QuestionI am thinking of buying an 86 Spider. Is this vehicle worth my trouble or would I be buying a money pit which is not reliable to drive to work each day. My commute is 100 miles round trip mostly interstate driving in the Southeast of the USA. I really love the look of this car and it's design but having done some research it looks like a money pit. Any advice you can impart would be helpful in making a decision. Thanks Dan.
AnswerAn Alfa-Romeo has quite advanced engineering that the typical American
mechanic is not capable of dealing with properly. These vehicles are
reliable when cared for by an experienced mechanic. Following the
maintenance schedule results in a reliable vehicle. However, because
of the advanced engineering parts are stressed more than the typical
road vehicle. That said, by the mid 80's all the problems are known
and the cures readily available.
By the way, the use of Bosch electronic fuel injection did much to make
these vehicles truly reliable. The second gear sycho will crunch and
fixing it does not work long term. So the shift into 2nd should be done
slower than other gears. The rear suspension is really great for keeping
the rear wheels properly planted but the bushings need to be looked after.
This is critical to check before purchase.
Remember that any advanced automobile requires more maintenance than commuters
are used to.
However, driving an Italian car is more fun than driving a car from any other
country...
