ISF vs GSF- One year with a GSF (long post)

[08ISF]

Note to moderator- please leave this in the ISF forum, it’s more likely to be of interest to ISF owners than GS owners.

After one year running a GSF, I thought you might be interested in my experiences compared to my previous early ISF.

First thing to say is that running a high performance car like this makes no sense at all in the suburban environment that I live in. It drinks petrol in traffic, it’s big to park and you cannot use the power. However, I don’t care about all that, I love driving it,  I love the noise and I’ll continue until  the eco mentailists  or the mayor makes it impossible. I’ve always loved muscle cars  and this is definitely a muscle car.

In summary I’d say it is an evolution of the ISF, it rides better than my 2008 ISF, it feels more planted and agile  despite its size, and it has a slightly more bubbly exhaust note, but it still retains all the other ISF traits such as build quality that we are all familiar with. It is more relaxing to drive than the ISF due to the better ride. A couple of longish trips have been made with no driver fatigue whatsoever.

It has of course been absolutely reliable, (but I haven’t yet done that many miles). Update after year 2.

One glitch was a broken windscreen which took about 3 weeks to sort because Lexus couldn’t supply one right away. I hope this is not a flag that parts are going to be difficult because Lexus have only sold about 50 of these and their bean counters won’t be happy about stocking spares that might be slow moving. To be fair they did loan me a car for 2 of the 3 weeks.

The much criticised mouse controller for the sat nav and audio is fine, it just takes getting used to and the sat nav now accepts full postcodes.

The info display on the panel is a lot simpler than it looks, again just need to get used to it. Has a lot more information such as g forces, but it no longer has a Battery voltage display! The car complains if the Battery voltage is getting low though.

The car has a lane departure warning system which can be set up to correct the steering if you wander out of lane. This has been turned off. The car is not driving, I am.

It has speed limit detection which displays the speed limit on the dash and the HUD. The only thing is that some of the road signs near where I live confuse it and it displays “unusual” speed limits. Don’t think the magistrate  would accept that the car told me the limit was 90, when it was really 40.

The headlights are pretty good but possibly not quite as good as the ISF.

The 4 driving modes can be summed up:
Economy and normal – no perceptible difference in feel or fuel consumption between these, feels slightly softer than the ISF in normal driving. Gearbox sometimes reluctant to change down when you boot it.

Sport – similar to the Sport mode on the ISF. Gearbox more responsive. Nicer to drive in this mode. Fuel consumption similar to Normal and possibly a bit better providing you can actually drive the car rather than sitting in queues.

Sport + -Don’t select this in the wet, there’ll be a lot of traction control warnings at even quite modest throttle inputs. Hangs on to lower gears for some time after you’ve finished accelerating. Very entertaining in the dry though and much easier to get the engine into the 3500rpm+  range. This is the mode that reveals the true brute character of the car, (when you get a chance to use it).

I can’t say what Sport+  does to fuel consumption as the opportunities to use it for any distance haven’t been there.

Haven’t tried the diff setting options yet.

The finish on the car is superb, people have commented that even when it is obviously dirty it still shines. My car was a demonstrator so it may have been coated.

Costs – Service due next week, but for some reason Lexus think it’s OK to put a £100 premium on the servicing costs over the ISF.

Insurance – you have to shop around. Most companies load the premium because of the value of the car. I managed to get cover for about the same as the old ISF but had to accept a £750 excess which I covered for another £60.

Not so good points:

No spare and you can’t buy one in this country even though the handbook mentions a space saver. I don’t like the idea of a can of goo which will render the tyre unrepairable and probably screw up the TPMS sensors. Does anyone have any ideas where a spare can be obtained?

The boot is enormous but the rear seats still don’t fold. Why??

No passenger front seat lumbar adjustment – penny pinching on a £72K car! But the wife thinks  the seats are OK!

Possible costs of brake pads and discs – horrendous costs have been mentioned on the forum for RCF items and the GSF uses the same parts. Non-Lexus parts seem to be unobtainable in the UK at the moment. Not an immediate problem  but one that needs to be kept under review. If anybody knows where to get RCF/GSF pads and discs from somewhere other than Lexus UK, please shout.

Graham

 

[Big Rat]

@08ISFGreat detailed write up Matey and I’m glad your enjoying her, a suggestion attached re your brakes question, all from a car from the London area I believe may be worth a punt to get original items.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LEXUS-GS-F-SPORT-BREMBO-BRAKE-CALIPERS-PADS-SET-ROTORS-FRONT-REAR-/322853479761

Big Rat

[Big Rat]

@08ISF Graham as regards your spare wheel topic, I contributed to a topic in the  RCF Forum on the exact same problem a month or two ago. There may be solution on there for you as the disc calliper clearance issue precludes the ISF wheel.

