Alpina D3 Bi-Turbo
Discussion
Hi,
Have been looking at one of these to replace my Alfa 159.
Does anyone have any experience of them? How much stronger are their residuals compared to the equivalent BMW model?
On paper the D3S Saloon ticks all the boxes, except I cant seem to find any with Sat Nav or leather...
A search on here show that they are all cars are pre-spec'd cars that you cant add options to, and another opinion being that it was Sytner that imposed this situation...
I have found a thread on E90post.com where a member had a D3S Saloon with full leather and Sat Nav... so what is exactly the case with adding options to a D3?
Edited: I phoned Sytner at the weekend and spoke to a Salesman (in the used dept. so he could be 100% sure) but he told me that there is a charge of around 3,000GBP that is added if you sway from the standard spec car as the car had to be sent back to BMW and rebuilt with whatever option added... is this true?
Have been looking at one of these to replace my Alfa 159.
Does anyone have any experience of them? How much stronger are their residuals compared to the equivalent BMW model?
On paper the D3S Saloon ticks all the boxes, except I cant seem to find any with Sat Nav or leather...
A search on here show that they are all cars are pre-spec'd cars that you cant add options to, and another opinion being that it was Sytner that imposed this situation...
I have found a thread on E90post.com where a member had a D3S Saloon with full leather and Sat Nav... so what is exactly the case with adding options to a D3?
Edited: I phoned Sytner at the weekend and spoke to a Salesman (in the used dept. so he could be 100% sure) but he told me that there is a charge of around 3,000GBP that is added if you sway from the standard spec car as the car had to be sent back to BMW and rebuilt with whatever option added... is this true?
Edited by Rochester TVR on Monday 29th March 11:42
Hi there,
One other and potentially easier option for you could be to get an interior retrimmed by one of the many leather interior specialists out there. This would also give you the benefit of choosing the exact shade you'd like and with the extra flexibility, allow you to add in further small touches such as matching leather on the steering wheel, seat belt recepticles, centre console, door handle recesses etc etc etc.
SatNav is a bit harder to retrofit but can also be done. I do say that from the many retrofits of OEM satnav modules in E39 and E46's mainly. If it's too expensive or too much work for you or just generally for a newer BMW/Alpina like this one, then the cheapest solution would be something like TomTom or Co-Pilot on your smartphone or the budget £45 Satnav from Aldi/Ebuyer.
Personally, I've not really seen the point of spending what must be even now, £1250-1500 as a tick box option from the factory for SatNav, when you can get solutions that work just as well and most cases, better for £25+. What exactly is it about factory satnav that people pay this vastly inflated premiums for? if it's 'just' for the 'ohh look it has satnav built in and looks nice' then no wonder the manufacturers are getting away with charging these exorbitant amounts!
How often do you use Satnav anyway ? if you are a travelling technical support engineer, installations engineer, salesman etc etc and go to 5+ appointments a day and which can take you all over the country, and it's a company car, then yes, perhaps get the built in Satnav - or don't and just get work to pay for a nice standalone feature rich device for £250 or so. If you're a private individual, I'd hazard a guess you may go to a totally new area, perhaps 4/5 times a month or possibly a few more. Is having such a exorbitantly priced Satnav system 'really' such a necessity?!
I know this ties in with future re-sale value, I understand that, however from a logical viewpoint - why pay more?!
Cheers, Dennis! West London & Slough UK!
One other and potentially easier option for you could be to get an interior retrimmed by one of the many leather interior specialists out there. This would also give you the benefit of choosing the exact shade you'd like and with the extra flexibility, allow you to add in further small touches such as matching leather on the steering wheel, seat belt recepticles, centre console, door handle recesses etc etc etc.
SatNav is a bit harder to retrofit but can also be done. I do say that from the many retrofits of OEM satnav modules in E39 and E46's mainly. If it's too expensive or too much work for you or just generally for a newer BMW/Alpina like this one, then the cheapest solution would be something like TomTom or Co-Pilot on your smartphone or the budget £45 Satnav from Aldi/Ebuyer.
