Used car guide

2007 Alfa Romeo Spider petrol: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the petrol Alfa Romeo Spider first registered in 2007 (petrol cars only): we looked at the 1,218 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

1,218MOTs of 2007 petrol cars, done in 2023–2025
73%pass first time (all 2007 cars: 57%)
4,000typical miles a year
2×the usual rate for suspension arm

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2007 Alfa Romeo Spider petrol?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2007 Alfa Romeo Spider petrol than on all cars registered in 2007.

  • Suspension arm2× usual
    Alfa Romeo Spider
    6.4% All 2007 cars
    3.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.7%, against 0.4% of all 2007 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

Better than most

Headlights: 2% here, against 11.5% of all 2007 cars. Brake pads: 3.4% here, against 8.6% of all 2007 cars.

Common 2007 Alfa Romeo Spider petrol MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2007 Alfa Romeo Spider petrol MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    28% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Tyres
    27% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Brakes
    24% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Lights and electrics
    15% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Exhaust and emissions
    9% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

    At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for an engine warning light.

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    8% of testsRough price £80–£600

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2007 Alfa Romeo Spider petrol

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the suspension arm? (Flagged at MOT 2× as often on the 2007 Alfa Romeo Spider petrol as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at an Alfa Romeo Spider?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

Every year of the Alfa Romeo Spider compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2018–Too few tests
2017–Too few tests
2016–Too few tests
2015–Too few tests
2011–Too few tests
2010290Tyres 21%
2009374Tyres 23%
20081,633Tyres 27%
2006–Too few tests
2005170Suspension 29%
2004172Suspension 28%
2003268Brakes 40%
2002332Brakes 31%
2001737Suspension 34%
2000487Brakes 43%
1999716Suspension 38%
1998552Brakes 40%
1997528Brakes 40%
1996308Brakes 46%
1992181Lights and electrics 32%
1991335Lights and electrics 29%
1990253Lights and electrics 27%
1978–Too few tests
1977–Too few tests
1976–Too few tests
1975–Too few tests
1974–Too few tests
1973–Too few tests
1972–Too few tests
1971–Too few tests
1970–Too few tests
1969–Too few tests
1968–Too few tests
1967–Too few tests
1966–Too few tests
1965–Too few tests
1964–Too few tests

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of Alfa Romeo Spider cars first registered in 2007. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score