Solid info. Concur on the ease of maintenance/lack of crazy items that come up frequently. This was the biggest factor in my decision to go with an IS F over the E90 M3 or C63 AMG. Even the one-offs aren't big item. I recently replaced the external trunk release button when the gasket turned to goo. $45 and about 15 minutes with a single screwdriver. Parts are plentiful and relatively cheap to get.
Dont cheap out like I did... I got an 08 with 141k miles on it for $15k, I thought it was a great deal till I noticed everything that needed to be replaced because the previous owners weren't as careful with it, make sure the one you're getting is a clean one
@@my2moneypits yes definitely. I'll be shopping for a 2011-ish around the same mileage that ISFaster is at now. Thankfully I have some auction connections.
@@my2moneypits So when you cheaped out, I guess you were forced to fix all the stuff the previous owner didn't? Had you have known before buying it, could you have negotiated an even lower price so that it would help you with fixing cost of the car? Kinda like, if you were to get a PPI (pre purchase inspection) and use all the things they found wrong with it, to your advantage to negotiate a lower price.
@Mr. Mosby Dont get me wrong but Belgium still has its corruption issiues and politcians that try to take away alot of things our parents and grandparents fought for.
Good Write up .Now you changed my mind on getting a 2006-2012 is350. I found a pretty clean 2008 isf original owner with 160k miles with good maintence history for 18k. As a Honda/Acura/Toyota owner .the mileage does not scare me to much as long as the car has not been abused . Im in California also and had a dui 5 years ago .Wondering how much insurance difference will be between is350 and ISF? anyways good write up .Thanks
Good info. Insurance and CA registration are expensive, more than I was expecting but the car is as reliable as any Lexus which is amazing considering its performance!
Thanks! Yeah, they'll get you over here compared to a lot of other places in the US. My car has been very solid, especially with all the tough love I throw at her!
@@ISFASTER Yeah, getting bent over here in CA is a good way to put it unfortunately. Gas is another thing - I do mostly city driving and can't get higher than 13 mpg avg although 50 spg (smiles per gallon) is easy to hit in the IS-F!
I just recently bought my close friends 2013 ISF in ultrasonic blue just about a week ago the car has 62,000 miles on it. It’s been relatively well taken care of it has Hayward and Scott exhaust secondary converter delete and Apex intake tube. I live in Sacramento.
I replaced my pilot sports with the same Firestone tires on a 2008 ISF...I don't think I'll go call to Michelein. Ride quality, handling and the wear on the tires is incredible after 10k miles for half the price
I have a 2012 ISF...it's rock solid. Just need to change brakes, oil and tires. From there I put in ethanol free gas for about 3 to 3.50 per gallon. BTW I have not spent over 200 per tire since I have owned the car but I always seem to stumble onto a good deal on Tire Rack. So far I have used either a Bridgestone or Goodyear tire on my car. The best MPG on the highway I have ever experienced is about 23MPG...but in the city I average 19MPG (this has always been the case with my car)
Another great video Andrew! Have you topped up/changed your transmission fluid at all? I ask because while I drive in manual mode around town, shifting below 4k is not as smooth as shifting at wot on the highway. I've read that it could be low fluid levels but I also may be over reacting. dealership says it's fine and I took a sample of the atf to send out to blackstone for analysis, but I want to hear your thoughts.
I have not touched my ATF on my car. There’s a good thread regarding it on Club Lexus from people who seem to have much more technical knowledge than I do. I have not noticed any changes in the way my car shifts so I’m not concerned but eventually I will change it out because I don’t believe any fluid is “lifetime”.
Be aware of radiator health when an ISF is 10 years old - could be a sensible precaution to fit a new unit? If the radiator dies, the gearbox will overheat and die too. A Toyota master tech, aka the Car Care Nut, recommends changing the transmission oil and cleaning the filter at 60k, even though it’s not listed in the Lexus service schedule.
Yo homie! Love the channel. Super informative! I’m new to the ISF family. Just bought a 2010 ISF with a Joe Z exhaust on it. Wanted to know what area of So-Cal do you live in? And what Track do you take your F to? I am wanting to get into tracking and racing it. Would be good to get some direct info from a seasoned ISF Owner like you! Thanks dude.
Hi, glad you’re finding the information useful! Congrats on the new purchase! I’ve taken my ISF to the big 4 tracks in SoCal - Auto Club Speedway, Chuckwalla, Buttonwillow & Big Willow. I highly recommend tracking your car, it’s the most fun I have with mine! Ask away!
GrandMasta Grimm I looked long and hard and was able to find a 2010 in mint condition with 45,000 miles on it for a low price. Only downside was I had to ship it from Cape Cod, MA so it was a little extra for that. So far I completely love the car. So beast!
