Buy an Alfa Romeo Montreal on the health of its V8 and SPICA injection first, then on structure. A coupe that starts badly, shows water in the oil or has rotten sills and trailing-arm mounts can cost far more than a cheaper honest car.
For this November 5, 2026 guide I read ItalClassic: Alfa Romeo Montreal buyer's guide and Hagerty: the Montreal V8 and its SPICA injection. The mechanical cautions below come from those pages; the order of checks and the questions for the seller are my practical recommendations. Any price examples in those sources are market snapshots, not a valuation of the car in front of you. So, compare it with recent sales of the same specification and condition.
Treat the engine as the main event
The ItalClassic guide calls the V8 the car's defining feature and its weak spot at once. It is not described as inherently unreliable, but it needs regular, skilled maintenance that few shops can supply. Ask who has serviced the engine and request invoices with names, dates and mileage. A rebuild is expensive compared with Alfa's four-cylinder engines. So, an undocumented engine should change the price conversation before you fall for the Gandini styling.
Start it cold and watch the idle
ItalClassic suggests checking that the car starts promptly and settles into a steady idle; if it does not, suspect the SPICA mechanical injection. Hagerty notes the same system delivers smooth power only when the mechanic knows how to touch it. Work on the SPICA pump is a specialist job that often has to be sent away. Do not let a seller retune it on the spot during your visit. Record how the car behaves from cold so your inspector can compare.
Check the oil for water and the gauge for pressure
Pull the dipstick and look for signs of water in the oil, which ItalClassic links to possible water-pump failure. The water-pump bearing is a known weak point, and many cars have received an upgrade, so ask if yours has it and see the invoice. The guide quotes 50 to 70 psi while driving, dropping close to zero at idle. Note what you see on the gauge rather than accepting a verbal reading. Check for exhaust fumes after a blip of throttle too.
Go underneath from front to back
The checklist runs from the front valance and the crossmember under the radiator to the sills, jacking points, spring pans and footwells. It then asks you to inspect where the rear trailing arms attach to the shell, plus the boot floor, spare-wheel well and fuel tank. Outer sills deserve a look for proper welding instead of filler. Minor bubbling behind the front wheels can signal much deeper corrosion. Book a lift, because a driveway glance misses most of this list.
Price the trim and electrics honestly
Body and interior trim parts are hard to source, according to ItalClassic, and the headlamp eyebrows are not an easy fix if they fail. Test every switch and gauge, and inspect the fuse boxes for burned connectors on the fuel-pump circuits. Ask whether the interior is original. The guide also advises against projects: very incomplete cars are best treated as parts donors. That warning matters more than any bargain price on an auction screen.
Remember the U.S. market angle
Hagerty points out that Alfa never sold the Montreal in North America. Any car here arrived as a private import with its own paperwork trail. Ask for import, customs and state titling records together. Parts sourcing can be slow and costly, so line up a specialist before you bid rather than after the truck arrives.
Prove the identity before a deposit
Match the chassis number on the Montreal to the title, any import papers and the plate on the car before you order a history report. Our VIN verification guide walks through that match, and imported-car report coverage sets expectations for cars that spent years overseas. Older chassis numbers may sit outside modern report databases, so confirm coverage before paying. NMVTIS covers U.S. title history only; it cannot replace foreign records or a physical inspection.
Get the repair scope in writing first
If the engine history is thin or the trailing-arm mounts look patched, pause until a Montreal specialist has quoted the work. Look, a seller PDF or a folder of photos is a starting document, not independent proof of condition. Ask the inspector for written findings with local estimates, split into safety work and cosmetic wishes. The NYC consumer-agency used-car guidance tells buyers to have an independent mechanic check the car, and our pre-purchase inspection checklist helps you set the scope.
We are a licensed CARFAX and AutoCheck reseller, not affiliated with CARFAX, AutoCheck or Experian. Guest reports have been about $5.50, member reports about $4.50 and a two-report bundle about $6.75; confirm the price at checkout because it can change. A report can miss unreported work, so keep the inspection appointment even when the history looks quiet.
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