what is the reality of running a gallardo ?
Discussion
Essentially I am looking for an air-conditioning unit for my wife !!
I have been perfectly happy with my 1993 series 1 mx5 , which I thoroughly and totally enjoy driving , and we have taken this car on our continental trips for the last 2 years
Each trip is about 3500 miles , and we do 2 trips a year , so a total of 7000 continental miles , plus about 1000 miles per year in the UK , making a grand total of 8000 miles
my wife has tolerated my love affair with the mx5 , but is now insisting on air conditioning , and more leg room
She is keen on a 718 or 981 boxster S , as it is comfortable and relatively non-attention grabbing
I however have some difficulty justifying the price of a 2013 , 15,000 mile boxster S , when for a significantly but not vastly , greater initial outlay , I can get my hands on an early Gallardo.
obviously , the incognito bit goes out of the window , but :
1) how would the reliability of a well maintained 2004 Gallardo compare with a 2013 boxster S ?
2) the OPC ROUTINE servicing charges probably average out to about £800 per year (over a 4 year cycle )for the boxster
Ignoring additional non-routine service work for a moment , what would be the yearly average cost for ROUTINE service work on a gallardo ?
3)what are the unexpected , large maintenance issues that the Gallardo can throw up ?
clutch replacement / e gear actuators / what else ?
4) what sort of mpg can I expect , while doing 70-80 mph , at a constant 2000 mile drone on an autorote/autostrada ?
5) please could anyone with direct experience of both a boxster and an early Gallardo (the later versions are outside the price range) detail the driving experience of one against the other.
Does the driving experience of the Gallardo justify the additional cost and presumed hassle ?
6) the luggage space in the Gallardo is minute cf the boxster , so that's a point against the Gallardo
7) how much of a problem is the ground clearance of a Gallardo-----they are keen on those kerbs in france and italy !!
surprisingly , the road tax and insurance costs are almost identical
I look forwards to hearing of your experiences
I have been perfectly happy with my 1993 series 1 mx5 , which I thoroughly and totally enjoy driving , and we have taken this car on our continental trips for the last 2 years
Each trip is about 3500 miles , and we do 2 trips a year , so a total of 7000 continental miles , plus about 1000 miles per year in the UK , making a grand total of 8000 miles
my wife has tolerated my love affair with the mx5 , but is now insisting on air conditioning , and more leg room
She is keen on a 718 or 981 boxster S , as it is comfortable and relatively non-attention grabbing
I however have some difficulty justifying the price of a 2013 , 15,000 mile boxster S , when for a significantly but not vastly , greater initial outlay , I can get my hands on an early Gallardo.
obviously , the incognito bit goes out of the window , but :
1) how would the reliability of a well maintained 2004 Gallardo compare with a 2013 boxster S ?
2) the OPC ROUTINE servicing charges probably average out to about £800 per year (over a 4 year cycle )for the boxster
Ignoring additional non-routine service work for a moment , what would be the yearly average cost for ROUTINE service work on a gallardo ?
3)what are the unexpected , large maintenance issues that the Gallardo can throw up ?
clutch replacement / e gear actuators / what else ?
4) what sort of mpg can I expect , while doing 70-80 mph , at a constant 2000 mile drone on an autorote/autostrada ?
5) please could anyone with direct experience of both a boxster and an early Gallardo (the later versions are outside the price range) detail the driving experience of one against the other.
Does the driving experience of the Gallardo justify the additional cost and presumed hassle ?
