Grey One

Yawn.... I had an H&S exhaust on mine and a Takeda air filter, a carbon rear diffuser and carbon win mirror covers and I wouldn't class anyone on this forum following main stream community mods etc. as 'chav'. I'm referring to young guys raiding the local Halfords and sticking on a load of cheap crap we all know and recognise from the 350Zs and souped-up Fords, Nissans and Vauxhalls we all see. Enough said from me - if this has piqued further sensitivities from the Lexus massif today I apologise if my reasons for posting my comment are misunderstood by anyone on here :)

Sorry Chap - but that's a bit out of line. Any young guy (with a bad taste in car dressing-up) that can afford a GBP15K car ain't poor! This is a comment on a certain demographic of person getting into ISF ownership, not rich v poor. If you are feeling any Corbenesque needs to slam people for their social views there's better pickings for you on some of the Pistonheads threads :)

yes - I think it'll be a limited sight, although there seem to be quite a few high mileage 08/09s now on the market for 15K (and I think less) so it will tip lower end prices down. It will be interesting to see how much prices do dip as I think the ISF has done remarkably well with solid pricing up to now.

Hi Iain - I picked your old car up from Lexus Nottingham yesterday and left my 2009 one there as part ex. Very pleased with the car and colour. I may change to steering wheel but am happy to keep the standard intake for now. Great to have a run-out model.

Sorry to report I saw my first chavved-up ISF this weekend in Twickenham. Dark grey exhaust tips multi-spoke wheels and lowered. Wasn't so much the look, more the realisation the ISF has now moved into an age and price bracket where chavs can start to get hold of them. Thankfully with so few ISFs around that won't be a common sight.

I'd be up for this - I have the H&S system on mine, but do feel it is bit of a 'thumper' in terms of the sound it makes and resonance etc. I'm sure there is scope for a more sophisticated alternative with value or without...

Hi Iain I went to see the car today and liked it, having said that, the tyres seem worn at the back and the bonnet seems to have a wider than usual gap with each front wing when it is closed - was it like that when you had it? That being said, it seems like an honest good late ISF and I like the colour and overall condition. I currently have a 2009 ISF and have been keen for a while to get a late ISF with the upgrades they have. cheers James

Great, thanks. Sounds like a good car, has it also had the recall work done for the cooling system and fuel system?

Hi Iain Great, thanks for letting me know. Any other mods to the car? Looks like a good'un and great about the H&S exhaust. Cheers James

Hi Guys Can anyone tell me about the black 2012 Lexus ISF for sale in Lexus Nottingham, is it a former car of anyone on here? Apparently it has a cat back exhaust. Thanks

I think we need a few sub folders in the ISF section for things like 'General Chat', 'Other Cars' etc. can that be done?

Because the alloys on the ISF are so exposed (esp in my experience the nearside rear wheel) for kerbing etc. a full powdercoating has never made sense to me as they seem to get a new scrape every six months. I went for mobile spraying service (e.g. chipsaway etc). and had mine sprayed black (goes really well with anthracite grey colour). In between times I touch up with a fine paintbrush and black hammerite on minor scraps.

Hi - Garage Whifbitz supply and fit Portersfield pads these are as good as OEM and leave less debris on alloys. Suggest you try them and they seem gentle on disk wear also.

Actually the whole GCF thing was a completely missed opportunity, Lexus didn't have a stand and the GCF just slipped up the hill a couple of times behind the RCF (both in washing machine white) without raising any attention. Looking at the size of both cars makes me very happy to own an ISF but also baffled Lexus didn't carry it on the for next gen ISF. Our gain longer term as the ISF will doubtless become a classic...

Sorry chaps for any confusion - I meant the GSF (ISF replacement in terms of four door, V8 etc.). BTW, unless I'm imagining things it looked like there was a GSF taking the hill at Goodwood after the RCF, is that possible (four door, twin tail pipes etc)?