I've always wanted one (and I know they're reliable) but I can't find anything regarding engine rebuild. I keep my cars practically forever, and if the engine goes I'd like to know options to keep her running for good. PS: I had my 96 Eagle Talon for 10.5 years (got the 7 bolt to 6 bolt block swapped and built).
nice! Always wanted to know all this. Thanks for sharing the owner's maintenance manual. I was in the market for one of these 3 years ago but had to settle for a used 2013 corolla due to life stuff, I take care of it as well as you take care of this ISF. Did you ask the dealer what they would charge you for an ATF flush, and the cost of a regular ATF Drain and Fill (if thats avaialble) on your ISF? Don't believe when Lexus or Toyota say that your ATF is a "lifetime fluid". Check your levels (if your A/T has a dipstick) and ALWAYS wait for the ATF to get to operating temp before you ever floor it, stressing any trans before the fluid is up to temp is the best way to exponentially accelerate wear and chances you'll eventually kill it. (I blew my 2013 corolla A/T). Now Since you track/drag the car the fluid flashes to such hot temperatures that it starts to break down much faster than under normal use.. the life of those fluids honestly is "for the lifetime of the transmission" lol, cuz once the fluid is burnt then your transmission's life is on a countdown until it fails. If your fluid is dirty or too burnt, you may find your clutch packs start to slip, lose friction, eventually causing a mechanical A/T failure under extreme conditions. I had my blown U340E A/T replaced by a built version (high stall torque converter, high pressure valve-body, custom clutch packs) from a Level-10 transmissions (built to take 550whp/650wtq they say), and they recommended that I change my ATF every 50k if under normal use, and every 25-30k if I autocross or end up doing the turbokit the car, or if i beat on it at all, which i do lol. I'd much rather replace my ATF every couple thousand miles and keep it running/shifting perfect, then deal with needing a new trans again. I dont even wanna imagine what a new IS-F trans is gonna cost you.
Great information! I have not changed my ATF and have not had any issues with the transmission thus far. I also find it hard to believe for any fluid to be "lifetime" and will be looking into a fluid change. I'm not sure the costs associated with the change but from what I've read it's a very specific process. Thanks for your input!
Same cost as my Honda S2000 I have pilot s4 which was 1000 dollars and the dealership wanted to charge 120 for oil change because it’s considered a luxury sports car lol but I found another dealership that changed 65 dollars and just replaced rotors and pads that was 1000 dollars at the dealership. I think the gas on that V8 is the real killer.
Thank you so much for posting this video and sharing all the information and I really appreciated it. I am in the market up a Lexus IS-F, who is your insurance company? because Mercury wanted $156/month for full coverage for 2010-2011 Lexus IS-F. And I am in California as well.
You’re welcome. Lots of different factors when it comes to insurance so best to shop around to see who can offer you the best rate and coverage. I use one of the big ones you see advertisements for on TV.
@@ISFASTER I am shopping for a Lexus IS-F right now it is crazy hard to find one with lower mileage at a decent price. I want a Sonic Blue Lexus IS-F : )
I have a GS-F (same motor) and love it. The downside is gas thirsty, eats tires fast and oem pads will have your front wheels covered black in 2 days. Also not much aftermarket help on front camber adjustment so if you desire a lowered F car, your front tires won't last long. The car is easy to maintain for your average weekend warrior which is helpful in saving dealership money.
I would recommend you try Project Mu street pads to combat the dust, they’re so much better than the OEM in terms of keeping your wheels clean. No squeaking either and performed about the same.
Audi - blown engine changed under warranty, broken springs - twice , coil packs failed - twice, rust on body - apparently factory paint failed early - never again
Too bad about the cracked OEM manifolds. Hopefully aftermarket companies like PPE and Sikky will continue making them years down the line since the IS-F is a rare, low production platform. Case in point - I was going to order my Borla catback and found out they discontinued it and they're no longer available! 😭
@@esteve72 Hi there, I am planning to buy a use Lexus IS-F and that dam thing has like 80k miles on it. And what is the best and cheapest Manifolds I can buy for my Lexus IS-F? I did some research and I think they are like close to $2
The only CARB legal header is the OEM one. I can understand why there isn’t a CARB legal version as the ISF market is small and the money to get CARB approved wouldn’t make it worth it from a financial stand point for companies to invest in.
How did did you pay for the car? Looking to compare from WA state. The ones I have seen in CA are much cheaper. Thanks in advance. I can’t wait to get one of my own one day!
There are only a hand full of these for sale at any time and if you want a particular color combo or year you may have to wait or travel. I was fortunate to find mine locally at a decent price at the time I wanted it, so I moved on it quickly. It all depends on how picky you are with what you want, how long you’re willing to wait and travel. But if you do find one you like I wouldn’t wait around too long or it may be gone and you’re gonna wait again. Good luck on your search!
