One Week In

[stevet]

Had the ISF for a week now. What do I like - everything! What don't I like - to get off our gravel driveway I have to use 'snow' or no matter how slow I press the accelerator it just spins and gets stuck! This has never happened with any other car I've had. Just had a go with the radar cruise control today and love it. Even on a 5 mile stretch of the M60 which was really congested and cruise set at 70, and I never went over 50, not once did I have to use the brakes or accelerator. Even if you just use the forum for information gathering if your thinking of getting an ISF, JUST GET ONE, you will not be disappointed. If I'd had known they were this good I would of got one years ago.

[steve2006]

I've driven one on an Open Road Event and hope every Wednesday and Saturday evening I get 6 numbers and can buy one, still waiting.

Having said that 15 years ago I never imagined I would be driving any Lexus and in another 10 I may be able to afford a used ISF.

You'll have to get rid of that gravel drive for some nice block paving!

[noby76]

dont rub it in stevet...was at Lexus Milton Keynes last week and saw the 2012 ISF in the metal and up close both inside and out with with the 50K price tag next to it !! as Steve said, I am also waiting for my 6 numbers to drop and will be driving a stealthy looking ISF with tinted windows black sport rims and red ISF calipers all round ...and when am bored, I will jump into my backup car which will be a supped up Nissan GTR with 1000bhp... but all i can do for now is enjoy my IS300 and dream on...

[MrW]

Glad your liking it Stevet, I felt pretty much the same after the first week.

The gearbox is the thing that took the most time to work out for me, It alters the way it reacts so much depending on how your driving. Its so clever that at one moment its the smoothest change you'll ever encounter and the next the most brutal and physical swaping when your pressing on. The blipping of throttle on downchanges in the low gears is throughly addictive too. Although you have to be propper pressing on.

A week in I sent my retention cert. off to the DVLA local office for my personalised reg. to be puit on it, as I knew by then I'd be keeping it a while. The reg never made it onto my previous 330i Coupe.

[stevet]

Yes, the gearbox is amazing! It wasn't until about the 3rd day I decided to have a play around and use the sport button. WOW it totally changes the cars personality. I still use normal though for town driving as I find it holds onto the gears a bit too long in stop/start traffic. noby76 don't knock the IS300, I've had two of them and they are a much underrated car. can't see why they didn't sell more of them. Same as the ISF I suppose.

[MrW]

Try the manual mode the gearbox is totally different. theres no kickdown and when you're driving hard changes are spot on. Blipping of the throttle depending on roadspeed on the down changes, and the auto "slip" feel is gone.

It doesn't feel quite as slick and immediate as my wifes 630i in changing manualy at low speed but driving hard its amazing.

[noby76]

noby76 don't knock the IS300, I've had two of them and they are a much underrated car. can't see why they didn't sell more of them. Same as the ISF I suppose.

certainly not knocking it Stevet it always surprises me the way it drives and how it delivers its power! I suppose it didnt really sell becuase every one wanted to be seen in a 330 BMW or 3.0 Audi quattro...the on paper figures doesnt sound exciting but drive one in sport mode and its a totally different car!! ISF betters it tho...

[stevet]

Just finished off my first full tank of fuel and managed 300 miles. Very happy with that. My last petrol car was a 3.2 Alfa Brera which got about 260 miles and that had a larger tank.

[fjcfarrar]

Had the ISF for a week now. What do I like - everything! What don't I like - to get off our gravel driveway I have to use 'snow' or no matter how slow I press the accelerator it just spins and gets stuck! This has never happened with any other car I've had. Just had a go with the radar cruise control today and love it. Even on a 5 mile stretch of the M60 which was really congested and cruise set at 70, and I never went over 50, not once did I have to use the brakes or accelerator. Even if you just use the forum for information gathering if your thinking of getting an ISF, JUST GET ONE, you will not be disappointed. If I'd had known they were this good I would of got one years ago.

You should be able to get off your gravel driveway unless it is nearly vertical with absolutely no problems like wheelspin if it is correctly set up - it should just creep up it at tickover until the rear wheels hit tarmac and if you need just a little more, the throttle control is really smooth and progressive - not at all sudden. In Normal Drive mode, the ISF can be a pussycat when you want it to.

[MrW]

Just finished off my first full tank of fuel and managed 300 miles. Very happy with that. My last petrol car was a 3.2 Alfa Brera which got about 260 miles and that had a larger tank.

Sounds about right stevet, I usually get 280-290 normal mix of driving with some fun in between. Long runs I can get 300+

The first time I filled it up the range said 231miles, it soon improved....thank god. :)

[stevet]

For the size of the engine and all that power available it is amazing. My IS250 was only giving about 350 miles.