[Threeofnine]

I’m at the point in my life where I think I’m about ready to fulfill a childhood goal. I’m currently on the lookout for a Gallardo as id prefer something I can mostly just pay cash for. I’m also trying to learn as much as I can post purchase so I don’t end up with a lemon.

I’ve heard the first gen Gallardos with the E-Gear are notorious for eating the clutches. Is the clutch issue the only real problem with these cars? If so, would a grated manual be ok? At what year does the E-Gear become more clutch friendly?

Should a PPI only be done by a Lamborghini dealership or could an independent shop also do one?

Assuming the car is properly maintained and driven, more or less, like a regular car ( things like high revving, track driving etc are done sparingly), what kind of engine life could you expect? I estimate I’d probably put 2-3k miles on it every year. I honestly don’t put much more than that on my daily driver Tesla because I work from home.

Lastly, are there any specific years/models/features that are best to avoid?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Russk]

I owned 2008 and as far as I am concerned it was a great year. All known previous bugs had been fixed and it had a little more HP and a better trans the 2004 & 2005. So I would suggest 2006 or above.

 

[Threeofnine]

Thank, that’s very helpful as there is an 08 a few hours from me that’s listed at a fairly good price. The only thing is that it’s e-gear.

 

[Oldschool]

Thank, that’s very helpful as there is an 08 a few hours from me that’s listed at a fairly good price. The only thing is that it’s e-gear.

I would highly recommend that you drive both an egear and a manual and determine which you prefer. They are definitely different driving experiences. Recent market trends have shown that a manual will likely hold or increase value due to its rarity but if you prefer the egear, go for it.

 

[LamboGrasshopper]

Don't buy any supercar based on logic

J/K. A gated car is a different car. Not better, nor worse, but different. You really need to decide which you want, for me it was a gated Gallardo or nothing. Each has it's advantages (E-Gear throws you around which is way cool, and the gated car is rare, and provides one of the last analog supercar experiences around. I liked the idea that I'm less likely to see the gated values drop as far over time (even though I paid more going in). As far as issues, you can eat an E-gear clutch, but you could burn a gated clutch up too (or redline super bad if you shift wrong).

Blondes vs. brunettes, there is no right or wrong answer.

Good luck with your quest.

My only advice is be picky, and take your time. The hunt is half the fun, and once you buy, they don't sell as fast as a typical car. In other words, you owe it to yourself to get the exact spec you want. In the grand scheme of things, a "good" deal is less important than finding the "right" car. Plenty of clean rides out there, and plenty of rough ones too.

 

[Russk]

All of the above is really good advice. Just be aware that gated cars are harder to find and typically will cost more.

 

[Lambo2018]

Congratulations and best of luck on your quest. I would definitely recommend a PPI by a Lamborghini dealership and it adds some peace of mind but doesn't always find all the problems. If the Lamborghini dealership is selling the car some people prefer to use different dealership for the inspection but opinions differ. Here is a good thread that discusses the nuisances of obtaining a PPI.

PPI or not, buying from authorized dealer

Hello, I'm planning to purchase an 09 Gallardo from an authorized Lambo dealer. Is it necessary to get a PPI done? There are no other lambo dealership around. What should I do? Thank you for any feedbacks.

www.lamborghini-talk.com

 

[DiabloClyde]

ThreeOfNine,
There is a plethora of information on the site for you. I would suggest that you use the search function and do quite a bit of due diligence here. As the one poster said above, the due diligence and anticipation of the car is quite a lot of fun! Enjoy and welcome.

 

[Lambo2018]

@Threeofnine, read the first post on the thread below and it underscores why a PPI is the bear minimum before purchasing a Lamborghini. It's the concept of "trust and verify". Good luck!

Report on 05 Silver Gallardo E-Gear - Feel mislead...

New to the forum because I am in the market for a G. I was referred to Cats Exotics because apparently they have a good reputation and sell good vehicles. I found this listed on their site for a good price, and even though it had an accident in the history, they told me it was light damaged and...

www.lamborghini-talk.com

 

[Jason B]

I’ve heard the first gen Gallardos with the E-Gear are notorious for eating the clutches. Is the clutch issue the only real problem with these cars? If so, would a grated manual be ok? At what year does the E-Gear become more clutch friendly?