6) the luggage space in the Gallardo is minute cf the boxster , so that's a point against the Gallardo
7) how much of a problem is the ground clearance of a Gallardo-----they are keen on those kerbs in france and italy !!
surprisingly , the road tax and insurance costs are almost identical
I look forwards to hearing of your experiences
not quite what you're asking, but we're running a 2004 996 and a 2007 superleggera
1. both companies have improved enormously over the years : the later car will be the better
2. £3k for 6k miles pa including tyres and brakes
3. any bodywork is expensive
4. touching 20 mpg, but nearer 13 overall
5. gallardo's a bit leaden-footed ( sl is better ), but engine torque/noise and e-gear are epic
6. correct, but the rear parcel shelf helps
7. you'll need lifting gear
it depends where you stay, but attention/secure parking may be an issue
1. both companies have improved enormously over the years : the later car will be the better
2. £3k for 6k miles pa including tyres and brakes
3. any bodywork is expensive
4. touching 20 mpg, but nearer 13 overall
5. gallardo's a bit leaden-footed ( sl is better ), but engine torque/noise and e-gear are epic
6. correct, but the rear parcel shelf helps
7. you'll need lifting gear
it depends where you stay, but attention/secure parking may be an issue
andrew said:
not quite what you're asking, but we're running a 2004 996 and a 2007 superleggera
4. touching 20 mpg, but nearer 13 overall
it depends where you stay, but attention/secure parking may be an issue
these two are perhaps the biggest practical differences you'll find - I'm planning a 15 day, 3500 mile trip around Europe this year in my 430 spider. I'm 'budgeting' on 825 litres of fuel (£1200 at the current euro/£) at 18MPG which is probably a bit optimistic! You have to choose hotels a lot more carefully - access, need secure parking and not ridiculously tight underground parks. I would imagine the Lamborghini will have similar concerns vs the mx5.4. touching 20 mpg, but nearer 13 overall
it depends where you stay, but attention/secure parking may be an issue
I've previously done this trip about 5 times in an S2000 and Honda Integra, both were quite thirsty, but didn't have to even think about where to stay.
carspath said:
thank you all for these very constructive observations
does anyone have direct experience of the driving ''pleasure'' of a Gallardo vs a boxster ? ---trying to work out if the gain is worth the hassle
I bought my (now) wife a 2008 Boxster 3.4S many years ago and I would thoroughly recommend one to anyone as they are really good fun cars - this is from someone who has always been on the Italian side of the car fence!does anyone have direct experience of the driving ''pleasure'' of a Gallardo vs a boxster ? ---trying to work out if the gain is worth the hassle
Had a great day out with Lamborghini a few years back test driving a few Gallardos (Balboni, Superleggera, LP560-4 Spyder (could be wrong about the nomenclature on that one!)) at Millbrook, did the Alpine circuit, the track, the bowl, the mile straight in launch control and even a p-ride with Mr Balboni himself - enjoyed the day immensely but came away with no desire to own one.
This really is down to personal opinion and you need to drive both!
I have a Boxster GTS & Gallardo Spyder having had an MX 5 for the wife I can say neither is as cosy with the top down but the Gallardo is best with heated seats on & surprisingly the rear deflector lowered it is very comfortable . The Boxster is a great car very practical & easy to drive if you just want to get from A to B but if you are going for a driving trip the Gallardo is many times better .Having done continental trips in F430 spider I found no problems much less worry parking than in uk so next trip will be in Gallardo . Try to get one with front lift & heated seats.
Had a Boxster and a later model Gallardo than you are looking at but my input is
The Gallardo I had was pretty much faultless and they are very well made and robust, at least as good as my Porsches
Servicing can be expensive but better outside the dealer network so £800 for a regular service and £1,300 for the bigger one.Other consumables are expensive , more so than the Porsche.
The Lamborghini is very civilised in many ways , comfortable and reasonably quiet - my wife rather liked it.
It is not as sharp a steer as the Porsche but is still very good.But to be clear the engine and performance are of an entirely higher level MUCH more special in every way.
Cruising MPG low 20s at best even on the autoroute (But a 90 litre tank)
The Gallardo I had was pretty much faultless and they are very well made and robust, at least as good as my Porsches
Servicing can be expensive but better outside the dealer network so £800 for a regular service and £1,300 for the bigger one.Other consumables are expensive , more so than the Porsche.
The Lamborghini is very civilised in many ways , comfortable and reasonably quiet - my wife rather liked it.
