Newbie Spider driver needs advice

["Bruce Cannon" <brucecannon@domain.elided>]

Hello all:

I am brand new (1 week) to Alfas, with an 88 Graduate (65k mi., garaged,
well maintained).  I have only owned British American and Japanese cars, and
realise that I have to make allowances for the very different natures and my
commensurate ignorance, but my car feels truly terrible.  The steering feels
loose (need to concentrate to keep lane centered on the freeway) and has
INCHES of play at about 45 deg either way.  While it corners tight and flat,
it shimmies crazily (side to side) on bumpy roads.  Up on the rack all four
wheel bearings are audibly loose (clonk clonk).  The car stops well, but the
pedal is spongy, no feel. The car goes like a rocket, but I don't feel in
control enough to drive it at the speeds it wants to go.

All in all, I expected a tight, powerful, in-control kind of experience, but
feel like I got a kind of scary one.  My seat-of-the-pants analysis said I
need wheel bearings, shocks, springs and a brake flush, minimum.

Took it to a highly recommended Alfa mechanic yesterday who gave it a
thorough inspection and literally laughed at me.  He said he'd take my money
if I wanted but that the car was in great shape, didn't need anything.  Said
that everything I complained about was supposed to be like that ["steering
play is an artifact of gearbox design and only occurs at the locks, front
wheel bearings need to be a bit loose for expansion during braking, the
clonking in the rear wasn't bearings but an inherent part of the axle
mechanism, springs and shocks are fine"].

Said I needed to get used to the cars, that unlike almost all other cars
they are closer to racing machines than taxis; that their radically
different design goals result in the things I noticed.  Said that lots of
people try to change those characteristics but only manage to screw up a
carefully designed machine.  Said absolutely don't get lowering springs or
stiffer springs or stiffer shocks.  The only things he'd recommend would be
alloy wheels and Michelins.

The reason I'm writing is that while I'd love to believe all that I still
find driving it unsettling.  I'm currently practicing pretending I have
confidence in the car and am learning to drive it fast, but it's tough
going.

I'm seeking any input more experienced Spider drivers care to offer.

Thanks,

Bruce Cannon

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