I will never forget back in 08? not sure but right when the ISF came out it was at the LA Autoshow and they had it on a dyno to show off the transmission. This thing was redline 1st-4th gear hundreds of times per day non stop from morning to night for 5 days straight. The Lexus guy told me, it never had a problem once.

I miss my ISF

My 93 Lexus LS400 I bought second hand in 1997 has 298,000 miles and keeps running like a Swiss watch. I've owned and currently own BMW, Porsche, Mercedes, models of varying trim and I can say the Lexus is easily one of the best engineered things on this planet.

I enjoy my 2012 IS-F much more than this video would suggest, and never even considered its German rivals despite also being a fan of German sports cars. I'm 6'0" and have no issues with fitting in the car, and feel this car more than holds its own against the newer Lexus F products as they are far heavier. I definitely agree the styling of the older IS-F is far more pleasing to the eyes than their newer offerings, and this car really delivers big overall. Toyota engineers really knocked it out of the park, and as someone who used to own heavy hitting Toyota sports cars like the Supra TT I can say that the engineering DNA of this car is actually extremely impressive. It's very obvious to me that real performance engineers got their way with this car over bean counters, and the engine and braking are truly world class!

I have owned an ISF for about four months now and absolutely love it. I am 6"2' and have no problems with fitting in it at all. Rarely do I have more than one passenger.

Lexus beat Ford to the 5.0 game and beat ZF to the 8-speed game, and totally nailed everything on their first try.

I own a 2010 ISF! Hands down the most practical,funnest,most well rounded car I’ve ever owned! You can track her,you can enjoy it her on a Sunday drive,you can road trip her! All of the above with the piece of mind knowing it’s built like a damn near rock! Car was so far ahead of its time & it’s not even close imo

IS-F has always been one of my dream cars

I absolutely love this car. Wish Lexus had made more of them because they are quite hard to find on the used market.

The "Fake" exhaust tips are fully functional and are designed to cool the exhaust instead of melting the bumper. Do your homework on a car that you aren't familiar with. the mufflers have two exhaust ports that align with the tip collectors. The collectors gather air and combine with the exhaust gas. Another well thought out piece of engineering, not just gingerbread.

One of best and most reliable high performance sedans money can buy.

LOL Marc's 5-1 😂 Shots fired.

The ISF is still one of the best driver’s sedans ever made

those red wheels are kinda gross

ISF and GSF will become future classics

Never clicked a video so quick, I’ve been waiting for this. I picked up my 2011 ISF 6 months ago and love the car.

Because of this video i bought a 2012 isf, couldnt be happier with the car. Most fun ive ever had driving and i may never even sell it because of how great it is.

My 08 with 101,000 miles is still smooth cruising around and pulls like a rocket when you hammer it. The transmission and engine is bulletproof. There are guys on the ClubLexus forums with over 200k miles and one with 300k miles. Their cars are still performing well.

The new Lexus GS-F is the perfect car. This old IS-F really allowed Lexus to know what the consumer wanted in a performance car.

I didn’t know Mark was that tall. I always thought he was 4ft 10-11”.

Love my 2012 ISF. These guys were way too negative on this car....it's fantastic.

2011 ISF owner here. Thanks for review savagegeese! at this point, whether it's positive or negative, I'm just happy that our F get spotlights because of rarity at this point ahaha With proper (little pricey) mods, no force induction, this NA V8 turns into a beast in sleeper look, yet still reliable as you'd expect from Toyota/Lexus. The cold start always delivers a big a$$ smile, and I love every second behind the wheel. For sure there are better cars out there at the end of 2019, but I love my daily driver, and will drive this thing until the death do us apart.

Loved this car when it came out and when I was able to afford one, I got a GS-F.

Always been a great time with my Lexus ISF!

For those who say Toyota is boring and doesn’t build cool fun cars... Lexus ISF would like a word with you

Highly underrated car

How in the world has this channel not grown faster? It's just such consistent quality with unique perspectives and attention to detail on top of great camera work, sly humor, and nice music choice. I mean really, what more could you ask for out of a channel like this?

