larpy

It has been a few years since I have actively been on the 993 forum but I have still lurked in the back ground. A few years back I had an amazing 993 with low miles that I loved. I put a considerable amount of time and money into that dream and loved it. I had a non supporting ex-wife that really did not care for the vehicle and I had to pick if I wanted to keep it or build a vacation home in the mountains. I decided on the home. I have missed that 993 and regret the sale.

Life has changed for me. The wife decided she loved a co worker instead of me and my two daughters and I have had a hell of a year recovering. The one thing the three of us have always enjoyed is vehicles. We love car shows and looking at various styles etc. We have always pointed out beautiful vehicles when we see them and knew we wanted something in our stable. So.....we went shopping! After months of shopping and over a year of research......perhaps that is why the ex left (She knew I was looking :-) ) I bought a 2006 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder with 15000 miles. I know....a bit different ball park from a 993 but I will eventually get to that.

I looked at many Gallardos before finding this one. I had seriously considered a 997 GTS and made several offers before falling on the Italian side. I followed the car I purchased locally for approximately a year before an emotional test drive. I was nervous, scared, excited, and shaking! I was not sure if I was going to scream or vomit when I was done because I knew that damn thing was going to be in my garage soon. The car checked out great and I wrote one of the biggest checks I have ever written in my life. I am not a "high roller" so that check gave me buyers remorse until the next time I drove the car and, well, I forgot about remorse :-)

larpy

So, now that I have owned this thing I have some input on the experience. Let me preface that I am a high end exotic rookie. Always dreamed but never owned. I have driven F430s, a Countach, etc but never had any considerable time behind the wheel. This is a first for me. The differences are extreme! I chose the Gallardo because they are "bullet proof" exotics according to many. If you find a well maintained car with a service history and it checks out, like any other car you're ahead of the game. Mine has all that plus I know the Lamborghini certified mechanic that has worked on it a majority of its life. The clutch issues with the e-gear system can be a problem so that was a hesitation. I loved the shifting of my 993. The short shift kit made it so fun to drive. I was not sure if I would miss a manual. 6 speed Gallardo are hard to find and your will pay a premium. I almost backed off because of the e-gear system but after research and talking with the mechanic he said fear not (As he smiled and asked for my checkbook) :-)

curve lover

Chris-- Digging that top photo

Great to hear from you; think about you (& BoulderBobo, Aircooled Jim, etc.) often when I log on. You made RL great, especiallly for CO 993 owners. I witnessed & benefitted from your passion for keeping cars in top shape, & know your Gallardo Spyder will never have a better owner.
Sorry to hear about the unplanned speedbumps in your road since we last drove together. If there's anyone I know that can rise above and overcome, it's you!

Drive safe, have fun with the Lambo, & don't be a stranger around here

larpy

We did numerous tests on this Gallardos and looked at clutch snap files to determine the health of this $6000 to $7000 clutch! The 993 had such great clutch response but there was a lot of shifting through the first few gears from a dead stop. The veteran Gallardo owners told me this was not the case in the Lamborghini. It holds the gear longer with an 8000 rpm red line. They were right! The e gear shifting cycles like the Porsche PDK system. There are four modes from full auto shift to "manual" sport shift. The front end response is sluggish which is why I believe they hold the gear longer. Once it gets above that 2500 tp 3000 rpm it is a rocket! Wow! It is just pure "hold on because we are going somewhere quick!!!" The sound itself is enough to put life's biggest grin on your face, especially in sport mode. The pipes open up and it is amazing. I thought my stage 2 FISTERS sounded good, which they do, but this thing is ridiculous!

larpy

I will continue in a bit. I have to leave for a work out. I am getting to the 993 comparison. Thought some may like my initial thoughts on just the car itself before the true comparison. This would be your time to tell me I am crazy!

larpy

Thanks for the kind words! I am still a Porsche lover which I will eventually get to in this post. This car is a detour along the way :-) Great to hear from you. Hopefully I will get to see some of you guys at Cars and Coffee!

serval

Trading an ex-wife for a Gallardo seems almost fair I love car comparison's from an enthusiast point of view. Magazine articles never come close to emulating the sheer excitement, so hurry up with the workout and start writing!

