2007 Alfa Romeo Spider 2.4 JTDm turbo diesel

Summary:

Stunning grand tourer

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

Truly stunning, head turning car. I have had many positive comments and thumbs up from other drivers.

Excellent cruiser, must be compared against the bigger convertibles, as this isn't really a sports car.

Does handle well for a front wheel drive car, and there is a huge amount of grip; the car turns in very quickly.

Cabin is stunning, really beautifully built, looks great, real aluminium used throughout, very durable leather, really well equipped.

Performance is good; I have had my car remapped from 200 to around 250bhp, which is necessary to achieve enjoyable performance. The standard car is very torquey, and will keep up with most things mid gear. Mine is now quicker than my previous Cooper S, and still achieves over 40 mpg. I have touched over 47mpg on a couple of 100 mile + runs!

It has been perfectly reliable, needing servicing every 18k miles or 2 years. Dealers have been excellent and accommodating. I have never had a warning light, problem starting or any parts replaced under warranty.

I am thoroughly impressed by the car. Ignore all the Alfa reliability nonsense - try one... buy one.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 21st December, 2010

1992 Alfa Romeo Spider 2.0i 2.0 petrol

Summary:

On its day brilliant, needs patience at times

Faults:

Rotor arm failure in distributor cap.

Chassis rust requiring re-wielding.

Starter motor burn out.

Big bearing on #4 cylinder head wear requiring replacement and crank shaft replacement.

General Comments:

The car never fails to put a smile on my face.

Handles very precisely and pulls strongly above 4500rpm.

Looks fantastic and still turns heads everywhere.

Is hard work to drive slowly.

Not good if you are taller than 6foot.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 6th July, 2006

1990 Alfa Romeo Spider

Summary:

A fun car to drive

Faults:

The fuel pump was replaced at 15,000 miles.

The electric radio aerial needed replacing at 20,000 miles.

Apart from routine servicing the car has cost me nothing and has been very reliable.

General Comments:

The car drives and handles very well.

The convertible roof is manual and is simple to operate. I have raised and lowered the roof while stopped at the traffic lights.

The car has a galvanised steel body which has kept it rust free. Of course, keeping it in a garage helps too.

The trunk is enormous.

The seats are comfortable and the interior is well designed with a lockable glove compartment and extra storage pockets in the doors. I have completed many long journeys in this car all over Europe. I find that I never get tired driving this car. On poor road surfaces the ride can feel harsh, but this is the same for most sports cars.

The gearstick sticks out of the dashboard at a perfect height which is great for fast gear changes.

The 1990 - 1993 Alfa Spider , in my opinion, is one of the prettiest sports cars ever made. This 'series 4' Spider has power steering and Bosch fuel injection and can be used as an every day car. The car is excellent in traffic and has plenty of low down torque.

I recently changed the Alfa steering wheel for an expensive wooden steering wheel which looks great, but it has made the steering more heavy so I am thinking of changing it back.

The car battery in the 2 litre model is situated in the trunk and is held in place by a metal bar which you screw into place. This is a poor design and the battery can work itself free and disconnect. Thankfully this has only happened one time. In the 1.6 litre model the battery is stored in the engine compartment.

The rear diffrential can whine a little on Alfa Spiders.

This car is sometimes referred to as the 'Series 4' Spider and was only ever made in left hand drive.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 12th October, 2005