Urgent! Potential Owner in need

Good morning everyone!

 

I have been a dreamer on the Board for quite some time, and am finally pulling the trigger tomorrow on a private party sale on the East Coast area. It is a 2007 Gallardo Spyder, 5k miles that just had its 8 year service performed by a Lambo Authorized shop. 1st owner bought it new, sold it in 2008 with 1,200 miles. 2nd owner had it since and it now has 5k on the clock. I have spent probably 20 hours on the Board, over the last week, researching everything before bugging you guys but I still have some unanswered questions.

 

Per everyone's expertise on older posts I...

 

Asked for an egear snap from service. I was told "clutch life is at 2.9 and 5.9 is max". Firstly, I thought max was 5.6, not 5.9. I'm not sure if this means 2.9 has worn, or 2.9 is remaining. Regardless, this sounds pretty low for a car with under 5k no? This made me wonder if the car was driven hard or if the driver just doesn't know how to drive egear, which based on your posts seems very possible.

 

Asked for a LARA report. Unfortunately I have no idea what I'm looking at It may as well be in Chinese (and no I'm not Asian!).

 

The inspection showed the rear tires are 'worn to 3/32" or under'. Again, not sure if this is an indication of hard driving or if that's somewhat normal for these cars. I've owned Vipers and tires have lasted me 15k. I'm not racer, but I'm no grandma either.

 

 

Questions...

Should the clutch info scare me off?

 

Can anyone help interpret the LARA? Lord knows I don't know where to begin

 

Should the tires scare me off? Pair that with the 50% clutch life on a 5k car and it makes me wonder. Also, what tires do you guys like to use? I have always been a fan of Nitto Invos but it looks like they don't fit Gallardos

 

I discussed shipping arrangements with LG Exotic Auto Transport and JP per recommendations on the Board. I will be driving it to Illinois for shipping to Las Vegas, so it's about 1700 miles. One Company said 1650, the other 1950. After calling around some more, 1650 seems to be the standard among exotic xports. Am I getting squeezed by the one Company that wants 1950 when the other 5 exotic xport companies all said 1650?? I should mention I have a semi-specific window but that didn't scare the others. I need the car picked up either Saturday or Sunday (return date is negligible). JP was the only one who could basically guarantee that pick up window while the others said 'it's possible'

 

Thanks a TON in advance for any help you guys can offer!!! I know it is short notice, but the seller has been difficult to deal with and we finally landed on something yesterday. Thanks again!

Good morning everyone!

 

I have been a dreamer on the Board for quite some time, and am finally pulling the trigger tomorrow on a private party sale on the East Coast area. It is a 2007 Gallardo Spyder, 5k miles that just had its 8 year service performed by a Lambo Authorized shop. 1st owner bought it new, sold it in 2008 with 1,200 miles. 2nd owner had it since and it now has 5k on the clock. I have spent probably 20 hours on the Board, over the last week, researching everything before bugging you guys but I still have some unanswered questions.

 

Per everyone's expertise on older posts I...

 

Asked for an egear snap from service. I was told "clutch life is at 2.9 and 5.9 is max". Firstly, I thought max was 5.6, not 5.9. I'm not sure if this means 2.9 has worn, or 2.9 is remaining. Regardless, this sounds pretty low for a car with under 5k no? This made me wonder if the car was driven hard or if the driver just doesn't know how to drive egear, which based on your posts seems very possible.

 

Asked for a LARA report. Unfortunately I have no idea what I'm looking at It may as well be in Chinese (and no I'm not Asian!).

 

The inspection showed the rear tires are 'worn to 3/32" or under'. Again, not sure if this is an indication of hard driving or if that's somewhat normal for these cars. I've owned Vipers and tires have lasted me 15k. I'm not racer, but I'm no grandma either.

 

Congrats on your pending purchase.

 

On your Lara report, the clutch wear is the difference between line 19 and line 27.

Line 19 is 19.3 and line 27 is 16.4.

This is how much is worn, not how much remaining. So it appears your clutch is worn 2.9.

My understanding is that you have approximately 5.8 or so of wear till replacement is imminent.

I have a recent snap of mine, and the first area is the clutch measurement degree of wear.

I'm no expert and others can chime in but I assume all Lara reports contain the same info.

 

 

 

Congrats on the (soon to be completed) purchase. As for the tires I would check the date code....forget the wear (although it sounds like they are nearing the end of their wear life). Too many new owners skimp on the tires to save 2g and then have that decision come back to bite them.

I'm not an expert, but seems you have around 50% clutch left. It might have to do with the driving style of the driver, not that he was driving hard, but rather the opposite. Stop and go and not letting the clutch take its time to fully engage. You have to be a bit decisive with the throttle on the e-gears. I don't really see any red flags. One thing to be aware with of any e-gear car is that the e-gear pump can fail, and when it does it's a $10k repair at authorized dealer (but a lot cheaper if you can find someone to replace the pump only). The e-gear failed on my 08 Gallardo SL with less than 1k miles on it, and also failed on my 08 Spyder at around 20k miles (although after I had sold it, buyer came back trying to get a refund after he had been driving the car for 6+ months).

On A Gallardo tires (P Zeros) will last 5-7k miles. Lets assume the car has original tires (check tire manufacture date code) should be around 2-6 months prior to manufacture date of vehicle. If tries are original then

 

1. The car was driven normally to a great extent

2. Replace tires ASAP

 

If most issues are just maintenance (egear, tires) then that is normal and you have a good car.

 

Just some advice...when buying a Lambo you should not be overly concerned about expenses...these cars are not cheap to own and of course cost $$$ to buy. Most people don't buy these cars because $3-10k in maintenance cost is too much for them. You are buying the stuff of dreams...so this is just a whole new level of car. This is not a corvette or a Viper. This is a true exotic $$$.

