New Isf

[Tel]

Collect my 2011 Model Year supercar tomorrow----DAB Radio 5 Live had better work as I fly thru' Bristol after an extended Handover Bay Inspection to comfirm the car has been hand -built.

The ISF & LS 600 are built on a dedicated line & have the lowest defect index on the planet so my expectation is the highest ever.

Tel :)

[Mcauley]

i wish i could get a new one wilt the white leather. im lookin a 08 one. health to enjoy.

[fjcfarrar]

i wish i could get a new one wilt the white leather. im lookin a 08 one. health to enjoy.

You should be very releived that white seats were not available on 08 models you are thinking about. If you have ever had white leather car seats, you would know they are a disaster - particularly if you drive in jeans. The white turns bluish where jeans rub as you get in and out, and this cannot be removed by cleaning. The same is also true with other fabrics than denim but to a lesser extent. White leather also gets to look a bid sad much sooner than any other colour. Regular cleaning and maintenance actually makes it become greyish and grubby looking. It is a shame that the ISF seats are only available in either rather depressing but practical black or totally impractical and slightly "Essex" white. But the ISF is not about the seats and trim. It is the engine/transmission that makes it special together with just enough luxury and toys. It is a lot of car for the money. Maybe not quite a supercar and certainly nowhere near as expensive as one.

[Mcauley]

I no I can't get the white seats or the blue. Until end of last year I only do 3 4k a year so white should be ok . But if it come down to it I would prob take black leather. What colour are you getting.

[Tel]

I have had huge issues over the Year 11 standard spec. & options with both the GB Website & Brochure being inaccurate whilst all the German Competitors standard & cost options are precise.Lexus GB have never listed the complete specification of a particular model & are too conservative to publish them in Germanic Format.

A 53K M3 is 65K in their ISF spec. but lacks rear camera / radar & charges £50 for fuel that is consumed 30% faster than claimed & is not hand-finished----an Alpina version, still short of spec., is 70k.

Mine has the following Year 11 no-cost Options-----Slate/Fuji White Leather/Dark Graphite Trim/10 Spoke wheels & DAB radio.

Tel

[Mcauley]

sounds the rod

[fjcfarrar]

I no I can't get the white seats or the blue. Until end of last year I only do 3 4k a year so white should be ok . But if it come down to it I would prob take black leather. What colour are you getting.

Model year 08 has slate black seats only and 10-spoke wheels are standard. The ONLY UK option is the sunroof and of course a range of body colours which do not include Ultrasonic Blue. In other countries - particularly the US, some of the equipment like radar-controlled cruise control and 10-spoke wheels were extra-cost options, but in the UK only fully loaded versions were available.

The UK MY11 version also has NO options other than the sunroof, but the body-colour range has been increased to include the Ultrasonic Blue with white seats now available. Thorsen LSD, DAB radio & Running Lights added, Satnav now uses Hard Disc. Dashboard updated. Adaptive Front Lighting has been deleted.

Copies of the full specifications are issued to dealer sales departments who may make one available.

The full MY08 UK spec is attached to this. It contains an error - it states the ISF has tyre-pressure monitoring when it doesn't.

ISF Spec MY08.pdf

[Mcauley]

I no the spec very well I ment if I was to buy a new one I would prob take the black leather even though I love the white I would find it hard to keep.

But Im not getting a new one so I'll try to find a white one with or without the loud roof. Have decided to buy a is-f over the m3.

[trackerman]

Slightly off topic :shutit: ,there are a few sealants for the leather,Gtechiq is one and they don't make the leather hard or shiny,and once the leathers treated all thats needed is a damp cloth to keep it looking good.

[Tel]

First Report---100 miles.

O.T.R.price includes £1K Road Tax.

DAB operates perfectly---M5/M42/M1

Ride/Handling better than SEL---the steering feels there is no assist but the front suspension is significantly softer.

TPWS for Road & Track.

MM/NAV much improved.

Starting/Driving addictive.

20 m.p.g.

Tel

[Mcauley]

Keep me posted on the mpg and live with.

[Tel]

200 mile report.

22.7 mpg

Ride further improved----tyre pressures were incorrectly set @ 40psig!

Fit & Finish superb-testimony to the Tukami process.

51 DAB Stations yet only 1 DAB 6 button screen.

Tel

[zamnap]

Nice hope to get one soon

[fjcfarrar]

200 mile report.

22.7 mpg

Ride further improved----tyre pressures were incorrectly set @ 40psig!

Fit & Finish superb-testimony to the Tukami process.

