Models · Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo 4C buying guide
The 4C is a mid-engined two-seater with a carbonfibre tub and a 1.75 litre turbo petrol engine, built as a coupé from 2013 to 2019 and as a Spider from 2015 to 2020. Only around 475 are in the UK.
The versions
- 1,742cc turbocharged four-cylinder (1750 TBi), about 240bhp, mid-mounted, rear-wheel drive
- Six-speed TCT dual dry-clutch gearbox with paddles; no manual
- Coupé and Spider (from 2015, with a removable roof and a strengthened chassis)
- Launch Edition, 50th Anniversary Spider, Competizione and Spider Italia special editions; Race Pack and Akrapovic exhaust options
What to check on a 4C
3 model-specific things to look at when you view one. They're a starting point, not the full inspection.
The TCT gearbox
What to look for: On the test drive, check the gearbox shifts quickly and cleanly up and down. Note any hesitation, random gear selection, dropping into neutral, refusing to engage a gear, or slip under load in first, third and fifth.
Why it matters: Intermittent behaviour can often be cleared by restarting the car to reset fault codes or by a dealer software update. A failed voltage stabiliser for the hydraulic pump can stop gears engaging and is a known fault with a straightforward fix. The dry clutch wears from around 70,000 to 80,000 miles if driven hard. If a fault persists after an update, it's best to look at another car.
Creaks from the front suspension
What to look for: With the car stationary and then moving slowly, turn the steering from lock to lock and listen for creaking from the front. Ask for invoices showing the suspension bolts have been checked for tightness.
Why it matters: Early cars can creak from the front lower wishbone bushes, and the whole wishbone has to be replaced; later cars got upgraded bushes. A creak can also come from the front ball joint, which specialists say needs checking straight away. Periodic bolt-tightening is part of the 4C's service routine, so receipts for it are a sign of a car that's been looked after.
Cambelt age
What to look for: Check the history for a cambelt and water pump change within the last five years or 60,000 miles, and for services every 12 months or 12,000 miles.
Why it matters: The 1750 TBi is a strong engine, known to stay reliable past 70,000 hard-driven miles, but it uses a cambelt that is due every five years whatever the mileage. As most 4Cs cover low mileages, age is usually what makes the belt due.
Also in the full guide
- Aluminium subframes and front crossmember
- The cold start, test drive and paperwork checks for the exact version you're viewing
The full guide to the 4C
The CrankSight guide walks you round the car on your phone at the viewing, with every check for the exact version you're looking at: what to look for, where to find it, and what anything you find is likely to cost. As you go it builds an assessment of that car, and if you view more than one, it lines them up side by side.
£29 for the model, used on as many cars as you like, delivered within 72 hours or your money back.
General points for the model, last checked October 2026. Every car is different, so treat this as a guide to what to look at, not a verdict on any car. CrankSight is independent and has no connection with Alfa Romeo.