New D3 vandalised after only 6 days - Help!

hap · Post by **hap** » Sun Aug 06, 2017 9:30 am

Afaik the badges are the same across the models
Yeah see what you mean about using sytner but trust Me once you have IT all perfect it will be all worth it

I would in meantime take good close up pics of the boot and measurements for the badge placement from your pictures you can see the correct placement from alpina factory

Spanny · Post by **Spanny** » Sun Aug 06, 2017 9:36 am

Yeah agreed, I've already taken a few sample pics to hand to the body shop, should be as good as new in c. 1 month, takes 3 weeks for the badges to arrive apparently.

hap · Post by **hap** » Sun Aug 06, 2017 10:48 am

Some twat gave me an extra stripe on my old alpina boot lid as it was fully strlped under the number plate
Had to order new stripes so know exactly what your feeling some Â£500 later it was put right

Metrics · Post by **Metrics** » Sun Aug 06, 2017 11:13 am

Spanny, so so sorry to read this. As others have said don't let these lowlifes get you down or dull the experience of your wonderful new car.
Hope you get the paint sorted ok. Perhaps run without badges for a while, you can always add them afterwards? You may have the opportunity to travel to Europe soon and could buy them from a local dealership? Unfortunately Alpina pricing on such parts is terrible here in the UK.

Hope it all gets resolved for you quickly and wish you a great ownership experience, welcome to the Alpina magic!

Spanny · Post by **Spanny** » Sun Aug 06, 2017 10:51 pm

Cheers guys, good to have a listening ear on these matters, not sure the family 'get' the distress that can come from waiting for an age for your dream car only for it to be ruined some toerag in Manchester!

Anyway, so far the centre caps are now apparently "repairable" and the boot is booked in to be resprayed a week tomorrow. I've decided to rebadge - as many of you have said, I'm not going to let those bastards get me down and I want her as the day she rolled off the production line!

I'll post some pics back of her post-repair on here in due course...

Cheers for the advice, really appreciate it.

P

hap · Post by **hap** » Mon Aug 07, 2017 6:39 am

Glad to hear it
By the way did the biturbo badge stay or was that removed?
Any pics of the centre caps they I believe are a composite material not metal

Spanny · Post by **Spanny** » Mon Aug 07, 2017 7:51 am

Morning hap,

The previous owner actually removed the D3 badge but not the Biturbo badge; they didn't try to take that one but as part of the respray of the boot lid it needs to be taken off and as we all know, 3m tape doesn't do that great a job when you're sticking it all back together again. Attached is a pic of the centre caps; apparently exposing them to high heat can allow you to reshape. If it looks naff though they're being replaced!

hap · Post by **hap** » Mon Aug 07, 2017 9:16 am

Umm I would be well happy if they could get them back my concern would be the May not ever sit flush but definitely worth a try in first instance yeah
You can always order new ones at a later date see how they come up

You could always reapply the biturbo badge to save money or save them as spares in case one fell off when washing they are not very well stuck on
I heard gorilla tape is very strong adhesive

Spanny · Post by **Spanny** » Mon Aug 07, 2017 9:50 am

Yeah agree, if they don't sit perfectly flush they're not staying on, but as you say worth a shot in the first instance. The bodyshop I use are pretty good; the problem they have with badges is that they don't ever align correctly once removed, better to do it by template and start afresh. I might sell on the D3 Biturbo badge though, maybe on here, try and recover some of the expense of the last few days.

Currently driving around sans centre caps which makes me very nervous, no locking wheel nuts!

hap · Post by **hap** » Mon Aug 07, 2017 10:34 am

Pop into your local dealer get some nuts ?

Anyway enough of the negative congrats on lovely motor
What is the spec? Lavina leather ? Rhombs? Thicker steering wheel ? Pics of the interior would cool

What made you buy the Alpina over a normal bmw ?
Cheers

Norrie · Post by **Norrie** » Mon Aug 07, 2017 12:14 pm

I am sadden but unfortunately not surprised to hear this story. I guess it depends on personal circumstances but I am very pleased I have my old 500 pounds E39 523 and just leave it anywhere, such a public car parks and supermarkets etc.

I am paranoid about damage to the B7, I am lucky I have a garage and always cautious where I leave it, I never stay in any city centres when travelling and choose remote hotels where I might have to do more miles, but the truth is nothing is 100%.

You might investigate an speak to Eamon in the parts dept at Sytner Nottingham, he gives me 10% off parts, also my local dealer gives reduced rates for work on BMW cars over 5 years, but I am sure an independent body shop might be cheaper.

I hope that you have just been "unlucky" as opposed to targeted, so despite however much it hurts perhaps try and see it that way, make a risk assessment about where you leave the car and only use public car parks if necessary or if you have to use the likes of NCP who have CCTV, they are more expensive but better 5 or 10 pounds as opposed to this experience.

When I lived in Hertfordshire I had a BMW 535 vandalised and also 2 Audi's over a period of 12 years outside my house, in a so called "good" neighbourhood, so sadly it is everywhere and scum will always be scum.

Metrics · Post by **Metrics** » Mon Aug 07, 2017 1:19 pm

Spanny wrote:I might sell on the D3 Biturbo badge though, maybe on here, try and recover some of the expense of the last few days.

Currently driving around sans centre caps which makes me very nervous, no locking wheel nuts!

Spanny, I'd be interested in the "Biturbo" part of the badge if you do decide to replace. My car is missing the "i" in the badge (over zealous jetwash by previous keeper). PM me if you do?

You definitely need some locking wheel nuts - take no chances with those lovely wheels.

Good luck again getting it all sorted.

Arvi · Post by **Arvi** » Mon Aug 07, 2017 3:53 pm

hap wrote:Umm I would be well happy if they could get them back my concern would be the May not ever sit flush but definitely worth a try in first instance yeah
You can always order new ones at a later date see how they come up

You could always reapply the biturbo badge to save money or save them as spares in case one fell off when washing they are not very well stuck on
I heard gorilla tape is very strong adhesive

I had to order a new centre cap and was surprised that the fitting on it was worse than the old one it replaced ! Then BMW sent me the wrong cap, then they sent me another one with only 4 cushioning pads. These caps are more grief than they are worth sometimes. Â£30 McGuards back in the day, and at worst someone would steal your plastic tyre valve cap!

Sorry to hear this car has been damaged. Like others have said, try and put it behind you, you have a great car so enjoy it.

Norrie · Post by **Norrie** » Mon Aug 07, 2017 5:47 pm

The Centre caps (dish) was about 90 pounds new when I got one. Each individual one comes with its own individual key. I am not sure if you buy all four you can get them to fit one key. I have got that but not too sure how that happened.

I know its all down to money, but I would hate not to have the full ALPINA marking on my car, it just adds to the marque.

Arvi · Post by **Arvi** » Mon Aug 07, 2017 5:49 pm

Yes I had one key that fitted all 4 caps. When new cap was ordered, it bizarrely only came with one key so got a spare cut. I guess they modify the locks at the factory when car is first built to accept one key or the barrels are all the same.