Monyx

My view is the V8 is it is relatively understressed - being a recent convert to Lexus I was little disappointed to see the performance V8 redline wan't real high (6,800). However reading about the history of the IS F; although the head engineer wanted it to rev to ~7500, the conservative Lexus executive were wedded to ensuring the reliability fitted with the company's ethos that a luxury car's V8 should be good for 300k km of problem free motoring - hence the redline was woundback for longevity.

Videos from my recent trackday at Wakefield park, NSW (reposting from recent track day post as the topic date has passed) Crappy angle Gopro from my helmet cam in the dry. https://youtu.be/6RKzXGzJUZA In the wet after it hailed! https://youtu.be/eFIojZTRJT0 Pix courtesy of TLC Media photography: There's obviously a lot still 'on' as with TRC off if I was late braking into corner in the wet, the car would become very unstable, tending towards oversteer and sending the back end out - definitely didn't feel natural or progressive and was annoying. No problems sliding out of corner, bahaved as a powerful rear wheel drive would, just a little less predictable than a manual that I'm used to.

Track day report: After a week of rain for Goulburn, Sat cleared for a dry track in the morning, but shortly after lunch while parked undercover in pits area hail and rain moved in. Didn't stop me getting some wet driver practice in the afternoon as the a,b,c,d sessions were abandoned for 'open track' as some started to pack up and call it a day. I managed a not so respectable best time of 1:15.0928 - my excuse is it took me three sessions to learn how to disable TRC - I kept hit the button once, and of course now I realise this was just for snow or bogged situation as kept turning back on as I drove off. On the 3rd sessions I held it down for 4-5s finally realising my mistake, so by wet sessions I could hang the tail out a little. There's obviously a lot still 'on' as with TRC off if I was late braking into corner in the wet, the car would become very unstable, tending towards oversteer and sending the back end out - definitely didn't feel natural or progressive and was annoying. No problems sliding out of corner, bahaved as a powerful rear wheel drive would, just a little less predictable than a manual that I'm used to. If you're interested Natsoft results for the day here (click on circuit racing then WP 25.4.14. (btw the old Excels and Pulsars were stripped-out track cars that race in a new MRA series that was scheduled for Sun in case you're wondering) I think most guys 'n gals were running R-spec track tyres, so my 19k kms old OEM Bridgestone RE050 didn't do me any favours at factory 35psi spec. I now know to put them up to 42-45 reduce flex & heat. :P Crappy angle Gopro from my helmet cam in the dry and some sliding around in the wet with TRC off. OH, why does the car stall when I spin it at the end of the video coming onto the straight...it's an auto!?

Hopefully I have rubber to drive home on - my oem Bridgestones have done just shy of 17k kms and this will surely finish them off. Driver's briefing from 8:45 I and track-time from 9am, I'm sticking some gaffer tape in to secure the natsoft timer so it doesn't thump around the glovebox :) EDIT:just confirmed the arrangement from circuit club FB page: Circuit Club Sign in at the office at 8:30am, compulsory driver's briefing at 8:45am and track opens at 9am until 4pm.

Good for spectators/photographers too - not too far to walk around and action always in view. I've driven it a couple times (1:16 in a 350Z on cheapo Chinese rubber - but I didn't stand on the brakes too hard so wasn't going balls out) Fun in the car, not sure about the bike tho - little tight - although my everyday transport is a Hayabusa so perhaps 600cc class or post-class sort of class be fun.

Debut for my car at the track, have booked & paid for the Anzac day weekend and will be driving up from Canberra for the Sat trackday prob 8:30 start at the track. If anyone is thinking of doing a day I've done a couple with Circuit club, they include transponder timing and have experienced/racers avail for private tuitiion as passenger in your car. Very well run, organised etc. Contrast this to one of my first outings at the generic WP 'Speed off the Streets' where it was bit more chaotic - cheaper yes, but no timing, no tuituion and watch out for 'non-performance' models - nearly got taken out by bone-stock Cortina lurching its way around the track years ago! http://www.circuitclub.com.au/page/upcoming-events

Last weekend a mechanic friend who has worked on ISF insurance repairs was telling about me about Lexus cost of repair incl wheel replacement. I was enquirying with my delaer yesterday about reprgramming the all-door unlock & I asked on a whim MY12 BBS wheel replacement price: $7,500 ea! :o I txt my wife and said no parallel parking anymore unless she's really confident! I'm not sure if this is designed to discourage purchase by non-ISF owners, but if it is there should be a realistic price for genuine replacement purchase for ISF owners - I mean a nice set of BBS new is what $6-8k normally??

wow something disastrous with the aero there! :o

Drove from Canb -> Port Stephens last week - 10.3 L/100 which included some slow touring around coastal towns etc. the 8L/100 must be very sedate hwy speeds, north of sydney people seem to move along the M1 touching 130km/h quite often, but I think it sticking to 110 on the hume would improve things I'd expect. I prefer BP98 Ultimate.

