Adding Windshield Washer Fluid Into the Alfa Romeo 4C Is Not Exactly Easy

You see, I understand that Alfa Romeo is the go-to car brand for many gearheads out there. Jeremy Clarkson is to blame for this false premise. I’m an Alfaholic too, and I dream that one day I will own a Montreal. But the 4C? No bad car should get a thumbs up because it’s Italian. Or an Alfa Romeo. Or whatever. That's called bias, not fair-mindedness. The bottom line is that the 4C's Italianness can’t be passed as an excuse for bad engineering/design.

The extent of the Alfa Romeo 4C’s really bad points is perfectly summarized by the not-so-normal procedure of checking the windshield washer fluid level, as well as topping up the reservoir. The description of the featured video tutorial uploaded to YouTube by Bob-Boyd Alfa Romeo Fiat tells it as it is:

“Yup. Even adding washer fluid to your Alfa Romeo 4C is advanced.”

Before anything, the owner needs to lift the windshield wiper blade. Then he needs to get the car’s service kit, search for a screwdriver, then loosen four screws. Now the owner can breathe deeply and remove the washer solvent protection panel. The next step is to release the plug and voila, you’re able to check how much washer fluid is left in the reservoir. What about topping up?

The first step of this operation is to remove the plug, after which the owner needs to assemble a three-piece funnel designed and provided by Alfa Romeo with every U.S.-spec 4C. And on that bombshell, the final step is to introduce the assembled funnel in the container neck. I'm afraid that's no joke.

Alfa Romeo and other Italian manufacturers aren’t known to make life simple as far as ownership is concerned. But the Alfa Romeo 4C? The mid-engined Italian sports car is overdoing it despite the fact it doesn’t cut the mustard as far as sports cars in this price bracket are concerned. On that note, a Camry owner only needs to pop the hood of his car to top up the fluid.