@@ISFASTER Awesome videos! I just graduated college and have a GX470 now. I want to get an ISF once I save up a bit. Can't wait to smoke cars twice the price! 🤣
Just got rid of a Porche Macan my god the cost of maintenance on that thing was unbelievable. I loved the car . I loved the performance. But this ISF looks to be about the cheapest high performance vehicle in terms of reliability and cost of maintenance
I also like the Macan, thanks for sharing your experiences with it. What were the big ticket maintenance costs associated with ownership? I find it hard to beat the running costs of a Lexus ISF as well, sure it won't be the fastest car out there but it should still bring a smile to most people's faces.
Why the hell is everyone else's insurance cheaper than mine? I just have an IS250, and I had to cut corners to get it down to $130/mo with a clean record, multi-car discount, and bundled with home owners policy. 1 miles outside of Atlanta, GA. It was initially going to be around $150/mo. I had to increase from a $250 deductible to $1000, in addition to getting the state minimum coverage for comp/collision. How can California be cheaper?
@@ISFASTER It seems that way. Also, those prices are JUST the increase for the IS250, doesn't include my Solara, which I had to also drop down to liability only. It only gets driven to airport parking and back when I fly out of town for work, so it's had the same tank of gas since March. The IS has just gotten 1,000 miles added on it since 3/8/19 when I picked it up. I wish the low mileage discounts were better. At least our gas is cheaper, though. I paid $3.09/gal for 93 last week.
I was thinking if trading in my 2013 WRX for an ISF since it would be an almost even trade maybe put 5k down. but it would be a used ISF with 70k miles. I know how reliable lexus is and i get the same amount of mpg as the isf maybe the isf gets even better than me because im spending about 10-15$ a day here in california (palm springs) driving around and some of my friends with V8's get the same mpg as me or better smh.
If doing a ~$60 DIY oil change, topping up fluids and inspecting a few points for wear is too much every 5K miles I’m not sure any performance car is what you should be getting.
I live in the uk mate. One of the most expensive countries on this continent. Cant fart without a tax....but i think il get one and they can tax that too. You made up my mind thanks
I understand as I lived there before. Can’t even park your car without paying a fee in most places! Compared to other cars with similar performance I consider this one to definitely be on the cheaper end of maintenance and ownership costs. I know of a few ISF owners in the UK but they’re few and far between. You’ll definitely stand out with this car. I can’t imagine what they’re gonna charge you for road tax! 😖😖😖
I could almost guarantee this car would cost more in Australia. You guys in the US are spoiled with part prices. I import my car parts from Rockauto cheaper than I can buy them in Australia.
Great video man. I'm looking to buy an IS-F. I've always owned old Toyotas (MR2, Supra, Celica, etc) but now I'm getting a little older and I need something that's a little more luxurious...plus it will keep the girlfriend happy haha. She has a '13 Prius and it doesn't exactly do it for me :p Anything I should look out for on the '08 IS-F?
Thanks! A few things off the top of my head are the water pump, valley plate leak and cracked headers. Check out clublexus.com as that forum is a wealth of knowledge and has a more complete list.
In my opinion like many Japanese cars this car had been designed by different philosophy(100m vs marathon). Of course ISF is more like running a marathon. The longer it runs the more people notice it. So who cares about the ranking within the first 5 minutes when running a marathon. By the way even though ISF is running a marathon, it's NOT much slower than those running a 100m or 500m. :-)
Thanks. I have a 2is350 and it’s pretty much the same maintenance. If I owned an ISF the cost of ownership where I live would be similar or cheaper due to lower fuel prices $2.90 93oct and registration of $40. I use all season tires stock size. I average 17-20mpg. Starting to burn more oil now at 205,000 miles. I Use Castrol edge full synthetic recommended 5w-30. Dealer says I need a throttle body de carbon. But I’ve heard from forums about valve covers lack drainage at that mileage. Idk I’d hate to think it’s a head gasket or piston rings.
How has the 2IS-350 been up in the high mileage for you? I can't decide if I want to buy a high mileage 2IS-350 (140k+ miles), a low/moderate mileage 3IS-350?
@@ISFASTER yeah it sucks...even gas here is on average $1.60/L which is roughly $6/gallon (for regular fuel). Don't even get started on premium or e85! Anyway very informative video, thank you. I am looking to get an ISF in the near future!
Hmm I just sold my ISF and my ISF ran with new M3s and C63s at the track. The interior may be a little dated but still better than what you would find in a Charger or Mustang. You really have to see inside one to appreciate the details.
