Saleofcar.com :Alfa

Alfa Romeo Spider (1986)
for sale

Price: US $7,500.00

Description:

Just in time for some spring and summer sunshine, get ready to drop the top! For sale is a really nice 1986 Alfa Romeo Graduate. This 2-door, 5-speed convertible is on the road running and is inspected through August. It turns heads every time I take it out! It's got less than 60, 000 original miles and rides like a dream! Note that while the mileage is at 58, 111 at the time of this writing, I am still driving it so the mileage is subject to increase a bit.
If you're reading this, you probably know a thing or two about Alfas already and you're looking for the story on this particular Alfa. Here's the deal:
My uncle has been restoring cars for years and years. He's mostly done MG's and he has a stunning Morris that he's won at lots of car shows with. But this Alfa was like his baby for many years. Lots of other cars came and went -- but he held onto this one as it was reliable, fun to drive, and got a lot of attention. Anything that was done to the car was done right -- he was very picky about where he got parts and in trying to keep the car as true to original as possible.
That said, the car was a project when he found it. The original color was white, but he wanted it red, so the car was painted. He was careful to get the paint codes and get the car painted in the proper color that was available in the year it was made. He took it apart piece by piece to have it painted properly. Most people looking at it would never know that red wasn't the original color. As the car was originally white, the wheels were red. He felt like that was too much, so he painted the wheels black.
The interior of the car is in excellent condition for the age. There isn't a rip or tear in either seat. The carpet is good and the interior plastics are all intact and looking great. The stereo is not original and there are two wires running to a box with speakers behind the seats, but this could obviously be changed.
The car starts immediately every time and runs great. The top is relatively new and in good condition. The rear window isn't very clear, but that's the case on almost any convertible top. It's a joy to drive -- it handles well, stops like it should, and always gets a smile.
All that said, the car is almost 30 years old and isn't a show car at the moment. I make a strong effort to describe everything I sell accurately, so here are the imperfections as I see them:
1) There is minor bubbling starting on the front fender as shown in the picture. I've kept the car garaged and he did also, so it's still in pretty good condition, but it's worth noting.
2) There is a little bit of scratching on the back of the car behind the top from a hard top that my uncle had installed on the car. There are also a couple of rock chips on the hood. I've taken close ups of the 3 noticeable rock chips on the front hood. There is also a small (less than half an inch) white scratch on one fender. I'm being particular -- the car is 29 years old and overall looks better than the much newer vehicles I drive on a daily basis.
3) The blower operates, but it's very loud. I don't drive it in the winter and in the summer I keep the top down, so I haven't been worried about it.
4) On a drive near the end of the fall, I noticed that the top is a little noisy. I don't know if that's just the fact that I hadn't driven it with the top up in so long or if something needs to be adjusted. Like I said, the top is in terrific condition -- no rips or tears. Perhaps it just needs a small adjustment. Perhaps it's nothing at all -- again, I'm trying to be thorough.
5) The speedometer isn't going all the way down to 0. It sticks between 5-10mph when you slow down. As soon as you get over that point, it records speed accurately. It also records miles accurately on the odometer -- I've checked. I've not looked into this at all because I don't really need to know whether I'm going 2mph or 5mph. As long as it shows my speed when I'm out on the road (and it does), that's all that has mattered to me.
6) The original locks had to be replaced -- I can't recall why my uncle said they had to be replaced. At any rate, there is a separate key for the doors from the ignition key. I obviously have both and copies.
Apart from those things, this car is a great vehicle. It is stored in the garage right now and is available for an inspection/test drive any time -- there is almost always someone at the house available even if I'm not available at the exact time you'd like to look at it. We can make it work.
Note that while this car has treated me very well, it is 29 years old and is for sale AS-IS, WHERE-IS -- with no warranty. I wouldn't hesitate to drive this car wherever I needed to go. I've had it on the road for as much as 3 hours at a time with no issues. My uncle had the car for many years and told me that it never once left him on the side of the road.
I am happy to provide more pictures of anything you need -- please don't hesitate to ask.
The NADA Guides high retail on this car is $13, 500 and climbing each year. Average retail is $8, 850. I'm pricing it at $7500 OBO. If you continue to take care of this car, it's value will only rise over time. It is a fantastic automobile that is a joy to drive.
A $500 non-refundable deposit is due via PayPal within 48 hours, with the balance to be paid within 7 days via cashier's check or cash in person. I am happy to help with shipping arrangements, but the cost associated is the buyer's responsibility. The car can be picked up at your leisure, but needs to be paid for within 7 days or the sale will be canceled and the car re-listed. Please be prepared to buy when making an offer -- thanks!
Please also feel free to message me with any questions prior to buying. Thanks for looking!

_{update: 2015-05-23}