Opo

I agree , trading a ex wife for this baby is a deal 😜 Pearl yellow Gallardo 😍 Your car looks identical to my old 6 speed Gallardo , very rare and hard to find 😢 Does you Lambo has the carbon fiber interior package ? If it does is more likely my old car 🤔 I sold mine in 2011 with 11k miles on the clock , great choice on color as well , that's the only color Lambo I will ever buy 👍🏼 enjoy the car and your daughters my friend 👍🏼

u7t2p7

Nice story...but you opted for a car doesn't allow you to ever enjoy the experience together (which sounds important to you). I would have purchased a 993TT which would have given you back that 993 experience, additional power more in line with the Lambo and the whole family could enjoy together.

EMBPilot

this thread is awesome.
sweet cars

996 GT2

Very nice....I look forward to the rest of the story!!!

larpy

You are so correct! I pondered hard about the two seater issue. In the end my girls and I discussed it and to be completely honest we wanted the "Wow" factor of the Lamborghini. Porsche vehicles are beautiful but I wanted an exotic for what I call some "self absorbed bling". My girls understood this plus they are getting to the age where the back seat was not so comfortable for them over a 5 mile commute. As much as I like the flash of the Gallardo we do limit taking it to places like picking them up from school, friends houses etc. Sounds crazy but a little too much flash for us. They take turns riding with dad which gives us our own one on one time which I important to me especially since the typical family element has diminished.

larpy

I am back and continuing my mental journey into exotic stupidity :-) Back to the sound of the vehicle. I loved the sound of my 993. The Stage II Fister exhaust was one of my better investments. I love the throaty sound of sports cars which is what drew me to Lamborghini. Have you ever had one blow by you at 90mph on the interstate....It is almost sexual!! That sound had me hooked. Like the modified Porsche exhaust, the Gallardo has a throaty but refined sound at start up. You know there is something behind it but your neighbors are not throwing empty beer cans at you from across the street when you start it in the early am hours as they try a sleep off a hangover. After you pull out of the cul de sac it is game on. This is just like a 993, it wants RPMs! Short shifts lug it and can be hard on the clutch.

NYC993

Keep going with the story. I have noticed that Gallardo keeps the value, which indicates better reliabilibty. Did you consider Audi R8?

larpy

I can not stress how good it sound! Perhaps I have an audible addiction....After getting over the sound I realized that this thing does not dive like a Porsche, seriously! I had to check to make sure there were struts/shocks in place. My Lord it rides rough. Now my car has upgraded "comfort" seats. I still chuckle as I say that because there is not a damn comfortable thing about them! They are flat, hard but do conform to your body so sliding around is limited when you decide to, and you will, take a highway off ramp at 95mph :-)

I am 6'1" and weigh 190 lbs (lost 45 lbs after the divorce...I will get to that too) so room was a concern. I initially wanted a coupe but was concerned about head room. I loved the 993 Cab but swore my next exotic (yes, a Porsche is an exotic in my opinion. High end cars most will never drive) should be a hard top. The noise of the Cab and the hassles of determining if I wanted the top up or down compared to my passenger was annoying. That being said the Spyder offered more head room at the expense of limited cargo space. The convertible top SWALLOWS any interior space you had in a Spyder! There is a cargo "shelf" in the coupes. This is not present in the Spyders because the tops is stowed in the space. The idea of a road trip in this thing is absurd! The "frunk" is so small I could not store a diaper bag in it well enough a full diaper ( No, I do not have a new born but.....I will get to that too). Oh, a car seat....for get about it. If the top is not down you will need every bit of visual space to see what lunatic is going to stop in the middle of the street to take a photo or ask if it is a kit car. Parking lots are a disaster! My 06 is equipped with a front hydraulic lift system. The guy that invented this standard option was a genius! I simply see a dip, bump or obstacle and press a button and BOOM the nose raises approx 5 or 6 inches and I am over it. The raised ride height reminds me of my 993 before I lowered it with the Bilsteins. After the obstacles has been conquered I hit the button again or hit a speed of 40mph and the nose lowers again! That is engineering that has a purpose. No more front end protectors or slow crawls through parking lots. One of the best features on the car.