 

 

Manu. date code on tires is a 4 digit number...first two digits are number of weeks after Jan 1st the tire was made and last two are year

 

so....0408 means 4th week of 2008.

 

Tires are dead. You will need new ones. They start out with 8/32 of wear, you are at 3/32, time to go. Factor that into your purchase price. The clutch, from what I remember, is still pretty good. If you stop and go, or have hilly terrain where you start and stop a bit, you will wear a clutch on the egear much faster than normal. But if it has 50% left, you have a good bit of time left on it if you are ripping around in Nevada (maybe not as much if you spend a lot of time cruising down the strip at 5 mph.)

Thank you so much guys! I have been stressing about this more than you know. My guess is the tires are stock and have been on it since 2007. He never replaced them and I doubt the first owner would have at 1k miles. I believe they are Pirellis but I don't know what the stock tires would have been in the first place. I will definitely check the date, although I think a replacement is in order.

 

I remember drooling about Diablos since I was 13 (I'm 30 now). My friends would make fun of me in high school because my idea of a fun Friday night was to go to the Lambo and Ferrari dealerships after they closed so I could just stare for an hour or two. It's hard to believe I'm almost in the bullpen with the rest of you, and that a clutch replacement is gonna cost me as much as my entire first Camaro! But like Sprite and Odyssey pointed out, you shouldnt buy a Lambo if service costs will break you.

 

Thanks again guys! Oh, and is there anything else on the Lara I should be looking at? Another post said it had info showing if the car was beaten on but I don't know where to start.

 

The tires originally were P-Zero Rosso. Some cars had an option for the Corsa model, you never saw it on a Spyder, I don't think. I am curious, you have the LARA report, you shared it, did you get an inspection done on the car or is that the report that the owner provided from the last service? Not to be that guy, but have you paid and had your own, independent, PPI performed on the car? Just wanted to dot that "i" and make sure. Also, don't trust a CarFax for damage.

 

Maybe if you told us where the car is, someone could eyeball it for you. Just want to make sure you don't get there and the car is a turd. I hope it goes well for you. Exciting stuff man, good luck with it.

And this is why LamboPower is the best fcuking site around

And this is why LamboPower is the best fcuking site around

 

 

yeap

And this is why LamboPower is the best fcuking site around

 

Congrats on the accomplishment man. I think your questions are covered here but wanted to chime in to say I was stoked reading your story here. Felt like yesterday when I couldn't sleep the night before getting on a plane to pick mine up.

 

The second I laid eyes on her is a vision in my mind that I will never forget.

Enjoy the ride in good health my friend

Thanks Hannibal! Were almost there!

 

Any recommendations for how to preserve clutch life for distance driving? I'm driving it 300 miles after I buy it. Everything I've read was to use sport mode as much as possible, never use auto, and only use Corsa when racing it. Is that still the consensus?

 

Also... VERY rookie question so forgive me... But how do you pop the engine hood on a Spyder? I mean for service or inspection rather than just putting the top up or down.

 

Thanks

 

Don't be too concerned with the clutch, just don't "baby it" step on it, don't ride it and it will be ok.

 

Good luck with your purchase.

Thanks Hannibal! Were almost there!

 

Any recommendations for how to preserve clutch life for distance driving? I'm driving it 300 miles after I buy it. Everything I've read was to use sport mode as much as possible, never use auto, and only use Corsa when racing it. Is that still the consensus?

 

Also... VERY rookie question so forgive me... But how do you pop the engine hood on a Spyder? I mean for service or inspection rather than just putting the top up or down.

 

Thanks

 

Regarding clutch life, nothings written in stone but here are some tips that can't hurt and might help.

Don't agonize over it, if you have the latest clutch revision you have plenty of clutch left.

 

http://www.lambopower.com/forum/index.php?...t&p=1141051

Thanks again everyone! I pulled the trigger on Wednesday and she should be delivered to my house today.

 

Pics will follow, although it's bone stock and nothing you haven't seen before

 

You guys are the best!!

Thanks again everyone! I pulled the trigger on Wednesday and she should be delivered to my house today.

 

Pics will follow, although it's bone stock and nothing you haven't seen before

 

You guys are the best!!

 

Congrats!!!!!!!

Congrats on the purchase and welcome and best of luck. Post some pics!

 

Regarding the egear snap - mine have always looked different but maybe it's the difference between '09 and later versus '08 and earier.

 

There is a launch control count on mine (zero). Yours has at the end "DTC count" of zero. Is that launch control? Zero is good meaning the car has never been launched for drag racing (whether street or track). It's very hard on the clutch.

 

Enjoy - you are about the learn the meaning of "attention" like never before!

Congrats, its an exciting day when you take delivery!

Why are there no pictures yet!!!!!

Congrats

 

Pics bro....looking myself and want to see what you got :-)

Thanks again everyone! I pulled the trigger on Wednesday and she should be delivered to my house today.

 

Pics will follow, although it's bone stock and nothing you haven't seen before

 

You guys are the best!!

 

Congrats! Even bone stock lambos get us excited!

Really glad everything worked out! Now I don't have to rent one when I am in Vegas in November!!!

I know, I know... trust me, I'm more bummed than you that I haven't been able to post any photos yet!

 

And LOL to the Vegas rental!!!

 

I plan on cleanin her up this weekend and posting some good pics rather than post dirty ones. I took a little too much time off of work so I've been paying the price this week.

 

I've been shopping for about a year and I gotta say she's a real beauty! I was bummed I couldn't find an orange one but the pearl yellow has really grown on me, maybe even more than orange. I still can't believe it's in my garage! It's like I'm dreaming!