Gallardo Daily Driver?

Recently I have been thinking of getting a used Gallardo as a dialy driver. From the post that I have read about the car, it sounds like reliablity is up since Audi bought Lambo.

Is it realistic to drive a car like this everyday during the spring, summer, and fall? Also, if I were to buy say a 2004 model and drive it 5,000-10,000 miles per year, what maintenance would need to be done and can anyone guess how much money I would lose when I sold it?

Matt

 

It makes a great daily driver, but I would always have another car as well. I find too much of a good thing makes it less special. Servicing is every 7500miles and it isn't much more than (say) a Benz. Impossible to know how much you will lose, but less than you would buying a new one.

 

I'm not sure reliability was that bad, even before Audi. I put 8000+ on a Diablo in a year with virtually no problems.

I have a Gallardo that I have put 1000 miles on in three weeks. It is easier to drive than a Diablo, and I plan to drive it near daily.

 

So they are fine in the rain? What if you get caught in the snow, should you just pull over and get it towed home??? I have heard that a Gallardo would cost less to maintain than a Ferrari 360? There are no dealers near me is that an issue? What type of warranty come with them when they are new?

Sorry for all the questions, I think that I have caught the lambo bug!

Thanks

 

Matt, maintenance should be less than a 360 as there are no belts, but make sure you don't ride the clutch as that can easily make it catch up. Given that it's an awd car, even with sport tires (search for avalonsuperstars thread about his G car in the snow) it'll probably get you there, but I wouldn't imagine it would be fun. Snow tires, however (if you can find 'em) would probably make it perfectly safe for snow with the awd (again, not sure I'd recommend it). Warranty new is 2/24 if I'm not mistaken (if I am I'm sure someone will correct me). Having a dealer near you helps, but some aren't exactly fun to deal with anyway, so having a good independant that knows what he or she is doing is a must.

looks like you're only about 3 hours from Columbus, so I would figure if you needed warranty work you could have it sent there (isn't Nelson in Columbus?), and find a good indy locally for the regular stuff.

 

i put 12000 miles first year just 1500 and 7500 mile services
less `than $750 total spent.

 

For snow, one member posted a long journey in his newly purchased burgundy Gallardo. If someone could find it, it would help you.

 

here's the link:

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84023

The owner has since sold the Gallardo and gotten a murcielago.

 

Over the past two years my customers & I have a combined total of 47,000 miles on our three Gallardos (12.5k miles on #1 before it was totaled, 20.5k on #2 and still going strong, and 14k miles on #3 and the best one yet). They are driven all-day, every day.

In all that time, I can't think of a single "major" maint. issue that was related to mileage or regular use. We had some standard e-gear troubles with #1 & #2 (early clutch death, bad engagement), but #3 is at 15.5k total and still on the first e-gear clutch. #2 had a nasty wiring harness issue that was ultimately resolved, but again that was a problem with the original build not the car's overall stability. Only other things that come to mind are some carbon deposits and "gunk" build-up which is regular maint after 20k miles, and a bad coil early on with #1.

Otherwise, they've been extremely trouble- and hassle-free. Get it an enjoy!

nlh

 

8300 miles on mine in 10 months, makes a great daily driver.

 

OT: Jim, saw you had an '04 M but now have an '05 G? Thoughts between the two. What caused the changeover?

 

As far as snow is concerned, when it comes to cars you care about, it usually isn't the snow itself that is a problem so much as the corrosive effects of road salt for weeks afterwards. Given how much of a hit you take on depreciation as it is for a low mileage, pampered exotic, imagine how much more of a hit you'd get when a PPI reveals undercarriage rust.

 

Sorry Vic I had an '04 Murcie this is my first Gallardo.

 

Sorry vic, I have to read slower.. I hated my Murcie, it broke all of the time. You could review some of my old posts, but after a bunch of let downs I let her go with only 3700 miles on it.

 

Gallardo is all aluminum.

 

Thanks. Disappointing that even three years after the initial model, Lambo can't get the M right. It's also surprising when considering how well built the G is.

 

Including the axles, suspension, etc.?

If there truly is nothing on the car that rusts, then go git 'em, Flexible Flyer!

 

Jim can't imagine why you ha such a hard time with the Merci. Like all exotics they have their share of issues but can't seem to understand why the Gallardo is less mainenance than the Murci realizing of course the specs of both cars are completely different


David Kassir

 

YEAH...because as we know, axles and suspension have a huge problem with rusting out! Go get em, numb nutz!

 

Well you couldnt of hated her that much to buy again from the same brand. Sad to hear u had problems when soo many have had little/no issues.

 

You miss my point. Obvious signs of driving in the snow will limit the pool of eager second buyers for an exotic, thus adding to depreciation.

 

I gave the Lambo brand another shot after alot of research. I don't have all the answers but my G is a much more reliable car, only one issue so far with fouled spark plugs. Remember though the G was engineered by Audi and the much of what makes the Murcie a Murcie has been around for more then a decade. My Murcie had issues with emissions, cat. convertor failure, e-gear failure, Cluth problems, and so on. Believe me if my spot on the Ferrari "list" came up I wouldn't have given Lambo. another shot. I am pleasantly surprised with the G's reliablity though.

 

Thats why you lease.

 

Leasing doesn't prevent the effects of depreciation though.