One year of ownership

With the one year of ownership mark coming up on my 95 Diablo, I thought I would put together a list of all the service items and costs I've encountered. As you can see it's a short list. The car has been bullet proof.

 

Item: Tachometer Dash Light

Notes: A real simple job to replace the light. Just 4 screws to pull the instrument panel and replace the bulb.

See here for more details: http://www.lamboweb.com/Repairs_Section/Re..._Dash_Light.htm

Cost: $2.50 for a 2 pack.

 

Item: Check Engine Light Code 2

Notes: This is the most common code on Diablos and is caused by aftermarket exhausts. The code clears itself after a few miles of normal driving.

Cost: $0.00

 

Item: Car stuttering at low speeds/idle.

Notes: Pulled The distributor cap and found a build up of green slime. Cleaned cap and contacts, re-installed and the car runs perfectly now. See this thread for more details: http://www.lambo-power.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4772

Cost: $0.00

 

Item: Check Engine Light Code 10

Notes: This code appeared after I put the distributor cap back together. According to Lambo this code does not exist. The car runs perfectly so I ordered a reset tool to clear the code from the computer. Still waiting for it to arrive and hopefully that will correct the problem.

Cost: $15.00

 

Item: Oil and Filter change

Notes: Regular maintenance. Mobil 1 oil and a Fram filter.

Cost: $75.00

 

 

So there it is. Total maintenance for one year, 3000 Miles has been a whopping $92.50. I defy you to do better than that on any 10 year old car. The clutch is strong too. No signs of slipping.

 

I am going to have a few small cosmetic items repaired this winter. Someone before me put a new windshield in and whoever did it was a moron. The calking looks like crap and the plastic trim at the base is showing some bubbling. Also going to replace the diver's side mirror gasket. Again a moron with a calk gun did a cheap fix. Also going to have the front bumper repaired and re-painted since I put a few chips in it due to the crap roads around here. I don't expect those items to be more than a couple hundred bucks as one of my close friends owns a body shop

 

The car has been completely reliable and an absolute blast to drive. Every time I turn the key I smile like a mad man :mrgreen:

 

Granted it's only 3k miles so you would expect the costs to be low and so far so good.

Jay, thats great. I've always contended most of the problems seen on these cars is from a; abuse, b; no maintainance, and c; all the above. When they are cared for the cars are quit reliable. Glad you enjoy.

Its real easy to make a jumper wire to clear the codes and I can show you which termials to jump. What I need to know is how to post a drawing here. If I scan it into a word doc can I download it here just like a picture. I tried that last winter whith a magizine article and it did not work well.

Continued good luck with the car Jay. I have had my 99 SV for a year also and have had virtuaLLY NO PROBLEMS.

mike on the 94-95 vts the pcm need a key to slide in there to clear,i think the 91-93 pcms are different than the 94-95.

Has it really been a year already? I've had mine for almost 8 months, put about 4k miles on the beast, and my costs have been:

 

one rear shock that didn't stop working, but the electronic sender conked

 

- part cost $1,800 plus installation;

 

nothing else to speak of;

I bought hid lights- the stock lights in the 6.0 are truly poor at nite on low beam, and

installed an upgraded nav/camera system, along with a convex passenger mirror,

 

but nothing, apart from the shock was really required,

 

and even that was sort of discretionary (since one reader here noted that, with the same problem his shock sender came back to life- i was just reluctant to have the car running on a default setting that was fairly stiff, and creating more potential shock problems).

:supz:

I'll probably spring for some fresh tires pretty soon. (oh, yeah, i did have the oil changed....)

Wow nice Jay, good for you buddy.

Wow, you guys are slow movers. I've had my car for 3 months and I've put on 3K miles already. Its turned into a daily driver and for only going to the gym/grocery store, the miles are piling on.

 

I haven't had any problems thus far except for the starter when I first bought the car.

 

Any yes, everytime I get in the car the adrenaline starts to rush.

Same as Whart...8 months and going stong...a few nickle and dime stuff. Coolant sensor, sending unit, door light switch - but spent a lot on "goody's" like Tubi, SP Tubes, rear wheel spacers, etc.

 

I'm very pleased....

Has it really been a year already?

Close. It will be by the end of the summer

 

I'm glad everyone else has had similar experiences in reliability. These really are great cars. Continue to enjoy them. :supz:

Great, this is what I wanted to read

I'm buying one in six months or so, so I guess the most important thing is to find one that is well maintained

good post for alot of the soon to be owners. they are always trying to get a handle on maintenance costs.

l diablo where did you get your rear wheel spacers?

