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.
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.
This was a very good review and analysis of the later BOSCH fuel-injected spiders. These cars must be maintained properly for them to perform well. Deferring maintenance on ANY Alfa Romeo is not wise. These are not jump in and drive cars. They require regular attention. If you're not willing or able to do that then an Alfa Romeo just may not be the car for you.
I have heard the same thing about owning a "classic" Fiat - that the cars should be treated as four cylinder Ferraris as far as maintenance. Owners need to be careful about upkeep and not treat them as "just another car".
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