Lamborghini Aventador buying guide

The original LP 700-4 was unveiled in 2011 with 700 PS, about 691 SAE horsepower. CarsCounsel says 2012 and 2013 cars call for care because of early recalls and harsher suspension tuning. PistonHeads is warmer toward 2013, suggesting those cars strike the best compromise between price and dependability, provided every module upgrade has been done. Cars for sale are on the LP 700-4 page.

The SV ran from 2015 to 2017 with 750 CV and was around 50 kg lighter than the LP 700-4. Production was 600 Coupes and 500 Roadsters, and Car Collector International calls the SV blue-chip. CarsCounsel names the 2016 SV as the track-focused choice, with the sound deadening stripped out. Listings are on the SV page.

The Aventador S (2017 to 2022) was the mid-life refresh, with revised aerodynamics and four-wheel steering. CarsCounsel puts the 2017 to 2022 S and SVJ years at the top of its list for better steering and software, and picks the 2018 S as the best of the lot. The S and SVJ also introduced the LDVI control unit, which sharpened traction control and transmission mapping.

The SVJ (2018 to 2021) has 770 CV and ALA 2.0 active aerodynamics, with 900 Coupes and 800 Roadsters. The Ultimae (2021 to 2022) is the most powerful Aventador at 780 CV, with 350 Coupes and 250 Roadsters. Car Collector International says the SVJ, its Roadster and the Ultimae head the market for limited-run Aventadors. See the SVJ and the Ultimae.

ISR gearbox failure

PistonHeads says the single-clutch ISR could fail entirely, most often on 2012 cars with a leaking seal. Factory software updates and better fluids improved it over the years, and a new ECU went into 2013 models.

Clutch wear

The single-clutch transmission can wear its clutch early in stop-and-go traffic, and it shifts harshly at low speeds. Replacement is a large bill, covered under costs.

Fuel system recall

A 2017 recall covered 2012 to 2017 cars: with a full tank, gasoline may reach the exhaust, and dealers upgrade the evaporative emissions system. CarsCounsel says buyers of 2012 cars must confirm the fuel flange recall was done.

Engine stall

A 2018 recall covered 2012 to 2018 cars that might stall when the pedal is released below 2000 rpm during an automatic downshift. Updated engine software is the fix.

SVJ and SV recalls

NHTSA records a 2018 to 2021 SVJ Coupe recall for hood hinge screws that may loosen, which could let the hood detach at high speed. Wheel centering bolts are a separate case: that campaign covers 2015 to 2016 SV cars, though CarsCounsel files the problem under the SVJ.

Electrical glitches

Early cars occasionally showed flickering instrument clusters and infotainment freezes, according to CarsCounsel.

Engine bay heat

The V12 gives off a lot of heat, and PistonHeads advises against parking over dry grass.

CarsCounsel calls routine maintenance extremely expensive: an oil change runs to hundreds of dollars, major services to thousands, and a clutch replacement tops ten thousand dollars.

Open Labor Project estimates five-year ownership of a 2022 6.5L V12 at $50,350, about $10,070 a year in maintenance labor at $150 an hour. The Aventador price guide shows what the cars themselves cost, which is a separate budget from this one.

Find a 2017 to 2022 S or SVJ, the years CarsCounsel favors. A 2013 LP 700-4 is the alternative, but only with proof every module upgrade was done, which is PistonHeads' condition. Treat a 2012 car as a risk until the fuel flange recall is documented.

Car Collector International would rather you own a thoroughly documented car in a popular specification than a worn example of a rarer model. Pair that with a clutch-life reading, a look at the carbon-ceramic discs and a check that every recall is closed.