It is not as sharp a steer as the Porsche but is still very good.But to be clear the engine and performance are of an entirely higher level MUCH more special in every way.
Cruising MPG low 20s at best even on the autoroute (But a 90 litre tank)
Not quite what you are asking, but I have an MX5, Boxster Spyder and F360 Spyder.
I love the MX5, you get so much fun for so little cost. Just being able to throw down the roof turns a mundane drive into a mini event. The Porsche is similar in that regard, but with everything ramped up on the performance aspect and also on the quality side of things. It is also a fairly practical, comfortable and pleasant place to be. You are aware that you are in a nice / special car, but that specialness isn't in your face or anyone else's.
I suspect that the Gallardo will be a bit like the F360 in that almost everything becomes "about the car" .. Where will you park, what was that funny noise, what about speed bumps, 15mpg so where is the next petrol station, etc etc. All the things that make a Sunday blast across the countryside such an epic event could detract from the experience .. Or could enhance it.
Seems like a nice choice to have tho
I love the MX5, you get so much fun for so little cost. Just being able to throw down the roof turns a mundane drive into a mini event. The Porsche is similar in that regard, but with everything ramped up on the performance aspect and also on the quality side of things. It is also a fairly practical, comfortable and pleasant place to be. You are aware that you are in a nice / special car, but that specialness isn't in your face or anyone else's.
I suspect that the Gallardo will be a bit like the F360 in that almost everything becomes "about the car" .. Where will you park, what was that funny noise, what about speed bumps, 15mpg so where is the next petrol station, etc etc. All the things that make a Sunday blast across the countryside such an epic event could detract from the experience .. Or could enhance it.
Seems like a nice choice to have tho
Apologies if I've missed it, but as you're talking about Boxsters and MX5s as alternatives, are you asking about the Gallardo Spyder or the Gallardo coupe when you talk of an 'early Gallardo'? Even the earliest Spyder had the benefit of a couple of extra years development over the early coupe and from what I've read resolves a number of wee niggles, and adds a wee touch more power.
Personally speaking my Spyder has been pretty much flawless and whether using it for b-road runs or cross Europe holidays has never been annoying or left me wishing for something more resolved. My pal's coupe on the other hand appears to have much harder seats and he gets pretty bad back pain - maybe an extended test drive might be in order if you're planning 2000 mile trips.
Personally speaking my Spyder has been pretty much flawless and whether using it for b-road runs or cross Europe holidays has never been annoying or left me wishing for something more resolved. My pal's coupe on the other hand appears to have much harder seats and he gets pretty bad back pain - maybe an extended test drive might be in order if you're planning 2000 mile trips.
thank you again for all these responses
I would be looking at an early Gallardo coupe , mainly because of the cost , but also a little bit because I would like this to be a car that I actually use , rather than just admire while it is stationary in the garage.
the boxster and mx5 are , relatively speaking , less attention-gathering , so the thinking is that a Gallardo coupe would attract less unwanted attention than a spyder--------but I am not sure that this would actually be the case in reality
the one thing that I regretted with my old 355 gtb , was that you didn't hear the exhaust and engine music (admittedly a standard OEM exhaust )half as much in the GTB compared with the GTS or the SPYDER.
And I suspect that this will again be true with the Gallardo coupe vs the spyder
But again , the final determining factor will be the purchase price , and I suspect that this factor alone will eliminate the possibility of a spyder
the 981/718 , is coming across as the sensible , useable , practical, relatively economical , more than adequately fast , choice ------but I really wonder if it would be a significantly better driving experience than my £2K mx5 series 1 !!
the Gallardo on the other hand is pure theatre , with a V10 engine , and I LOVE Lamborghinis , but maybe the time has come to be practical and to grow old gracefully
I would be looking at an early Gallardo coupe , mainly because of the cost , but also a little bit because I would like this to be a car that I actually use , rather than just admire while it is stationary in the garage.
the boxster and mx5 are , relatively speaking , less attention-gathering , so the thinking is that a Gallardo coupe would attract less unwanted attention than a spyder--------but I am not sure that this would actually be the case in reality
the one thing that I regretted with my old 355 gtb , was that you didn't hear the exhaust and engine music (admittedly a standard OEM exhaust )half as much in the GTB compared with the GTS or the SPYDER.
