IS-F still viable?

8368 Views 30 Replies 13 Participants Last post by Barathon, Mar 5, 2009

quikag

Discussion Starter · Feb 25, 2009

I registered right when this board came online and am now just back to see how it's going. I was very interested in getting rid of my '01 IS300 and getting an IS-F, but I ended up getting an '08 C6 and Yukon to get the best of both worlds in two completely different rides. I still check up on the IS-F, but here are my primary gripes with it:

1. Pretty harsh suspension
2. No backseat to speak of
3. Slightly awkward appearance from certain angles
4. Lexus dealerships
5. CTS-V

Pros:
Great motor
Great transmission
great Lexus quality

I think the CTS-V beats the IS-F at it's own game. The M3 is too much more for not enough. The RS4 is still a great ride, but it's getting old. The C63 has confining seats and a harsh suspension too.

So, how is the IS-F selling? I've heard people getting many thousands off sticker already and with the economy in the dumps, it's probably going to get cheaper. Thoughts?

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ISFChamp

· #2 · Feb 25, 2009

Just wondering what your gripe is with the Lexus Dealerships?

quikag

Discussion Starter · #3 · Feb 25, 2009

The Lexus dealerships here in DFW (Park Place and Sewell) always recommend ridiculous services that inflate the price every time the car is in for a standard oil change. There is a big difference in 'recommended' services and 'required' services, but they imply that not doing the recommend services could compromise the car and maybe affect the warranty (which is a big lie). I bought my wife an '08 RX350, but I do the oil change/tire rotation at home (synthetic oil) because I just can't stomach the rip-off at the dealership. In my humble opinion, there isn't a damn thing you need to do under the factory warranty duration other than oil and filter change/tire rotation and maybe a cabin filter/engine air filter replacement.

Her '08 RX350 with around 10,000 miles had a musty smell from the air conditioning. They tried to charge her $70 for a mold spray into her air vents. I flipped and they backed off. Then, they said the cabin air filter was bad. I have him pull it out (it takes 20 seconds, it's behind the glove box) and it was perfectly clean). F-them.

The final straw was my mother-in-law being charged $50 to change a tail light bulb for her certified pre-owned ES330. That pissed me off bigtime. She had bought the car certified a few months prior. I know it's a $2 bulb MAX and about 1-2 minutes of work.

So, was my clarification sufficient?

Obviously, I'm pretty passionate about people being dicked over, especially my wife and in-laws. I love Lexus cars, but the dealerships are into making their service techs/advisors rich IMHO.

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ISFChamp

· #4 · Feb 26, 2009

Well I'm sorry you and your in-laws have had bad experience's with the local dealerships.

Flipside909

· #5 · Feb 26, 2009

Service departments are in the business to obviously make money and offer you services that are recommended. As a smart consumer, I know when to say no to the "recommended" or extra services. Just because they offer them doesn't mean you have to give in. Put the ball in your court, not theirs.

I've taken all my Lexus in for services into my pref. dealership including my 2009 IS F. I've built a great rapport with the service advisers over the years. Despite the cost of some of the services, I know what specific service operations that need to get done and which ones I don't need. My advisers will offer me other recommended services from time to time as a courtesy, but i've never felt pressured into doing what they say. It's all about what you need and what you want, not what they want.

quikag

Discussion Starter · #6 · Feb 26, 2009

I understand and maybe my experience has been an anomoly, but with my wife's RX, the 5k service was complimentary. When she went back at 10k and asked for just the tire rotation and oil change, it was like $110 or something crazy along those lines. They said why not get the 10k service for only $30 more at $140. I told my wife to ask what just the oil change was and it was $60, so I had her do that (even though that was a rip-off too). I rotated the tires myself and that's the last time I'm going there for non-warranty work/maintenance.

A03

· #7 · Feb 26, 2009

I guess it's no brain work but every state has at least 1-2 or more dealerships trying to make a quick buck..

Fortunately mine, I had a no problems..
What ever you decide to do let us know..BTW how's C6 run for you?

Reciprocal

· #8 · Feb 26, 2009

The backseat in the CTS-V...there's not much room there either by my recollection.

My guess is the IS F is going to be a discontinued experiment. I have absolutely nothing to back that up, and I hope I'm wrong.

I'm a Dallas native although I've lived the last 30 years in Denver. Sewell Village Lexus and Cadillac has a great reputation I thought...my family in Dallas has always thought so. I don't like getting soaked for unnecessary repairs either. I thought Tynan's Nissan in Denver was guilty of upselling, but their service I have to admit is pretty customer friendly.

