# Miata vs. Alfa Spider



## The Roadstergal (Sep 7, 2002)

Well, this isn't a vs. in the sense of an automotive purchasing standpoint. They're different cars from different eras. But the Miata is a descendant of classic roadsters like the Alfa, and so both the '74 Alfa's owner (Greg, an E30 owner from our local club) and I were interested in how they compared.

Both cars have had a lot of work done on them, so this isn't a stock-to-stock comparison. Although we both have done suspension and engine work, my suspension has been more worked-over than his, and his engine more worked-over than mine.

Initial impressions from sitting in the thing - it's a marvelously comfy little car. It has a low beltline that allows me to put my arm on the sill (something the Miata preserved and many current roadsters have not). The wheel is real wood, silky-smooth to the fingers. The seats are plush, cushy leather. The gauges are huge and hooded (the Z4 gauges look like they were taken right off of these). On the con side, the seats don't have the bolstering of even the stock Miata seats, the shifter has throws that put 5th in the passenger's lap, and I felt a little nervous with only a lap belt. The A-pillar doesn't guide wind over the top of the cabin as well as the Miata's.

We took a little twisty drive. In the straights, the spider is well-composed and very comfy to ride. In the turns, its light weight is a definite advantage. It doesn't have the communicativeness of the Miata, though, and when it came time to stop - it doesn't have the brakes, either. It doesn't have modern emissions controls, so, to put it bluntly, it smells. It also backfires a little if you pull off of throttle abruptly.

In trunk space, it has me beaten easily. The long back end is almost all trunk.

It's rather cool to look at one of your ancestors, if you will, to see where you've come from. The Alfa has class, in spades. It's cool to see how well its suspension and rideability have kept, over the years. I think the Miata is a more than worthy successor, but you have to give the Alfa a lot of credit for what it was, and the classy machine it still is.


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## The Roadstergal (Sep 7, 2002)

More comparison. Sorry for the blurries.


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## The Roadstergal (Sep 7, 2002)

Exterior.


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## The Roadstergal (Sep 7, 2002)

I had to get a picture of "small car parking."


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## gojira-san (Mar 1, 2004)

Very nice writeup! Alfas are lovely cars; the look of the car (even with those "federalized" bumpers), and the sound of the engine winding up is great too!

Next you need to do a comparo of your Miata with a S2 Lotus Elan (which I always think of when I see the original Miata) :thumbup:


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## pdz (Nov 17, 2002)

what got me hooked on cars as a kid was a country ride in a spyder veloce in the amish area outside of lancaster, pa.

i love those cars. great on oil, too.

something like 1000 miles to the gallon?


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## Alex Baumann (Dec 19, 2001)

Cool pictures. 

Gotta love the Personal. Nardi is my other favorite, when it comes to classic steering wheels.


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## TeamM3 (Dec 24, 2002)

I'm surprised it's still in one piece, another con is they don't have the corrosion protection of todays vehicles, most rot from the inside out

certainly not as reliable or maintenance free either


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