355gtb vs 512TR/gallardo
Discussion
i've had my 1994 rosso/nero 355gtb (2.7) for almost 6 years now.
it's in pretty immaculate condition despite having done 49,000 miles, and i use it mainly for regular but infrequent continental trips.
i've always admired both the 512TR and more recently the gallardo, but find it difficult to reconcile the obvious attributes of these 2 cars with the fact that they would cost essentially double the 355's value
in the real world , do you feel that a 512TR or a galladro would deliver the additional driving and ownership pleasure to warrant this significant replacement cost
also, how would these 2 cars compare with the 355 in terms of reliability and servicing costs?
it's in pretty immaculate condition despite having done 49,000 miles, and i use it mainly for regular but infrequent continental trips.
i've always admired both the 512TR and more recently the gallardo, but find it difficult to reconcile the obvious attributes of these 2 cars with the fact that they would cost essentially double the 355's value
in the real world , do you feel that a 512TR or a galladro would deliver the additional driving and ownership pleasure to warrant this significant replacement cost
also, how would these 2 cars compare with the 355 in terms of reliability and servicing costs?
Given you already have a Countach I think you should have a V8/V10 as opposed to another 12 cylinder - something a bit smaller and more usable. I love the 512TR myself but it is much more of a classic compared to the other two.
I've owned both 355 and Gallardo and they are very different.
Gallardo is better built (IMO) and more day to day usable. I had a number of electrical issues on my 355 which soured the ownership experience - I think I was unlucky.
I love my Gallardo and wouldn't swap it back for a 355. It has a lot more torque and therefore doesn't need to be revved so hard to get the performance.
However, as you say it is a lot of money to change and you should drive a Gallardo first
I've owned both 355 and Gallardo and they are very different.
Gallardo is better built (IMO) and more day to day usable. I had a number of electrical issues on my 355 which soured the ownership experience - I think I was unlucky.
I love my Gallardo and wouldn't swap it back for a 355. It has a lot more torque and therefore doesn't need to be revved so hard to get the performance.
However, as you say it is a lot of money to change and you should drive a Gallardo first
I think to keep the 355 is good advice! regret selling mine to buy a gallardo thats for sure. Although the Ferrari had its issues it is a 18year old car now- cant see the gallardo lasting that long.
very different cars to drive, I found the gallardo to be more unreliable ( minewas an 05) it lacks any steering feel, feels heavy, plenty of go but felt like a fast audi tt to me.
very different cars to drive, I found the gallardo to be more unreliable ( minewas an 05) it lacks any steering feel, feels heavy, plenty of go but felt like a fast audi tt to me.
355f said:
I think to keep the 355 is good advice! regret selling mine to buy a gallardo thats for sure. Although the Ferrari had its issues it is a 18year old car now- cant see the gallardo lasting that long.
very different cars to drive, I found the gallardo to be more unreliable ( minewas an 05) it lacks any steering feel, feels heavy, plenty of go but felt like a fast audi tt to me.
I think we've been here before...very different cars to drive, I found the gallardo to be more unreliable ( minewas an 05) it lacks any steering feel, feels heavy, plenty of go but felt like a fast audi tt to me.
As I mentioned before you must have bought a lemon of a Gallardo as mine is an 05 and I've had no issues. As for steering feel I recall the 355 had over-light steering and definitely not one of its strong points.
Back to OP - you will always get different opinions and for what it's worth I think the 355 and Gallardo are both great cars!
Craig said:
I think we've been here before...
As I mentioned before you must have bought a lemon of a Gallardo as mine is an 05 and I've had no issues. As for steering feel I recall the 355 had over-light steering and definitely not one of its strong points.
Back to OP - you will always get different opinions and for what it's worth I think the 355 and Gallardo are both great cars!
We have indeed been there before.As I mentioned before you must have bought a lemon of a Gallardo as mine is an 05 and I've had no issues. As for steering feel I recall the 355 had over-light steering and definitely not one of its strong points.
Back to OP - you will always get different opinions and for what it's worth I think the 355 and Gallardo are both great cars!
At the time i was very friendly with several other owners who had the same issues as myself- I suppose they were all lemons to- Im delighted you have had no problems with your car.
There were many at the time voiceing the same concerns on here and elsewhere.
Anyway, the prupose of this site is to get diverse opinions!
355f said:
We have indeed been there before.
At the time i was very friendly with several other owners who had the same issues as myself- I suppose they were all lemons to- Im delighted you have had no problems with your car.
There were many at the time voiceing the same concerns on here and elsewhere.
Anyway, the prupose of this site is to get diverse opinions!
Or even to spill ploperly!!At the time i was very friendly with several other owners who had the same issues as myself- I suppose they were all lemons to- Im delighted you have had no problems with your car.
There were many at the time voiceing the same concerns on here and elsewhere.
Anyway, the prupose of this site is to get diverse opinions!
Time for someone to wade in for the 512TR.
They're a simple car, there's not a lot to go wrong on them. The only thing that can sting you is needing an engine-out service for something like a blown gasket but some independents do this as part of a fixed price service list - DK Eng. for one.