Not for me, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde attributes are exactly what attracted me to the ISF - refined at cruise, noteworthy when you want it to be is just fine by me. A decent sub is missing though.

oh ok - what I meant was MP3 USB vs CD audio - haven't actually tried MP3 on cd. The surround sound on music is quite good, immersive and detailed and all in all I judge it to be pretty good audio system, but agree that I'm actually convinced there's no sub in there - there is a sub in the MY12 ISF isn't there?! :( My point of reference isn't extensive for car audio (my last was 7 speaker Bose with sub factory system) but I have some half decent hifi stuff in the house that listen to.

Not sure as I my only experience is with MY12, but what I can say is that even 320kbps MP3 lack body and weight when played via the USB connector -much better via CD (and for those that aren't sure a 320kbps MP3 should rival CD for quality i.e. most people cannot pick the difference.

Just booked in PM session on 4/3/15 to sample the RC F which was emailed to Encore Privileges- can anyone tell me how these are run, in terms of hospitality/catering for partners attending but for whom I did not buy ticket as they don't want to drive. Are passengers allowed?

It's actually the opposite in terms of your numbers i.e. an IS F with 8 speed g/box could afford to have a low gear ratio of say 4.1 (so that wheels turn once for every 4.1 turns of the diff) for better acceleration - because it has those two extra 'over drive' gears to drop the revs at highway speeds. If you want punch off from the lights with lots of revs and go but no top speed you put in a low or 'short' gear ratio (4.4:1) or you go the other way for a very high or 'tall' 2.9:1 for low revs, economy and higher terminal speed (if the engine has the grunt to rev against the high gearing.

matte wrap black(?)...certainly not your typical IS F visual!

Lexus details on GS F Is the Torque Vectoring Differential (TVD) something completely different to IS F? Larger OEM tyre sizes, 9 & 10" width rims respectively, interesting maybe base my tyre replacement on these though is 275 too big for 9" rim? 255/35R19(Fr) 275/35R19(Rr) Even @ 1830kg power to weight ratio exceeds the smaller IS F (1.82 kW/tonnw vs 1.92) thanks to 40 more kW

Afterdark.

Excellent feedback - thanks I got it working tonight :) 2 things I did differently were effect the sequence immediately after closing door and releasing the door lock button after 5s, instead of over-estimating and keeping it held for 7-10s 'just to be sure'.

I sat in in the garage, manual in hand trying this finger dance to switch off the auto door locking as per manual - but I don't get the confirmation signal (doors lock and unlock) so don't think it worked - 1am now so not going to driving to find out. The method to toggle the auto speed door lock is: IGN ON within 10s move shifter to N then press and hold driver door lock for min 5s (padlock lock button) doors should lock then unlock to confirm change. I get nothing. I've tried with a few variation i.e. use the brake to move the shifter with the engine off vs the shift lock button near the shifter, foot remain on brake during whole process/foot brake released after shifting. Just as an aside after jingling around doing this I turned the car off then on again and low and behold my Iphone4s which was still tethered to the USB was recognised - I previously couldn't get it recognised as an ipod device when I first plugged it in with IGN to access (manual states iphone not supported).

Too long spent detailing, but should be easy to maintain hopefully. Some pix from dusk tonight.

My wife and I love the IS F because they are so rare...can't head to IS F convention then we got nothing special! ;) Where would the venue be - Syd motor sports park or Wakfield park? I'm in Canberra so the latter is convenient and a nice drive and I've previously enjoyed events like the Datsun Nationals and WRX clubs events over the years based around Goulburn.

Just had my motorcycle not-at-fault claim after someone ran up the rear at low speed at the lights - all new, parts, no questions replacing after-market parts (Yoshimura sports pipes, double screen, paid $500 toward my motorcycle gear as per my policy after providing photographic evidence of damaged gear (the limit of clothing cover on policy). Can't say enough good things about Youi, compettive, friendly service, paid and sorted a claim promptly with no fuss - we have switch everything to them.

Just paid $1063pa with Youi with multi-policy discount (we have 4 other vehicles + home and contents), MY12 market value, $725 basic excess, no cover for drivers <30yo. Rating 1 for life, no at fault claims but 3 demerits off licence. If I didn't list my wife on the policy as regular driver (she had two incidents - in 2013 whereby she claimed on other people's insurance as they were at fault) it was aroud $860.

The fitment of DRL might be little more complex - I say this as I was perusing multi-function control on lower left of dash whereby the DRL (among other things like park sensors can be switch off) First I noticed were the 'toyota tarago' mirrors..not that they're off a Tarago (i dont think) rather because they are huge, truck-like mirrors lol.

Black one in ACT? Good one! That car had us interested as was keen price for MY10, but I really wanted MY12 so we didn't contact the owner...eventually sourced mine from WA which certainly added to the cost and time but it was the only Flame-blue MY12 on the market at this time.