Those who experienced both ferrari & lambo - Enter to contribute

guys,

this is just another attempt to answer the question ferrari vs. lambo.

Even though i think this question will never be answered, i think it is important
for whose who experienced both to compare and elaborate on both cars.

When asking a lambo owner or a ferrari owner we usually get a biased answer,
This is why your contribution is greatly appreciated.

i had a few experiences which i would like to share.

A few moments before buying my f430, i was stuck between the gallardo and the f430.

The f430 i believe is more spacious than the gallardo,
the gallardo is quite cramped especially from the knees down.
however when i started the engine on both cars, the gallardo was more loud/aggressive - to a certain extent.

i never drove the gallardo so i cant comment on that.

however in terms of lambo, its market and retail price tends to do down much faster than the ferrari.

the ferrari also has this whole heritage and passion behind it.

once i asked a car dealer, ferrari or lambo?
he said ferrari,
when i askled why?
he said because its not a lamborgini!!

im terms of technical issues, im not sure if lambo has less technicaal issues than a ferrari.
Since audi bought the company one might think that reliability and durability might have improved, maybe not?

for who own both, please contribute in terms of experience, technicality, reliability, durability, after sale price etc.
in order to help us bridge the gaps between lambos and ferraris

Best,

 

Very good question.....I get asked this question alot...

I have had the luxury of driving many different Lamborghini's....Gallardo's, Diablo's and Murcielago's...Same I have driven Ferrari's such as the 360 coupe, spider, Enzo, 355's, 430's and others...And I have alot seat time in all listed...

I think the skill level to drive and perform in Ferrari is greater. A Lamborghini being all wheel drive tends be more forgiving..not true in the SV Diablo's..they will kick back and hard! As for the driving experience though, I like both cars, the Gallardo is a faster car then the 360 and the newer MY's Gallardo's are faster then the 430's, the car feels more sure footed, but like I said the Ferrari does take more skill not lose it, so in turn I have more fun in the Ferrari. Well depending on what type of driving I am doing..The finest 2 cars I have ever experinced are the Enzo and ready for this, a MY98 Diablo Roadster... So there you go...

As for the reliability of both, once you get to the 430 I think Ferrari and Lamborghini are near the same. Both cars need to be serviced and taken care of, to uphold there pedigree, in turn both are more reliable...Before the 430, like the 360's more service is required and there is more to look at in terms of service, like in MY before MY02 ( And early vin# 01 spiders), has the values been done, or in all other MY's has the belt services been done, or does the car have the red key fob...with the Gallardo's you do not have those questions, but you do have the E-gear upgrade campaign on early Vin# cars in MY04. It has been my experince that Lamborghini's are more reliable then Ferrari. The services ware fewer, and the cars ware easier to do your own work on. That is true up until the 430's. I have lots of people that tell me they will not buy another Ferrari becuse of the service's. I counter with the 430. Like wise I have alot of Ferrari guys that have never owned a Lamborghini tell me that service and reliablity is a issue with the cars..I counter with every car i have owned and people that I know have owned... Most of the durablty and reliablity concerns expressed by old Ferrari guys are in regards to the countach, in fact alot of old timers refere to any lamborghini as a countach...even the Gallardo...

As for resale value, Ferrari has been great at building there brand, and no other company has been able to create the mystique that Ferrari has. Brands like Lotus, bring a very limited amount of cars to the US every year and has a great history in racing, but yet can not hold values like Ferrari can. Lamborghini's are holding values better in MY01's 6.0's and late MY 97-99 roadsters, but over all the values of lets say a 360 or a 430 has been and is holding there value better!

I hope I have helped maybe alittle..

 

Chris thank you for that,
with regards to the diablo, believe me im not surprised, those cars are monsters.
I was at the stop light and one was beside me, i can literally feel the ground shaking under me.

best,

 

I have owned 4 Ferrari's and one Lamborghini. I currently have an f355b and a Gallardo. Very different cars. Granted, the 355 is a 97, 6sp and the G is a 05, 6sp. The difference of 8 years should make a difference in technology, power ect. My take is this, the 355 is a wonderful car. I love the sound, looks, drive and just about everything about the car. It is rougher than the G. The 355 shifts harder, requires much more maintenance, and doesn’t have the power of the G. But the 355 sounds amazing! The G is smooth, easy to drive, powerful and I get a great deal more attention in the G than the 355. On this, I actually like the 355, as all the attention the G gets is a bit too much. As a driver, the G is superior. Bottom line is that it is kind of like comparing apples to oranges. Both taste good, look good and provide nourishment. However, we gravitate to what we like best. For me, it is one of each! My best friend and neighbor has a 07 F430. Wonderful car! My G gets more attention when we go out. My advice is ignoring what others think and buy what you like. The cars will depreciate. It is a cost of admission. Just enjoy whichever you choose.

