Rav's 1999 B3 3.3 Saloon - Yes I bought it!!

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hap
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Re: Rav's 1999 B3 3.3 Saloon - Yes I bought it!!

Post by hap » Mon Feb 22, 2021 12:08 am

Looks like Avus blue and 008 B3s

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Re: Rav's 1999 B3 3.3 Saloon - Yes I bought it!!

Post by Bob » Mon Feb 22, 2021 1:24 am

hap wrote:
Mon Feb 22, 2021 12:08 am
Looks like Avus blue and 008 B3s
Good shout hap. I’d not looked at the pre-LCI B3S’
B3 3.2 TOURING #062

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Re: Rav's 1999 B3 3.3 Saloon - Yes I bought it!!

Post by Metrics » Mon Feb 22, 2021 1:59 pm

You really are the Oracle mate!

My bad, agree looks like Avus - very nice.
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Re: Rav's 1999 B3 3.3 Saloon - Yes I bought it!!

Post by Rav » Sat Feb 27, 2021 9:16 pm

I finally have a proper Alpina B3 3.3!!

Most here would agree that what makes the Alpina special is a combination of the engine and the suspension. I was sold by the engine immediately, power delivery is perfect. I understand that the 3.3 engine is used by track car builders and I understand why. Then there is the suspension, tuned specially for the car - but that's what I was missing. My car came fitted with Coil over suspension. HKS coil overs and whilst this made the car look very angry and low, made it a pain to drive on our lovely 'flat' roads.

I spent £1.2k buying the parts and had Barry and Ross fit these at BMR. The journey home was amazing! Ok, it was the M23, M25, M4 and A4 but the suspension really is something else. Very composed, softening the ride like (dare i say it) a normal 318i and then when there was no 50mph limit, and I was able to press on, supporting

Ok, so here is a picture of the car, now on the right suspension. Ride height is pretty high, but i was getting grounded on sheets of paper as my car was so low.
20210227_171713.jpg
20210227_171713.jpg (5.2 MiB) Viewed 1790 times
I hope that it will settle a bit, or it might be me that needs to get used to the height.

A million thanks to @Charles for showing me what the suspension should look like and to the forum for all your help.
If anyone wants to buy a set of coil overs - let me know.

The gear indicator light stopped working on the way home - something else to investigate.
1999 #032 Alpina B3 3.3 saloon (UK Press Car) - Buchloe Beast
2000 Porsche Boxster S - Viola
2015 Audi A4 Avant Ultra - Wife's car
2002 VW Lupo 1.4 16v - Daughter's car

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Re: Rav's 1999 B3 3.3 Saloon - Yes I bought it!!

Post by Metrics » Sun Feb 28, 2021 10:09 am

Nice one Rav, it'll settle with time and use
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Re: Rav's 1999 B3 3.3 Saloon - Yes I bought it!!

Post by ScooBeeFive » Sun Feb 28, 2021 11:20 pm

Glad you are pleased Rav. It's definitely money well spent - as you say, it's what defines these cars. Hopefully with an end to lockdown on the horizon and the better weather you'll get to really enjoy and appreciate it.
Paul

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Re: Rav's 1999 B3 3.3 Saloon - Yes I bought it!!

Post by hashluck » Mon Mar 01, 2021 11:04 am

Really good to see this and the car as it should be. Looks great and I bet drives great now

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Re: Rav's 1999 B3 3.3 Saloon - Yes I bought it!!

Post by Rav » Mon Mar 01, 2021 12:42 pm

Thanks guys. The car is now as she was intended. A proper gentleman's express and not a boy racer car sitting in the weeds.
Its actually my birthday today and I feel like i should take up a pipe and listen to some Chopin in my Alpina as I blow away Porsche's on the Autobahns....

I'm hoping that the sun comes out and I can apply more wax to the car!!
1999 #032 Alpina B3 3.3 saloon (UK Press Car) - Buchloe Beast
2000 Porsche Boxster S - Viola
2015 Audi A4 Avant Ultra - Wife's car
2002 VW Lupo 1.4 16v - Daughter's car

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Re: Rav's 1999 B3 3.3 Saloon - Yes I bought it!!