Should a PPI only be done by a Lamborghini dealership or could an independent shop also do one?

Assuming the car is properly maintained and driven, more or less, like a regular car ( things like high revving, track driving etc are done sparingly), what kind of engine life could you expect? I estimate I’d probably put 2-3k miles on it every year. I honestly don’t put much more than that on my daily driver Tesla because I work from home.

Lastly, are there any specific years/models/features that are best to avoid?

Thanks in advance!

1) You need to decide (if you haven't already) if you want the 5.0 Pre LP engine or the LP 5.2 L Audi engine. The 5.0 can get you a Carerra Gt/Lexus LFA sound with the right exhaust
2) PPI should be done from someone other than the place selling the car, typically an independent shop is best. If you need help finding one, let me know. I've helped many people all over with this.
3) I have a 2008 and have been on this forum since 2008 and there are also some extra tweaks/updates that 2008's have that many don't know about. 2008 is last year of you pre-lp.
4) Clutch issues are from cars with higher owners typically. Always try to get the lowest owner car you can afford. If you don't know how to drive these cars properly, you can fry the clutch easy. This is also something that will help the clutch and I've had quite a few shops install these now for customers, which is easy.

Sprint Booster for 04-14 Gallardo installed! I love it.

Thanks for your message. On the Sprint Booster box I only have a sticker with RSBI801 written on it and the Serial NO. From what I have found on the Internet my RSBI801 stands for SPSRSBI801 and is valid for Gallardo (Sprint Booster for: Lamborghini Gallardo (all engines) | RTECSHOP.com). So...

www.lamborghini-talk.com

 

[LamboBlonde]

I just bought my first Lambo. It’s amazing. Do it.

 

[2006m5]

Just keep in mind the manual gear box in the gallardo and the r8 is the same gear box which is a graziano
gear box also keep in mind it has long throws when changing gears.
Also you can use i believe the egear box just remove the hydraulics and convert .
so u need the third pedal and a few other stuff but the r8 parts work also.

 

[Lambo2018]

@Threeofnine, do you have any potential cars scoped out yet? Keep in mind, when you pull the trigger we on this forum love lots of pictures..........

 

[Threeofnine]

@Threeofnine, do you have any potential cars scoped out yet? Keep in mind, when you pull the trigger we on this forum love lots of pictures..........

I have one I am planning to go see right after the holidays. Due to the nature of my business I’ll barely have time to breathe between now and Christmas lol.
It’s an 08 spyder, white with e-gear. It’s at a Kia (or maybe Ford) dealership of all places. It’s got 20k miles and they’re asking $83k for it. That sounds unreasonably low so it’s definitely getting a PPI, assuming it’s still available. I’ll definitely post pics when I find “the one.”

 

[Lambo2018]

It's important to take your time and find the Lamborghini that's right for you. There will always be cars to buy and there are new ones coming on the market all the time. I know some salespeople try to make buyers feel if they turn a particular car down that will be that last good deal .............as we all well know, that just ain't so.

 

[topcarbon]

But when you find the right car the best time to buy is then. Realty is there are so many cars on the market, but there is that car on the market at that moment. If you are not willing to sacrifice your ideals for THAT car, when you find it, that is the moment. And, the more unique, the more pressure to act

 

[Lambo2018]

But when you find the right car the best time to buy is then. Realty is there are so many cars on the market, but there is that car on the market at that moment. If you are not willing to sacrifice your ideals for THAT car, when you find it, that is the moment. And, the more unique, the more pressure to act

Pray tell, are you in sales?

 

[topcarbon]

Pray tell, are you in sales?

I have purchased a lot of stuff
Some I missed because I waited
Never regretted those I missed because there was always another.....some better some not as good.
As I mentioned before, the hunt is equally as thrilling

 

[Lambo2018]

As I mentioned before, the hunt is equally as thrilling

Absolutely, agree!

 

[Jason B]

Sometimes buying one of these cars can be harder and more stressful than buying a house, but you’ll know it’s the right one when everything feels right. Then when you get in, grip the steering wheel and get that sweet scent of Italian leather, heaven arrives. Then hit gas, put it in sport mode and the skull cracking shifts make it all worth it.