And I suspect that this will again be true with the Gallardo coupe vs the spyder
But again , the final determining factor will be the purchase price , and I suspect that this factor alone will eliminate the possibility of a spyder
the 981/718 , is coming across as the sensible , useable , practical, relatively economical , more than adequately fast , choice ------but I really wonder if it would be a significantly better driving experience than my £2K mx5 series 1 !!
the Gallardo on the other hand is pure theatre , with a V10 engine , and I LOVE Lamborghinis , but maybe the time has come to be practical and to grow old gracefully
Get the Lambo and a sport exhaust, as the ad says, you will feel epic!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7BNVLltnno
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7BNVLltnno
dang2407 said:
Get the Lambo and a sport exhaust, as the ad says, you will feel epic!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7BNVLltnno
^^ Fantastic! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7BNVLltnno
do you know what ?
I was quite absent-mindedly looking through the remainder of this thread from where I had left off last night , when after about 40 seconds I realised that I was smiling to myself , reading all the comments in support of the Gallardo/supercars/ anything with 4 wheels
it's great the support that you get from PH , re man maths, even if ones other half wouldn't always quite agree
I was quite absent-mindedly looking through the remainder of this thread from where I had left off last night , when after about 40 seconds I realised that I was smiling to myself , reading all the comments in support of the Gallardo/supercars/ anything with 4 wheels
it's great the support that you get from PH , re man maths, even if ones other half wouldn't always quite agree
carspath said:
do you know what ?
I was quite absent-mindedly looking through the remainder of this thread from where I had left off last night , when after about 40 seconds I realised that I was smiling to myself , reading all the comments in support of the Gallardo/supercars/ anything with 4 wheels
it's great the support that you get from PH , re man maths, even if ones other half wouldn't always quite agree
Just told the other half about this thread, the response was telling. She said lambo too.I was quite absent-mindedly looking through the remainder of this thread from where I had left off last night , when after about 40 seconds I realised that I was smiling to myself , reading all the comments in support of the Gallardo/supercars/ anything with 4 wheels
it's great the support that you get from PH , re man maths, even if ones other half wouldn't always quite agree
carspath said:
Essentially I am looking for an air-conditioning unit for my wife !!
I have been perfectly happy with my 1993 series 1 mx5 , which I thoroughly and totally enjoy driving , and we have taken this car on our continental trips for the last 2 years
Each trip is about 3500 miles , and we do 2 trips a year , so a total of 7000 continental miles , plus about 1000 miles per year in the UK , making a grand total of 8000 miles
my wife has tolerated my love affair with the mx5 , but is now insisting on air conditioning , and more leg room
She is keen on a 718 or 981 boxster S , as it is comfortable and relatively non-attention grabbing
I however have some difficulty justifying the price of a 2013 , 15,000 mile boxster S , when for a significantly but not vastly , greater initial outlay , I can get my hands on an early Gallardo.
obviously , the incognito bit goes out of the window , but :
1) how would the reliability of a well maintained 2004 Gallardo compare with a 2013 boxster S ?
2) the OPC ROUTINE servicing charges probably average out to about £800 per year (over a 4 year cycle )for the boxster
Ignoring additional non-routine service work for a moment , what would be the yearly average cost for ROUTINE service work on a gallardo ?
3)what are the unexpected , large maintenance issues that the Gallardo can throw up ?
clutch replacement / e gear actuators / what else ?
4) what sort of mpg can I expect , while doing 70-80 mph , at a constant 2000 mile drone on an autorote/autostrada ?