 

I have owned several Ferrari's and Lamborghini's as well. My impression of the Lamborghinis is that the Gallardo was a blast to drive however I felt that it was not exotic enough. The performance of the Diablo was just pure and raw. That was the reason I got rid of the G for the Diablo. I had a 348 and 355 spider, both were great cars but I enjoyed driving the Lambo's better. I never owned a 360 or 430, but did get to drive a 360. And if I had to choose all over again, it would be a Diablo hands down.

 

I recommend buying both, whether in succesion or with some measure of overlap (finances permitting), unless of course the first one you choose turns out to be "love at first drive." Neither is a collector's car, with the possible exception of the respective track editions. So what's the worst that could happen: you buy one, then trade for the other, only to decide you liked #1 better, so after a short while, you go back to another example of #1 or its successor.

I was exactly where you are currently about 6-8 months ago. Each has virtues that appeal to me. At that time, the late MY Gallardo spyders were higher than I wanted to spend, so I started looking at 360 Spiders. I spent months finding a 360 Spider, then went though a long saga that involved eBay seller non-performance. Ultimately, I reached a deal with the consigner after it had come to my attention (due to a circumstantial post on this forum) that he was, all of a sudden, willing to move off his previously unrealistic position. That high was quickly followed by the gut punch of having the car sold out from under me in a matter of less than 24 hours while I was making arrangements for the PPI.

I spent 6-8 weeks licking my wounds, and in that time, the G spyders came down in price to where they were more palatable for me, so I started to look at G's, then the market in general took a dump. I was contemplating a seat on the sidelines into this winter, when low and behold, my 360 "combination of combinations" came on the market, so I felt compelled to make the move, markets be damned. Provided the car passes PPI, I anticipate delivery of my first exotic (hopefully) by month's end. If the exotic markets really get that bad, especially with the bull loosing steam faster than the horse (historically), I might just dollar cost average a G spyder into my garage. If not, I will more than likely trade for a G spyder in the future, just to experience the difference.

Go out and test drive both. If you are still undecided, I would say monitor both markets, and when one (regardless of which marque) jumps out and speaks to you, make the move: secure the deal, perform your due diligence, then go out and drive with a s*!t-eatin' grin on your face. I suspect either car will provide sufficient substance for the latter. Repeat that last instruction a couple hundred times, then if you so desire, play musical cars, or just adopt another. I personally spent too much time (IMO) sweating the decision, and I believe that so long as you have already taken care of all other necessary financial obligations, there's no time like the present.

 

Good summary!

I wish to differ on the reliability aspect of the 430 compared to the previous models - 348/355/360.

The 430 is still in its early adoption phase having been out since 2005. Not many people have put on 30000 miles on it as yet. Also, people are facing issues with cracks in the manifold already.

Cars like the 348 and 355 have many known problems - some of these emerged quickly while the rest took years and many miles to emerge. The 360 which was vaunted to be way more reliable than the 355 before it also has sticky interiors, manifold issues, etc. I think it will be some time before we can truly classify if the 430 is a reliable car or not.

 

I have both.

2006 Lamborghini Gallardo Spider (2000 miles as of yesterday)
2007 Ferrari F430 Coupe (1350 miles)

There have been a number of threads on this topic and there's actually one a little further down on the 360/430 section where this conversation has been going, but it's been a bit more casual than the entries here.

As I wrote in the other thread... I love both cars, but for different reasons.

Ferrari: It's a Ferrari... come on, it doesn't get much better than that. We all grew up worshipping that which Enzo built and I wanted one for as long as I could remember. When I was finally able to afford one, I wasn't disappointed. The F430 is an amazing car. It has lots of interior room and usable space under the bonnet. It feels lighter and more nimble than the G, shifts faster and is the car I would take on the track first.

The Ferrari is a more technical car... perhaps this is why guys love the Ferrari. When I park somewhere, it's guys that come over.

Lamborghini: I had posters of Lamborghinis on my wall as a kid (funny enough, not a Ferrari). The G is a great car... enough so that I use it as my daily driver. I live in California, so having the Spider is great. Even in the middle of winter, mid-day, we'll often see 70's and you drop the top and you're off.

The front-end lift system makes driving into/out of driveways stress-free.
The auto folding mirrors make it easy to park close in your garage or in a parking structure
Heated seats, useable nav system, great stereo... all great things for a daily driver

The G also has the best stock exhaust system I've ever heard. When the bypass opens, the V10 just SCREAMS. I was getting on the highway the other day where two lanes merge to one before you're actually on the highway and I punched it to pull ahead of the car driving along side me. When I checked my mirror to see if I was clear, I was amazed to see the women had her hands over both ears... must have been pretty loud back there

The G also feels more sporty... it's lower and the cockpit is a tighter fit.

