Why did YOU buy an Alpina?

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thomas v8
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Post by thomas v8 » Sun Sep 02, 2007 2:13 pm

seenthelight wrote:Sorry, Thomas, my profile is not too informative at the moment! :oops:

Here are the photos posted by previous owners. I will update them when I have finished tidying her up in a few weeks, also when I have the full fine detail of the original spec from Sytner.

I have read a few of your threads and I see you too are a fan of this fabulous V8 :P

I have owned some great cars, but this one is out there on its own for all round ability! :lol:

http://www.thealpinaregister.com/B10/V8S/saloon/82


Looks super Peter congrats on the purchase.

very very nice :D










Peter
current cars:
E39 528i touring Auto
Come on you GUNNERS

previous Beemers:
E39 Alpina B10 V8 THE BEAST: :auto
Mods. GRuppe M CAI.

E34 520i Touring: Manual.
E39 530i sport:Auto.
E39 M5:Manual.
E39 Alpina B10 V8:Auto.
E46 320i coupe:Auto.
E36 318i se saloon:Manual.
E30 320i coupe:Manual.
E53 4.8is exclusive addition.
E46 325i Manual Touring

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Post by GrahamP » Sun Sep 02, 2007 9:31 pm

Congrats on the purchase , Peter. I do like that Le Mans Blue 8)
Graham
B10 V8 #790

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Post by B10BRW » Sun Sep 02, 2007 11:34 pm

Welcome to the wonderful world of Alpina B10 V8 ownership :D

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Post by CarlP » Sat Sep 29, 2007 10:45 am

I bought my B10 because...

I wanted a 'normal' looking car with amazing performance...

5 years ago I bought my first BMW (having owned Alfa's prior to that), a E34 540i (with interesting history). I remember looking at the car and thinking I must be mad going for a 4litre engine and wondering if I would ever be able to afford to repair it if anything ever went wrong.
After 5 years of owneship I have discovered how amazingly reliable BMWs are (I hope this really is true and not just a one off) and that they do not need to cost the earth to maintain properly. My garage even told me my car was one of the quickest and nicest he had driven which was a bones.
After 5 years I decided I wanted a change.
I tried a standard E39 540i and found it felt slower than my E34 and while the TV was nice, the car was not 'interesting' enough to make me swap.
I tried a 840, which I always used to love. It felt more cramped in the front and slower as well than my 540i. I couldn't help looking at the shape and thinking 'it looks like a Ford Probe' (apologies to Series 8 owners here).
An old series 6 would have been nice but I was looking for a more modern car not an older car.
I took a test drive in a M5, that was better but when the engine started up it sounded like a bag of nuts compared to the 'purr' from my 540i. I have since been told that's normal). To drive, the car was fun but not exactly a smooth long distance cruiser and I was concerned that although the bodywork looked good the engine bay looked full of grit - it was aso a cheap car for it's year and had been advertised for quite a while. It's sevice history was stamps in a book and not a pile of invoices which I like to see. I already have a 'garage queen' so don't need another one.
That left the Alpina B10 as an option..A quick comfortable, rare car which hopefully will not cost much more that my existing car to maintain. I am lucky enough to have found an early (1977), low mileage (33000 miles) car with full service history (and a nice pile of receipts to go with the car).
Only time will tell if I made the right choice, but if this forum (and it's members) is anything to go by then I have made the right choice . The car is amazing to drive, the only problem is TOH like to drive the car as well, so we had to sell her Alfa a buy a second BMW for her..:D
Carl
17 Alpina D5s
97 Alpina B10 v8
87 Lotus Excel SE
73 Lotus Elan Sprint
16 Abarth 595i (TOH)

ALPB1033
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Post by ALPB1033 » Sun Sep 30, 2007 4:50 am

Carl I just wonder who got the key first each time you go out together? You or TOH? :D :D :D

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Post by CarlP » Sun Sep 30, 2007 10:40 pm

Depends if alcohol is involved and where we are going to.. :-)
17 Alpina D5s
97 Alpina B10 v8
87 Lotus Excel SE
73 Lotus Elan Sprint
16 Abarth 595i (TOH)

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Post by Richy_Boy » Sun Mar 30, 2008 10:49 pm

Well, having been a car fanatic for many year, each car was tinkered to make it faster, handle better and look better (no, no big wings here!), age finally caught up with me as my son turned 3 1/2.

My Nissan was an awesome car, great on the road and mind blowing on a race track, but I could afford to keep replacing gearboxes year on year :(

Not only that, but there was a constant battle between my son and partner for leg room - which of course ended with my partners knees resting on the dashboard!