Anyway, I think the suspension of the IS F is appropriately controlled and nicely compliant. I also think the backseat is surprisingly roomy and a comfortable place to ride. Ingress/egress from the doors is a little tight.

My opinion of this car, is that it's a great sedan for luxury sport touring, but unless you can afford to keep tires, rims and brakes on it, it's not a practical family car for most people as a daily driver.

The CTS-V doesn't fit into GM's future plans either.

How is the IS F selling? Not many were sold in Colorado, but it's sold out. I understand it's going to be available special order only, at one of the Lexus dealers here.

So is the IS F viable? Barely for the time being. But there's never been a street fighting hooligan that can match it for hushed sophistication and comfort, and that includes the CTS-V. I'm in love with it.

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soupcon

· #9 · Feb 26, 2009

fwiw, i've been to several dealers in so cal and i've been impressed with the relatively gentle/classy nature of sales people, compared to bmw and merc sales people. the attention to detail in the dealerships always seems to be high.

the rumor i hear is that lexus charges a boatload for maintenance and it's relatively frequent maintenance, unlike with bmw and merc.

is the is-f viable? well having been one of those "oddball" guys who bought amg c class cars when the m3 was always the 'top choice,' i think it's tough to be the guy who gets the 3rd place or whatever in the magazine shootouts. i personally think it's a great looking car... take an already great looking IS platform and make it meaner. nice job, imho. if there were .9% APR and/or some great leases, i think a lot more people would be buying these cars, but in real financial terms, even with $12k off msrp, these cars are too expensive, especially since it's not coming up top of the 'lists'. right now i can get 80-100k bmw's for the same or better total lease costs.

i do think it occupies a unique spot: the longevity and reliability of a japanese car, the tangible quality that is easily as good as bmw and i think better than mercedes, and the ability to be both a great performance car and a daily driver. my c55 was like that. the m3 is and has been not quite so.

i do think it's a bit cramped. and i do not understand why the japanese sport sedans can not have fold down rear seats! they make an otherwise very limited car into a more useful one for everyday life.

if there were some good financial terms at the current prices, i'd have already bought one. but as it is, it'll probably be a bmw in my driveway soon.

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krell

· #10 · Feb 26, 2009

Reciprocal said:
How is the IS F selling? Not many were sold in Colorado, but it's sold out. I understand it's going to be available special order only, at one of the Lexus dealers here.

Where did you hear that?? I just bought one last week. The reason they do not sell very well here is because even people who live here and know we only get 5-10 days of bad roads per year are afraid of buying a RWD car. Infiniti always had the same issue with the M45s until they introduced an AWD in 2008.

Before I bought my IS-F, I was told that another dealer was expecting one in. They are around; you just need to be patient.

For what it's worth, after a week of ownership, I have to say I enjoy the suspension (love feeling the roads), don't need the backseat but appreciate this not being a 2-door for insurance purposes, and have not noticed any "awkward" appearances from any angles (but that one is highly subjective; if you don't like the way the car looks, that's your prerogative).

Hopefully the Lexus dealerships here will not disappoint me (so far so good) -- I am sure they won't because I have two other options all just as convenient -- and I am happy to tell them that.

I did not have the time or the patience to test drive many other performance cars, but I love almost everything about the IS-F, and at the price I paid, I cannot imagine anything else that would have made me happier.

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Reciprocal

· #11 · Feb 26, 2009

krell said:
Where did you hear that?? I just bought one last week.

Kuni Lexus on S. Broadway told me that. I'm sorry I forget the salesman's name. I'm guessing you purchased a white or black IS F from them, based on when you purchased.

I did buy one by the way, the smokey granite mica from the showroom floor at Stevenson.

BTW, I see a different thing going in regards to the BMW M3, plentiful supply steeply discounted, even listing $10k off MSRP right on the dealer internet websites, in Colorado. I was deeply considering one.

But as a performance note on the M3's lighter weight, some things I remember, no spare tire, no tool kit, no first aid kit, minor nits unless you're tire is flat or you're bleeding.

Also for such a stunningly beautiful design as the BMW, it really has a second rate paint application, orange peel galore. There is no comparison to the mirror like finish on the Lexus.

krell

· #12 · Feb 26, 2009 (Edited)

Reciprocal said:
Kuni Lexus on S. Broadway told me that. I'm sorry I forget the salesman's name. I'm guessing you purchased a white or black IS F from them, based on when you purchased.

