Gallardo specification advice please?

[TimboL]

Gentlemen and ladies of the board, I seek your expert advice please:

I have a June 2007 build Gallardo drophead on order. The specification is currently:

Spyder
E-gear
Lifting system
Dark grey paint
Black soft-top
Calisto rims
Silver callipers
White side-indicators
Dark rear light lenses
Anti-theft system
Black carpets
Black leather upholstery
Light grey leather seat cushions, backs, door inserts, etc
Light grey upholstery stitching throughout
Rear view camera
Navigation system
Electric and heated seats
Heated mirrors
On-board computer
Journey package (ie very expensive cupholder!)
Car cover set

Is that lot all plausible?

Specifically, there are two non-default suspension options, namely:
sport package at UKL 1,183.00 ex VAT, and
comfort package at UKL 2,744.00 ex VAT.

Should I be having either of those? I intend using the car as a day-to-day runabout for the weekly shopping trip to Waitrose, and for the week-end run to the country (180 miles each way on the M4 / M5), rather than for any track-day thrashes. I am more interested in having the right car for me than in residual value, or any of that malarkey.

I've also bought the plate G4 ADO to go on it. The intention is to make a post-modern ironic statement, but I am concerned that it just sounds naff. Please discuss.

I have previously been a serial Mercedes customer since 1981, but their devastatingly disgraceful engineering and customer service (since they bought in the dealerships) has made me decide never to do business with those tts ever again. I had to threaten to have each of two multiply defective SL's filmed for TV as it was put into a crusher on the dealer's forecourt in order to get the witless idiots to take my complaints seriously.

I'd be grateful for any advice.

[Jonny5]

Car sounds lovely, may I suggest the Carbon Fibre pack - it's STUNNING

[sparky74]

Sounds a good spec - mine currently has the number plate GA04 RDO, so not too different!!!

[isuk]

I was advised not to go with the sport package is it apparently makes the suspension very firm (for firm read very hard ). One potential omission is the branding package but perhaps you don't like it? I personally think the interior looks far better with the Lambo badge on the dash and the embossed head rests. It also gives you different wheel centres. I might be tempted to say dont bother with the electric seats as the additional motor robs a bit of height I think under the seat (I stand to be corrected by those more knowledgable though). You'll love the car ;-)

[TimboL]

isuk said:

I was advised not to go with the sport package is it apparently makes the suspension very firm (for firm read very hard ). One potential omission is the branding package but perhaps you don't like it? I personally think the interior looks far better with the Lambo badge on the dash and the embossed head rests. It also gives you different wheel centres. I might be tempted to say dont bother with the electric seats as the additional motor robs a bit of height I think under the seat (I stand to be corrected by those more knowledgable though). You'll love the car ;-)

Thank you for taking the time to reply to my post.

Given the anticipated usage of the car, I think I have pretty much discounted the idea of the sport package for the reason you mention. However, I am still interested to hear opinions on the comfort package. Both of the cars I have test driven had the default suspension option, and I am wondering whether the comfort package may ride a tad easier on the Chalfonts on long journeys.

With regard to the branding package: it's a personal thing but, personally, I think I prefer the perhaps 'cleaner' lines of an interior without the logos. With regard to any practical benefit of having the name of the car's make on the dashboard: I am hoping that, even with my rapidly failing faculties, I will be able to remember which car I am in. Any passengers who want to know will always be able to ask.

I am not too concerned by any loss of headroom as a result of having the electric seat adjustment option: both I and my g/f are fairly short-arsed. Both she and I are a bit picky about driving seat position, so the finer granularity of adjustment afforded by the electric option is of interest. In view of our different driving position preferences, I have to say I am a bit disappointed that there is no personalised seat/steering column adjustment memory capability of the kind we are used to on the Mercs.

[TimboL]

sparky74 said:

Sounds a good spec - mine currently has the number plate GA04 RDO, so not too different!!!

Excellent! Thank you for taking the time to reply.

I have decided I will have the G4 ADO vanity plate assigned to the car.

In the unlikely event we were ever to meet, we would be able compare digits :-)

[traxx]

Get the Branding because the wheels look much better with the logo on them

I would also get the Carbon pack, it's really expensive (but when you are already spend 145 who cares about another few thousand)

The carbon pack is a bit rare, so if Lambo London (or whichever dealer you are ordering through) doesnt have a car to show you, contact me to take a look at my Spyder

[TimboL]

Jonny5 said:

Car sounds lovely, may I suggest the Carbon Fibre pack - it's STUNNING

Thank you for taking the time to reply to my post.

I had indeed considered the pros and cons of carbon compared with cow. However, I concluded I would be content to keep with the cow-based configuration.

And that's more than enough alliteration for one evening.

[traxx]

TimboL said:

Jonny5 said:

Car sounds lovely, may I suggest the Carbon Fibre pack - it's STUNNING

Thank you for taking the time to reply to my post.

I had indeed considered the pros and cons of carbon compared with cow. However, I concluded I would be content to keep with the cow-based configuration.

And that's more than enough alliteration for one evening.