So, the decision was made.. I needed a proper family car!

A friend of mine (who is on this forum also) recently bought a D3 which he loved and in the meantime I was eyeing up a 330 or 330d for the Nissans replacement.

However, quick sit in his car and the look of those [ugh my pants!] 19" wheels gave me twitches in places it shouldn't have and I started looking at alternative Alpina models more in my price bracket.

By some freaky co-incidence the most stunning Estoril Blue '02 B3S turned up just 10 minutes drive from my house, so I went to have a look with my son and partner in toe - as after all... it was a family car. Just to have a look mind as I had never driven a BMW before?!

As we pulled up at the house, with the car on the drive way I'll always remember my partners first comment... "oh God, is that it? That looks amazing".

There was no turning back after that, the condition checked out as did the history and frankly I couldn't find anything bar a few stone chips on the front spoiler wrong with it - so who was I to deny my partner the car?! ;)

Three weeks on and the Nissan has been taken away and I thought I'd be gutted to see her go considering I practically hand built the thing, but no... knowing what I have sat in my garage now I can't wait for the weekend to pass and drive to work in it - simply amazing!

Alpina - one of the worlds best kept secrets in my opinion! 8)

Rich
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Current Car: BMW e46 M3 CS SMG

Previous:
BMW 335d M Sport Coupe Highline
BMW 123d M Sport Coupe, no DPF, 275bhp and 520nm of torques.

Historical Alpina B3S Coupe #19 Owner

L8 ALPINA
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Post by L8 ALPINA » Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:11 pm

Very nice comments. 8)

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Post by Ikule » Mon Oct 20, 2008 9:50 pm

2.1/2yrs ago i was looking to replace my '94 E36 325i coupe did the usual Autotrader search for an M3 but they were a bit too pricey and/or old and ropey at the time,

so as a wild card i clicked on the 'Alpina' in the drop down search box and there she was! absolutely stunning Arctic Silver

(second best after Estoril Blue 8) manual box, more power than a 530i sport and a lot more exclusive,

and whilst i didn't realise it at the time quite a bargin price as well!

Do not regret it one bit although the bank manager probably does.............still, as a taxpayer he works for me now, :twisted: :lol:
Steve C



'98 B10 3.2 #88 (for summer cruising)
'04 Mini Cooper S (commuting/sacrificial shopping trolley target....)
'94 325i Coupe SOLD
'88 Vauxhall Senator 3.0i SOLD
'90 Astra MkII GTE 16V (Turbo conversion) SOLD

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Simonal
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Post by Simonal » Tue Oct 21, 2008 1:54 am

Good question.

I was always an M- Car enthusiast and had a sucession of quick other cars before I got the M- car.

Had always looked on Alpina's as a little lacking until the BiTurbo came out (The B7 Turbo's were well off my radar) which I loved with a a passion. Then I got to own the E34 M5 Touring, what a car much better than those Alpina things!! ohh how wrong I was.

I was leant a B10 V8s Touring while my M5 was being repaired.......that was not a fair move.....Within the week I was hooked and had spoken to a friend of mine who owned the car and a deal was struck and I was an Alpina owner......and an M5 owner........so for a year I had both cars loved both but there was something nagging at me.......and it was this.

Every time I was out in the M5 I wanted to be in the B10 and every time I was in the B10 I wanted to drive and drive and drive....

So the M5 got sold after 4 years and now I only have the B10 although I am sure that a new toy will not be far away.
V8S Touring

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IAM Joe
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Post by IAM Joe » Thu Jun 25, 2009 11:20 pm

Pretty short and sweet but here goes...

Never really been into BMW's due to the stigma of the typical BMW driver (no offence all of you loyal BMW owners above :oops: ).

Always liked to be a bit different but not too over the top.

Like the looks, handling, performance but good economy for a car I could use for work and enjoy on a weekend :D And affordable of course!
Joe

SOLD!

Diesel Power! #412

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pmjt
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Post by pmjt » Thu Jul 02, 2009 7:35 pm

Like many on here - a bit of a happy accident really.

I've been luck enough to have owned some fantastic cars. Most recent were an E46 M3, then an E60 M5 - I then calmed down a bit and got 535d MSport Touring, then an A8 4.2TDi.

If you count up JUST how much money I've lost through depreciation on that lot it's enough to make you cry and cry and cry.

I thought I was being SO sensible getting the next A8 4.2TDi as a lease car through my company - until the tax changes and MAN it was killing me financially. I have never been happier at the end of a lease.

