Murcielago vs. Testarossa Maintenance Costs

scott I had a newer Lambo and a little experience with the two cars you mention.

I looked at a Testarossa and I love the looks and sound. I was told by a local independant Lambo, exotic car shop that the every 3 or 5 year motor out requirement was about $19K. The local Lambo dealer told me $7500 when I asked him the next day. That was about 6 years ago.

The Murcielago is a newer design and will give you alot less problems. The 6 speed has a following because you cannot get manual transmissions anymore from Lambo or Ferrari. I assume you are looking at a LP640. If you want to go with the Ferrari the M variant is a better car.

The Lambos have begun to catch the ferrari on handling so the newer you get the more you will like it. I had a 2010 Galardo and had not even one problem. Do not go older like the Diablo. If it is not driven at least once a week they begin to miss and must be taken to a dealer. My good freind has one in his car collection and has had no problems with the car. But they are finicky cars, just as the old ferraris were.

FYI I was at the lambo dealer today and am looking at and may buy the Aventadaur however it is spelled

Good luck on picking the right car.

Best

Lee

 

Hi, I had both. An '05 Murcie 6 speed & a '90 Testa. The Murcie was almost trouble-free in 3yrs but a clutch job means engine+trans removal, a 6 figures job in my area while the Testa also needs the same for the belt job but costs lesser.

I drove both as a daily & took them to trackdays. Enjoyed the Murcie much more though both tech are quite similar as that Lambo is quite primitive as well & will catch you once the back goes out. Unless you have a restored Testa, it is likely to have more irritating troubles here & there.

If you can afford it, go for the Murcie & it is also built by hand. The block was casted in-house, the assembly is in St Agata while body panels were painted nearby. Cabin is also stitched up & installed within factory. Google for Lamborghini Murcielago factory etc in youtube & you'll find the making of it.

 

Big price difference between Testarossa and Murcielago. It will cost approximately 70K more for the Murcielago. If you like the looks of the F car, you may want to consider the 512TR. The 512TR beats the Testarossa in every area.

 

Diablo is everybit as reliable as a Murcielago..

 

I bought my 2003 Murci with 18k miles and drove it to 31k in about two years. Basically changed fluids and replaced the clutch after the PO installed a clutch pedal stop which killed the clutch.

Maintenance:
Clutch, trans fluid drain/fill, rear diff drain/fill, rear main seal at 21k miles - $6k installed
Oil change every 3-7k miles - OEM filter ($60) & two gallons of Rotella T6 oil ($40)
Hawk HPS brake pads - $130
Drain fill brake/clutch fluid, power steering/nose lift fluid (Motul fluids) - $?
New battery - $130
New coilpacks - $1k
New NGK spark plugs - ~$100
Tires every 10-15k miles (cost varies)

Issues:
Primary cat failure - aftermarket unit ~$1000
Brake light switch failure - $7
Wiper arm popped off pivot point - free repair

 

Just plain not true.

 

I had a 1993 512TR for a year and a half and have had 4 Murci's (2 2002's, 1 2003, and my current 2007 LP640) since trading the 512TR for my first Murci.

To date I have spent more money maintaining and fixing the 512TR vs. the Murci's. This will change when I have the 15K service done on my LP640 (in about 1000 miles).

 

Unexpected costs are low IMO.

No stay away years; the '04/'05 e-gear isn't as refined as later years.

'02/'03 use a different ignition system ('04+ uses more VAG components) and some have said that they have a more aggressive tune. Otherwise they are basically the same as later cars (pre-LP640). No easier to work on/diagnose.

Some early '02 cars don't have nose lift, it's a must. Make sure you get it.
'02 read in km/h unless the cluster was replaced, which changes mileage.
'05+ have bigger front brakes and same pedals and keys as Gallardo
'06+ have valved muffler, so it gets louder under more load

 

The Lambo dealer told me about the problems on the finicky Diablo. I had a Lambo Galardo at the time and thought about trading my car for a 12 cylinder. They told me to stay with what I have, Less problems. So you may be right or maybe not.

Too your point, My freind has a Diablo and he has had very little problems. I think he uses it quite often but I should find out.

Lee

 

Come on.... Of course a dealer is going to talk crap about an older car no longer sold that they probably can't even service properly. Of course they are going to talk up a car they sell on their lot and can service with the Audi computers! Car people know not to trust what dealers say! Dealers are there just there to move cars.

 

My Diablo is a 1999 SV and it has been nothing but solid.

 

I guess its a moot point now since Ferraris and Lambos no longer come in manual, but why didn't they build stronger clutches like Corvettes and Porsches have? I just don't get it, they could've copied the design. Maybe I am missing something. My friend had an 02' and that thing needed a new clutch at 10k. If you drive these cars with any sort of sportiness, you will burn your clutch up so damn quickly.

Are there any good mods to allow the clutch to get a solid 50k with rough-ish driving? What does a Kevlar clutch do?

 

Kevlar clutch in my countach has lasted without any wear so far... 15,000km and the Countach is kind of know to eat normal ones.

 

Maybe if you dont know how to drive.

 

Lol^^^

This is an old thread. Exotics sit much lower and clutch are smaller for ground clearance.

Older Exotics don't get driven as much so there are drivability downsides. Modern exotics are addressing these to the point that they can be daily driven

 

Many don't know, but many esential parts like sensors from first 1989 Diablo are same as those used in Murcielago; Fuel injectors, MAP sensors, trottle position sensors and so on.

You also have to consider age with Testarossa if you compare it to Murcielago, seals and gasket do age along with oxidisation with electricals and that is much to do with how car is stored and used.
Testarossa is as trouple free as is Murcielago, if you change; differential, fusebox and AC transistor. Along with someone to see that Jetronic work like it should and change sparkplugwires, that both are afected from age.
But there is that belt change thing you can't excape... But how often you thing Murcielago coolant, brakefluid and other service is done, if you do not need to, specially when car got more age and drop away from regular maintanence, as many do, so it is much to do with how car is kept.

 

"Do not go older like the Diablo. If it is not driven at least once a week they begin to miss and must be taken to a dealer. My good freind has one in his car collection and has had no problems with the car. But they are finicky cars, just as the old ferraris were."




????? where did you base this assumption from, the Diablos are literally the work horse of the Lambo, that engine is fantastically sound.

The Diablo is a very good, dependable, rugged Supercar.
I have seen many times a Diablo take punishment that would cripple others.

 

2WD conversion greatly improves clutch life.

The physical size of the clutch is MUCH smaller on a V12 Lambo than a Corvette or 911.

I think they hold up well when driven properly.