I did buy one by the way, the smokey granite mica from the showroom floor at Stevenson.

BTW, I see a different thing going in regards to the BMW M3, plentiful supply steeply discounted, even listing $10k off MSRP right on the dealer internet websites, in Colorado. I was deeply considering one.

But as a performance note on the M3's lighter weight, some things I remember, no spare tire, no tool kit, no first aid kit, minor nits unless you're tire is flat or you're bleeding.

Also for such a stunningly beautiful design as the BMW, it really has a second rate paint application, orange peel galore. There is no comparison to the mirror like finish on the Lexus.

Yup I bought at Kuni last Tuesday (2/17). I guess they would not have had any reason to tell me anything since I was buying one. I did not expect to buy it but got a great deal and couldn't pass it up.

Have you found a local track yet?

EDIT: I have always likes BMW's styling and performance, but I cannot stand the driver demographic and did not want to be part of it. Just a personal opinion I have had since I lived in Chicago.

quikag

Discussion Starter · #13 · Feb 26, 2009

I wasn't dissing on the IS-F, obviously I think it's a great car and I like Lexus products. Sewell and Park Place have good reps on the sales side and their customer service is good, but they try way too hard to make too much money on the service side. That is what I don't like about it. I guess Lexus cars are so good, they need to nickel and dime anything to make money on the service side of the dealership.

My C6 is good and it's a lot of fun around town and at track days. Here is a quick vid comparing the 0-100 acceleration to my Yukon (another video I have on youtube):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMecChZGLiQ

Reciprocal

· #14 · Feb 26, 2009

krell said:
Have you found a local track yet?

My track days are over. I spent days peg-scratching two wheelers at Second Creek Raceway when it was open, and 1/4 miles at Bandimere. The trophy girls don't wait for me anymore.

You might contact Pueblo Motorsports Park. They have a 2.2 mile road course.

krell

· #15 · Feb 26, 2009

Reciprocal said:
My track days are over. I spent days peg-scratching two wheelers at Second Creek Raceway when it was open, and 1/4 miles at Bandimere. The trophy girls don't wait for me anymore.

You might contact Pueblo Motorsports Park. They have a 2.2 mile road course.

Thanks for the tips. I am not sure I'll care for the track, but I figure I have to try it since I own an IS-F. Have you heard anything about GO 4 IT Racing Schools in Louisville? They use the High Plains Raceway, 17 miles east of Byers. $800 for a day-long lesson, and that is without any negotiation (I am sure they are hard up for business these days).

Sorry, did not mean to hijack this thread...

Reciprocal

· #16 · Feb 26, 2009

quikag said:
My C6 is good and it's a lot of fun around town and at track days.

I like the C6 as well, great looks, unbeatable performance. But I'm a little bit beyond that stage in life. It calls more attention to me than I would want, and I like the hushed quiet cabin of a Lexus, which is the other side of its personality.

Reciprocal

· #17 · Feb 26, 2009

krell said:
Thanks for the tips. I am not sure I'll care for the track, but I figure I have to try it since I own an IS-F. Have you heard anything about GO 4 IT Racing Schools in Louisville? They use the High Plains Raceway, 17 miles east of Byers. $800 for a day-long lesson, and that is without any negotiation (I am sure they are hard up for business these days).

Sorry, did not mean to hijack this thread...

That track looks great! You might call up the track directly and see if you can just rent track time without the racing school.

krell

· #18 · Feb 26, 2009

Reciprocal said:
That track looks great! You might call up the track directly and see if you can just rent track time without the racing school.

I am afraid I would kill myself if I drove over 120 mph. I have never gone that fast before.

Reciprocal

· #19 · Feb 26, 2009

krell said:
I am afraid I would kill myself if I drove over 120 mph. I have never gone that fast before.

Oh heck...when you go to the track put tape over the speedometer. Focus on the road ahead, the feedback you get from the car, hitting your marks and being smooth. You'll probably get your best lap times keeping it in just 2 or 3 gears all the way around.

krell

· #20 · Feb 26, 2009

Reciprocal said:
Oh heck...when you go to the track put tape over the speedometer. Focus on the road ahead, the feedback you get from the car, hitting your marks and being smooth. You'll probably get your best lap times keeping it in just 2 or 3 gears all the way around.

Cool; I'll check it out.

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