Hi Guys I was at Goodwood for the FOS today - shame that Lexus doesn't have a stand (I could see Alfa either, unless I missed it). But Lexus did have a small area in the 'Moving Motor Show' and of the two cars there, one was an RCF. Given this is my first look at the car, I thought I'd share my first impressions having sat it in and looks around: - It's BIG; if it were a four door its size would make sense, but as it is only a two door it seems bloated with a lot of overhang at the back - It doesn't feel as well screwed together as the ISF; not in the sense that the ISF isn't 'plastic city' inside, but to my reckoning the RCF felt cheaply put together with leatherette material on the door cards and elsewhere, also the door seemed to lack the 'thunk' that the ISF has - The engine bay is more modded than the ISF and looks better/cleaner, but the same basic set-up Based on what I saw today, I'd say the RCF is bit of a 'cul de sac' model with little logic behind its concept and delivery. They should have just gone for the new four door ISF replacement planned for next year. If I was after a two door new sportscar the Stingray (blue) on the Chevy stand would get my money and at GBP 75 all in is about the same money as the RCF.... Well that's my tuppence worth for the day

Thanks for sharing, but frustratingly these guys have a ******* website - was looking for a 'contact us' tab to see where they were based - nothing :( I assume their web designer thought he'd be clever by plastering all kinds of social connections on the top of the page instead, but no address or phone number. Oh well, I guess people are finding them anyway...

Exactly the same thing happened to me, they had advertised one Fleabay from a US supplier as a Pro Dry but it was an oiled one that I was sent. In the end due to hassle and time delay of returning I just used it. TBH there is nothing wrong with the oiled version, and you can either buy a new dry one (or oiled) when you replace it in a couple of years, or clean it using an AFE (Takeda) or K&N cleaning and re-oiling kit. The dry filters are still quite a new innovation and the oiled ones do just as good a job and have been used for years (K&N still only make this variant).

Agree the PPE downpipes look interesting, not sure if the primary cats are deleted with these (?) - would be an interesting exercise, I'd like someone to install them for me as welding may also be needed. let's keep the discussion open :)

Guys - I know we are severely depleted on numbers of cars here compared to the US, but we also seem a very tame lot in comparison to our US cousins on general modding (not always a bad thing). Two areas I am interested in are retro fitting a mechanical slippy diff to the pre-2010 cars and also custom exhaust manifolds. I'm just curious if anyone has looked at either? In particular, I have seen these exhaust manifolds for the ISF - any thoughts on this mod from those better informed than me? www.ppeengineering.com/products/lexus/isf.php Thanks

Hi SiM22 My battery went flat last year (09 model) - TBH all modern cars put a lot if drain on the battery when standing (alarm, auto systems etc) and a week or so not being used takes it's toll, as does a run of short journeys. Surprised by comments on here because to my mind five years is about right for a battery to last. I ended up ordering a Bosch one online from my local EuroSpares outlet, it wasn't (in the end grrrrr) a precise fit so had to jossle a bit to make it fit the bolt-on holding bracket, but nothing too damaging, it's been fine and dandy since, but a big block engine and heavy electrics will wear a battery down. I should add that the AA couldn't supply one, nor my local Halfords and local stealer wanted a huge amount to supply and fit a new one (added to which the car was dead on my drive with a battery completely gone) One of the problems because our cars are so rare is getting proper off the shelf replacements for some parts. Cheers

Kind of 'off topic' but regarding the calipers flaking, are there any good mobile services that would do a repaint of the calipers? It's one of those funny jobs no-one seems to do and isn't an undertaking I'm too keen to 'DIY' on. Ant thoughts/recommendations of interest.

All the reviews on the RCF I have seen (to repeat earlier comments) are that it is too heavy, doesn't handle well and doesn't match the competition. Personally I think the NA approach is a plus, it is more likely the bulk the car has to haul around that creates so much of a gap with the turbo'd German rivals. Two door sports coupe (or 'coup' as the yanks say) = 911 or GTR IHMO, Lexus making the RCF a heavy two door seems an odd choice rather than just doing a straight ISF replacement, but then Lexus has done some awful cars in the past in the genre (remember the IS coupe and convertible). I think we may all have lucky to own the 'wild child' car of its generation from Lexus for the masses before they went back to type...

At the end of the day "you pays your money and takes your choice" - for me, owning a performance car like the ISF, it has to be V-Nitro and for my other cars too. In the end it may all be marketing smoke and mirrors, but I reckon over the long-term this is what performance cars needs and I definitely notice the difference in terms of responsiveness and performance...

Haven't yet seen an RCF in the metal (my dealer hasn't got one in yet) but having read several reviews, including the M4/RCF burn-off on Pistonheads today, I feel the ISF is the better car by a long margin: - current price (cheaper) - four doors - less 'lairy' looks - lighter and same performance Maybe the GCF will be an improvement on the ISF, but will have to wait and see....