RE: BMW M3 vs Alpina B3 vs BMW M340i

[P1nja]

Everyone creaming themselves over Frankel writing for PH, calm down, he wasn't. It's a plug for the app.

"This comparison test originally featured on The Intercooler."

It was posted there 7 months ago. It's a good article - in a much preferred format to his loquacious waffling on the podcast.

[Wills2]

He's a good writer but a bit aloof on the podcast and YT channel, writing and presenting are two very different skill sets.

If the choice was to take a base version out of the three it'd be the M3 as the B3 needs a lot spending on it as its base spec would make a 320d blush.

[86]

Recent M340i Touring purchase. Very impressive seriously good car

[gruppeb86]

evojam said:

Alpina for me but those tyres and alloys would'nt last a week with the current state of UK roads.

They do if you drive carefully.

[CarHabit]

I tried to buy a B3 last year. It was an unregistered stock car that had been sat in the dealer for many months. My opening salvo was to ask for 7% off list. Salesman went to check with manager…came back and said best they can do is some free car mats.

Thought it was playful joking. No really, list price and you get free car mats. I pointed out the car had been in stock for quite a while. I pointed out I’d be happy to take Alpina’s (expensive) finance. I asked if the car mats covered an envelope with £7k cash in them. I got nowhere.

I read more and more about dealers just not giving any discounts and then found out about trade in values. The rarity means no discount on the way in. The rarity means there is a massive discount on the way out.

All in all, I went for an M3T with £20k off list which is a decent cushion against likely depreciation. (It helps the car is awesome and I’m delighted with it).

[gruppeb86]

Ian-i9112 said:

I found my B3 at my local Sytner while waiting for my M3T order to come through - M3 took too long to arrive and I’m so glad. The B3 is an amazing car, possibly the best I’ve owned given family to consider. The performance is there when you need it and you quickly learn to drive around the nuances, as with any car….. Having seen M3T’s in the flesh, it’s a much better option for me, and far more exclusive……

What’s surprised me most is the breadth of the B3’s abilities. Driving west on the M4 a few days ago heading for a long weekend in the Brecon Beacons I came across an M3T - it looked shouty and jiggly and I’ll be honest made me feel a bit smug……. In contrast, in Comfort+ mode the Alpina smoothed the ride better than a 340i (I’ve had 2 of them and loved both); when we left the motorway and headed up into the valleys in Sport+ it became a deranged weapon (dog and family still recovering); then when we hit the gravel trails to our accommodation it just dealt with it. Deeply impressive……

Going fast effortlessly sums it up perfectly. I’m an convert and will keep the B3 for a long time….

Does your Alpina look great in a car park too? I wouldn't drive mine like a deranged weapon nor travel up and down gravel tracks and of course avoid car parks like the plague.

Next time your going fast effortlessly, perhaps think about other road users and how it impacts them?

[cerb4.5lee]

I'd personally go in the direction of the M3, but I'd imagine all 3 to be really good all round performance cars though.

[AmazingGrace]

gruppeb86 said:

Ian-i9112 said:

I found my B3 at my local Sytner while waiting for my M3T order to come through - M3 took too long to arrive and I’m so glad. The B3 is an amazing car, possibly the best I’ve owned given family to consider. The performance is there when you need it and you quickly learn to drive around the nuances, as with any car….. Having seen M3T’s in the flesh, it’s a much better option for me, and far more exclusive……

What’s surprised me most is the breadth of the B3’s abilities. Driving west on the M4 a few days ago heading for a long weekend in the Brecon Beacons I came across an M3T - it looked shouty and jiggly and I’ll be honest made me feel a bit smug……. In contrast, in Comfort+ mode the Alpina smoothed the ride better than a 340i (I’ve had 2 of them and loved both); when we left the motorway and headed up into the valleys in Sport+ it became a deranged weapon (dog and family still recovering); then when we hit the gravel trails to our accommodation it just dealt with it. Deeply impressive……

Going fast effortlessly sums it up perfectly. I’m an convert and will keep the B3 for a long time….