Post by jolls » Mon Mar 01, 2021 1:04 pm

Rav wrote:
Mon Mar 01, 2021 12:42 pm
Thanks guys. The car is now as she was intended. A proper gentleman's express and not a boy racer car sitting in the weeds.
Its actually my birthday today and I feel like i should take up a pipe and listen to some Chopin in my Alpina as I blow away Porsche's on the Autobahns....

I'm hoping that the sun comes out and I can apply more wax to the car!!
Don't forget the slippers... :D
B3 E46 no.265

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Re: Rav's 1999 B3 3.3 Saloon - Yes I bought it!!

Post by Charles » Mon Mar 01, 2021 7:31 pm

Rav wrote:
Mon Mar 01, 2021 12:42 pm
Its actually my birthday today
Happy Birthday Rav :dance
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Re: Rav's 1999 B3 3.3 Saloon - Yes I bought it!!

Post by Rav » Tue Mar 02, 2021 12:59 pm

Thanks @Charles!
1999 #032 Alpina B3 3.3 saloon (UK Press Car) - Buchloe Beast
2000 Porsche Boxster S - Viola
2015 Audi A4 Avant Ultra - Wife's car
2002 VW Lupo 1.4 16v - Daughter's car

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Re: Rav's 1999 B3 3.3 Saloon - Yes I bought it!!

Post by Rav » Sun Mar 14, 2021 11:04 pm

Apologies for the long post, but I thought i would share the Instagram posts that Barry and the team at BMR uploaded about my car whilst she was with them.

Image
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My car has not moved for a few weeks again now, but come the end of the pandemic, i am going to get her to Wales and drive her.
1999 #032 Alpina B3 3.3 saloon (UK Press Car) - Buchloe Beast
2000 Porsche Boxster S - Viola
2015 Audi A4 Avant Ultra - Wife's car
2002 VW Lupo 1.4 16v - Daughter's car

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Re: Rav's 1999 B3 3.3 Saloon - Yes I bought it!!

Post by ScooBeeFive » Fri Mar 19, 2021 7:06 pm

Rav wrote:
Sun Mar 14, 2021 11:04 pm
Apologies for the long post, but I thought i would share the Instagram posts that Barry and the team at BMR uploaded about my car whilst she was with them.

My car has not moved for a few weeks again now, but come the end of the pandemic, i am going to get her to Wales and drive her.
Very cool Rav. The trip to Wales sounds an absolute plan. I live pretty close to the border and I can't wait to be able to take it out there again.
Paul

2013 F11 B5 BiTurbo Touring #135 - Alpina Blue
2017 F33 B4S BiTurbo Cabrio #235 - Tanzanite Blue

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Re: Rav's 1999 B3 3.3 Saloon - Yes I bought it!!

Post by ibby4585 » Sat Mar 20, 2021 11:37 pm

Hi Rav.

Just read your great thread, I used to own your car a few years ago. I've always regretted selling it, it's nice to see it's still going well.

I had the Alpina wheels restored and had the car serviced in Oxford when I owned it. We had a lovely family holiday in Cornwall in it, it ate the miles from Oxfordshire and back.

I have some photos of it I will dig out and put on here for you.

Regards
Kris

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Re: Rav's 1999 B3 3.3 Saloon - Yes I bought it!!

Post by Rav » Sun Mar 21, 2021 9:38 pm

ibby4585 wrote:
Sat Mar 20, 2021 11:37 pm
Hi Rav.

Just read your great thread, I used to own your car a few years ago. I've always regretted selling it, it's nice to see it's still going well.

I had the Alpina wheels restored and had the car serviced in Oxford when I owned it. We had a lovely family holiday in Cornwall in it, it ate the miles from Oxfordshire and back.

I have some photos of it I will dig out and put on here for you.

Regards
Kris
Thanks Kris - thanks for the message. It would be great to see a few pictures of the car. She is going well, although hasn't seen much movement since lockdown.
I am guessing that you are based near Oxford and that the seller I bought it from, originally got it from you?
If i remember correctly, the car was advertised in Didcot and bought by Paul in Morecombe without seeing it.
1999 #032 Alpina B3 3.3 saloon (UK Press Car) - Buchloe Beast
2000 Porsche Boxster S - Viola
2015 Audi A4 Avant Ultra - Wife's car
2002 VW Lupo 1.4 16v - Daughter's car

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