I love this channel. The intros are so relaxing, not like other channels which feature some dude busting your speakers with "THIS..." 0.5 seconds into the video.

I saw one of these on the road yesterday, first time ever. Great looking car.

Don’t forget that this car came with direct inject and port injection.

I've owned my 2012 ISF for 2.5 years now. I absolutely love it. The reason I love it because it is very reliable, it's a spot on sports car to take to the track and then drive to work the next day. The year to get is the 2012+ for final updates

This review is so incredibly thorough and good. Well done. Thank you.

I remember when Lexus first unveiled the ISF back in 2008 and man it's an awesome car especially that blue! It still looks so good to this day it's an amazing machine

No more Toddd outros? Hopefully new ones are coming soon. "I'm rich... why is this a problem???"

This was so thoroughly reviewed. A lot of unexpected, but valuable datapoints. Well done and much appreciated.

Just drove my new to me 2011 home, 10 hour drive. Loved every minute. This video was a large factor pushing me in this direction

This car is so special!!! Love the Lexus isF... Soon to be collector

Owned my 08 for 4 years and it’s got 85k on it, zero issues in my time. More than enough power for here in England and only 211 here so rare. Fitted Michelin Pilot 4S’s and for the road the E diff does just fine. Only car I’ll replace it with is a blue last of the line ISF. RCF/GSF are good cars but the ISF began it all and after driving both I feel the ISF is still the more raw car, well as raw as a Lexus can be. My only gripe is tech but I can forgive that as the rest of the car is so good, for me.

Picked up a 2012 ISF Series 2. Black with the Gunmetal OEM BBS, alacantara interior. Beautiful machine. Perfect mix of modern and old school, agressive, yet a total sleeper. Best car I've ever owned. Does lack in steering compared to my old e46 m3, and a manual gearbox is always missed, but otherwise there are no compromises in my mind. Feels great to not break the bank while having tons of reliable problem free miles ahead. ISF is great

I also wanted to say that I really appreciate the subtle differences that you guys can both add to your format

Thanks! I've been waiting for this review.

"The relentless pursuit of perfection" and most every Lexus model that came to be did just that, not just in their vehicles but in every aspect of quality, customer service and satisfaction. Mercedes Benz had to up their game in the USA because of Lexus, because Lexus became better in every way for a good period of time. Although this car is too small for tall drivers, it delivered reliably in where it mattered most. Toyota/Lexus always had this issue with tiny driver's compartments and big cars until lately when they began designing and building cars for the US market only. Great take on the ISF and totally agree with all points raised in this review. Keep up the great work Mark and Jack! You both make a great team in your reviews.

The drivers reaction to the acceleration at 10:40 is priceless.

I'm 6 ft and I fit just fine. I've carried 4 adult men the shortest being 5'7" for short distances no problem. Was the seat height adjusted? Never getting rid of this car! 2011 IS-F It doesn't break!

Great review. However. A few things I disagree with. I have a 2011 I’m 6’1 and have zero fitment issues. The steering is sloppy stock. Especially past 50k miles. Granted I have pretty much every single thing done to mine you can do. I didn’t notice how “bad” the handling was even when it was stock. It is dated absolutely, the diff is also incredible. My biggest thing though. Is the trans is still great even by modern standards. I had two DSG cars and while obviously they perform better. If you’re above 2500rpm, the ISF trans still downshifts rather well. The up shifts 2500-4000 are a little jolty but nowhere close to the 1995 Camry comparison that was drawn. You’ve gained a new subscriber. I love your review style!

Great review and final thoughts by Mark that I think are right on. I've owned a 2009 for over a year, it's by far the best choice for an affordable performance car that is usable on a daily basis as a fun car to drive. The engine sound is fantastic to experience upon rapid acceleration. Very comfortable for two adults on long distance excursions, with reasonable gas consumption rate of less than 30 mpg. Thanks for the video, well done!

