1992 Alfa Romeo Spider S4

We are delighted to be offering for sale a 1992 Spider S4. It belongs to an Alfa enthusiast who owns a large number of cars from the famous Italian car maker. He’s the right person to buy this type of car from, as he has all the right connections to keep his vehicles in tip top order.

Let’s rewind to 2005 when the Spider first came into his life. Those were the carefree days before family life intervened and the car was driven extensively. Most memorable was a roof down trip to Italy, the highlight of which was time spent around the lakes.

Come 2011, more sensible everyday transport was needed, so the Spider was safely stored away. Come late 2021, and with more time on his hands, the Alfa was pressed back into service but not before some recommissioning by good friend Jamie Porter at the Alfa Romeo Workshop in Royston, Hertfordshire.

The work culminated in a full body respray earlier this year, with a little over £11,500 being spent. The car is now ready for new adventures and with some better weather surely not far away, this is a great time to plan ahead and be ready for the long hot summer we can surely hope for.

The Alfa spent some of its early years as a street parked London car, where it had picked up a few battle scars. The recent comprehensive repaint was a chance to deal with the minor imperfections and the result is really quite spectacular.

The £4,000 paid to classic car restorer Rob Hayes Cars was money well spent and the red paint positively sparkles. It is undoubtedly the best colour for a Spider.

A red hardtop accompanies the car and when fitted it turns the Alfa into a cosy coupe, ideal if you want to use the car in the depth of winter. Our seller has done so some years without issue.

The original alloy wheels look to be in fine shape and new Uniroyal tyres were fitted in 2021. Miles covered since are modest so they all have plenty of tread.

The hood is decent quality and though not replaced by our seller, he has looked after it, folding it away carefully when storing the car with the hardtop on. There are a few marks and creases, to be expected.

The lovely sand coloured interior has had much attention over the years. Not long after acquiring the car, new seat covers were fitted by Trimmania in Reading, and they are still in fine condition today. They are comfortable and figure-hugging too, ideal when you are driving the Alfa hard and fast, as its maker intended.

In 2021 a new carpet set was fitted along with replacement door trims.

The dashboard’s simple design is a delight, with just enough information available for the driver and no more. No radio is currently fitted though the wiring is in place should you be so inclined. The sound of that perky 2.0-litre at full chat would be enough for us.

The stubby gear lever falls easily to hand, ensuring each change is to be savoured, especially if one is perfecting a perfect heel and toe downshift.

The underside of the hood looks to be covered in mildew and would benefit from a professional clean. We suspect this is from being stored away for long periods.

When the hood is folded away, there is a tonneau cover that can be fitted for a neater look. This has some marks on it which may well clean off.

The boot is nicely carpeted and under the floor lurks a full-size spare. Tools are present and correct and at the back is the car’s battery, replaced in 2021.

A look at the pictures of the car’s underside should provide some reassurance that this is a car that has been well cared for in its life. There appears to have been plenty of protection applied, keeping the dreaded rust away.

We note that the Alfa Workshop carried out some repairs to sills and jacking points in April 2021, as part of the car’s initial recommissioning.

The engine bay looks to be in fine fettle, understandable considering the work that has been carried out over the last few years.

Our seller tells us that the car drives well and never fails to excite, no matter how humdrum the journey. We know he will miss it when it’s gone!

At this point it is probably worth pointing out what has been done to this classic Alfa over the last two years. In total over £11,500 has been spent by our conscientious seller. Work done includes:

· April 2021 – New clutch, battery, radiator and brake master cylinder. 4 new Uniroyal tyres fitted. New fuel sender and pump. Repairs to sills and jacking point (Alfa Workshop).

· July 2021 – Service and injector refurbishment (Alfa Workshop).

· October 2021 - New carpet set and door trims fitted purchased (Classic Alfa).

· November 2022 – Interior retrim (Alfa Workshop).

· February 2023 – Full body respray (Rob Hayes Cars)

All the invoices are displayed in our gallery.

There are many older invoices which are worth perusing, showing the work carried out earlier in the Alfa’s life.

There are an array old MoT certificates too, which document the cars modest mileage. The last test, carried out in May 2022 listed just one minor advisory for slight play in a rear wheel bearing. The odometer read 92,772kms which equates to 57,600 miles. This has now risen slightly to 93,104kms when our photographs were taken.

There is also a large collection of spare parts accompanying the car and these can be seen in the pictures.

By 1992, when our Alfa Romeo Spider S4 was produced, the small two-seater convertible sports car had almost disappeared. MGB, gone. Triumphs TR7 and Spitfire, extinct. Only the Japanese newcomer in the form of the MX-5 from Mazda was available.

Spider sales were by now modest in the UK and many of the cars sold here have now faded away.

Nothing could be further than the truth with our car! She has been carefully maintained and improved over the last couple of year by our knowledgeable owner and is now ready for exciting summertime adventures.

If you like what you have read and can see from our comprehensive picture gallery, then why not put in a bid? We expect the car to generate a lot of interest and will achieve a sale price of between £15,000 and £20,000.

Viewing is always encouraged. The car is located at our Abingdon headquarters; we are open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm and to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’