USED Alfa Romeo Spider Open (96 - 04)

The Spider is a soft-top sports car that has great looks and sounds great. Older cars in good condition can now be bargain buys, but beware of costly insurance and repair bills. The owners' club can offer advice and recommend specialist garages, but Spiders are quite rare, so you’ll have to scout about to find one.

The quick steering and raspy engines are tempting, but Spiders ride harshly and worn parts can make them feel vague and unpleasant to drive. The body shimmies and shakes more than the GTV coupe on which it's based.

The cabin looks cheap, although Alfa improved it in 2003, and there will probably be rattles, while the seats go shabby unless you buy a model with a leather interior. It's only a two-seater but, even so, space isn’t that generous inside and the boot is small.

As far as engines go, you can choose between a four-cylinder 150bhp 2.0 and a 3.0 V6 that delivers 218bhp. The smaller engine is more common and will serve you best.

The 3.0 sounds great and is very quick, but has more power than its chassis can handle. The 2.0 is more of a match for the car, and since it is the same engine you’ll find in the 156 and many other Alfas, getting spare parts should be no problem.

There are just two trims, Turismo and Lusso. All have twin front airbags, anti-lock brakes, air-con and alloy wheels, and all have manual gearboxes. Lusso models are worth buying for their leather seats.

Plenty of owners imported Spiders from 1999-2002, when they were far cheaper abroad than UK dealer-supplied cars. Make sure any import is as well equipped as a UK model. If it isn’t, it will be hard to resell later at its full value.

Older Spiders are cheap to buy, but will need major work to keep them going. They will also probably be rusty. Buying the newest and the best you can find will pay in the long term, but even on these check the history and the car match up. The hood must be in good shape, too, because they cost a fortune to replace.

None will be cheap to insure, although the 2.0 models fall into group 17, saving on the 3.0’s group 20. Annual servicing is expensive, and it’s also wise to change the engine’s cambelt every three years or 36,000 miles. Spares are reasonably priced, and using one of the many non-franchised specialist garages will save on main-dealer prices.

Official fuel economy figures promise up to 30mpg for the 2.0 and 24mpg for the 3.0, but don't expect to hit these figures in everyday driving.

A full service history is a must because neglect can cause oil to clog the 2.0 engine. Cambelt changes are needed every 36k miles or three years, although Alfa says it's only necessary every 72,000 miles/six years. If neglected, the belt can slip or snap. Rear suspension bushes wear and, if the resultant clonking is ignored, this can damage the linkage and arms, tripling repair costs.

Look out for faulty or damaged hoods: the electric opening system must be A1. Also check the alloy wheels, as they can become porous, so that tyres lose pressure. And, if you'r elooking at a 1990s' car, check it has a red-topped master key in addition to the blue-topped one. Without it, duplicates cannot be made, and replacing it is expensive.

Rust affects the rear deck where metal joins glass, and also under the rear arches. If it is visible, it is serious. Repairs are possible, but will be expensive.

Torn or frayed seats will cost more than you’d guess to fix.