There is no storage. Nothing. In the cockpit there is a laughable glove box... just barely big enough for the owner's manual.
Under the bonnet there isn't enough room for a back-pack, forget an overnight suitcase.

Women are drawn to the Lamborghini... it's amazing. We have a gathering at a local shopping district here called Santana Row and every Saturday a number of people with sports cars in the area gather for an informal car show. When I drive the Ferrari, I'm answering technical questions for guys. When I drive the Gallardo, I'm taking pictures of women who want to sit in it. Fascinating.

As I wrote in the other thread...

The Ferrari is more exciting
The Lamborghini is more fun

I'm incredibly lucky to have both.

A couple of pictures from the other thread:

Frank
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On track a Gallardo feels heavy vs a Ferrari. Also the steel discs are really no good. A few hard laps and they won´t bite. Last two trackdays I´ve been on Gallardos been off the track thanks to serious fading on brakes.

I have never driven the SL, but rode in it on tracks a few times. It feels what the Gallardo should have been from start imo. CCB´s, real seats and nice interior. It´s not near as raw as a Scud or CS though, and still quite heavy. Fantastic in the wet.

I´ve always been a Lambo fan, still I have a Ferrari, one reason is that the Lambos are so small, I´m to tall to sit decent with a helmet. the other reason is the CS, Scud or F430 is alot more fun on a track.

When me and my friend (yellow G spider) are driving however, girls only have eyes for that yellow lambo =)

 

Have you ever heard a CS in race mode ? Makes even the SL sound like a smart. Also imo the G feels more like a luxuary car, not sporty at all vs the F430. Vs the CS or scud it´s such a HUGE difference. Porsche turbo vs 997GT3RS is what comes to my mind.

 

I have 2003 Murcielago on way so i am glad i will be able to make some comparison with my 360 soon. I was not able to say bye to my 360 so will keep them both as recommended here

 

i would love to hear the comparison between the f430 and the murcielago.

 

Now I REALLY hate you!!!!!! LOL!!

Petr,

Congrats!! Make sure and post those pics asap when the new beast arrives!!


Robert

 

I alternate between the two every day as daily drivers. they are dramatically different cars but both awesome in their own ways. kind of like comparing what makes a good wife vs what makes a good stripper.

the 430 is much more nimble feeling, far better visibility, easy to steer with the right foot, etc. on the down side the US version seems a bit high (thinking of lowering mine to euro spec next time I do tires) and the seating position is a bit high for my taste. it's a great driving position but for an exotic street driving feel I'm sort of fond of the floor mounted dentist chair in the maserati bora so that's just a personal preference. the steering has also been debated. it is somewhat lighter than older ferraris and very responsive. I think it's great but opinions vary. in other words - the 430 is a sports car - and a very good one.

the murcielago feels much more "exotic". it also feels much more "heavy" ;-) it is a big car with bad visibility ("what's behind you is no important" design principal). but... great power, noise, etc. also very low and fun reclined seating position in a semi-cramped cockpit - everything an exotic should be! their designers seem to understand that we all secretly want to be in a fighter jet. the traction control in this car does not seem as advanced as the ferrari. it cuts power rather dramatically and then burns clutch when it re-engages (e-gear). luckily, under normal driving, this is really only an issue when your tires are near the end of life. I'm also not really a huge 4WD fan and would really like to see the return of an SV (I had 99 diablo sv before) 2WD version. the stearing in the car is also heavier (not bad) and the turning radius leaves a little to be desired - both of these are like complaining about a supermodel's feet. backing out of a tight spot is probably easier in a u-haul box truck if you don't have a backup camera. It handles good for it's size and weight - and I'm sure a really good driver can get great times out of this car in the twisties (as evidenced by top gear) but, for me, this car belongs on nice open road where you can really stretch it's legs. I would consider the murcielago an exotic grand touring car, albeit with no space to store anything.

as mentioned before, the T&A factor is unbelievably slanted in the lamborghini's favor! (see the bikini thread if you don't know what T&A is). probably even more so than the gallardo. doors go up, pants go down...

 

Awesome Petr. I love the Murci too. I'm really eager to hear what you think. It's a lot of car!

Frank

 

Of this, I have no doubt. The Murci is considerably more exotic than the Gallardo. I know the commotion I create... I can only imagine what happens when you drive up.

 

Thanks Robert I will post pictures and will try to share my feeling from the car.

 

I finally did it Frank We discussed this shortly already in other threat. I will give you my opinion for sure, just have to wait about 3 weeks. Agree is lot of car, for this reason i still keep my 360. I am little bit scared of this monster.

One guy described difference very well (he has 430 and LP640). He said Ferrari is light fast and universal athlet while Lambo (Murci) is big heavy bull beating everything around with brutal power. Point is that althought bull has great power and make lot of attention, athlet can escape if he has certain conditions. So basically what was said here from others and also in other threats. Both great and totally different cars.

