[TAndrews]

Took my IS-F to Firbird Raceway in Phoenix last weekend, and put it up against several M3's on a road course. Keep in mind it's completely stock and I havn't yet changed the tires to racing slicks which I plan on doing soon for track days.

I completely burned the M3, especially pulling away easily on the straight aways. Car handled nice in the corners also, I only got it sideways once, and that was because I shut the VSC off. I ran way better in sport mode only than with the VSC off. I didn't feel like it held me back, as a matter of fact the VSC allowed me to push the limits without me ending up on the side of the wall.

Did about 5 track sessions that day, and everyone was coming up to me especailly the BMW guys wanting to check out the car. Even my buddy who was driving a GT3 was jealous about how easy I have it on the track for the performance return I get.

Like I said earlier, probably going to change out the tires and maybe modify the exhaust, I'm considering turning this into a track car permanently, although Im pretty sure my dealership will be voiding the warranty

 

[Dean]

Fun report. Did you run it in manual or auto? I know you

said you ran it in Sport mode but did you shift it? And have you found a roll cage for it yet? Did you change your tire pressures at all ? If so to what?

Sorry for all the questions but inquiring minds want to know !

 

[EvilPossum]

Were you going up against E46 M3's or E90 M3's? I wish I was there to witness it!

 

[TAndrews]

I ran it in sport mode, but I did all the shifting manually. The new transmission is sick, it was so responsive to gear shifts. Like I alluded to in my previous post, my friends who were all driving manual transmissions(911 turbo, GT3, Gt500) were extremely jealous because driving this car is easy, no clutch, no missed gears etc.. and with the new transmission, gear changes are as fast if not faster than manual tranmissions.

As to the roll cage, I did not put one in it yet, and I'm not sure if I'm going to do that. I did increase tire pressure 5-10psi which made the cornering better. Still not completely satisfied with the tires however, to small for this car. Just probably switch them out.

The BMW's were E46's and one older E30. I thought they would have had more in them but it wasn't even close.

 

[Dean]

Thanks for all that great info. One more question if I may? Did your IS-F downshift at prior to your wanting to downshift or where you able to downshift it into the gear you wanted when you wanted? Did you ever find the car had downshifted before you really wanted it to?

Thanks !!!

 

[TAndrews]

When you are in manual mode the IS doesn't shift at all unless you are in a high gear and almost come to a complete stop, at that point it will switch to a lower gear. However when you are running in the red in 2-3rd gear or even higher gears it doesn't switch unless you tell it to. It will prevent you from going over redline, and it will also not allow you to downshift into a gear if your rpms are to high. Except for those instances it wont switch unless you wan't it too.

 

[darkearth]

i'm sorry i know this is annoying getting bombarded with questions but i have recently been falling in love with this car, i saw the fifth gear review and was wondering if the "beep" was actually that annoying or was fifth gear making it a bigger problem than it really is. also is there any possible way of turning it off?

Thanks!

 

[pat.ross]

I think that the "beep" is very beneficial. I can concentrate on the road and don't have to watch the tach. As I get more and more familiar with the sound of the engine approaching the rev limitor I don't pay as much attention to it. It still does not bother me to hear it at all. It is barly audible over the beautiful sound of the engine and exhaust.

My 36 year old son e-mailed "dad" Friday and said he and his wife were going on a "dress up date" Friday night, could he please borrow the "F" or his mother's brand new BMW 335i convertible. I asked which he would rather have and he wanted the "F". Later that night when he brought it home he said "you really have to stay on top of this car and be ready if you punch the throttle because it is going to go". He has driven BMWs for years.

Fun, Fun, Fun.

 

[rushnut]

Pat,

Enjoyed your post. I'm 36. My son is 2, and insists on sitting in my IS-F's driver's seat daily and pretending he's driving it. He makes lots of loud engine sounds and says "Daddy's car goes vroooooooom!."

Clearly, both our kids "get it" with regard to this car's sound and fury, I'd say.

Enjoy your ride...and be sure to get it back from your kid.

 

[TAndrews]

Talk about nit-picking. If the biggest problem he can find in this car is a beep, than Toyota obviously did everything right. Besides you should really be shifting right before that beep anyways to be optimizing your power.

 

[FujiFast08]

I've driven my F close to 4,000 miles and heard the beep no more than 4 times. You can feel that the tranny is ready for the next gear before the beep, in manual mode. If you hear the beep, its too late for the optimal shift!