Over the last 2-3 weeks or so, I am been looking for a Gallardo and reading up on what it is like (maintenance and cost wise) to own one. I have narrowed down my search to either a 06-07 model with mileage under ~20K. I am a little unsure if I should get a manual or the egear, I don't mind either but I guess the only difference will be for my wife since she can only drive automatic. I have bought many used cars before so I know the typical things to watch out for before buying a used car. Things like PPI and Carfax etc. The car will be my third car and will mostly be driven only weekends and when the weather is nice here in Boston (probably 6 months out of the year ). Since I have never driven a Gallardo before, I have been thinking of renting one for a day so I can get a feel of how it is like and prepare myself for it. I know I could have gone to the dealer for a test drive but I don't like the sales pressure/pitch. This will probably be the most exotic and expensive car that I will ever buy so I am definitely a little nervous. Just want to post my thoughts here and get some comments and feedback.

Thanks all for reading!

 

First off, congratulations on the search and you are very justified in your excitement about the upcoming purchase. The Gallardo is a brilliant car and I am sure that you will love it. You will find a lot of great information on this site and others. I compiled some of my thoughts and experiences from owning Gallardos on this page here:

Lamborghini Gallardo Buyer's Guide - http://edbolian.com/?p=3725

The 06-07's are great cars and occupy a great price point right now. They have some nice improvements over the 04-05's and I am sure that if you do your due diligence you will find a great car and have an awesome ownership experience. If there is anything that I can do to help, do not hesitate to ask.

 

Very few people get into a Gallardo and decide they're unhappy with the car. It's a fantastic Exotic. As for transmission system selection, keep in mind that a clutch change is $7-10k depending where you go and you can experience full wear in 9,000 miles of driving. Based on the fact that your Wife has no manual trans skill set, you should really keep this factoid in mind when deciding to get an E-gear for her to use.

She WILL contribute to accelerated clutch wear.

 

I did the track in Las Vegas, Exotic Racing (I think, look it up). Test drove the Lambo and Ferrari. 5 laps for about $300. Best way to really drive the thing

 

Well said. However, the stock clutch is a very nice part and can last for a long time if driven correctly. I know of a local Gallardo owner that has 90k miles on the stock clutch. He and his Gallardo have been featured on TV and several Lambo publications.

The Gallardo has very low maintenance compared to other exotics. A manual car will have a lot less issues long term in general compared to the E-gear system.

 

Correct. There is no categorical answer to the Gallardo clutch life question. It could be 100 miles or 100,000 miles. If you do mostly highway driving, few hill starts, and not much reversing it will last for a very long time. With a lot of in town or traffic driving, complex parking maneuvers, and a lot of starting and stopping you can still average 10-15k miles if driven properly.

 

Absolutely, I've serviced cars with 20-30k on an original clutch as well. It takes a mindful driver to maximize the life of the product though.

The E-gear system it's self does add to the maintenance costs as well. It's a more complex system with more parts, all of which are under a lot of strain. They will fail and need servicing which adds to the cost of ownership.

Having a solid and Lambo experienced local shop is critical. There are a lot of quality repair options that will save money on the Lambo's. Not everyone exercises these options.

For example, if an E-Gear actuator line fails...Lambo sells you a complete actuator assembly: $12k+. A good shop will remove the failed line and have it duplicated by a hydraulics shop for considerably less.

I like the Gallardo. I'm a mechanic and really don't like working on my own car, in my free time...for free. I would own and drive a Gallardo without hesitation...and I would drive ti haaaard! They're good Exotics.

 

Thanks for all the feedback and comments so far. I guess since there are pros and cons in both, if I find the right car I'll just pull the trigger. So I found a 06 model, egear with about 15K and more than 75% clutch life left at an out of state Lambo dealership. So now here's the question, should I have them perform a PPI or take it to another place for the PPI? It would seem like it makes sense to get an independent opinion but besides the dealership, I am not too familiar with my other alternatives.

 

Never mind, just realized I asked a pretty dumb question. Must be the excitement that has been building up the last few days, I am not thinking straight. Just found a few shops that specializes in servicing exotic cars in that area. Just called them and they can do a complete PPI for about $350.

 

Good call, I've NEVER seen anything good come from a dealership's service department doing the PPI!

 

Thanks all. May have found the car after few weeks of searching. It is a 06 eGear model, clutch has 93% left and mileage about 22K. Seller is asking for $112K. I think it is a fair price.

Will keep you all posted. Thanks all for your comments.

 

you should also consider if you will be in lots of traffic...the e-gear is not good in traffic...many of my friends have gallardos here and we live in nyc...i have seen clutches completely annihilated by traffic...good luck in your search

 

So I am this close to finally purchasing my first Lambo. Tried calling my existing auto insurance company Progressive and they won't insured my vehicle. Just called GEICO and they won't insure either. I am wondering folks who is your insurance company for folks who live in MA. Man... thought this should be the least of my worries.....

 

I live in NY but try state farm they should cover it without a problem.

 

Hmm...I have Progressive on my Gallardo. Maybe it varies with location?