 

thanx,
can u elaborate more in terms of technicality and reliability.
also in terms of quality. (did these factors improve on the lambo after audi bought it, or are these still some issues?

 

I think everyone who's already posted about the topic, hit the nail on the head as far as comparison goes. I've driven not only the normal F430 but also the 430 Challenge car. Overall, the F430 is fast when it wants to be and easy to just hop in drive. It wasn't an intimidating car to drive whatsoever. After my return from Afghanistan, I then got the opportunity to drive the Gallardo Superleggera. As mentioned, I didn't like how confined the space was in the car. But the power was raw and responsive. Neck snapping acceleration and the e gear manages to blip the throttle for you when downshifting. I like the exhaust on both cars, but the sound on the 430 is sweet music to me. If I could, I'd own both as they're both phoenomenal cars. But for now, I'm in the market for a 430 at the moment and I'd feel more sastified starting with an F car as my first exotic.
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This was my first Ferrai and 4th. late model Lambo.
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What can u tell us about ur experience with the cars.
handling, power, which are u leaning more towards etc.

 

both are very reliable. I've had 5 ferraris and 2 lambos. the last one that left me on the side of the road was a 355 (knock on wood). I'm still a bit superstitious with italian cars - I always avoid wearing ferrari stuff in the lambo and vice versa as it makes the car mad and is a sure ticket to the mechanic!

I think the build quality and reliability has improved quite a bit over the years on both brands. It seems like audi has influenced a lot of the fit and finish type elements but the drive train and internal electronics seem like a direct evolution of the diablo - but thats just my opinion. if you get under the car the frame still looks like a tractor (joke). from a technical standpoint I would say that the 430 is step ahead. traction control (+ e-diff) in the 430 is better. the F1 transmission (vs e-gear in the lambo) seems like it's a generation ahead. I've had the F1 in 3 f-cars (355, 575, 430) and they have improved a lot over time. the murci feels more like the 575 in sport mode (the lambo does not have a mode setting like the f-cars). I would guess that the gallardo, being a completely new car, is probably a lot more audi influenced (and maybe more advanced) than the murci but I have not driven one yet.

 

This is from a previous post specific to 360 vs. Gallardo. Hope you find it useful.

I must say I'm surprised to hear so many people vote for the Gallardo. As a owner of both an '05 Gallardo e-gear and '00 360 F1 simultaneously 2 years ago, in my opinion there is not contest. If you are looking for a driver's car, one that you'll enjoy every time you get behind the wheel, it's the 360 hands down. Here are some of the things I noticed about both cars:

Gallardo pros
-Head snapping looks
-500 hp and a bunch of torque
-Audi ergonomics
-Awesome on the track

Cons
-German feel
-Audi interior
-clunky transmission and power train
-numb, stiff steering
-uncomfortable seats
-tight interior
-seating position and view of the road is poor
-Visibility in general is poor
-all wheel drive (doesn't give you the same pull a rear wheel drive does)
-exterior fit and finish. I never understood why everybody raves about the quality of the Gallardo build. Spend a day washing that car and you'll see all the panels (front rear bumper) feel cheap and creak as you put pressure. The plastic rear grill drove me crazy!
-Interior fit and finish - when the car is brand new it looks tight but after 10k miles, starts rattling and flexing
-reliability is another area where I don't see why people rave about this car. Within the first 2k miles, I had to take the car in 3 times to resolve the check engine light issue. The clutch will blow quickly if you don't drive it carefully being an all wheel drive.
-maintenance cost is equal if not higher than the 360. (clutch at FOW cost me $8k+)


360
pros

-timeless design and beauty
-light weight
-perfect engine
-power (plenty of it if you know how to drive the car)
-quick revving engine
-one of the best sounding engines in the world with the right set up (recommend Tubi/Capristo more aggressive with Hyperflows or test pipes.) This is a critical factor. It really makes the driving experience 100% better than stock
-interior ergonomics
-comfortable seats
-perfect seating position with nice view of the road
-almost no blind spots
-beautiful communicative steering
-Adjustability of the suspension setting
-well built. I have 27k miles on the car. The car feels just as tight and strong as the day I bought it with 9k miles 2.5 years ago.
-Could drive to any high class function and feel comfortable (Lambo is too much)
.....and a whole lot more that I won't list but you get the idea

Cons
-A little short in power by today’s standards
-Not as confident on the track as the Gallardo
-Not as eye catching as the Gallardo
-Belt service
-Maintenance cost

I'm sure there are plenty of items I missed for both cars but these were some of the significant ones. I've always felt that I drove the 360 for my enjoyment where as the Gallardo was more for other people's enjoyment.

Good luck with your decision!

PS
I still have the 360 but my Gallardo was gone after 8 months.

 

great write up i thoroughly enjoyed the read. love the pics too