Adam - took forever to research and find. I went with 20mm in the rear and it fills up that body gap perfectly. Car looks better from the side and from the rear.

 

The company is Koenig and they are in Germany. Do a google, might be koenig.com

 

These guys are historic in racing with Lambo & Ferrari...they even did work for the Lambo factory. Built for racing and very safe. Very lightweight, aluminum and includes the longer wheel bolts for about $250 or so.

 

PM me if you can't find them and I'll dig up the info. Really makes a big difference in the car..

phx- when you consider that i live in the NE, and that there was snow/salt on the roads here until early April, it's not so bad; Jay is in Albany, which is even further North, and I assume he didn't drive his in these conditions, either.

phx- when you consider that i live in the NE, and that there was snow/salt on the roads here until early April, it's not so bad; Jay is in Albany, which is even further North, and I assume he didn't drive his in these conditions, either.

 

Good point. I totally forgot that it is sunny here 300 days a year. If it was raining, snow, salty, the car wouldn't be going anywhere which leaves you guys with what, 19 days per year? :yawinkle:

ill do a search thanks l diablo

Hi Jay,

 

I too have a DIablo

 

 

Great info !

 

Giuseppe

.........Jay is a good guy !!!!!! :supz:

 

 

He is the easiest person; to get to laugh on the telephone . .....and I am not funny.

Hey Jay,

I have a 94 VT, i'm coming up on two years soon. My car has had two oil changes, i had to replace one door strut, and one melted back up light (before the exhaust was replaced). The car has been pretty much bullet proof! Funny thing is, when i bought the car i was deciding between a Diablo and a 512TR, everyone said "don't buy the Lambo it's a maintanence mightmare!" i chose the Diablo anyway and am glad i did. My brother helped my decision, he said " Greg, are you crazy? i'd rather have that Lambo on a tow truck than that Ferrari running". They are great cars.

i'd rather have that Lambo on a tow truck than that Ferrari running".

Well said :mrgreen:

Hey Jay and all those thinking of a Diablo,

 

I've had my 95 VT about eight months. Mostly have had good luck but have had a few of the italian gremlins pop up from time to time. Check engine light- has stayed off since I cleared the computer. Gas guage will all the sudden read empty then bounce back to full (checking this problem now), stereo speakers disintigrated (good excuse to replace them), now the most worrisome is the suspension error light is blinking about 50% of the time I run the car. All-in-all just little stuff, Diablos are actually pretty easy to work on for the minor repairs and routine maintenance.

 

good luck guys

 

-g-

I have an M3 that requires more maint. than a lambo? That's crazy! I'm kidding. My dad was rear ended last year by a 17 year old girl putting on her makeup. It wasn't bad, a 7-8 mph bump. He had the bumper, reverse lights and shocks replaced. That's been the most expensive repair in his 4 year ownership, but her insurance paid for that.

 

Can't wait until it's my lambo I'm posting about! :mrgreen:

Great to hear Jay, there are people driving Honda Civics that have put more than that in thier 5 year old cars! Let a lone a 10 year old exotic!!! Best of luck with her in the future bro!

 

A black Diablo is one of my top 5 dream cars (amidst a few other Lamborghinis :twisted: ), so I envy you. :mrgreen: Im glad the car has been great to you, and I cant wait to see it in person sometime!!! :supz:

In one year and around 9000 miles, I've had a brake switch replaced ($50) and a vacuum hose split by the MAP sensor (set off scary codes and car ran a little weird, but fixed for $70).

 

I did do a 15K mile major service, new tires, rock chip repaint, 3M film, subwoofer, back up camera, nav, satellite, painted calipers, chrome lugs, convex passenger mirror, but I could have gotten away with doing less.

 

The car has been great. One interesting thing that seems to happen occasionally is problems come up and then go away- eg ABS light came on once and went off quickly, same with shock error light, and one time in the rain the lights indicated a brake light problem, which went away.

 

I bet most 1999 sports cars have more troubles in the same amount of miles.

in my one year of ownership I have replaced the tires, brakes, a throttle body, clutch, crank, rods, rings, line bored the heads and valve job all the way around, fixed various lights, stereo bits, painted the air dam. Lots of little stuff too that I have forgotten about. Is it all worth it? fcuk yeah! Not really any of the cars fault, just previous owners and piss poor mechanics.

dave :axe: :anal :goodman: :heart: :heart: :heart: