AfricanHunter

disagree it handles like a truck but I had a rwd lightweight special edition. Think 2850 wet (no front diff, carbon buckets, alcantara everywhere, etc). No issues keeping up with 911's in the canyons but I was probably pushing it 8/10th and they were 7/10ths. Oem pzeros are ****ty tires. Put on a set of MPSC2's, Trofeo R, etc and different car. I could spin the back wheels through 3rd on any not perfect surface. Ridiculously fun car. Stable at speed, turn in not as sharp as a gt4 but better than an M4 for me.

The LP-560-4 didn't handle as well. Pushed a bit. There was very little understeer on the rwd versions.... throttle steer for the win.

If you get on get an lp550-2 or pony up for the 560-2 (only 22 in the US and recent sales for those under 5k miles 225-240k) in manual.

That or 458/huracan. Both are diving in price right now. Would wait 6 more months or biy in winter

CarAholic

Really leaning towards an F430 if anyone is interested in a yellow low optioned GT4 shoot me a PM

AfricanHunter

i would personally get a 355 manual (need to get one with the valve and header fix done but they are 100-120k and bet they appreciate well) over a 430 but the 430 has a special place in my heart as it was the first exotic I drove. Enjoy it whatever you end up with.

GT4Tony

Did the exotic experience in Vegas too. F430 Scud hands down best experience for me period. The engine, the shifts, the sounds, the rawness. Feels telepathic. Drove it on track after lapping the SuperL (handles like tank in comparison - seriously, the visibility sucks too). I was fastest in the 991 GT3 (just so much more tech than the Scud) easy to drive fast. The experience is so much more rewarding in the Scud. The Scud was also the favorite amongst the instructors I spoke with. It's on my bucket list.

Perimeter

You can not compare a 2WD Balboni edition to what the OP is considerin g.
They are heavy and do drive like a truck (...or Audi R8)

AfricanHunter

eh. Truck like even on the awd cars I think is a bit overstated but personal opinion. I would say 90% of awd sports cars drive heavy.

mine was a 560-2 50th anniversary..... couple hundred pounds lighter than the balboni and only 30 worldwide with 22 delivered to the US, essentially a rwd superleggera. IMO best Gallardo they made and it was a parts bin car. Different from a balboni but both are sweet.

Whats your budget? You could maybe find a manual balboni with 5-15k miles for 140-160 but haven't checked market recently.

Any manual L or F car is a great investment right now as everything points to them going all paddles from now on and turbos soon. Buying any manual LP5xx is a solid move. Get a rwd one if you like how they drive. Be patient as they do come up for sale or use an exotic car broker to go find one. Pm me if you need a referral and are serious about buying. I have a great guy out of Los Angeles who can find nearly anything.

Only sold mine to make financial room and start building dealer relationships at Porsche for upcoming GT2/3RS or hopefully they release the 960.

plus I only buy 3 pedal cars(so at a dead end with F/L Cars) and Had a long discussion with the GSM about manual availability in future P Cars. He assured me as much as he could that the US dealer network is pushing hard for manual options on all cars and specially GT cars and confirmed manual available on at least the 991.2 gt3. I want a manual gt2rs but not sure that will happen.

CarAholic

Currently I am thinking the 100-125 range but could also save for a year and go to 150ish. Main thing is to decide what I want then sell my GT4 as I wouldn't be able to make the move until that car went. Still not sure on what I want stuck on F430, pre LP 6spd, or LP e gear. F458 could also be an option though I would have to save for a year or two.

AfricanHunter

430 in paddles I have heard are a maintenance nightmare. Manual outside budget.

Pre-LP manual good buy but get something 2005-2008. The 2004 ars had some growing pains and lacked some features.

I would personally not buy an egear LP but a lot of people like them. Its single clutch and much improved over the original gallardo.

I would look at either keeping the gt4 and see what prices do over next 6-18 months, get a clean 2006-2008 manual G or manual 355 berlinetta (make sure it has the valves/header fix done). Ford GT is softening quite a bit and believe the 997 3rs bubble is gonna pop once 991.2 3/3rs release (as will the ridiculous markups on the 991.1 rs)

Coincident

After owning many Porsches over the years, I was getting bored. Great daily drivers but not the excitement I was subsequently looking for. Looked at the 430 Scud, 458 but finally found exactly what fit the bill- Valentino Balboni version of the Gallardo. Admitting , a rare find but the rear wheel drive Gallardos are similar just not quite the same. The Balboni is pure occasion driving. Nothing mundane here. Pure exhiliration on wheels. Being a driver is back on the agenda. This car does not feel heavy or cumbersome at all. It is lithe and agile and so tossable on a track that it truly puts your driving skills to a test. I love everything about it and would highly recommend it to anyone who wishes to put the art of driving back into a super car.

The e gear after 2009 is exceptionally good in sport mode where you must paddle shift. Shifts are crisp and very responsive. In automatic mode, expect jerky, notchy shifting that is not enjoyable.

CarAholic

That's what I am looking for, I know the better car is the GT4 but what I use it for it's kind of boring. Unfortunately I don't track that often maybe once a year the rest of the time is spent in the mountains and local roads. For day to day use the car isn't thrilling and I am hoping the lambo and or Ferrari brings occasion to every drive. Currently looking at some 550-2 and thinking that might be a good middle ground. Have an appointment this coming Friday to look at a f430 lp560 and LP 550.

Coincident

The GT4 is a very capable car but ultimately after 6 months- Boring. Not fast enough nor exciting.Wife had a 2016 Boxster S. Why anyone raves about this car escapes me. No excitement at all. Competent, nice ride on a summers day with the top down but a snooze fest.

If your goal is buying a car that tests your driving skills, excites everytime you get behind the wheel, once you experience a 430 Scud, 458 or the rear wheel Lambos, your world will never be the same. My favorite of the 3 is the Balboni but the 430 Scud is pretty amazing as well. The F430 is not in the same league.

Warwick Morris

I've had a 2012 LP 550-2 for 2.5 years. It's been a great fast (very) road car. Loads of fun, awesome engine and noise and handles brilliantly as a back-country mountain blaster. It's not that great on the track but I have the GT4 and a race car for that. I supercharged the Gallardo 6 months ago (760 bhp and 600 lb/ft) and its now simply manic in that superbike-type of accelerative performance; it's the best fast road I've had and that includes Porsche Turbos and Carreras. The e-gear is a bit clunky around town but comes into its own on the open road. Since I supercharged it I think I'll keep it for another few years before upgrading to a Hurracan....and you guessed it....that will be supercharged too.
BTW, the race car is a Reiter GT3 Gallardo. A 2008 530 bhp 1200kg purpose-built race car and IT is great on the track. The GT4 is its own thing which I bought because a) I thought they'd be rare and it would be a keeper, and b) They are great value for a Porsche GT car. It has turned out that there large numbers of them, and in a way that's good because I now feel free to compete in club motorsport with it and have plenty of cars to compete against. I do love it too; it's just not the special experience that the Gallardo is every time I drive it!

Alan Smithee

The GT4 and Gallardo are different types of fun. The GT4 is a great modern, balanced chassis with a decent drivetrain, while the Gallardo is the last of the old school chassis with a phenomenal drivetrain.

For somebody coming out of a GT4 and looking for good handling, you will want a 2WD model. The manuals are beyond excellent, but there are only 43 in the US, and as mentioned, priced accordingly. E-gear is great for open roads. It is certainly less refined than a more modern double-clutch transmission, but it fits the character of the car.

Steering is heavy, and visibility is not great, so in comparison to a 458, an AWD Gallardo could be called truck-like. But so can just about everything else.

The RWD Gallardos are very balanced, with understeer only if you ask for it. But it is shorter than a 987, and with ~550hp, 400tq, and 295 section P-Zeros in the back, it is a challenging car to drive fast. Take your mind off the game and, as mentioned, it will try to kill you. That is what makes it unique - and more fun, IMO - among modern sports cars.

And, yes, every drive is an event, from the howl on start-up to the attention at every gas station stop (there will be many - I average 10mpg), even in a place like Los Angeles.

If you are on the fence, check out this video:

needmoregarage

Well said Alan Smithee^

My LP560-4 got up to 26 mpg on highway trips which was shocking to us. Around town it was less. We don't usually track gas mileage in performance cars (because really who cares - it's NOT about economy) but in the Gallardo the dash read out will tell you the cumulative mileage along with instant mileage (if you are coasting down a hill it can read 50+ mpg which is hilarious).

CarAholic

Yea I am pretty set on an LP560-4. Just need to find the right car and sell my GT. Reason for going -4 is so I can have my alll wheel drive in the winter and convert her to rwd for the summer.