Personally, I've not really seen the point of spending what must be even now, £1250-1500 as a tick box option from the factory for SatNav, when you can get solutions that work just as well and most cases, better for £25+. What exactly is it about factory satnav that people pay this vastly inflated premiums for? if it's 'just' for the 'ohh look it has satnav built in and looks nice' then no wonder the manufacturers are getting away with charging these exorbitant amounts!
How often do you use Satnav anyway ? if you are a travelling technical support engineer, installations engineer, salesman etc etc and go to 5+ appointments a day and which can take you all over the country, and it's a company car, then yes, perhaps get the built in Satnav - or don't and just get work to pay for a nice standalone feature rich device for £250 or so. If you're a private individual, I'd hazard a guess you may go to a totally new area, perhaps 4/5 times a month or possibly a few more. Is having such a exorbitantly priced Satnav system 'really' such a necessity?!
I know this ties in with future re-sale value, I understand that, however from a logical viewpoint - why pay more?!
Cheers, Dennis! West London & Slough UK!
Thanks for the reply Dennis, I agree in regards to the price of OEM Sat Navs... but when looking on the used market it does make a car more desireable (in my eyes at least)...
Saying that, I wouldn't buy new, and wouldn't spec it as an option new, especially at Alpinas premium prices, but what I would do is pay at an extra 200-300 for a used car with it fitted... It is an asthetic thing totally, it just ties in the controls together in a nice formet getting rid of some of the dash buttons, plus and is a nice toy to play with... silly reasons maybe but its as simple as that.
In regards to having the interior retrimmed... this is an option I hadn't thoguht of, anyone have any ideas how much it would cost to retrim?
Saying that, I wouldn't buy new, and wouldn't spec it as an option new, especially at Alpinas premium prices, but what I would do is pay at an extra 200-300 for a used car with it fitted... It is an asthetic thing totally, it just ties in the controls together in a nice formet getting rid of some of the dash buttons, plus and is a nice toy to play with... silly reasons maybe but its as simple as that.
In regards to having the interior retrimmed... this is an option I hadn't thoguht of, anyone have any ideas how much it would cost to retrim?
Edited by Rochester TVR on Monday 29th March 15:47
Have you seen evo have one as a long-term test? http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evolongtermtests/2...
They get rid of it this month and the person who was running it says it's the best long-termer that he has had. The article also confirmed you need to pay extra if you want to deviate from the standard spec.
They get rid of it this month and the person who was running it says it's the best long-termer that he has had. The article also confirmed you need to pay extra if you want to deviate from the standard spec.
I'd have a look here: www.thealpinaregister.com : as far as I recall, the D3 Alpinas were built to a specific spec & price for the UK importer, & the leather & sat nav was an expensive cost option. They are out there, but not in the same volume as previous models.
There is a D3 BT Lux, which I think will make the used values of the non LUX plummet.
Not even having climate on the non lux was a Joke on a £30k plus car imho.
D3 Bi-Turbo LUX Edition
ALPINA GB is pleased to announce the addition of a ‘LUX Package’ now available to add to D3 Bi-Turbo Saloon or Touring. The LUX Package can be added to the standard specification of D3 Bi-Turbo without incurring the bespoke order charge.
A D3 Bi-Turbo LUX Edition will include the following options above the standard specification of D3 Bi-Turbo:
Pricing:
D3 Bi-Turbo Saloon LUX Edition £33,950
D3 Bi-Turbo Touring LUX Edition £35,950
The on the road price of a LUX Edition is £3,300 over the standard model D3 Saloon and Touring. Previously these same options would have cost £4,905 with the bespoke order charge and individual price of each option.
A small number of LUX Edition cars are available for immediate order for delivery in March/April 2010.
For further information please contact James Bridge at ALPINA GB on 0115 9341414 or email jamesbridge@sytner.co.uk
Not even having climate on the non lux was a Joke on a £30k plus car imho.
D3 Bi-Turbo LUX Edition
ALPINA GB is pleased to announce the addition of a ‘LUX Package’ now available to add to D3 Bi-Turbo Saloon or Touring. The LUX Package can be added to the standard specification of D3 Bi-Turbo without incurring the bespoke order charge.