Mines been great in three years of ownership, I can't rally fault it's performance.
The one thing it ain't is a daily driver. I live in London and it's just too wide at 2m to be useful for getting around in the city, but on trips it's been superb.
Great car, not as modern and sophisticated as a Gallardo but I'd say definitely an option.
They're a simple car, there's not a lot to go wrong on them. The only thing that can sting you is needing an engine-out service for something like a blown gasket but some independents do this as part of a fixed price service list - DK Eng. for one.
Mines been great in three years of ownership, I can't rally fault it's performance.
The one thing it ain't is a daily driver. I live in London and it's just too wide at 2m to be useful for getting around in the city, but on trips it's been superb.
Great car, not as modern and sophisticated as a Gallardo but I'd say definitely an option.
thank-you for all these replies
the external appearances of both the 512TR and the gallardo are pro points with regards to a change, but then the 355 is also something of a looker.
IMHO the 512TR seats and red dial decals are a con , and the gallardo interior is not special enough to warrant the extra cost to change
so leaving aside looks, the driving experience and the cost (both financial and emotional,as in heart-ache from breakdowns)of ownership would be the key differentiating factors
as both craig and 355f say, the torque delivery characteristics of the gallardo and the 512TR will be different to the 355
i suppose what i would really like is a murci (i'm a sucker for those scissor doors and the more bespoke build process ), but then we are talking of a completely different price bracket
decent murcis seem to be really thin on the ground just now
late last year ,i saw a yellow/nero murci roadster at carrs of exeter ----it was gorgeous---i believe the new owner is on pistonheads
look forward to hearing more opinions
the external appearances of both the 512TR and the gallardo are pro points with regards to a change, but then the 355 is also something of a looker.
IMHO the 512TR seats and red dial decals are a con , and the gallardo interior is not special enough to warrant the extra cost to change
so leaving aside looks, the driving experience and the cost (both financial and emotional,as in heart-ache from breakdowns)of ownership would be the key differentiating factors
as both craig and 355f say, the torque delivery characteristics of the gallardo and the 512TR will be different to the 355
i suppose what i would really like is a murci (i'm a sucker for those scissor doors and the more bespoke build process ), but then we are talking of a completely different price bracket
decent murcis seem to be really thin on the ground just now
late last year ,i saw a yellow/nero murci roadster at carrs of exeter ----it was gorgeous---i believe the new owner is on pistonheads
look forward to hearing more opinions
craig,that murci at top gear does look v nice indeed ----i'm very much at the thinking stage presently (which in my case can last years !!)rather than the putting cash on the table stage just now
crostonian, the reason i havent previously mentioned the 550/575 is because i like the wedge shape--hence the TR/gallardo/murci.
having said which, i saw a very attractive 550 at meridian modena this morning on my way to the beaulieu spring autojumble
crostonian, the reason i havent previously mentioned the 550/575 is because i like the wedge shape--hence the TR/gallardo/murci.
having said which, i saw a very attractive 550 at meridian modena this morning on my way to the beaulieu spring autojumble
Hmmm....512TR or Gallardo? If I had to swap my 355 it would be a difficult choice. Despite the fact that I'd be buying a supercar, the financial sense of it would always be a voice in my head, so on that note, I'd probably go for the TR, I think long term it will do better than the G. Both of them would probably become my de facto second car - especially the TR (whereas my current 355 is my main car, I only take the clio if I need more space/seats), so in my mind I'd be thinking which one be the biggest event to drive. On that criteria it'd probably be the TR too. While the G looks angular and impressive, I think it's ageing rapidly, especially the interior. Which unfortunately puts it in an awkward group: not old enough to be a classic (like the TR), not new enough to still be extra special.
All that said, I've never owned a Lambo before, so if it was me I might well swing to the G just to tick the box
But, having done DDO on sat, i suspect neither of them is even close to the 355 in terms of enjoyment while driving on a track. Even a muppet like me who, despite having done quite a few track days in my 911 and clio, is still basically a numpty in the grand scheme of things for track driving, found the 355 incredibly easy to handle. It was so benign yet involving. i'm sure a proper driver could use technical terms and describe why this was in a much better way, but unfornately I am not that person! Anyway, I found myself able to find the limits of the car so easily, and even play a little with oversteer never worrying that i was going to get bitten. Not something I thought I'd ever say about a mid engined Ferrari with no stability or traction control!
All that said, I've never owned a Lambo before, so if it was me I might well swing to the G just to tick the box
But, having done DDO on sat, i suspect neither of them is even close to the 355 in terms of enjoyment while driving on a track. Even a muppet like me who, despite having done quite a few track days in my 911 and clio, is still basically a numpty in the grand scheme of things for track driving, found the 355 incredibly easy to handle. It was so benign yet involving. i'm sure a proper driver could use technical terms and describe why this was in a much better way, but unfornately I am not that person! Anyway, I found myself able to find the limits of the car so easily, and even play a little with oversteer never worrying that i was going to get bitten. Not something I thought I'd ever say about a mid engined Ferrari with no stability or traction control!
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