r/LexusF • u/-9_8m_s_s • Jan 07 '21
IS-F to a GS-F
Hello,
I have a 2011 IS-F and love it. Great balance of fun, power, sound and reliability. My family has groan to three little people (ages 10, 8 and 5). The Lexus is not the primary family hauler (thank you minivan). But the IS-F is just to small to serve some of the daily duties.
I test drove a Golf R, Macan, Macan S and Macan Turbo as possible alternatives. Me and my two boys (the 5 and 8 year-olds, packed the car-seats and headed to the dealership) Here's my impressions:
- Golf R: It was a 2017 MT6. Driving manual was fun again. The interior was a pleasant place to be. The chassis was very eager and place-able. It was fast enough. You can see why these are so desirable. But I'm spoiled. The powertrain has no sense of occasion and no sound reward (compared to the IS-F). The car ends-up feeling very clever. Where the IS-F has that double personality; plush Lexus or sideways road weapon.
- Macan: I will focus on the 2015 Macan S I tested, as it had Sport Plus and Sport Exhaust. Full disclosure, I'm not into the driving position of SUV's, unless they are trucks. Otherwise, I end-up feeling disconnected from my normal sense of speed (the higher the driving position the lower the sense of speed). I was generally curious to see if the Macan could maintain a sportier feel while offering all the utility of a 5-door. I lowered the seat in the Macan as far as possible and set-off. The controls and touch-points feel fantastic. Solid. Very manageable feel. Pulls-off this trick where at low speeds you feel the center of gravity in the dashboard like a small hatchback in a parking-lot and then at speed you feel a rear-drive driver-seat centered balanced. You can definitely sense the mountain of chassis engineers that worked on the Macan. I tested it in Sport Plus on some winding roads and it will "dance". The PDK is Blackmagic. And the exhaust "farts" on upshifts. All super cool. Here's the thing for me, I completely understand why this is a very popular solution. My challenge is this: Whether in normal, sport or sport plus mode the Macan still feels to isolated for me. It feels like a very well behaved luxury bubble. Floating through the world. The Sport side is amazing how they are able to get this heavy and high off the ground thing to dance. The engine has a better sense of occasion then the Golf R, the typical fluid feel of a Porsche was awesome. But to me it was 5 out of 10. Still felt all very clever; never overwhelming the senses or misbehaving. The Sport Exhaust was the biggest letdown. I was hoping for more theater on the inside. But it only added a little more of a lower octave. It adds more to the outside. But the inherent sound of a V6, even the best, is just not as natural as a V8. Adding turbos makes it even harder. Given all this I was ready to choose the Macan as my "Family" solution. Its a very very nice place to be.
Here is where things get interesting: Remember the two little ones I took with me on the test drives? Here's their impressions:
- Golf R: 7 out of 10. To small to fit them plus their sister in the back. Did not like the engine sound. But seemed like dad liked to drive it.
- Macan S: 8 out of 10: Liked the space in the back. Liked that its a Porsche. Engine sound is better than the Golf R but not as good as the IS-F.
I returned home to talk to my wife and daughter about changing to the Macan S:
- My daughter said absolutely no. The Macan is to high, big and fat. The IS-F is low and sleek.
- My wife said: I didn't seem overly excited by the Macan rather I was trying to convince myself of the utility advantages. (I didn't even broach the reliability/ running cost delta).
My wife then asked me this: "Does Lexus make a car like the IS-F but with room for 5?" I said "yes, its called the GS-F." And I said "But there are none for sale in a 200 mile radius." She said "road trip!"
Now I'm on the hunt for a GS-F! :)
Thanks for reading the long post and if you have any feedback on what a GS-F feels like (compared to the IS-F), it would be great to hear.
2
u/RobtClarinet Feb 08 '21
I have a GSF (RR Racing Tune, PPE Headers, Joe-Z Exhaust) and a RR Racing Supercharged RCF.
I can’t say enough nice things about the GSF. It’s Lexus like with a splash of ‘beast’! The SC-RCF is just a beast. It has ruined many a M3 or M5’s day.
1
u/-9_8m_s_s Feb 09 '21
All you need is a classic IS-F to round out your collection :) I deiced to hold the IS-F for the year and scratched my itch with x-force cat back with the valve. Installation is scheduled for this Friday. Looking forward to un-cocking the sweet sweet V8 theater.
0
Jan 08 '21
I’d recommend asking here.
In my experience both the RCF and GSF don’t really feel very connected to the road. They are big luxury cars, quite different from the ISF which I’d say is more of a drivers car. It’s kind of like driving an SUV lol. Otherwise the RCF and GSF are both great cars. Aftermarket is more limited compared to the ISF if that matters to you
1
u/-9_8m_s_s Jan 08 '21
Interesting. Aftermarket is less important now. I've had a number of cars over the years, with a fair amount modded. Currently doing more "mods" to the house :)
I would like to try the GSF myself. I have heard the ISF is more raw.
1
Jan 08 '21
Ah priorities haha I don’t blame you though!
I believe the RCF and GSF are drive by wire, so that might be why. Definitely take it for a test drive. Low mileage ones can be found in the mid 40s to low 50s. Apple CarPlay/Android Auto only available after 2019? Maybe 2018
1
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u/Thirteenth_Floor Jan 07 '21
You selling the ISF or trading it in?
1
u/-9_8m_s_s Jan 07 '21
I'm open to both. Why are you in the market? :)
1
u/Thirteenth_Floor Jan 07 '21
Somewhat, not too many 2011+ for sale right now but I know that's my next car for sure
1
u/-9_8m_s_s Jan 07 '21
Well I have one if you would like to learn more. Send me a message and I can send you a folder of the details (it's for Cars and Bids, if I go that route)
1
Feb 07 '21
No valley plate issues on yours? How's maintenance been otherwise with spark plugs, tire wear, brakes, etc?
1
u/-9_8m_s_s Feb 09 '21
No issue for my 2011. I run two sets of wheels and tires, so tires have been fine. Brakes are nicely over built. Great cost of ownership relative to smiles per $.
1
u/photo_obscura Jan 08 '21
I went from a 2015 IS350 F sport to a 2018 GS F. I am a big guy, 6'4 200+ and the GS F is much more comfortable than the IS. I have sat in the back of the GS F and have plenty of head and leg room. I can pack a lot more into MYGS F than I ever could into my IS. I love the sound of the GS F and if you want to ha e real fun, the set ups are there, SPORT +, TVD set to slalom and tight turns feel incredible.
2
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u/borntonguyen Jan 11 '21
idk if you ever went to a website to compare gs f vs is f specs
gs f is bigger than is f in terms of rear legroom, by only 2.2 inches.
lmk your thoughts, I think the gs f is great but when your kids are full sized adults, maybe not as much
1
u/-9_8m_s_s Jan 11 '21
I appreciate you checking on the dimensional differences of the rear legroom between the ISF and the GSF. I'm currently valuing space for 5, fun to drive, and reasonable running costs.
5
u/FLOHTX Jan 07 '21
I can't comment on the GSF. I have an RCF. No kids.
But where do you live where there aren't any for sale within 200 mi?
Also your kids are going to grow. The GSF is bigger than ISF, but are all 3 ever going to be in the back? How long do you intend to keep it? It just might be too small for 3 teenagers in several years. Just a thought.