At $12,500, Is This 1998 Alfa Romeo Spider Pretty Fly? (2024)

When today’s Nice Price or No Dice Spider was in development, Alfa Romeo fully intended to sell the car in the U.S. Financial difficulties saw the company pull up stakes in the States instead. Now, both Alfa and this Spider are here. Let’s see if this one was worth the wait.

A common meme on the Internet shows the picture of a man smiling nervously with the caption, “It Seems That My Get Rich Quick Scheme is Taking a Really Long Time.” That’s the problem with schemes, they often don’t go to plan. Such reality means that the 2001 BMW 530i we looked at yesterday might not be the solid investment opportunity touted by its seller. At $14,999, that was just too much of an initial investment, especially as the seller also warned the car had a number of niggling little issues needing attention. The result was a staggering 93 percent No Dice loss.

OK, seeing as we’ve had three cars in a row from the Portland, Oregon, Craigslist that all failed to find favor, I think it’s past time for us to move on. In fact, let’s take a look at a car that’s not only on the opposite side of the country but also appears to be a world traveler.

This 1998 Alfa Romeo Spider TS 16V is offered by a dealer in Bellingham, Massachusetts, which is interesting for a number of reasons. First off, this is a car that, while originally intended to make it to the U.S., never did so as Alfa was pulling out of the North American market the same year it was introduced.

The Spider and its GTV coupe sibling hit European roads in 1995 and stayed in production for a full decade after that. Based on a FWD platform originally developed by corporate parent Fiat for that company’s 155, both cars featured expressive Pininfarina styling and an unmistakable Alfa nose. The coupe offers 2+2 seating while the Spider shaves off the back two seats, making room for the retractable soft top.

Over the years, several engines found their way under the Spider’s clamshell hood, from 1.8-liter fours all the way up to the 3.2-liter Busso V6. This one splits the difference with a 2.0-liter featuring a 16-valve twin plug (hence the TS in the name) head. That makes around 155 horsepower, routed through a standard five-speed manual to the front wheels.

As these cars were originally intended for the American market, they offer many of the comfort and convenience features Americans expect, including A/C, power windows and locks, and power steering. And with Alfa back up to bat in the U.S. market, getting parts and service for the car shouldn’t be an ordeal.

That, and the Federal Government’s 25-Year Rule, means that a number of these cars are making their way to our shores. Considering how awesome they look, that can only be a good thing.

Based on a quick VIN search, this Spider looks to have made its way here in a batch of seven cars and trucks imported from Japan through the port of Baltimore in just January of this year. Some of its shipmates were a Suzuki Carry, a Toyota Land Cruiser, and an old Jimny.

It’s now made it all the way up to Massachusetts, where it’s being dealer-offered with a clean title and just 48,464 miles on the clock. Neither the Craigslist ad nor the dealer’s listing offers a close-up shot of the car’s instrument cluster, allowing us to confirm if those are actually miles or, considering the car’s origin, kilometers.

Overall, this Spider looks to be in very nice condition. The silver metallic paint seems to be without issue, and the convertible top, while a bit rumpled, appears intact. The cabin shows some indication of the famous Alfa build quality, with a poorly fitting airbag cover on the passenger side and some wavy-gravy plastics throughout. An aftermarket stereo head unit has found its way into the dash, and the steering wheel has an awkwardly-stitched cover. Other than those blemishes and a bit of wear on the seats, it all seems extremely serviceable and without major issues.

Of note, there seem to be Japan-market stickers on the doors and dash. That’s a quirky little detail that a new owner might wish to keep. No mention is made of the car’s mechanical condition, but a poke under the hood shows a clean engine compartment with only some weird sealant on the intake to call into question. What might someone pay for such an interesting and obviously fun little car?

According to the dealer, $12,500 is a fair deal for this Spider. The ad claims that international shipping could be arranged, so you foreign folks can play along as well. What do you think about this Alfa Spider and that $12,500 price? Does that seem like as good a deal as the seller touts? Or, for that much, do you expect a Busso under the bonnet?

You decide!

Bellingham. Massachusetts, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.

H/T to whatsupdohc for the hookup!

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