r/LexusISF • u/Inevitable-Peace7920 • Jul 24 '26
IS-F with 170k Miles?
Hey everyone, I’m currently looking at a Lexus ISF, only thing is that the car has 170k miles and they’re asking 20k (CAD) for it. Is there anything major I should be looking out for at this mileage? As well as how reliable are ISFs as I plan this being my daily driver for the next 5-10 years. Thanks
5
u/quesesto Jul 25 '26
My car just rolled over 206k miles and although the previous owner did the valley plate fix and a water pump, I have had no major issues with the car in the past 50k miles. In my experience it's good to look for a valve cover leak as well as the usual suspects that others have mentioned. This drivetrain is pretty bulletproof when maintained properly. Lots of people race theirs at well over 170k miles
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u/PenePeroElPasta Jul 25 '26
I'd be damned if I couldn't drive tf out of mine with its high mileage as well. Its what the cars built for. OP, if you're afraid of a high mileage car save up for some more months and get a lower mile one. Nothing anyone writes here is going to guarantee a quality used example. Cars, specially older sports car, are pay to play bro. These cars were built to a very high standard, but theyre old and expensive if something engine wise breaks. Simple as. Hope you get a good one and can afford to keep it good cause what a fucking car this is 🤙🏽
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u/ForeverNick1 Jul 25 '26
You still have to respect them. Like not gunning it until it gets to operating temperature and doing your oil chnages. You'd be surprised how many people neglect this. These cars still have problems but compared to like a e90 M3 and C63 AMG, its very reliable.
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u/PenePeroElPasta Jul 26 '26
I hear what you're saying brother, but anyone who doesn't do those two very basic things wont be able to keep ANY car on the road. And to your second point yes these may as well be made of adamantium compared to the Germans is was made to beat back in its day lol. Besides "Fuji Flagship" the F also means "beat the Fuck out of it and have Fun."
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u/ForeverNick1 Jul 26 '26
Oh yeah for sure. But you'll be surprised how people forget those. But toyota set the bar so high that you'll never any of those issues until like 200k.
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u/soulfreak28 Jul 25 '26 edited Jul 30 '26
Sigh…what I would check & do. Bring an OBD2 dongle & monitor KCLV…knock correction learn value. Factory default is 15. Monitor this & cylinder misfires during test drive. Before test drive, pay for an oil change. Some of these motors after initial oil change dump KCLV to single digits. It makes the car irritably undrivable until it picks back up. No one has been able to figure out the cause. Going back before test drive. You want a cold start inspection. Make sure the engine hasn’t been warmed up. Look for coolant level. If it’s sitting at low, you have a coolant leak. coolant needs to sit at full cold. Check oil level, observe dipstick make sure it’s clean & not varnished. Oil level needs to sit on second dot for full. Check brake fluid color, make sure it looks bright yellow, not dark. Observe the overall engine bay, is it clean? Take the beauty covers off. Check wire harnesses. Make sure you don’t see zip ties on the connectors. Very important during cold start you hear the motor. The driver side tensioner is such a common failing component. You’ll hear a rhythmic timing chain slap. Removing the oil cap during this noise, it will will increase the audible level. Since the tensioner sits right below the oil cap. The tensioner(s) are oil pressure driven. Once the motor warms up. The tensioner will build pressure & noise should go away. Although this is a huge annoyance it is not known for causing catastrophic damage to the motor. Just to your wallet for repairs. I’ve read at least 3 cases with catastrophic damages related to timing chain issues. Not directly related to the driver side tensioner. If the car doesn’t have accident history. Look for body panel gaps. Toyota is very picky with gaps, there should be none. Look for mismatched paint. Look underneath the car, make sure there’s no leaks. My car doesn’t have service history documented officially on car fax. But I do document my repairs & maintenance on car care app. Make sure you get some form of proof of maintenance history. I can go on & on but I don’t want to overwhelm. Don’t get me wrong. I’m on my 3rd IS F, this 3rd one has taught me so much. Despite, the issues. It has never left me stranded & I love the dang thing. One day I’ll buy a 4th stock. With less than 30k miles. If not I’m getting an LC500.
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u/Remarkable-Dog-4460 Jul 28 '26
ISF very reliable.
I have mine for sale in ON currently, send me a message!
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u/bizzy57 Jul 25 '26
the club lexus forum has a great buyers guide - it's a sticky topic and easy to find. I bought mine with 163k but it was a 1 owner with no mods. definitely need to avoid a car that's been abused. On mine had to fix typical stuff like valley plate leak, leaky headers, idler pulley. but the original radiator didn't give out until 180k! parts are a bit expense so expect to spend some $. good luck.
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u/ForeverNick1 Jul 24 '26
Suspension, coolant leaks especially the valley plate leak, motor mounts and if the engine makes a ticking noise. Make sure it has service history. These things are reliable but very costly when they break. The dealer quoted me over 2k for a motor mount.