Re: Newbie questions on Spider

[Scott Fisher <sefisher@domain.elided>]

Ken Ross, contemplating entering the world of Alfas, writes:

> I am new to Alfa's and I am thinking of purchasing a spider
> convertible as my first Alfa.  Would someone be so kind as
> to answer the following questions:

So first of all, welcome (if a little prematurely) to the world of Alfa
ownership!  I've seen a few other answers to you already, so I'll only
chime in where I think I can offer a unique point of view.

> 2. What can I get for around $10K-$12K

At that price, you're pretty much at the top of the range for anything
from roughly the mid-1980s back.  This is a good thing, as it means you
can buy a finished, nice, complete Spider and just enjoy driving it,
rather than buying a marginal or restorable car and spend twice the
price diference bringing it up to spec.  I've done both (well, did the
restorable thing with the GT Junior and the buy-a-nice-one thing with
the Spider), and while they each have their strong points, it's much
easier just to buy a nice one and keep it up.

In general, I believe a better, older car (well maintained and/or
"restored," for some value of that vague and overused word) will be more
rewarding than a newer car in poorer condition.  The Spider FAQ (a URL I
reference below) talks about some of the differences between model
years.

> 4. What should I look for in purchasing a spider

Several of the web sites below include checklists.  In addition to the
technical issues, I sincerely recommend that you drive as many Spiders
as you can, and from as many different eras as possible.  Spiders differ
more from year to year than the curbside appearance alone might
indicate.  Each group of cars has its strengths and weaknesses, and one
of the nice things about Spiders is that you have so many variations to
choose among, from the simple, Sixties feel of the early cars to the
luxury-oriented details of the Nineties versions.

You may also be fortunate enough, as I was, to find some local club
members with really *nice* Spiders who will let you take them for a
drive (or at the very least, drive you around for a bit).  That'll 
let you get a feel for what they should be like, and will be your 
best armament in detecting Spiders that *aren't* what they should be.  
And that way, when you find the right one -- you'll know it.

A much shorter answer to all this would simply be: go drive a bunch of
cars, and when you find one that makes your heart sing, strike a deal
for it and do whatever you have to do to make it work for you.  The rest
is just rationalization, like explaining *why* you fall in love with
someone.  Oh, sure, maybe you're drawn to the way she is with kids or
you like the way his hair tousles on a windy day, but if you've ever
fallen really, completely, irrepressibly in love with someone, you know
that you fall in love first, and then later you rationalize behavior,
appearance and personality traits to make you think you're doing this on
purpose.  

> 5. Is the spider a good daily driver.

It is an *excellent* daily driver.  I think this past weekend is the
longest my '74 has gone without my driving it somewhere -- I dashed out
to bring home an impromptu Christmas Eve dinner last Friday and haven't
been out of the house since (in spite of getting a very spiffy leather
jacket for Christmas, which I've yet to try out :-).  When I say mine
is a daily driver, I'm very close to the literal truth: I use my
25-year-old Spider nearly every day, with rare exceptions.  Last week I
put 400 miles on it in one day, meeting my father for lunch and to
exchange Christmas gifts.  Top down all day long, faultless performance
all the way down 101 and back up, the day was simply glorious.  But
then, *every* day in the Spider can be that glorious, if traffic
permits.

The Spider has enough power to *more* than keep up with modern traffic,
and excellent brakes for when that modern traffic becomes *too* modern
and goes to a standstill in a few carlengths.  Because I live in the San
Francisco Bay Area, my top is down probably 90% of the time the car is
in motion, and the excellent heater keeps my feet and legs warm even
when it's in the forties (and with luck, that spiffy leather jacket will
take care of my arms and shoulders).  When it's wet, the top keeps out
the rain and makes the Spider a snug, comforting place to be protected,
and I particularly like the face-level vents at the sides of the dash
which allow me to keep fresh air blowing on my face when I have to run
the demister to clear the windscreen on rainy days. 

> 6. Someone recommended a Milano Verde instead of the Spider as 
> a daily driver; is this true?

I can't imagine the set of characteristics for which the Milano and the
Spider would be anything but complementary opposites.  The Milano is a
fast, comfortable sedan, capable of carrying four adults and luggage in
speed and elegance; the Spider is an open, classic sports tourer.  The
only things they share are the Alfa heritage, spark ignition, and rear
wheel drive.  Choosing one instead of the other is like choosing a dog
instead of a grapefruit.

The choice depends, of course, on what your daily routine consists of. 
If you need a car to pick up your wife and three grown children every
day, the Spider simply isn't it.  You need to know that before you shop.

Also, if your daily commute includes 100-degree-plus temperatures
(that's F, not C), you may want to focus on a later Spider with air
conditioning.  We have no more than eight or ten such days a year where
I live, so I do without it.  I'd rather drive with the top down in the
snow than in 100-degree heat, and yes, I *have* done that (in an older,
almost equally spiffy leather jacket and a different car).

> 7. Any good websites on the Spidyer?

Oh, lots!  The main place to go is here:

http://www.delanet.com/~sents/cgi-bin/ecsw.cgi?form_action=view_all_records

That URL includes Scott Johnson's pretty comprehensive Spider FAQ. 
Browse it, look at the differences from year to year, and bookmark it. 
There are also other worthwhile articles there by other people, and new
articles are added from time to time.

Join a club near you, for many reasons -- events, technical advice,
newsletters, classified ads, etc. North American Spider owners (or
imminent owners) need to know about the Alfa Romeo Owner's Club site:

http://www.aroc-usa.org/main.html

There's also the club I belong to, the Alfa Romeo Association, focused
around the San Francisco Bay Area:

http://www.speedquest.com/ara

It's a great resource for Alfa owners in the Bay Area, with an
*excellent* magazine and fun club activities including an autocross
series, a growing number of tours, and some exciting tech sessions in
recent months.

Another site I've got bookmarked is this one, which offers a list of
things to look for when buying a Spider:

http://hem.passagen.se/veloce/buy1.htm

I'll stop here -- going to AltaVista or Jeeves or your favorite search
engine will yield many, many Alfa sites.  Have fun.

One final observation: Alfas are unique in many ways, and many of your
assumptions about other cars, beyond the importance of checking the oil
and keeping gas in the tank, may not work as anticipated.  Alfas expect
the driver to learn their ways, to adapt to things as pervasive as the
relationship between pedals, seat and steering wheel (anyone who gripes
about the "Italian driving position" simply doesn't have the 
perseverance and intuition required to own an Alfa :-).  But they are 
*very* rewarding because of this -- like the difference between using 
an appliance and playing a musical instrument, Alfas give back in
proportion to the skill, expertise and dedication of the owner.

All the best of luck with your search, and let us know as you proceed in
your quest!

 -- Scott Fisher
    Sunnyvale, CA

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