The only negative comment from the mags I've ever heard regarded the stiff suspension. You mentioned the IS350. How much stiffer does it ride from a IS 350 in your guestimate? 25%, 50%, more? Thanks and congrats!
Got to air out the F this past Saturday!
Had dinner plans down in LaJolla this past Saturday night with a group of friends. So I headed down a bit early to enjoy the sunshine, avoid the traffic (NOT), and to just let the IS F run a bit!!! And run it did!! 
LaJolla is about 140 miles each way from my home in WLA. Leaving from WLA was not pleasant as the traffic on the 405 South is always stop and go these days. Had to wait until I got down to the Toll Road, 73 I think it is, before really letting the IS F run... Up until then I had to stay with the traffic flow which ranged from stop and go, to cruising in a crowed pack up to 70 or so... Very few seemed to notice the car, which is fine with me. A couple of BMW's gave the thumb's up and one guy in a new Lexus IS 250 were all I noticed taking a good look at the IS F....
On the 73 I finally got to let her loose a bit. Plus by this time I had almost 800miles on her. The car runs very smoothly and quietly, as one would expect from a Lexus, nicely settling in around 2100 rpms in 8th gear, which is about 80 or so... I would still modulate my speed/RPMS, as per the manual during this time. However a smooth press of the throttle uping the RPM's will get an immediate response, especially above 3500 RPM's, a much louder throaty note is heard, as the car says "YES, let's go!" and the MPH"s climb faster then you can beleive. You know you are moving as you are pressed fimly back into the comfortable seat. NICE, very nice......
The ride home was even more fun as the return trip took place a bit after midnight and the trafffic on the 5 North & 405 North had subsided quite a bit. After 6 plus hours of driving, 4 down to LaJolla, and 2 back up, I felt great, no ill or side effects of the much stiffer springing/suspension of the IS F over the prior IS 350 or our current ES330 or RX350.... A great day of driving indeed....
LaJolla is about 140 miles each way from my home in WLA. Leaving from WLA was not pleasant as the traffic on the 405 South is always stop and go these days. Had to wait until I got down to the Toll Road, 73 I think it is, before really letting the IS F run... Up until then I had to stay with the traffic flow which ranged from stop and go, to cruising in a crowed pack up to 70 or so... Very few seemed to notice the car, which is fine with me. A couple of BMW's gave the thumb's up and one guy in a new Lexus IS 250 were all I noticed taking a good look at the IS F....
On the 73 I finally got to let her loose a bit. Plus by this time I had almost 800miles on her. The car runs very smoothly and quietly, as one would expect from a Lexus, nicely settling in around 2100 rpms in 8th gear
, which is about 80 or so... I would still modulate my speed/RPMS, as per the manual during this time. However a smooth press of the throttle uping the RPM's will get an immediate response, especially above 3500 RPM's, a much louder throaty note is heard, as the car says "YES, let's go!" and the MPH"s climb faster then you can beleive. You know you are moving as you are pressed fimly back into the comfortable seat. NICE, very nice...... The ride home was even more fun as the return trip took place a bit after midnight and the trafffic on the 5 North & 405 North had subsided quite a bit. After 6 plus hours of driving, 4 down to LaJolla, and 2 back up, I felt great, no ill or side effects of the much stiffer springing/suspension of the IS F over the prior IS 350 or our current ES330 or RX350.... A great day of driving indeed....
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Congrats on your "F" ! Enjoyed reading your post.
You pretty much nailed the driving experience.
I've read on the various forums where the IS "F" has 90% stiffer springs in front and 50% stiffer springs in the rear then the IS 350 and I would say that seems about right from my owning both cars. To me, the only thing the IS F and the IS 350 share is a simular body style and cockpit. All of the underpinnings, engine, tranny, suspension, etc, are totally different in feel and reaction, The IS 350 is a very very good car for what it was supposed to be. It was never intended to be an IS "F", just as the IS "F" is not an IS 350 with an extra 100 HP. The IS "F" is a totally different breed IMHO, then the IS 350....
The break-in period as told to me by my dealer is 1000 miles. For the first 500miles you should vary your RPM's, not use your cruise control, keep it under 85 mph, no sudden starts or stops, to punching the gas, etc.... after the first 500 miles you can push it a bit more but one should stay conservative 964 miles on mine, and counting !
You pretty much nailed the driving experience.
I've read on the various forums where the IS "F" has 90% stiffer springs in front and 50% stiffer springs in the rear then the IS 350 and I would say that seems about right from my owning both cars. To me, the only thing the IS F and the IS 350 share is a simular body style and cockpit. All of the underpinnings, engine, tranny, suspension, etc, are totally different in feel and reaction, The IS 350 is a very very good car for what it was supposed to be. It was never intended to be an IS "F", just as the IS "F" is not an IS 350 with an extra 100 HP. The IS "F" is a totally different breed IMHO, then the IS 350....
The break-in period as told to me by my dealer is 1000 miles. For the first 500miles you should vary your RPM's, not use your cruise control, keep it under 85 mph, no sudden starts or stops, to punching the gas, etc.... after the first 500 miles you can push it a bit more but one should stay conservative
964 miles on mine, and counting !Dean,
Thanks for the break-in period info! Keeping this car under 85mph is nearly impossible, but I'm trying.
Loving the "music" of the "F,"
Rushnut
Next speeding ticket date: July 2008, Long Beach, CA, Superior Ct.
Thanks for the break-in period info! Keeping this car under 85mph is nearly impossible, but I'm trying.
Loving the "music" of the "F,"
Rushnut
Next speeding ticket date: July 2008, Long Beach, CA, Superior Ct.
Tks 4 break-in feedback
Thanks guys for the break-in period info...much appreciated. I guess letting my wild brother drive my IS-F today at obscene speeds wasn't the best idea, but hey, he let me borrow his 911 a little while back to thrash, so I guess we're even now!
Hope you're all enjoying your rockets.
Rushnut
Radar detector ALWAYS on
Thanks guys for the break-in period info...much appreciated. I guess letting my wild brother drive my IS-F today at obscene speeds wasn't the best idea, but hey, he let me borrow his 911 a little while back to thrash, so I guess we're even now!
Hope you're all enjoying your rockets.
Rushnut
Radar detector ALWAYS on
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