Used car buying guide: Lamborghini Gallardo

It had a light but stiff aluminium spaceframe, aluminium panels and a mid-mounted 5.0-litre V10 powering all four wheels on demand via a six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed E-gear paddle-shift auto. In 2005, along with the engine upgrade, the gearbox ratios were shortened and the suspension made sportier. In 2007, the lightened Superleggera arrived with a 523bhp V10.

Nice, but Ferrari’s F430 begged a more serious response and in 2008 it arrived in the form of the Gallardo LP 560-4, a much-revised model powered by the aforementioned 552bhp 5.2 V10. Lighter and with uprated suspension, it breathed fresh life into the Gallardo, which now faced competition from closer to home in the form of the Audi R8 V10 (now there’s a thought: today, a 70,000-miler is around £50,000).

The revived Gallardo spawned a multitude of derivatives, including the LP 550-2 Balboni, a rear-drive version with 536bhp and named for Lamborghini’s legendary test driver. In 2010, the Superleggera made a comeback, this time with 554bhp.

It and other rare spin-offs ensured the Gallardo would end its days in 2013 as easily Lamborghini’s best-selling car. Cue some great used car pickings, but beware the crazy gang.

How to get one in your garage: 

An expert’s view - MARK ROSE, HR OWEN:

“Gallardo prices are all over the place. The model is far more complicated to buy than anything else. We don’t deal with older ones much, but check for track-day use — feathered tyres, worn brakes, gravel stuck in panel gaps. Lots of Gallardos get vinyl wraps so check for paint nicks where it’s been de-wrapped. A surprising number have been clocked, so if the steering wheel is shiny or the driver’s seat bolster is worn but the odometer says 5000 miles, walk away. Check the seller has title to the car; being the keeper on the logbook is one thing, but who actually owns it? I’d buy a 2013 Superleggera LP570-4—around £115k in the trade but £140k retail.”

Buyer beware:

ENGINE - Early 5.0-litre engines are prone to oil pump problems, so have the compression and oil pressure checked. Some owners overfill the dry-sump engine, so dip and check. Engine management light can indicate overheating after disabling of exhaust noise reduction valves. Low-mileage cars can have sticking throttle bodies, causing the engine revs to ‘hunt’.

TRANSMISSION - Expect the auto’s action to feel a little sticky and some clutch slip. A new clutch is around £3000, including a new flywheel (a must). The auto ‘box can be interrogated with a laptop, which should reveal whether updates have been performed. Rare manuals can suffer cable stretch, but that’s all. 

SUSPENSION AND BRAKES - Front pads and discs get a hammering; ball joints, anti-roll bar bushes and track rod ends too. On post-2005 cars check optional front-end lift system works. Check handbrake holds.

BODY - Aluminium body is hard to fix so avoid dents. Side oil cooler vent seam corrosion not unknown. A stonechip- free nose is either protected with film or has been repainted; if the latter, check for ‘blow-over’ areas. Check side vents for stone chips. Non-functioning hood could be a simple solenoid fail.

INTERIOR - Most controls originate from Audi and are trouble-free. Trim is tough but Alcantara steering wheel can wear to a shine and driver’s seat side bolster look scabby.

Also worth knowing:

A properly applied paint protection film on the nose and rear cooling ducts is almost invisible. It needs shaping before application so check for edges lifting and cut marks in the paint where fitters have, literally, cut corners.

How much to spend:

£50,000-£69,995 - CoupeÃs to 05-reg and 60k miles; manuals most expensive. And a 46k- mile, 07-reg 520bhp Spyder for £66k.

£70,000-£79,995 - Early coupeÃs with 35k miles. Also an 09-reg, 38k-mile Spyder auto for £73k.