I'm 6'2" 325lbs and I fit perfectly fine with my helmet on: I've tracked my 2008 ISF. They did an overall good review. The car has a sluggish nature to it down low rpms unless in manual shift mode and sport turned on which has to be hit after every time the car is turned off unlike my old 94 camry 😆. I've done full exhaust, ecu tune, intake, oil catch can, BC racing adjustable shocks, adjustable ball joints, steering bushings and steel braided brake lines. Its a daily driver. I just bought the silky carbon fiber driveshaft waiting to be installed. I'll get a 2010 or newer differential by spring break to complete my set up. All the mods made a huge difference naturally but it takes them all to wake the car up. Budget the 6k for the mods and installation. I have a BMW s1000rr so speed is met there lol

I'm a midget at 5'6". Whenever I'm feeling insecure about my height, I just think to myself, I can fit comfortably inside my Lotus and Miata. Life is good.

Great review guys! One of the best Lexus ever made!

i recently bought aan 08!! love it and love that you're doing a review on it. bittersweet feeling lol

Awesome review. Loved the comparison to the other F models. Perfectly executed. 💯

Jack has gotten really good at this.

I traded in my '06 350 with 210K miles in July for a '16 350 FSport with 25K miles. Most people thought my 2IS was just a few years old, not 13! These cars may not be the absolute fastest things on the road, but they're by far the most well built. Do the maintenance on time and Lexus will take care of you...full stop. Great review!

Since the day I took my 2012 ISF on Oahu's H1 freeway and felt the V8 motor opened. I fell in love with it, a week after I bought it from the 2nd owner. The ISF will always be the first F performance 4 door sedan Lexus made. I know some day it'll be a gem. Still with the latest Led headlights and Tail lights bodykits the 2nd gen Lexus IS will always be updated.

I've owned a Lexus IS-F (and RC-F). I'm 6ft 1. I had ZERO issues with head room and I like to sit high in the seat. So I'm really not sure what the reviewer was complaining about (unless this car had a sunroof?). Reliability wise, nothing ever went wrong with my ISF or RCF. I now drive a C63 (bi-turbo) and that broke down on day 1! Lexus F cars are not for everyone, but can be a very cheap way of buying and running a NA V8. No brainer. Not sure about the US, but in the UK, Lexus warranties are cheap and very comprehensive. Thanks for the review guys!!!

I'm happy you made this video man couldn't find a detailed isf vid anywhere

I'm happy that Lexus made an amazing machine like the GSF But the ISF still has a special place in my heart ever since it first came out

Had my isF for 4 years already and hasnt let me down, turn on and go and power when you need it. Sure I coulda got a AMG 63 or M5 but in the end the look of the isF is very unique around these areas in Oregon.

That door slam transition to the gauge sweep was amazing. I watched that at least 5 times. I love the small details. 2:39 time code

I bought a 2009 back in 2014 and I still love it. It was my daily driver until 2 years ago when a pick up truck turned to be more practical for a change in lifestyle. I do my commute twice weekly on my IS F and drive it on weekends. My kids are now big enough for booster seats and they love it when road tripping. It's still a beast running on scheduled maintenance and nothing else! I had the sticky interior panels issue but everything was under the recall, all panels and dash replaced for 🆓!!!

Lexus features in many of my car dreams these days. As a 2 x Landcruiser owner they have shown me just how unstoppable the Toyota/Lexus stable is. I'm a complete convert. Thanks for the video

Great video guys. I have a 2012 ISF and I will never part with it. I’m 5-5 and the car fits me like a glove, everything just feels right

Finally long awaited review

Finally. I was just hoping You will do this review... Thank You.

Hi from west Australia. Great work guys. Here in Australia currently only 5 for sale in the country. Mine is modified with headers , tune, coil overs. It’s a beast and bullet proof. I also have a e92 M3 , totally different beast. E92 is like a race car and unless you keep perfect maintenance, you live in fear. Love them both. I will say the the Lexus puts the power down better and will likely be faster light to light because of that. Honestly here in Australia the Lexus gets way more attention especially with after market wheels and lowered and sound. For anyone interested my actual car was actually recently reviewed on you tube ( Ross Reviews) cheers.

