If Porsche ownership is the proverbial litmus test to tell if a man is overcompensating, the decision to own a Lamborghini is how you know that the lobotomy was a success. When you realize that now even you can indulge in the crazy with this project Lamborghini Murcielago, the only question left is: Is it worth it?
This 2002 Lamborghini Murcielago is a big-ass, loud-ass, fast-ass car made in Italy, with a little help from Germany. It has an enormous naturally aspirated V12 engine that makes a sound like God’s garbage disposal, and unlike its destined-for-exotic-rental-fleet cousins, this one has a third pedal, a gated shifter, and six forward gears that you can switch manually. However, not all is well in cheap Lambo land. This car was in an accident that damaged the front end. To remedy this, an LP670 SV body kit was added, but the car does need some work. Having said that, if the structure is sound and parts can be sourced, this would be the cheapest modern manual V12 Lamborghini for sale online today.
Make no bones about it: there are thick black marks against the purchase of this car. The front airbag did deploy, and there may be underside frame damage in an untold state of repair or disrepair. The car rolls, but no detail is given as to if it runs, drives, and turns by itself. It’s not exactly a gamble, but I’d be cautious, especially with something this high-strung of a motor. Here’s an excerpt from the description, along with several pictures before the painting of the car to match the newer LP670:
At this point, the car still needs 10k of repair at the shop to be ready + parts worth estimated $1500-3000. The 10k includes brand new leather interior and other things in need, such as window mech in driver door, driver side front suspension needs a few parts, Dash board is out for getting new leather on it. Rubber bands at door openings. Passenger side door shock is missing. The car needs many of small items to be ready.
Having known a person with a frame damaged Lamborghini and knowing the upward trend in the market of these cars, I can’t say that writing off such an iconic and inherently valuable car is a smart move from a value standpoint. Although this car probably does need more than the $10k in bodywork that the seller so confidently claims, it’s worth a second look if you’re serious about buying one of the last V12 manual italian supercars made for a discount. It’s far from a no-brainer, but it’s a crazy man’s dream in the best case, so why the hell not?
Tavarish is the founder of APiDA Online and writes about buying and selling cool cars on the internet. He owns the world’s cheapest Mercedes S-Class, a graffiti-bombed Lexus, and he’s the only Jalopnik author that has never driven a Miata. He also has a real name that he didn’t feel was journalist-y enough so he used a pen name and this was the best he could do.
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