1987 Alfa Romeo Spider Graduate review from North America
"An inspiring Italian throwback"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The rubber hose to the airflow meter came loose, causing poor idle. It was an easy fix with a screwdriver that I could complete myself in less than a minute.
The dash has cracked from sun exposure. I have covered it with a dash cap, which is a less-than-ideal (but extremely affordable) solution.
Considering the terrible reputation these cars have for reliability, I have found this Bosch-injected car to be extremely reliable and it has been a faultless daily driver for almost two years now.
General comments?
If you want a Spider, but are afraid of reliability, buy a well maintained Bosch-injected car (1982 or later). The only things that cripple these cars are lack of maintenance and sitting idle, but if you take good care of it and drive it regularly, it will be a remarkably good car.
This is not a particularly quick car by modern standards, but it FEELS quick, which is every bit as nice.
The handling is inspired, and the Spider rewards a skilled driver with the ability to run seriously quickly on a winding road.
Shift VERY slowly into second gear, or better yet, double-clutch the shifts. The transmissions are very weak, and a ham-fisted driver will destroy the synchros in a matter of months.
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  | This car provides a lot of smiles per mile! |
| Ideal yuppie weekend cruiser |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.0L twin cam Manual |
| Performance marks | 8/10 |
| Reliability marks | 9/10 |
| Comfort marks | 3/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 69000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 83000 miles |
| Previous car | Mercedes-Benz W123 |
| Date of Entry | 3rd January, 2003 |