I don't think you realise what the "carbon" pack is
It replaces all the "plastic" internal bits with Carbon Fibre + has Carbon Fibre steering wheel
I'll try and find some pictures of the inside of my car


BTW I dont think you need the anti-theft system, the fitted alarm is fine

Edited by traxx on Saturday 23 December 22:35

[traxx]

Sorry this is the only picture I can find at the moment

Also if you search on LamboPower there is a guy in Belgium who has recently got a grigio proteus spyder, check out the pictures and the options

Edited by traxx on Saturday 23 December 22:38

Edited by traxx on Saturday 23 December 22:39

[TimboL]

traxx said:

I don't think you realise what the "carbon" pack is
It replaces all the "plastic" internal bits with Carbon Fibre + has Carbon Fibre steering wheel
I'll try and find some pictures of the inside of my car


BTW I dont think you need the anti-theft system, the fitted alarm is fine

Oops, our various posts crossed with each other!

No, I didn't realise what the "carbon" pack is, but your description and picture explain all, for which many thanks.

Crikey: another vote for both of branding and carbon, each of which I had previously ruled out. I may have to think again (so long as I wouldn't have to have the kids as well).

The carbon fibre package is apparently UKL 5,063.83 ex VAT but, as you say, this is noise on the margin of the overall cost.

Are the 'humbug' style stripes in the carbon fibre bits compulsory?

I was wondering about the anti-theft system. Lambo London have not been able to say exactly what it does over and above the standard factory-fitted alarm, and no Lambo factory-fitted system appears on any Thatcham list anyway as far as I can see. Zurich Private Client have told me they are not fussed either way, and that they are more interested in the model of tracker that is fitted.

I am still interested to hear any views on the farmers' vs comfort package business.

[traxx]

Also I would scrap the rear camera - it's rubbish and no use at all

[TimboL]

traxx said:

Also I would scrap the rear camera - it's rubbish and no use at all

That's another interesting point.

The car is widely written up as having poor visibility for the driver to both the sides and rear. However, neither the g/f nor I were particularly horrified by the visibility when we came to drive the car.

The main issue for us is reversing the thing into our 1960's-built Morris Minor-sized garages. I have already developed and deployed a high-tech reversing aid system that works fine for the current cars. It's a piece of string suspended from the roof, with a wine bottle cork as a weight on the bottom, and some lav paper 'flags' tied around the string for visibility. When the flags wave about, you've reversed in far enough. Our most helpful man from Lambo London brought a car over and validated the system against the Gallardo.

However, I do quite like the rear view camera for the gadget value -- my Mum would definitely be very impressed by it.

[sparky74]

Also, don't know whether you'd considered the TV function. My car has this, and to be honest, I think you'd need to be at the top of Everest to get any sort of decent reception!!

I think the idea is better than the execution of this one!

Cheers

[sparky74]

TimboL said:

sparky74 said:

Sounds a good spec - mine currently has the number plate GA04 RDO, so not too different!!!

Excellent! Thank you for taking the time to reply.

I have decided I will have the G4 ADO vanity plate assigned to the car.

In the unlikely event we were ever to meet, we would be able compare digits :-)

It's a good plate, but unfortunately the previous owner wants it back! Apparently it's worth some good money to an unsuspecting punter! I'll be putting my own boring plate on it soon....

[TimboL]

sparky74 said:

Also, don't know whether you'd considered the TV function. My car has this, and to be honest, I think you'd need to be at the top of Everest to get any sort of decent reception!!

I think the idea is better than the execution of this one!

Cheers

I did consider the TV option, but the idea of watching the telly while driving a fast car struck me as conceptually flawed.

Neither would I really want to sit in the car in the garage watching TV because I have quite a nice telly indoors.

[Sharief]

TimboL said:

sparky74 said:

Also, don't know whether you'd considered the TV function. My car has this, and to be honest, I think you'd need to be at the top of Everest to get any sort of decent reception!!

I think the idea is better than the execution of this one!

Cheers

I did consider the TV option, but the idea of watching the telly while driving a fast car struck me as conceptually flawed.

Neither would I really want to sit in the car in the garage watching TV because I have quite a nice telly indoors.

If it's the same as the Merc version, it doesn't work if you're driving anyway, you can only hear it. It's pretty pointless, really, unless you're waiting for ages for something and you're parked in the middle of a field. Any buildings around and it's fuzzy as fck.

[sparky74]

That's right, the screen switches off as soon as the car moves.

I have been told about a 'wire' to disconnect which will stop the screen going off, but I've only used the TV once, that was just to test it!!!

Still, at least I didn't pay the list price for the option as I'm the second owner.

[crikeymikey]

Spec is always a personal choice, but since you've asked:

The seats are very heavy, compromise head room slightly and don't have a 'memory' function. This latter omission is what made me delete this from my original wish list. An electric seat, without a memory, is about as much use as a chocolate fireguard.

I prefer my cars 'clean and unsullied' so I wouldn't have the 'branding pack' either. The number of Ferrari logos that clutter their cars is really a bit sad (little else is, though). I'd hate to see Lamborghini copying that route.

Just an opinion.

[Porsche GT3]

Does anyone know how much it is to have the sport steeringwheel installed??