I am planning to trade it in with an 06 Gallardo . Is it worth it? I hope i wont regret it so i need your opinions!

 

Heck no! I had a chance to test drive a Gallardo Superleggera and IMHO, it's not worth it. The 997TT is a much better overall car.

 

When I went car shopping a couple of months ago, I drove both an 07 Gallardo Spyder and the 997TT. I felt that the Gallardo had much more of a "wow" factor - in both looks and sound. The Gallardo just looks great and the exhaust note is near Ferarri perfect. It is also a great performer - really fast and exciting. I drove the eGear version. The Gallardo has an incredible gear shift ratio. The car seems to get stronger as it moves through the gears and shifts with reckless abandon. During the test drive - which lasted about 10 minutes - there were several times that I thought the clutch was going to fall out of the car and be left on the street behind us. Bottom line is that the Gallardo is a great car with stunning, impactful looks and sound. They were asking $220,000 firm for a 07 Spyder like I drove. I was prepared to step up and pay what they asked but felt like I needed to try some of my other dream cars first.

After driving the Gallardo, I went to the Porsche dealership and drove the 997TT in manual. I was suprised to find that it felt faster than the Gallardo but with a much more refined type of speed. Definitely less aggressive, but faster with a smoother feel. The 997TT doesn't have the eye-popping look of the Gallardo and we all know that the stock exhaust note is just plain weak in the 997TT. In the end, however, I was just as impressed with the 997TT from a performance standpoint and I never felt like I was going to lose engine parts from pusing it. And if I did, I knew that the parts would be in stock and I could be back on the road in a hurry.

I really don't think you can go wrong with either car. You will get a lot more attention from onlookers if you go with the Lambo and a whole bunch of exclusivity. One problem with the 997TT is that only car people recognize that it is something more than a run-of-the-mill 911. But that is also part of its charm for me. It is a bit of a sleeper.

I never felt like I would be comfortable driving the Gallardo every day. The Porsche felt like a daily driver but with all the performance of the Gallardo. So I purchased the 997TT (and saved a tidy $70,000 in the process). I have not regretted it for a single day. I see Gallardos every day here in the OC. I don't feel a minutes remorse over passing up buying one.

In a perfect world you could have both. Life is short.

That's my 2 cents - for what it's worth.

Good luck.

 

One thing I tell people when considering it, is get there and look past the awe factor/hype, you can easily buy a car like that based on its looks alone then not be happy with it. IMO the interior left me wanting a lot more out of that type of car, was way too heavy feeling for me but yet so planted, lots of gripes. Both are awesome.

 

I guess in the end, you have to ask yourself, exactly what you're looking for. What's wrong with the 997TT for one thing. Are you bored with it already?

 

Gallardo is an awesome car. I looked at it too before deciding to get another TT. It's definately got the bling factor. Performance wise, I think the TT is much better with the opportunity to tune it for even more. The problem I found with the Gallardo was that the bling factor was too much for me. Maybe too much attention from people you don't want attention from (police).

 

I have always been a huge gallardo fan. I have sold over 20 but I have to say after selling and modding the 997TT i have switched sides. There is NOTHING like a 997tt with full werks package pushing 680HP NOTHING!!!! That being said people will always look at a gallardo over a 997. If your in it for the wow factor a lambo if your in it for the pleasure of the car then the 997tt is the way to go.

 

Who needs a Gallardo when you have 680HP in a car that looks like this......... WERKS KIT with Uberballer Wheels!

 

Not that i am bored with it i mean, the TT is an amazing car to be driven in. But i need something more into the looks, and the sound. Since i don't track the car often i might as well get a car that has the looks you know. I just need to choose the right decision, i don't want to regret it because my TT is one of a kind here so..

 

If you want to show off get the Lambo...

But if your a hardcore PORSCHE guy like me that would rather have a 100% GERMAN Built bet I'd stay with the TT.......The Italian Pasta Rockets are POS...IMO for reliability. But if you wanna pick up a nice chick at the club that a different story, But hey bro its your $$$$$$.

 

This is a very honest response and I can't really argue with it. The Gallardo does have a more stunning look and sounds better.

I have never owned an Italian exotic so I can't speak from experience regarding reliability. But I know many who own them - both regular one-car owners and those with multiple-car collections - and they all say basically the same thing: know what you are getting into when you buy one. One of my friends said it very well when he likened it to a marriage - you have to love the car "for better or for worse, in sickness and in health." The Lambo is going to give you trouble now and then and no fix is cheap or easy on that car. The 06 in particular had clutch trouble on the eGear. I heard that they were only lasting 5,000 miles and were a $6,000 fix and a 3-week job. In fact, a guy who works with me every day had that very experience with his 06. Drove him nuts too. Check out the pic below from the same clutch job on a Murcielago. The pic comes from an EVO Magazine article on the clutch failure issue. They have to extract the ENTIRE engine just to get at the clutch. Not pretty. But if you know that these things are part of ownership going in, then they won't hit you so hard. Just know what you are getting yourself into beforehand. Buying one is a commitment - both emotionally and financially.

That's why I think you should have both. I'm totally serious. I don't know your situation and don't know what you can afford. But if you could keep the 997TT for a little longer, save up and have both cars, then you wouldn't be too concerned if the Lambo has a few mechanical issues here and there because you can just hop in the 997TT and go. Sell the BMWs and the Benz while your at it - i think you have moved passed those by now (unless you are like me and have three kids to take to school. Hell, I still have a Honda minivan!) I think a natural progression is to get a car like a 997TT - that has rock solid German reliability with Italian exotic performance - then get into the Italian exotic cars. I fully intend on owning both Ferraris and Lambos in the future. And I can't wait!

But whatever you do, I am sure you won't regret it. Either car is great. And if you are looking to draw attention to yourself and get a lot of questions about your car, the Gallardo will not disappoint. Riding around with one of my friends in his black on black LP640 is truly an experience.

Let us know what you decide. And, maybe let us know exactly what Gallardo package your are considering - specs, color, MSRP, etc.

 

Both are amazing cars. The 997 turbo is faster, the Gallardo is meaner. I have both and if I had to chose which one to keep it would be the Gallardo, no doubt.

If you avoid pre-MY06 you will be fine. I have a MY07 with E-gear and the car now has 27.500km
There hasn't been a problem with the clutch whatsoever.

 

Both are great cars. I have to ask though, since you are only 19 are you not worried that before the age of 20 you will soon have nowhere to go in terms of cars to aspire for?

 

I say do it!!

997TT will be facelifted, new direct injection (and HP bump) and potentially availability of PDK...too many changes IMO to hold on to it if you are adamant about getting rid of it (i.e. sooner = better)

Besides, I test drove a 997TT (have an order for a PDK) and felt that the Gallardo was better....TT was too soft for my taste (although aftermarket suspension can fix that)
Gallardo definitely better on the looks/sound dept.

My 0.02 and no flames please....(it did say I have an order for the never-coming PDK!!)

 

Die Hard Porsche owner/guy here.
Hate to tell ya this, as great as a 911 is, it's no exotic!
Potentially faster, yes. Better DD, yes. Rare and Exotic NO!
If you haven't owned one, you will never understand

Buy an '06 or newer. There are several low mileage SE's on the market that you should consider.
Best of luck!