Have a look it’s a good read 👍

😁

[Guest]

Not had the privilege of an is-f but can identify with your comments a cross to rc-f. I was confused at poor transmission performance in normal mode until I worked out that I am telling the car how I intend to drive. To then not drive like that is my fault not the cars.

My fave mode is expert manual - it's absolutely terrifying round country lanes. Just swap between 2 and 3.

Spend most time in normal or s though.

I'm intended to buy some pads from the USA so they are on the shelf. Perhaps we should do a group buy? I'd be happy to run and do the uk distrib.

Also big rat - have you contacted anyone about getting isf rcf gsf forum?

Might just move into isf forum and change my car listing to isf coupe otherwise.

Sent from my STV100-4 using Tapatalk

[emjay82]

Great write up, very useful for those considering an upgrade 👍 

[Mark G]

Nice write up, I have also gone from an ISF to a GSF, only had the car about 3 weeks, one thing I have noticed is the brakes don't seem to have the initial bite of the ISF, they are fine, just seem to need more pedal pressure.

Great car, same colour as mine as well.

[stevet]

Great reading. GSF will be my next and 11th Lexus as soon as they come into my price bracket.

[wow300]

22 hours ago, Mark G said:

Nice write up, I have also gone from an ISF to a GSF, only had the car about 3 weeks, one thing I have noticed is the brakes don't seem to have the initial bite of the ISF, they are fine, just seem to need more pedal pressure.

Great car, same colour as mine as well.

My brakes are there with very little effort, maybe your pads are getting down?

[DAW]

Thanks for taking the time do do such a  detailed write up - really interesting & useful for those thinking of the move👍🏻

[Spacewagon52]

£1700 for second-hand parts? What do the new ones cost? When you are paying over £70,000 for a car I suppose that is not too bad?

Not car thsat can be run on the cheap - but what a car!

[EvoStevo]

I was intending to wait until next September to swap my isf  for a gs f but after visiting my mum in hospital for over a month now and realising how quickly circumstances can change I've put a deposit down on one today. I'e not seen it yet and it hasn't been delivered to the dealer yet and  theyve not even seen my isf yet so things could change. Might have to put mine on AutoTrader if the dealer bids me too low.

[Spacewagon52]

Sorry to hear your Mum is not well Steve. 

 

Experiences can put things into, let's say, sharper focus! You can't live entirely for today but we don't know what the future holds. I am no longer prepared to wait now ......... provided I can afford it, I do it now.

I think I understand your viewpoint.

[s_a15]

@EvoStevo Is that the GS F at Lexus Liverpool? I bought mine from there back in July, Mat, the sales manager spoke to me earlier this week about the blue one due in to see if I wanted to trade my white GS F in against it (I mentioned blue was my first choice when I bought mine, but the white has grown on me so I wouldn't change now!)? Good luck with the purchase...

[EvoStevo]

It is the one at Liverpool.  My isf is white so I fancied a change to blue.  I've put a deposit down but deal hasn't been finalised yet. Theyve not seen my car yet but asked me to send pics. I take it you are happy with your gs f? Have you moved into it from an isf?

[s_a15]

I ran an ISF for 2 years between 2014 - 2016, then moved into a gs450 f sport and from that to a golf r (what a mistake, it went to the dealer 8 times in 5 months for warranty repairs so I couldn't wait to get rid!), the golf was then traded against my GS F. I was actually looking for a late model ISF but nothing came up that I fancied so I took the plunge and went for a GSF, very happy I did, it's a great car! Only minor complaint I have had is squealing brakes which are a lot better now the chaps at Lexus Liverpool have de-glazed my pads (I believe the GS F you have put a deposit on has already had the pads de-glazed a few months ago for the same issue according to what Mat told me. It also had a new rear tyre for a puncture.) 

The guys at Lexus Liverpool are great, they have 2 master techs working there who have around 50 years of experience working on Lexus cars and really know their way around F cars (I prefer going to them than Lexus Stockport which is only a couple miles from my house). 

If you want any other info give me a shout, or PM me. 

Good luck with the purchase. 

And as a final word, anyone considering the black Gsf at Milton Keynes, inspect it closely, pretty sure it has had a proper trashing around a track which is why it has stone chips all across the front and has had 4 new tyres plus a set of discs and pads in 7000 miles! @BigRat may have some other info in his F database... 

[EvoStevo]

Thanks for the info. I've used Lexus Bolton for the last 5 years of owning the isf and been happy with their service and would recommend them. I'l keep you posted about the purchase. Fingers crossed.

[Big Rat]

@EvoStevo Hi Steve if you want any info on the cars you are considering then feel free to pm me, my data base of 'F' is by no means complete with all Isf/gsf/rcf but i have the vast majority.

Big Rat

[EvoStevo]

Many thanks. I've just sent you a pm. I hope.