51 DAB Stations yet only 1 DAB 6 button screen.

Tel

Glad you are pleased with your ISF and am sure you will enjoy more and more as time goes on.

The Tukami Process - I think you may mean Takumi (Translation: Artisan or what we wouls think of as a proper tradesman)which refers to an elite of manufacturing technicians with proven skill and experience being used to carry out or oversee checks at the key stages of production to ensure quality. You would hope that all manufacturers use people who know what they are doing in this way but perhaps they don't? It would be exaggerating a bit to describe this as hand-finishing when the Tahara plant and the line used is one of the most highly automated in the world. But at least the cars are finally evaluated by actual human beings at the top of their game and each car is given a real road test. I think the Lexus difference is that if anything is found to be even slightly sub-standard; it is put right where other manufacturers may take a more "that'll do" attitude unless it is a serious problem (and not always then).

The correct tyre-pressure range does includes 40 psi if you are not going to exceed 140mph - when it needs to be increased up to 46 psi at max speeds. Personally I find for public roads about 39-42 psi gives about the best compromise for handling/road-noise/comfort.

The only problem you will definitely find has been widely detailed on this forum: Brake-dust including ferrous metal content coats the paint on the sides of the car and the lacquer of the wheels. The metal fragments arrive hot and embed themselves into the paint and wheel lacquer. These fragment quickly oxidise making particularly the wheels look rusty unless regularly cleaned away. This does get much better after a few seasons when the paint and lacquer toughen and resist this more. Maybe ceramic pads lessen this, but it would be hard to tell because the issue reduces with time anyway.

The fuel consumption displays are not to be regarded as absolute or very accurate, but give a useful idea of relative consumption i.e. if it is going up or down. As always, the best way in the long-term to gauge absolute consumption is to keep a running note of fuel bought against distance travelled. The consumption will be enormous if all the power is used; but on the daily run when traffic limits your speed & acceleration to what everybody else is doing, low to mid 20's is easily attainable.

[Tel]

For driving up to 131mph cold tyre inflation pressure is 36 psig.

Re-the brake dust----I hope regular washing & washing after every long journey e.g. Amsterdam(450miles) keeps on top of the issue that Lexus US have addressed with ceramic pads!

Tel

[Tango]

For driving up to 131mph cold tyre inflation pressure is 36 psig.

Re-the brake dust----I hope regular washing & washing after every long journey e.g. Amsterdam(450miles) keeps on top of the issue that Lexus US have addressed with ceramic pads!

Tel

I've been checkiing my tyre wear on a regular basis and found the optimum cold pressure for my style of driving on public roads is 40 psi (nitrogen filled), The fronts were wearing more on the outside and inside than the middle at 36psi and 38psi. I have new super sports on the rear that are slightly wider than standard (275's) and so far they are also wearing evenly at 40 psi. but I'll continue to monitor them.

Regards the brake dust, the Hawk performance ceramics I have on my IS-F have reduced the problem on the BBS wheels (they are 12 months old now) and I have yet to see any problems on the bodywork.

I am not aware that Lexus US have addressed the problem at all for the IS-F, although they have issued ceramic pads for both the IS250 & IS350 following complaints of excessive brake dust. The problem with the OEM/Brembo IS-F pads is different than that of the 250/350 pads; it isn't just the amount of dust but the ferrous content in it.

[Tel]

Re-Tango's post above---

Cold tyre inflation set @ 37psig.(36)

GB & Lexus Derby advise 36psig for my car even though the suspension/unsprung weight has changed significantly.

Nitrogen makes absolute sense but can you really feel a benefit on our poor roads?

I asked for ceramic pads & was offered F-flaps that were ordered but really did not exist---as dust does not seem as big an issue in the States I assumed ceramic pads were available just as they are for the IS350.

Pity LOC does not have a Japanese Forum.

Tel

[fjcfarrar]

For driving up to 131mph cold tyre inflation pressure is 36 psig.

Re-the brake dust----I hope regular washing & washing after every long journey e.g. Amsterdam(450miles) keeps on top of the issue that Lexus US have addressed with ceramic pads!

Tel

I've been checkiing my tyre wear on a regular basis and found the optimum cold pressure for my style of driving on public roads is 40 psi (nitrogen filled), The fronts were wearing more on the outside and inside than the middle at 36psi and 38psi. I have new super sports on the rear that are slightly wider than standard (275's) and so far they are also wearing evenly at 40 psi. but I'll continue to monitor them.

Regards the brake dust, the Hawk performance ceramics I have on my IS-F have reduced the problem on the BBS wheels (they are 12 months old now) and I have yet to see any problems on the bodywork.

