350s (and 2 ISFs) ever on the road in Austin - period.
You know, people say the ISF is rare and they would be right. But most people underestimate how rare it is to see an IS350. When you're roaming around Austin or walking around parking lots and see a 2IS check the badge, 99.99% of the time it'll be an IS250.
I think I've only seen maybe 3 IS350s (and 2 ISFs) ever on the road in Austin - period.
I've seen an IS-F coming back from San Antonio like a year ago, raced him, it was pretty cool. My friend was surprised to say I got to 130, he thought I hit 80, hah.
Driver
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
From: TX
I have no problem talking about my experience with Soulspeed. I'm sorry about the delayed response, I've been on here spontaneously and don't live in Austin anymore so haven't been back to this section since I posted last.
I first went to Soulspeed for a simple alignment on my F. I, like many of y'all, had heard great things about them and wanted to give them a try. I made an appointment over a week in advance and showed up early for my appointment. The little guy behind the desk decided to tell me he couldn't fit me in anymore even though I had an appointment. He told me to come back in an hour (reschedule things to make it work). When a client takes time to set up an appointment, you make sure you fit that client in, regardless of the type of business you're in. I came back an hour later and they hauled *** in my car around to the back of the shop (I watched the guy take off down the street). After an hour, the car was done and brought back around. I paid and walked out to find that one of my wheel lips was torn up, completely torn up. I take very, very good care of my car and knew it wasn't like that when I brought it in. When I told the guy about it, he said it wasn't his issue and to have a nice day. Needless to say, that left a bad taste in my mouth.
That was the first not so pleasant experience I had with them. The second one began after I ordered my custom set of wheels. I had an appointment time OVER A MONTH in advance and even talked to the manager on the phone about my last experience. He told me I had nothing to worry about. The reason I went back with Soulspeed is because, as I'm sure many of you know, there aren't many custom wheel/tire/alignment shops in the immediate Austin area. I went ahead and had my new tires shipped to Soulspeed ahead of time and they kept them for me (which I sincerely appreciated). I also had my new wheels shipped to their location to make things easier. When the wheels arrived and I showed up at my appointment time, they told me they didn't have any more time to work on my car. Even though I had an appointment time over a month in advance, they told me they were (direct quote from the front desk guy) "too busy with other clients" to mount, balance and put on my new wheels. When I mentioned I had the assurance of the manager this wouldn't happen again, the guy said that "they have better paying, more important clients to deal with." This was infuriating to me (I was still a client who was spending money at this shop), especially when compounded with my previous experience. Instead of rescheduling my appointment, I drove around to the back of the shop and picked up my four wheels and tires. I ended up having another shop in San Marcos install them. I'm sorry, but to tell a client that you're too busy to work with them (especially with an appointment!) and they're not important as other clients is inexcusable. Ever since this time, I refuse to have my car worked on there as well as have any of my sponsors cars worked on.
I first went to Soulspeed for a simple alignment on my F. I, like many of y'all, had heard great things about them and wanted to give them a try. I made an appointment over a week in advance and showed up early for my appointment. The little guy behind the desk decided to tell me he couldn't fit me in anymore even though I had an appointment. He told me to come back in an hour (reschedule things to make it work). When a client takes time to set up an appointment, you make sure you fit that client in, regardless of the type of business you're in. I came back an hour later and they hauled *** in my car around to the back of the shop (I watched the guy take off down the street). After an hour, the car was done and brought back around. I paid and walked out to find that one of my wheel lips was torn up, completely torn up. I take very, very good care of my car and knew it wasn't like that when I brought it in. When I told the guy about it, he said it wasn't his issue and to have a nice day. Needless to say, that left a bad taste in my mouth.
That was the first not so pleasant experience I had with them. The second one began after I ordered my custom set of wheels. I had an appointment time OVER A MONTH in advance and even talked to the manager on the phone about my last experience. He told me I had nothing to worry about. The reason I went back with Soulspeed is because, as I'm sure many of you know, there aren't many custom wheel/tire/alignment shops in the immediate Austin area. I went ahead and had my new tires shipped to Soulspeed ahead of time and they kept them for me (which I sincerely appreciated). I also had my new wheels shipped to their location to make things easier. When the wheels arrived and I showed up at my appointment time, they told me they didn't have any more time to work on my car. Even though I had an appointment time over a month in advance, they told me they were (direct quote from the front desk guy) "too busy with other clients" to mount, balance and put on my new wheels. When I mentioned I had the assurance of the manager this wouldn't happen again, the guy said that "they have better paying, more important clients to deal with." This was infuriating to me (I was still a client who was spending money at this shop), especially when compounded with my previous experience. Instead of rescheduling my appointment, I drove around to the back of the shop and picked up my four wheels and tires. I ended up having another shop in San Marcos install them. I'm sorry, but to tell a client that you're too busy to work with them (especially with an appointment!) and they're not important as other clients is inexcusable. Ever since this time, I refuse to have my car worked on there as well as have any of my sponsors cars worked on.
Just realized there's this Austin, TX sticky! I actually was rolling next to my IS-F sibling yesterday on South Lamar - between Barton Springs and 71. Besides both of us having white Lex's, we both were in need of car washes!
I'll have to keep an eye on this thread! Y'all take care now!
I'll have to keep an eye on this thread! Y'all take care now!
Although, I did have my IS350 already in hand. 
If memory serves, you came out to the small meet we had by Pluckers Lakeline about a year or so ago, right?
No modding plans for me yet. This car is a rocket as it is. I "babysat" my older bro's E39 M5 while he did 2 tours in Afghanistan, and I'll have to say that the IS350 isn't lacking much in the "get up and go" department, from that of the M5. Obviously different power curves, but I'm very pleased with my upgrade.
I guess you could call the caliper painting a mod, so I've done that.... and I do have a LEX350 vanity plate on her. We have to have another IS roundup sometime in the not-too-distant future...
I guess you could call the caliper painting a mod, so I've done that.... and I do have a LEX350 vanity plate on her. We have to have another IS roundup sometime in the not-too-distant future...
Lexus Champion
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,727
Likes: 2
From: N/A
Don't let jiffy lube touch any of your vehicles. I've never even had a "neutral" experience with any of them. My experience has always been bad.
The Jiffy Lube on north lamar destroyed the brakes on my brother's vehicle (honda civic). The one on bee caves tried to sell me $1000 of service that I did not need and subsequently charged for an oil service that they did not do.
I did get my money back for the fake oil change along with a $300 "gift certificate" that I never plan on using, because $300 in services isn't enough for me to go back to them ever again.
Just search "jiffy lube scam" on youtube -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsLKNdebB6Q
The Jiffy Lube on north lamar destroyed the brakes on my brother's vehicle (honda civic). The one on bee caves tried to sell me $1000 of service that I did not need and subsequently charged for an oil service that they did not do.
I did get my money back for the fake oil change along with a $300 "gift certificate" that I never plan on using, because $300 in services isn't enough for me to go back to them ever again.
Just search "jiffy lube scam" on youtube -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsLKNdebB6Q