Car enthusiasts typically chuckle and grin when the brand Alfa Romeo is the topic of conversation. The grin is for their perennially handsome looks and the chuckle for presumed reliability. However, the days of Dustin Hoffman’s Alfa Romeo are behind us. The brand has done something quite interesting in its U.S. resurgence that began nearly a decade ago. It mixed flair with reliability, particularly in their lone luxury convertible sports car: the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider.  

How reliable is the Alfa Romeo’s luxury convertible sports car?

Automotive analysis group iSeeCars gave the 4C a reliability rating of 7.6 out of 10. The score puts it in a tie for fourth with the Mini convertible with mass-market brands. Only Chevrolet’s Camaro, Ford’s Mustang, and Mazda’s Miata are above the Alfa Romeo 4C.

Regarding luxury convertible sports cars, Alfa may rank 9th out of 27th tested models, but it beats some stiff competition. The 4C is rated more reliable than many BMW, Jaguar, and Mercedes-Benz models. It even ranked higher than the Audi R8—said to be one of the most reliable luxury convertible sports cars ever made.

Alfa Romeo problems and reliability scores

Across the brand, a majority of Alfa’s problems seem to be electrical—a somewhat historical benchmark for them. Car Throttle quotes a 2020 survey stating that 28.6% of Alfa owners experience some fault with their vehicle. Approximately 37% of the issues are attributed to wonky electrics. Luckily, drivetrain issues were just 5%. While the percentages were influenced by Alfa’s other offerings, not just the 4C, the brand has a high fault rate. However, the Italian automaker has risen in reliability since its re-entrance into the U.S. a decade ago. Why is that?

It could be that Alfa Romeo is still trying to shake off its woeful build quality of yesteryear. Much of that is attributed to the hilariously terrible and rust-prone Alfasud from the 1980s. While America never got it, the damage it did to the brand’s reputation crossed the pond. But the company’s models, including the Alfa Romeo 4C, are ranking higher than comparable German vehicles. Not all of them, but the before mentioned reliability score places the most recent Alfa Romeo 4C above Porsche’s 718 Boxster, among other luxury convertible sports cars. Moreover, Alfa is now under the purview of Stellantis. Multinational corporations don’t typically take kind to poor consumer opinions. One theory, however, is that owners, particularly 4C customers, are more likely to put up with faults in their luxury convertible sports cars. 

How much is an Alfa Romeo 4C Spider?

The 4C went out of production in 2020. Less than 10,000 were made, so the chances of finding one on sale are slim. Yet, some used examples are floating around.

Autotrader shows only 29 results in the U.S. as of spring 2023. Considering its rarity, it will likely increase in value over the years. Currently, the model year of the 4C doesn’t matter as much as mileage in terms of price differences. Examples under 4,000 miles are in the $70,000 range, and those with the Spider Track package will bring a few thousand more. For those looking to step into an Alfa Romeo 4C in the $50,000 range, expect many more miles, optioned with the Convenience Group package only.