1989 Alfa Romeo Graduate Spider Convertible Roadster

1989 Alfa Romeo Spider Graduate Description

Selling this car for a friend. He relates:

Meet Lucia. She has been in my family for 27 years! 40thbirthday looming, my sister, an art teacher with an eye for style, had to make a decision: facelift or Alfa Romeo. She cleverly surmised that if she drove the Alfa fast enough... she could have both so in the Spring of 1990 she purchased Lucia in Dearborn Michigan with 10,125 miles accrued. She enjoyed the car primarily in summer and garaged it in the winter. In late 2008 the car was handed down to me to drive in California with 58,418 miles.Lucia has always been a weekend car for me, she'sdriven locally and the top has pretty much stayed down on my watch.

If you've neverdriven an Alfa Spider - it is an experience like no other. The car was designed by the legendarycoachbuilder Pininfarina so the lines of the body are sensual and classic. The interior is driver-oriented and elegant. Equippedwith a 2-liter double overhead cam engine, the car's performance is spirited and always puts a smile on my face.The car has an occasional buck and surge off the line and could use some expert tuning but once underway it is terrific.Like many older Alfas, second gear can be a bit fussy but works fine aslong as you're gentle.

The car'sexterior is in great shape. I believe it hasnever been in an accident.Rust issues are common with these cars and Lucia has some spots, but because dodged winter for so many years she was spared for the most part. The only significant rust I've found is on the top of the right front fender, the right rear fender lip and the left lower rocker panel (all pictured). A look at the bottom of the car (see below) shows this car to be quite solid.Theglass in the car is all factory.

Inside Lucia is pretty sweet. The seats are in great shape with no rips or tears. The dash is also in great condition with no fading or cracking. The carpeting is a bit aged and faded but that comes with use – especially with the top down. The speedometer and odometer stopped working in 2015. While that was almost 2 years ago, this is a weekend car for me I only drive locally. Although the miles are not accurate, the car's actual mileage isn’t much higher than shown.

Tunes are supplied by Blaupunkt but there is a glitch (let’s call it a security feature) that requires you to input a code each time you go for a drive. Code supplied with Lucia.

Great stuff like the original owner’s manual, repair manual and Alfa Romeo tool kit are included. Also included are maintenance documents that date back to when sis owned the car.

I have recently replaced both fuel pumps and the fuel filter.

Lucia is not perfect but she’s been my weekend partner in crime for many years. I hate that I have to let her go but heath issues force us to part. There are more good things about the car than not but she is not without issues. Here are a few things that stand out:

-Convertible top needs to be replaced.

- Speedometer and odometer stopped working in 2015

- Passenger door only releases from the inside

- Passenger seatbelt will not extend

- The car is equipped with air conditioning but is not working

- Back-up lights are not working

- Radio requires a code to work

- There is some creaking in the suspension up front – the car can be driven as is but some attention to front suspension might be in order.

- The right outside mirror was broken off a few years ago and has been glued back together.

- The Alfa wheel covers currently on the car are securedwithwrap ties. Functional but not elegant.

- There is a bit of bucking and surging off the line unless you rev her over 2,000 rpm.

I hope to find a good home for her with an owner that be a good custodian and perhaps give her the attention I’m not able to. Take it from me – life is better when you drive an Italian car!

Terms:

This car is in great used condition - however it is a 28 year old automobile that has been driven and enjoyed. I have done my best to represent it accurately. The winner of the auction is purchasing it as-is - no warranty is offered. The buyer is responsible for local pick-up and/or transport of the vehicle. I reserve the right to end the auction early as the car is for sale locally. Payment should be a bank-issued cashier's check or wire transfer. A $500 deposit is due within 24 hours after the auction. Balance must be settled within 7 days. Please ask all questionsbeforethe auction ends.