Does your Alpina look great in a car park too? I wouldn't drive mine like a deranged weapon nor travel up and down gravel tracks and of course avoid car parks like the plague.

Next time your going fast effortlessly, perhaps think about other road users and how it impacts them?

Bit harsh. He clearly enjoys his car and sharing his experiences with it, don’t see anywhere where he said he had been inconveniencing other road users or thrashing it down gravel tracks like Mika hakkinen.

He’s got an Alpina but you’re expecting him to drive it like a 318d ?

[Mannginger]

Yeah, touch judgemental / puritanical for no particular reason

[blearyeyedboy]

jon-yprpe said:

Great to read Andrew Frankel here. The quality of the writing shines through.

Hear, hear!

Websites often host poor writing. Reading the work of someone who can write well is a pleasure, and a rare one these days.

More of this please, PH Towers!

[dbhenshall]

Baldchap said:

evojam said:

Alpina for me but those tyres and alloys would'nt last a week with the current state of UK roads.

They're better than fine. Coupled with the Alpina setup you wouldn't know they were low profile.

As an owner of a B3 they are fantastic in almost everyway. However 2 notes of caution. The fuel tank is small and the touting range is not good enough for cross country express (@350 miles ) the second is 1 year on I have had 3 bent rims and tow replacement tyres. Yes our roads are poor but also alpina rims are soft as best I can tell.
Very tempted to get winter rims (19”) and tyres to hopefully solve the problem Having said that I am not changing / selling car. I love it as daily

[CLK-GTR]

CarHabit said:

I tried to buy a B3 last year. It was an unregistered stock car that had been sat in the dealer for many months. My opening salvo was to ask for 7% off list. Salesman went to check with manager…came back and said best they can do is some free car mats.

Thought it was playful joking. No really, list price and you get free car mats. I pointed out the car had been in stock for quite a while. I pointed out I’d be happy to take Alpina’s (expensive) finance. I asked if the car mats covered an envelope with £7k cash in them. I got nowhere.

I read more and more about dealers just not giving any discounts and then found out about trade in values. The rarity means no discount on the way in. The rarity means there is a massive discount on the way out.

All in all, I went for an M3T with £20k off list which is a decent cushion against likely depreciation. (It helps the car is awesome and I’m delighted with it).

So why are M3Ts seemingly being sold at such a big discount? Rave reviews, supposedly ultra desirable, but they're knocking tens of thousands off to shift them?

[AmazingGrace]

CarHabit said:

I tried to buy a B3 last year. It was an unregistered stock car that had been sat in the dealer for many months. My opening salvo was to ask for 7% off list. Salesman went to check with manager…came back and said best they can do is some free car mats.

Thought it was playful joking. No really, list price and you get free car mats. I pointed out the car had been in stock for quite a while. I pointed out I’d be happy to take Alpina’s (expensive) finance. I asked if the car mats covered an envelope with £7k cash in them. I got nowhere.

I read more and more about dealers just not giving any discounts and then found out about trade in values. The rarity means no discount on the way in. The rarity means there is a massive discount on the way out.

All in all, I went for an M3T with £20k off list which is a decent cushion against likely depreciation. (It helps the car is awesome and I’m delighted with it).

Genuine question, but does having a discount actually provide that cushion against depreciation?
Maybe only if you are the only one who has managed to get a discount, but if everyone has, then surely the depreciation would be the same?

[JAMSXR]

Spent a while looking for a B3 but there’s very little choice out there. Ended up with an RS4.

[Mr Tidy]

I enjoyed reading that well written comparison, whoever wrote it!

It sounds like they are all good cars but I can't help thinking anyone considering a 340i would also have the B3 and M3 on their shortlist, or vice versa.

If I had the money I'd choose the Alpina without the graphics and with different wheels. Not because they might break, but because I really don't like Alpina wheels! PITA to clean too.