We had just spent a lot of money buying a very specialised new family car and I thought "why do I need another large car???"

Considered an R32, maybe a Golf GTi - I'm lucky enough to have a couple of classic cars to play with - perhaps something sensible like an E46 330i Touring?

I came back from a trip to California, went out to get the Chinese takeaway and on the fourcourt of the trader in the village (they deal in some lovely tin - all very good quality) was an estoril blue E46 touring - hmmm, let's have a look..... ah, Alpina wheels - oooh Alpina spoiler.... ang on a minute - it's a real B3S :-)

Went and drove it the next morning first thing - fell in love with it and bought it there and then.

And I'm smitten - but more worryingly, so is the better half :cry:

:wink:
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SOLD - B3S Touring, #071 in Estoril Blue :cry:

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Post by MickB3 » Fri Jun 25, 2010 2:00 pm

I have had many cars int he 26 years I have been driving (53 to be exact) :roll:
I have always liked the E46 M3 and was looking for one of these BUT
the kids (20 and 13) had a go at me because I have NEVER owned a
4 door car and they have always been crammed in the back of a coupe or 2+2 :lol:
So feeling the guilt a good Father would i set upon a search for a 4 door car to make the kids proud. After at least 10 mins I decided NO WAY
am I buying any of them :wink:

I was on my way to look at a CLK55 AMG when my mate rang me to say his Dad had just bought a new D3 Bi turbo and was I interested in the B3.
Well I headed straight round and after a quick spin I was the proud owner of my first 4 door flying machine.
I absolutely love AND the kids think DAD is a hero for going "Sensible" :twisted:

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Alpina Jim
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Post by Alpina Jim » Fri Jun 25, 2010 5:08 pm

MickB3 wrote:I have had many cars int he 26 years I have been driving (53 to be exact) :roll:
I have always liked the E46 M3 and was looking for one of these BUT
the kids (20 and 13) had a go at me because I have NEVER owned a
4 door car and they have always been crammed in the back of a coupe or 2+2 :lol:
So feeling the guilt a good Father would i set upon a search for a 4 door car to make the kids proud. After at least 10 mins I decided NO WAY
am I buying any of them :wink:

I was on my way to look at a CLK55 AMG when my mate rang me to say his Dad had just bought a new D3 Bi turbo and was I interested in the B3.
Well I headed straight round and after a quick spin I was the proud owner of my first 4 door flying machine.
I absolutely love AND the kids think DAD is a hero for going "Sensible" :twisted:
Wow, 53 cars in 26 years now that must be a record. Does this mean you have managed to avoid paying for mot's and servicing etc by changing so often? :lol:
Jim

'98 B10 3.2 #174 in Alpina Blue owned since 13th Sept 2002.

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Post by BadDave » Fri Jun 25, 2010 9:39 pm

I've been round BMW's for quite a few years,mostly E30 tourings which I've tweaked the chassis's. I'E suspension.suspension geometry and bespoke brake kits using upgraded parts from other marques or higher specced models in the BMW portfolio.

I was in need of a daily driver for the 100mile roundtrip to work and had been looking at E36 M3,E38 728,740 and E34 540 along wiht the E39 model range.

I noticed an ad for a "1999 Alpina B10,91K,tidy motor" for a reasonable price at a local garage (6 miles away).

At the time,I was considering the limited finances and thought it would be rude not to have a look at it(being familiar/aware of the brand).2 weeks passed and I dtill hadn't been to look at. A week later they pric ehad dropped to an even more appealing figure yet I still hadn't looked at it.After 5 weeks of putting it off, I eventually went down on the Saturday lunchtime,fully expecting it to have already been sold.
Had a chat with the owners misses(who I knew) and it transpired that it was still available, but had been resigned to the far end of the yard,under trees for the past 5-6 weeks and they were just about to give it a wash.
I arranged to come back mid afternoon and give it a once over,kick the tyres etc and the obligatory test drive. All went well, apart from a sticking N/S/F brake calioer which we agreed to get freed off, and I picked the car the following Saturday.

Had it 6 weeks now,driven it 4500 miles including 2233 miles to Le Mans and it's just completed it's 1st week as a daily runaround.
It's a much more comfortable ride than my "twistie/track spec" E30 Touring chassis and almost as capable,however I do feel as if the brakes need an upgrade.
I can forsee some 4 or 6 pot calipers and possibly some larger diameter front disks going on at some point in the future.
B10 3.2 #187
99 ZX9R
93 316i(2.5l)touring

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