I’m still amazed at how well my 2010 RX has held up just like this 2010 ISF! And this ISF has been driven hard and still looks brand new! Nothing has broken on my RX either except for my hood struts don’t work anymore!😂😂

Loved this review I’m currently saving up just for my next car and wanted to do research on this car , thank you so much for both of your opinions about it , didn’t take many many things you guys brought up into consideration! Thank you!!!

See...that's why this is my favorite car reviewer/car tube. Thanks Savagegeese and Savagecrane!

Great review! I think if a local ISF group could get together stock ISFs in 2008, 2011, and 2012+, that'd be a phenomenal way for you all to really grasp a great review. I've clocked mine in at 162k miles as we speak and I've bought mine in Dec'2017 with only 89k on the odometer. While there's many good things I can agree with, a handful of the comments I could possibly dispute. Aside from that, I believe these are a good car, if you're willing to make a few changes. If you're like me and grew up on some vehicles that are much more analog, the ISF isn't as bad. If you grew up on every creature comfort, of course a used ISF won't appeal to those who need everything perfectly modern. You are certainly right, these are absolutely reliable. Almost weekly I do over a 250mi trip in addition to another 100-200mi throughout the week. I've done this for over a year and half and this thing keeps on going and going and going. Only one single electrical-mechanical failure that only cost me $430 (shipping/tax) and two days from Dubai to the US. Would it scare BMW guys if I said it only took me three bolts and two connectors to replace the component? Anyway, pressing on, the 2010s did receive some more updates than the 2008-2009s, but the 2011 introduces some improved suspension bits and steering ECU. The 2012s received even further updates. The 2012+ receives a 0.5" bump in wheel width, mind you all 2008-2014 ISFs received forged BBS wheels. Driving my 2011 ISF in perfectly stock trim, the suspension and handling was great at all speeds. The car weighs 3780 yet feels like it's 3450. I think many people forget this. Step into a GSF and you can instantly feel its 4000lb curb weight. The GSF dances while the ISF gracefully dances on its toes just fine. Mind you, the ISF donated to this video seemed fairly stock but those wheels and tires may be taking away from the true stock manners of the car. Perfectly stock ISF clicks off 27+ mpg on the highway, I'd love to see a GSF/RCF reel in similar mileage. ISFs use a 64bit ECU while the GSF/RCF have an 84bit ECU. I do agree that the shifting maps and WOT downshift response (cruising in Drive) for the newer cars is impressive.

I have a 2010. A car that you love as a long term owner. But you have to spend time with it to form a personal connection.

You're getting much better at this man

Ever since discovering this car on copart, I've been obsessed ever since. Its such a good car

This engine had titanium valves and oil squirter‘s to cool the Pistons It also had direct and port fuel injection!

I am 6'1'' with a bit o' chunk on me and have a 2012 -- I agree this thing is SNUG. Defnitely rockin that 90's Honda Gangster lean in the seat angle though lol. I deal with it because this car puts a HUGE smile on my face whenever I get behind the wheel. Would've been interested to hear your opinions on a 2011+ when they changed the suspension -- I've found that mine is mostly comfortable, even on Michigan's terrible roads.

I’ve only seen about 4 ISF’s in the Atlanta area and it’s always nice when I find another owner, such a rare car

I love you guys going a few years back. It shows stuff that's way more in the realm of possibility for someone like me. 10 years old is still a biiiit too new for me, but it's way more attainable and applicable

I think this car perfect every day car with performance, very reliable, easy to work on, relatively cheap to run. If you want to relax you get the smooth quite ride, and power. Perfect balance in every aspect

3:09 Goosed me savagely! Thanks for throwing a little humor my way :-D

These guys are great all around. Keep it up.