[Frankychops]

Without reading all the words, it’s got to be the Alpina?

[Lowtimer]

AmazingGrace said:

Genuine question, but does having a discount actually provide that cushion against depreciation?
Maybe only if you are the only one who has managed to get a discount, but if everyone has, then surely the depreciation would be the same?

I'd rather lose half of £80K over three to four years than half of £100K

[gruppeb86]

AmazingGrace said:

gruppeb86 said:

Ian-i9112 said:

I found my B3 at my local Sytner while waiting for my M3T order to come through - M3 took too long to arrive and I’m so glad. The B3 is an amazing car, possibly the best I’ve owned given family to consider. The performance is there when you need it and you quickly learn to drive around the nuances, as with any car….. Having seen M3T’s in the flesh, it’s a much better option for me, and far more exclusive……

What’s surprised me most is the breadth of the B3’s abilities. Driving west on the M4 a few days ago heading for a long weekend in the Brecon Beacons I came across an M3T - it looked shouty and jiggly and I’ll be honest made me feel a bit smug……. In contrast, in Comfort+ mode the Alpina smoothed the ride better than a 340i (I’ve had 2 of them and loved both); when we left the motorway and headed up into the valleys in Sport+ it became a deranged weapon (dog and family still recovering); then when we hit the gravel trails to our accommodation it just dealt with it. Deeply impressive……

Going fast effortlessly sums it up perfectly. I’m an convert and will keep the B3 for a long time….

Does your Alpina look great in a car park too? I wouldn't drive mine like a deranged weapon nor travel up and down gravel tracks and of course avoid car parks like the plague.

Next time your going fast effortlessly, perhaps think about other road users and how it impacts them?

Bit harsh. He clearly enjoys his car and sharing his experiences with it, don’t see anywhere where he said he had been inconveniencing other road users or thrashing it down gravel tracks like Mika hakkinen.

He’s got an Alpina but you’re expecting him to drive it like a 318d ?

Think your confusing F1 with WRC!

[gruppeb86]

Mannginger said:

Yeah, touch judgemental / puritanical for no particular reason

Judgemental? The evidence was their for all. As an Alpina owner, me view on Alpina ownership is very different.

[AmazingGrace]

gruppeb86 said:

AmazingGrace said:

gruppeb86 said:

Ian-i9112 said:

I found my B3 at my local Sytner while waiting for my M3T order to come through - M3 took too long to arrive and I’m so glad. The B3 is an amazing car, possibly the best I’ve owned given family to consider. The performance is there when you need it and you quickly learn to drive around the nuances, as with any car….. Having seen M3T’s in the flesh, it’s a much better option for me, and far more exclusive……

What’s surprised me most is the breadth of the B3’s abilities. Driving west on the M4 a few days ago heading for a long weekend in the Brecon Beacons I came across an M3T - it looked shouty and jiggly and I’ll be honest made me feel a bit smug……. In contrast, in Comfort+ mode the Alpina smoothed the ride better than a 340i (I’ve had 2 of them and loved both); when we left the motorway and headed up into the valleys in Sport+ it became a deranged weapon (dog and family still recovering); then when we hit the gravel trails to our accommodation it just dealt with it. Deeply impressive……

Going fast effortlessly sums it up perfectly. I’m an convert and will keep the B3 for a long time….

Does your Alpina look great in a car park too? I wouldn't drive mine like a deranged weapon nor travel up and down gravel tracks and of course avoid car parks like the plague.

Next time your going fast effortlessly, perhaps think about other road users and how it impacts them?

Bit harsh. He clearly enjoys his car and sharing his experiences with it, don’t see anywhere where he said he had been inconveniencing other road users or thrashing it down gravel tracks like Mika hakkinen.

He’s got an Alpina but you’re expecting him to drive it like a 318d ?

Think your confusing F1 with WRC!

Ha! Good spot. Wrong Finn, but there’s plenty to choose from - Kankkunen, Mäkinen, Vatanen, Mikkola….list in nearly endless