[Seattle CTS-V]

I was on my way to Home Depot when I came across a brand new IS350 w/ dealer tags in the rear window. A 20-something guy behind the wheel and an older gentleman in the passenger's seat. VERY nice looking car. Anyway, I briefly detoured and lined up with him at a light. He wouldn't even glance over so I knew he was probably going to go for it. Light turned green and I started to roll out and, yep, he punches it. I was about 1/2 car behind and in the boggy part of 1st. My rpms climbed really fast and I grabbed 2nd a bit slowly. We were about dead even at this point and through 2nd I gained about 1/2 car on him. I popped 3rd and had to slow down almost immediately for yet another light. This time I KNEW it was on and I had the car revvin' at about 3k. Light turned and damnit!!! Stupid wheel-hop. I bounced around for what seemed like an eternity and then bogged 1st again. He grabbed the same 1/2 car lead. I got 2nd perfectly and put 1/2 car on him. This time we tasted 3rd a bit more and I started to pull harder. About 1/2 way through 3rd we shut it down.

All-in-all I have to say I was more impressed by the IS350 than with my V. I was expecting to really hand him his ass but he hung right in there up to about 60-70mph. After that I'm confident I would have put a bus or two on him. Now keep in mind this is my first manual car. So I have only been driving a manual tranny for about 2 months. This car is so damn hard to launch perfectly. The hopping doesn't help either. The IS350 only comes in auto so the guy really just had to punch and go. I probably lost 3-4 feet every time I pushed in the clutch. Tips?

 

[VELOSE]

Practice.....

 

[Kadonny]

Yeah dude, you need practice. When you hit the top of first gear and then grab second, you should be slamming by him.

 

[Dooman]

I agree, not a bad little car with over 300hp now.. But it should have turned out much different.

 

[Staxxin]

yeah, you should have walked all over him!!!

 

[onebadcad]

Here are the specs on the 2006 IS 350:

The heart of the IS 350 is a potent 3.5-liter V6 that churns out 306 horsepower [1], making it the most powerful engine in its class [2]. With 277 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm [1], the IS 350 can achieve an astounding 0-60 acceleration time of 5.3 seconds [3], which is fastest in its class .

Wheel-hop is your biggest liability in the V, my tip for the day is get a Maggie!!!

 

[ahahnu]

I agree. This car is a little more difficult then in the past to meet shifts perfectly. I've been driving stick for 8 years (volkswagons and trucks) and still have problems meeting the shift point perfectly up or down. I think I need someone to go for a ride and maybe give pointers. Sometimes its right on and others, I feel bad for the car. I dont get it, when I've driven cars in the past a few people didn't even know the car was stick, sometimes especially whn not accelerating hard the car just bucks all over the place.

 

[evil 8]

Try this, slow down your left foot in first gear,i.e. slip the clutch. Fast stabs for the rest of your shifts, you should be pulling the stick back to second slightly before you stab the clutch.

 

[Barak]

Practice as much as possible. The V is very tough to launch. When I first got the V I lost a few races to my friends because I just couldn't launch the damn thing.

 

[CTS-VPaco]

You have to slip the clutch to get it out of the hole and power shift. Turn off traction control, if you didn't already know that. Try launching around 2500rpms.

 

[Koooop]

And get the bushings installed to control the wheel hop! But then you have to be careful not to smoke the tires off the line.

 

[V Amazed]

wheel hop is still rediculous with the bushings...2500 rpm for me still gives me crazy hop, and i feather the clutch...

Hard ass car to launch, but awfully rewarding when you learn how to do it right.

There was an issue of Road and Track where they commented on a longterm V tester they had. The editor said something along the lines of, "I feel like a complete idiot driving this car. It just wont drive smoothly, and i'm really trying." So don't feel too bad. you'll get the hang of it. Just be slow and controlled with the clutch, and don't under gas it into gear

Ben

 

[Koooop]

The only hop I get after the bushings is if I nail it in water, then it's like riding a pogo stick!

 

[04CTSVFLA]

take driving lessons....you shoulda handed him his own ass. LOL.

 

[Seattle CTS-V]

When you hit the top of first gear and then grab second, you should be slamming by him.

We're not talking about he old IS300. The IS350 runs low 14's in the 1/4. The V runs low 13's. Since we only raced from one stop light to another (<1/8 mile) then I'd predict about a .3-.4 second lead by the end of the race. At about 65mph (still in 2nd gear), that's about, what, 2 car lengths. So....while I should have been a little farther ahead I certainly don't think I'd be 'slamming' by him.

 

[Seattle CTS-V]

Wheel-hop is your biggest liability in the V, my tip for the day is get a Maggie!!!

Working on it

 

[Seattle CTS-V]

And get the bushings installed to control the wheel hop! But then you have to be careful not to smoke the tires off the line.

I had the bushings installed right after I bought the car. I have as much hop as I did from day one.

 

[urbanski]

take driving lessons....you shoulda handed him his own ass. LOL.

congrats, you've earned the first negative reputation points i've given

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[04CTSVFLA]

I took the Porsche Driving school and it changed the way I drive. So why dont you stop interpreting things ......when you dont understand where the person is coming from. :thepan:

 

[MCaesar]

The IS350 has been clocked as low as 13.6 by one magazine. The car is no joke and it, as usual with Lexus/Toyota, is better sorted out with no wheel hop.

The good side is to really go fast in a V off the line you have to know your stuff.

"Not just anybody....you have to be handy with the steel - if you know what I mean"


"Regulators!!!!!! Mount up!"