Dude I really like your videos, nice works as always

Absolutely love my 2011 ISF.

Been waiting sooo long for this one😭

omg id been waiting to see if you'd review an ISF! :D Thanks!!

been waiting for this video and just picked up an isf

Great review both of you. Jack really got the hang of it this time, love to see some outtakes though. I really, really want to have that ISF. Ever since I saw Straight Pipes Jakub's ISF I was hooked. What gets me the most is that here in Germany Lexus are rare and ISF almost nonexistend. No one but a select few will know what this is looking at it. This is a super sleeper that uses Toyota parts. So awesome. But I have to find one first, there are less than 20 on sale in the entire country, and see one in person to decide.

The rotting headers, the water pipe, and you HAVE to use the OE spark plugs are some big points. Also it having fuel injection is awesome!

I love you Jack, you did really good this video!

Marc, your mate is doing a great job. You surely are a good mentor and a friend.

Can we talk about the rarity of this car compared I the E92/C63

I love mine. I can't really complain about anything you guys said. I do think the limited slip diff is not something I notice a big problem with since I don't track my car at all and live where it doesn't snow. I do agree with the transmission being "slow" if you're not driving hard. I love the engine, and the reliability, that was my big draw.

What??? This transmission is very, very good and reliable. When it came out, late 2007 it was the fastest gear changing box all over the world 100 milliseconds! OK , it is not DSG 8ms upshift but waaaaaaay more reliable than german crap. In UK I have seen one of them supercharged, 600ps with stock box...car is running with no issue at all. This car wasn't built just for a performance, it's a small sedan with some balls. All the best boys 🔰💥😎

One of the most underrated cars. Sounds great make great power. And the handling is great.

I have always wondered what you guys thought about the 2009 Cadillac CTS V. I know the first generation kind of sucked but from 2009 to present they have built a pretty capable car I think. If you guys are ever in Las Vegas I would be honored if you guys reviewed my 09 CTS V with 75,000 miles in the same way you’ve reviewed this older Lexus. It’s always been stock and a car with 2 very distinct personalities. The gas pedal and engine are so linear and very smooth but after 4ooo-5700 RPM it just goes completely batshit crazy with a subtle super charger whine. It’s actually a 4 lobe blower and is pretty small at 1.3 liters, the magnetic suspension was pretty rare to find in its class of cars at the time as well. There aren’t many used car reviews on your channel and not sure if you want to expand on that but the offer stands if you ever wanted to include it in your channels show. Love this page and thank you, ya’ll make a perfect team. I’ve used this car as my daily and I definitely plan on keep doing that.

Wouldn't have a daily driver any other way. No competitor to the F series is worthy to me. Lexus should continue with the NA DOHC V8 forever. I wouldn't even mind if they used the 2UR-GSE for another 20 years. It's that good.

Like the video before I watch just because of the car!! Love it!

Hey Mark and Jack, congrats for this excellent review. As always, we can feel the premiumness of Your content, keep it up! Just a small suggestion: to me it's a bit difficult to follow you guys talking while the screen displays the japanese engineer scenes with their subtitles. I had to go back a few minutes to get everything out of Your amazing work. Greetings from italy!

I been owning my 2009 ISF for nearly one year and I got to say I love driving it everyday I'm 5'9 and I have no problem fitting inside but after driving for long hours it doesn't fell as Comfortable the power and nosie is what get you, the handling could be a little bit better and the Suspension is great for being heavy and harsh, very stiff for high speeds I get alot of complements and if you know how to drive you pretty much suprise people with it cause I had beating a few cars from a dig that suppose to beat me and the F always puts up a fight.

Please review a 2016/2017 Chevy SS manual one of these days! Another awesome video as always. That Lexus V8 sounds like America.

i found a 2012 isf for right at 30 grand back in January and it was the best decision i could have made. It drives fantastic and sounds incredible, i’m also six feet tall but fit in the car no problem and have hauled three other friends around without issue. For me it’s been a perfect car

Awesome review I love this car😍