Which car would you want to own out of warranty?

[GTS Jeff]

A3 Quattro hatch with low miles and warranty can be had for under 30. It's like having an Audi TT with extra doors. Reliable and cheap power upgrades, great for winter, looks good. Not sure about how it fits a larger guy though...

[danno]

The is350 will have insanely small back seats to if that matters. I wanted a isf a couple years ago but it went off the table because of that.

[max_boost]

Lexus. However as mentioned the back seats are tiny. I sat in them and said WTF is going on here lol

[A790]

Back seats aren't particularly important to me since I rarely take more than one passenger and don't have kids to worry about.

Drove an IS350 today and thought it was a pretty good car. Smooth power delivery, nice interior, etc. It's definitely a contender.

I'm going to compare it to an ISF to see which one I prefer. I've basically ruled the BMW/Mercedes out at this point.

[max_boost]

I like ISF. V8 rumble

[Asian_defender]

I have a 2011 is250 and I love it. Not a single problem after 3 years plus the service at lexus is top notch. Better than Mercedes and BMW IMHO. Look into the VIP service

[Canucks3322]

Owned an IS250 awd, Im 5'6" and I found it cramped in their and the interior is shit, the stereo and other dash pieces looked like it came out of a Corolla.

[A790]

Originally posted by Asian_defender
I have a 2011 is250 and I love it. Not a single problem after 3 years plus the service at lexus is top notch. Better than Mercedes and BMW IMHO. Look into the VIP service

We got a taste of VIP service when the dealer drove the car to our place for the test drive. We went to the dealer, had a latte, and then went back home.

I have to say that was a very impressive introduction to the brand.

Originally posted by Canucks3322
Owned an IS250 awd, Im 5'6" and I found it cramped in their and the interior is shit, the stereo and other dash pieces looked like it came out of a Corolla.

We quite liked the 2010 we looked at on Saturday. The cream-leather interior wasn't in the best condition (previous owner very clearly neglected it), but it was still attractive and comfortable.

From the drivers seat I felt like I had a lot of room. I really liked the electric tilt/telescoping steering wheel- I was able to get it in the perfect spot in no time! lol

[Lex350]

I drive the IS350 and I have to say I have had no troubles with it. The only money I have put out for it is oil changes and replacing brakes. (the usual)

The car has nice power and surprisingly good fuel economy for a 306hp engine if you drive it in a relaxed manner.

A couple of months ago I drove out to BC and seeing as I wasn't in a hurry I tried to see what kind of mileage I could get out of it.




» Click image for larger version

[bigbadboss101]

That is sweet gas mileage!

A790 I am pretty sure you would like the ISF more than the IS350, $ aside :-)

[A790]

Well the ISF is a 2008 - 2009 in the sub-$35k pricerange, whereas I can get into a 2011 or 2012 IS 350 for the same money.

But we'll see which we wind up buying. We got lots of time.

[benyl]

Have you looked in IS-F maintenance?

My guess would be $2K to do the front brakes. At least $1500 in parts alone.

[flipstah]

Originally posted by rotten42
I drive the IS350 and I have to say I have had no troubles with it. The only money I have put out for it is oil changes and replacing brakes. (the usual)

The car has nice power and surprisingly good fuel economy for a 306hp engine if you drive it in a relaxed manner.

A couple of months ago I drove out to BC and seeing as I wasn't in a hurry I tried to see what kind of mileage I could get out of it.




» Click image for larger version

That is phenomenal. Was the car fully loaded or just you + luggage for one?

[Lex350]

Car was just me, my bicycle, luggage and golf clubs. I averaged about 10kms above the speed limit the whole way.

ISF would be nice. It might be my next car. I have driven the IS250 and didn't like it. It felt like a completely different car.

[Skyline_Addict]

I'm lovin my lexus is300

[ZedMan]

For an ISF the 11+ model is more desirable, since it comes with the updated suspension and LSD. In terms of maintenance, the brakes are a big ticket item but other than that it's pretty comparable to the 350.

[A790]

Originally posted by ZedMan
For an ISF the 11+ model is more desirable, since it comes with the updated suspension and LSD. In terms of maintenance, the brakes are a big ticket item but other than that it's pretty comparable to the 350.

Yea, makes sense.

We'll have to see if spending the extra $10k+ on an ISF is what we want to do. The real question we have is whether or not we'll actually see the value out of it, you know?

Chances are we'll just roll with the IS 350.

[A790]

Oy. So my buddy just asked why we aren't looking at 2010 - 2012 Audi S4's as they're right in the price range.

Any feedback on them?

[xrayvsn]

I have a 2010 S4. Have been very happy with it. However it is now out of warranty, which concerns me because I have heard horror stories about repairs and maintenance costs past the warranty period.

I use the car almost exclusively for winter (or rain in the summer), but it is more than capable as an all year car. I have had a few minor things covered under warranty, but now that warranty is up... I will likely trade this one in for a 2014 S4, so overall I liked the car well enough to buy another.

[SR54RNR]

Originally posted by ZedMan
For an ISF the 11+ model is more desirable, since it comes with the updated suspension and LSD. In terms of maintenance, the brakes are a big ticket item but other than that it's pretty comparable to the 350.

2008's can be had for $35-40k (I just bought one) but the 2011+ are still up in the $50-55k range... Updates would be nice, but it's a whole different price point.
There is a beyonder that has had both an older and a newer ISF as daily drivers, maybe hit him up for some info (can't remember his username)