Lamborghini Murcielago

Running a Lamborghini can occasionally cause some embarrassing moments, such as foolishly reversing into a parked Clio outside a packed Leeds bar, or trying to look cool clambering out and then tripping over the doorsill. But recently I surpassed both of those examples when I found myself with a red face, buying seven large tubs of Vaseline from Boots - to daub over the Murcie's newly painted front end to temporarily protect it from stonechips, you understand. It was the idea of Tom Wakeford at Paintshield (01476 592777), the Grantham-based company I'd asked to cover the Lambo's front end with 3M's latest protective film. It worked too, the new paint surviving the journey along the grit-covered A1 unscathed. Paintshield did a superb job of applying the proper protection and it should be well worth the few hundred quid it cost if the film lives up to its claim to not yellow or turn opaque. The next day, Friday the 13th, certainly lived up to its reputation. Having been to an evo curry bash in Birmingham the evening before, I wasn't feeling on top form. Negotiating the tight exit ramp of the Novotel, I managed to introduce the newly painted and film-covered doorsill to a high kerb... Luckily I was heading south and had time to call at Lamborghini Wycombe, just off the M40, where ever-helpful service manager Alan Robb had the sill temporarily touched up while I had a coffee and drooled over the exotica in the workshop, including a Maserati MC12 and a Miura. My bad luck didn't end there, though. Not even two hours later, a lorry kicked up a large stone, cracking the windscreen so badly that it was impossible to continue driving. Lamborghini Assistance had a covered truck out within 90 minutes, whereupon the carrot-coloured beast headed back north, this time to Lamborghini Manchester where a new screen was fitted a couple of days later. While there, a new handbrake cable and rear light cluster (to replace one that kept steaming-up) were both fitted under warranty. Thankfully I only had to pay a £50 insurance excess for the screen, but I doubt Zurich were best pleased when they found out the cost. How does three grand grab you? With the trackday season almost upon us, the Murcie will soon be earning its keep again, giving 'hot laps' around Bruntingthorpe on 20 different dates this year. Fancy going sideways in the passenger seat with yours truly at the wheel? Or even a (slightly slower) couple of laps with me in the passenger seat for a change? Then give Julie Edmonds a call on 0870 990 9347.

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