5) please could anyone with direct experience of both a boxster and an early Gallardo (the later versions are outside the price range) detail the driving experience of one against the other.
Does the driving experience of the Gallardo justify the additional cost and presumed hassle ?
6) the luggage space in the Gallardo is minute cf the boxster , so that's a point against the Gallardo
7) how much of a problem is the ground clearance of a Gallardo-----they are keen on those kerbs in france and italy !!
surprisingly , the road tax and insurance costs are almost identical
I look forwards to hearing of your experiences
I have been perfectly happy with my 1993 series 1 mx5 , which I thoroughly and totally enjoy driving , and we have taken this car on our continental trips for the last 2 years
Each trip is about 3500 miles , and we do 2 trips a year , so a total of 7000 continental miles , plus about 1000 miles per year in the UK , making a grand total of 8000 miles
my wife has tolerated my love affair with the mx5 , but is now insisting on air conditioning , and more leg room
She is keen on a 718 or 981 boxster S , as it is comfortable and relatively non-attention grabbing
I however have some difficulty justifying the price of a 2013 , 15,000 mile boxster S , when for a significantly but not vastly , greater initial outlay , I can get my hands on an early Gallardo.
obviously , the incognito bit goes out of the window , but :
1) how would the reliability of a well maintained 2004 Gallardo compare with a 2013 boxster S ?
2) the OPC ROUTINE servicing charges probably average out to about £800 per year (over a 4 year cycle )for the boxster
Ignoring additional non-routine service work for a moment , what would be the yearly average cost for ROUTINE service work on a gallardo ?
3)what are the unexpected , large maintenance issues that the Gallardo can throw up ?
clutch replacement / e gear actuators / what else ?
4) what sort of mpg can I expect , while doing 70-80 mph , at a constant 2000 mile drone on an autorote/autostrada ?
5) please could anyone with direct experience of both a boxster and an early Gallardo (the later versions are outside the price range) detail the driving experience of one against the other.
Does the driving experience of the Gallardo justify the additional cost and presumed hassle ?
6) the luggage space in the Gallardo is minute cf the boxster , so that's a point against the Gallardo
7) how much of a problem is the ground clearance of a Gallardo-----they are keen on those kerbs in france and italy !!
surprisingly , the road tax and insurance costs are almost identical
I look forwards to hearing of your experiences
I've got a 570 Superleggera & a 07 Spyder I keep in Spain & my father hash 05 Gallardo that I've used quite a lot, so hopefully I can help.
1) Gallardos are very well made cars. I'v touch wood never had. Anything major go wrong with any of the,. My Superleggera has been more reliable than the 997.2 Turbo I had. Before it. I would always keep a few pennies away for a rainy day just in the event something bad happens. I would recommend this more for peace of mind than anything else.
2) Gallardo will be double at least. I would say budget £2k per year and you'll be fine. One year it might be £900, then the next it'll be £3k.
3) Clutch is about £3k from memory (although I've never actually had to replace one). You can get a clutch read out on the E-gear cars so you know how long is left.
4) late teens for MPG. Who cares though, people get very hung up on cost of fuel, reality is it's normally the cheapest part of car ownership! Price difference between Lambo & Boxster won't be more than £1k a year.
5) Different cars. Boxster is a great car, but lacks the drama of the Lambo. That being said a PDk box will be much better than E-gear. Although for a 04/05 Gallardo I would probably go for manual rather than E-gear. Personally I much prefer the Lambo, much more of an event to drive as well.
6) Ys luggage space is bad. But it's a Lambo...We did a tour to Italy a couple years ago in the Superleggera and it's amazing how much stuff you can squeeze behind the seats when you need to.
7) Lifting gear is preferable I would say. At the end of the day, if you scrape the nose then it's not the end of the world as it's just the underside of the bumper and there is actually a piece of trim there to protect the bumper. But yeah, if possible go for lifting. There is a company that can retrofit it. But it's £5k.
Buy one - fit a sports exhaust and enjoy the V10 howl!!
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