993Coupe

Went out last weekend to the local Lexus Dealer and drove the IS-F (mainly for ****s and giggles). It is an excellent car and I had a lot of fun driving it. I will prob be in the market for a "family" car in the next 8-10 months. I'm looking at the usual suspects. C63 AMG, M3, IS-F, RS4, CTS-V....Eee I Eee I Oh! They had a beautiful Black/Black IS-F with 7500 miles, fully optioned, clear bra and K40. They offered 50k as the selling price. In the current market do you think this is a good deal? Sticker is 62k. I've driven all the cars, except the Cadillac. I'm a little hesitant on that one due to GM and their instability right now. I wasn't planning on getting anything now, but I'm unsure if the market will improve between now and when I am ready (Nov-Dec). I really like the IS-F and if this is a good deal (I might be able to squeeze another 4-5k out of them) I might be inclined to pounce on it. Any insight or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks guys!

earlyapex

There are very good deals out there in every model so don't make your decision primarily on the discount. I personally do not like the look of the IS-F. The market is in your favor and is not likely to turn around anytime soon. Buy the car the turns you on when you jump in the drivers seat and turn the key.

I like the RS4.

MSHii

IS-F is an excellent car, but, like earlyapex suggested, it seems that it may lack a little passion. Of course, you'll be the one making the final decision and paying for it, but it seems like it would be worth your while to test the other cars on your list. Also, if we are to assume that gas prices will be hiking again in or shortly after the summer, the IS (and the rest of the cars in this class) will certainly plummet as the prices rise. Even if they don't, if you were to look at a car with the same specs that you are considering now in October (let's assume you can't stand waiting until your planned purchase date any longer and you cave in a month early!), its price would be reflective of the fact that the 2010s have, or will arrive very soon. Although it is a Lexus and they are typically not affected by the normal cycle of car sales because of their reputation for quality and customer satisfaction, it is safe to think of the IS-F as an outcast because it is such a different animal than any of the other vehicles that Lexus offers (and, as such, it appeals to a different customer that is more concerned with cornering gs than how far he can drive without a warning light ever coming on the dash). The fact that it is a Lexus may limit how much they discount the car too, but I reckon pricing in the Northeast is significantly diffent than it is down here in the South, so I'll leave that part alone.

I hope I haven't come off as a know-it-all. I don't mean to question your judgement in any way, but these are some of the thoughts that went through my head as I read your post. I hope it helps!

I would hold tight and not allow the rush of 400+ horses to provoke you into deviating from your original plan.

RaceCarDriver

I test drove the M3 sedan, Lexus IS-F, and RS4. I bought the M3 sedan.

I would rank them:

1) M3
2) Lexus IS-F
3) RS-4

The IS-F is a fun car if you want an auto trans. I've always owned stick shifts, never had a car with an auto, so the M3 was the choice. If I had to have an auto, the IS-F is a very good car. I'ts the best auto I've ever driven. It's no M3 but fun to drive. I was suprised with the power oversteer the car had.

The M3 has the best handling of the three cars by far and is the fastest (or atleast feels that way)

MJR911

A good friend, who also happens to be a pro driver, gets hired out by auto companies to give editors, etc hot laps in all of the latest high end stuff. He told me a few weeks ago that he considers the IS-F the best 4 door sports car on the market right now.

...just my 0.02.

larrysb

I bought a silver IS-F last summer. My prior car was a C5 Corvette convertible. Loved that car.

It's a Lexus. Nothing rattles, nothing squeaks, the doors close perfectly. Very solid car. One hint: Set the car to Sport mode. It's like Jekyll and Hyde between sport and normal mode. You can also override the traction and stability controls. Mark Levinson sound is very good and the nav system and climate/entertainment controls and voice command are very well integrated.

The engine is a lot of fun. It has oodles of power and great torque. It's silky smooth and quiet when driven normally in traffic. Step on it and it rapidly comes to life with a roar.

The 8spd auto/paddle shift is about as good as an auto can get. In sport mode, the paddle shifts are blazing fast and it's in full torque converter lockup in every gear except first.

It does exactly what Lexus designed it to do. A daily driver that can go really stupid fast when you want it to. Brakes are great, although they dust like crazy. There is a reason they put grey wheels on it. Seats are way better than anything else Lexus makes. The ride is stiff as a board, but it handles like it is velcroed to the pavement. It's front heavy, with understeer, but you can torque the back around as pretty as you please.

Some complain about the quad-tip exhaust "diffusers" or call them fake, as they are attached to the rear fascia.

All in all, it's a heck of a beast. Lexus service is hard to beat too.

I'm missing the stick and the drop top. No other complaints about the IS-F. Been thinking about 2009 TT Cabrio lately. Just find that I prefer a stick, no matter how good the automatic is. Just a preference.

stubenhocker

Oh yeah loves those FAKE exhaust tips! No way anyone who is serious about cars would ever be caught driving around in something so nerdy!

Watch out for the whiplash from the constant shifting of that auto tranny.

larrysb

I'm curious why you call them "fake"?

I can assure you that they get hot and collect soot from the exhaust coming through them. On a cold morning, the steam of the exhaust definitely comes out of them while idling at a red light.

If you think about it, it is a rather clever bit of industrial engineering. It completely eliminates the problem of dual exhaust tips appearing uneven due to the natural torquing motion of a longitudinal drive train and the problems of aligning long runs of pipe evenly.

Love them or hate them, they are a distinctive feature of the ISF and I wouldn't change them for the world.

Vince964T

Had a ride in one of these Lexus around a local track.
Impressed by the gear box and handling thanks to the electronics. They guy was really trying to save money on his brake budget ;-) but the car kept saving him even when i thought "O **** here it comes".

I am not used to that so I was pretty impressed.

Overall didn't seem really involving to drive fast compared to our P cars but as an everyday car I would not say no.

scottzj

I have been thinking about getting the ISC for the misses, as she wants a convertible and I do like the lexus design compared to others.
I have had my GS400 for many many years and it performs great and still running stupid strong. I like Lexus/Toyota dependablity.

Chaos

Scott,
I went from your style GS300 to a 06 GS 300 awd,you will miss yours when it is gone !

new914owner

I like the m3...great car.

EUROMASTERS

IS-F is a great car, little too heavy, but very fun to drive. In normal drive mode the gearbox is shifting a lot though. Thats a good price though, and maintance will be cheaper on the lexus. I have the pearl white love the color at night.