I am not aware that Lexus US have addressed the problem at all for the IS-F, although they have issued ceramic pads for both the IS250 & IS350 following complaints of excessive brake dust. The problem with the OEM/Brembo IS-F pads is different than that of the 250/350 pads; it isn't just the amount of dust but the ferrous content in it.

Why Nitrogen in the tyres? Air is 78% Nitrogen anyway and the leakage/dispersal rate for Nitrogen is only about 10% better. The temperature/pressure relationship is close to the same. Yes, Nitrogen is safer if the tyres choose to burst and catch fire at the same time and inherently safer to compress. Also being inert, Nitrogen will not corrode the bits of wheels/tyres that normal campressed air takes decades to affect. The downside would seem to be that regular checking of tyre pressure is a good idea - but always lets some out, and nitrogen is not as freely to hand as air to pump them up again. Garage air-lines often accumulate water/moisture which isn't good - but the tyre-pumps you plug into the car cigar-lighter and foot-pumps do not unless you pump up tyres in the rain.

Sorry, but unless I'm mistaken; filling tyres with Nitrogen seems much akin to drinking bottled water.

[Tango]

Not sure what point you are attempting to make? Nitrogen is my preferred option to air and I have ready access to a supply. I don't inflate my tyres using petrol station air pumps at all.

It's not as if I was trying to persuade anyone else to use it, or asking anyone's opinion. I was just stating a fact.

[fjcfarrar]

Not sure what point you are attempting to make? Nitrogen is my preferred option to air and I have ready access to a supply. I don't inflate my tyres using petrol station air pumps at all.

It's not as if I was trying to persuade anyone else to use it, or asking anyone's opinion. I was just stating a fact.

Sorry, not trying to offend anybody - Nitrogen is your choice, and you have ready access which makes it a perfectly reasonable choice..... But am still mystified why Nitrogen-filling ever came to be considered for filling car-tyres because there doesn't seem to be any reason to do it. Perhaps I am missing something, and maybe you could enlighten me.

[Tango]

Sorry, not trying to offend anybody - Nitrogen is your choice, and you have ready access which makes it a perfectly reasonable choice..... But am still mystified why Nitrogen-filling ever came to be considered for filling car-tyres because there doesn't seem to be any reason to do it. Perhaps I am missing something, and maybe you could enlighten me.

Only reason I use bottled nitrogen is to ensure there's no moisture in the tyres. Any water vapour in the tyre leads to unacceptable variation in pressure gradient in respect of temperature. Perhaps I'm being unduly fussy in the way I monitor my tyre pressures, but it certainly paid off with the 250 and I'm hoping for similar results with the IS-F.

[simranjit Jhita]

For driving up to 131mph cold tyre inflation pressure is 36 psig.

Re-the brake dust----I hope regular washing & washing after every long journey e.g. Amsterdam(450miles) keeps on top of the issue that Lexus US have addressed with ceramic pads!

Tel

I've been checkiing my tyre wear on a regular basis and found the optimum cold pressure for my style of driving on public roads is 40 psi (nitrogen filled), The fronts were wearing more on the outside and inside than the middle at 36psi and 38psi. I have new super sports on the rear that are slightly wider than standard (275's) and so far they are also wearing evenly at 40 psi. but I'll continue to monitor them.

Regards the brake dust, the Hawk performance ceramics I have on my IS-F have reduced the problem on the BBS wheels (they are 12 months old now) and I have yet to see any problems on the bodywork.

I am not aware that Lexus US have addressed the problem at all for the IS-F, although they have issued ceramic pads for both the IS250 & IS350 following complaints of excessive brake dust. The problem with the OEM/Brembo IS-F pads is different than that of the 250/350 pads; it isn't just the amount of dust but the ferrous content in it.

Have you got the 275 on the standard alloy wheels? and do they fit ok without any adjustments?

[Tango]

Yes, they are on the standard BBS rims which are 19" x 9" on the rear.

[yemgi]

Same for me 245/35R219 front and 275/30R19 rear Michelin PS2 on stock wheels for now.

I have been running this setup since October last year without any issue appart from the dealer deflating the tires at the 30k service because the 2.8bars I set were out of the factory recommendations ...

[Tel]

400 mile report------non-motorway mpg c.25.5,DAB excellent,Poorboys wax ordered:front brake dust is surprising considering I am not someone who has ever consumed pads e.g. on an IS SE & Sport pads were changed c.45K, 95% of which was on the M1.

Tel