The Alfa Romeo Spider is one of those cars that has been recommended to me by people who have never owned one and warned against by people who have. The truth is somewhere in the middle.

The Alfa twin-cam engine is one of the great small-displacement performance engines of its era. It sounds remarkable, revs freely, and when properly maintained delivers a driving experience that few similarly-sized engines can match. The emphasis on 'properly maintained' is not a minor caveat — it's the entire discussion.

Alfas require maintenance. Not extraordinary maintenance — timely maintenance. An Alfa that has been serviced on schedule with quality parts is reliable. An Alfa that has been deferred and compensated is a project. Find a car with documented service history and you'll enjoy every mile.