A Giulia Spider is made to be driven, and it rewards a little preparation before a big trip. Ten minutes of checks before you set off — and a look over when you get back — is the difference between enjoying the drive and fixing the car at the roadside.
The day before
- Engine oil — check and top up to the mark with the right grade; fresh oil helps the twin-cam and its timing chain.
- Coolant — check the level cold and top up with the correct inhibited mix. On this alloy twin-cam, the cooling system is the thing to watch.
- Brake fluid — check the level; a dropping level means investigate before you go.
- Tyres — set the pressures cold (including the spare), and check the sidewalls for age cracking as well as tread.
- Lights, wipers and horn — walk round and check the lot.
Under the bonnet
- Belt and hoses — check the belt's tension and squeeze the hoses; soft or weepy ones fail when hot.
- Leaks — look underneath for oil, coolant or fuel.
- Carburation — the car should idle and pull cleanly; a Veloce especially wants its twin Webers in balance before a long drive.
On the road
- Watch the temperature gauge — on this engine cooling is the priority; if it climbs and keeps climbing, stop before it boils.
- Watch the oil pressure, listen for new noises, and smell for hot oil, coolant or fuel.
- Take a shakedown stop after the first twenty or thirty minutes to check for leaks and anything working loose.
Spares worth carrying
A fan belt, coolant, a set of plugs, bulbs and fuses, a length of fuel hose and clips, and insulating tape — plus the basics: tools, a tyre gauge, a torch, a bottle of the right oil and water.
When you get back
- Look underneath for fresh leaks, re-check the oil and coolant once cooled, and walk round for anything that worked loose.
- Note what needs attention while it is fresh — a wandering gauge, a stiff change, carburettors that want rebalancing — so it is on the list before the next outing rather than forgotten.