A D3 Bi-Turbo LUX Edition will include the following options above the standard specification of D3 Bi-Turbo:
- Professional Navigation Multi-Media
- Bluetooth Telephone + Telematics
- Voice Control
- Dual Sided Climate Control
- Black High Gloss Interior Trim
Pricing:
D3 Bi-Turbo Saloon LUX Edition £33,950
D3 Bi-Turbo Touring LUX Edition £35,950
The on the road price of a LUX Edition is £3,300 over the standard model D3 Saloon and Touring. Previously these same options would have cost £4,905 with the bespoke order charge and individual price of each option.
A small number of LUX Edition cars are available for immediate order for delivery in March/April 2010.
For further information please contact James Bridge at ALPINA GB on 0115 9341414 or email jamesbridge@sytner.co.uk
gizlaroc said:
Very usefull information
Thank for that! I had no idea about this Lux pack... I'm even quite sure that Alpinas website and price list doesn't mention it either...This would explain why I have seen a couple of D3 BT's with the options you so rightly mention... Ideally though I would like to pick one up nearly new or an ex demo in or around August, but I understand that my choice is going to be limited.
Anyone know what sort of discount you can get on new Alpinas?
Cheers
t in your high st?gizlaroc said:
BMW UK give a 3rd year warranty as a freebie on all UK cars, however, you are not buying a BMW you are buying an Alpina, therefore you get the standard 2 year warranty only.
Hmmm... that could be a deal breaker for me, but something that would have to be negotiated with the dealer at that time...In regards to the D3 BT 'Lux' does anyone know if any dealers have one of these as a demo?
Just to confirm, full leather is not included in the Lux pack is it?
Thanks for all the information so far.
We were very intrested in a B3 touring last year but could not justify the premium over a standard 320d, so we got a 330d m sport with leather (BMW were doing a promotion so leather was a free upgrade) and the full all singing all dancing sat nav, which we have found really good, as it gives you a concierge service (which at first I thought was a gimmick but now use all the time including to find other car dealers and last saturday, tile shops) they send the postcode direct to the car!
So for the price of the B3 Touring we got a 330d m sport with leather and the options we wanted. But what we did do after 6 months was ditch the 18 inch runflats for set of 19 inch Alpina non run flat wheels, so people now think our car is an Alpina.
HTH
So for the price of the B3 Touring we got a 330d m sport with leather and the options we wanted. But what we did do after 6 months was ditch the 18 inch runflats for set of 19 inch Alpina non run flat wheels, so people now think our car is an Alpina.
HTH
Inverness said:
We were very intrested in a B3 touring last year but could not justify the premium over a standard 320d, so we got a 330d m sport with leather (BMW were doing a promotion so leather was a free upgrade) and the full all singing all dancing sat nav, which we have found really good, as it gives you a concierge service (which at first I thought was a gimmick but now use all the time including to find other car dealers and last saturday, tile shops) they send the postcode direct to the car!
So for the price of the B3 Touring we got a 330d m sport with leather and the options we wanted. But what we did do after 6 months was ditch the 18 inch runflats for set of 19 inch Alpina non run flat wheels, so people now think our car is an Alpina.
HTH
I think the 320d is the wrong car to compare it against. Personally I would compare it against a similarly powered 325d SE (201bhp) which would make it only 2,440 more expensive...So for the price of the B3 Touring we got a 330d m sport with leather and the options we wanted. But what we did do after 6 months was ditch the 18 inch runflats for set of 19 inch Alpina non run flat wheels, so people now think our car is an Alpina.
HTH
Now consider that the 325d M Sport is 2,695 on top of the SE it makes the Alpina look like a bargain, since everything I have read so far has said that the Alpina is better handling and nicer to drive I fail to see why people think the Alpina is expensive?
The base engine may start off as a 2.0l 4 pot but after the Alpina bits are added it is closer in comparison to the engine in the 123d, which is generally seen as a very good engine...
325d SE Saloon 28,210GBP
Alpina D3 Bi Turbo 30,650GBP
325d M Sport Saloon 30,905GBP
Comparing a D3 BT against a 320d M Sport is a bit like comparing a Lancer Evo X FQ-400 against the boggo Lancer Non-turbo 2.0l GSR 'just' because they share the same base engine... (this is an exhagerated example)
...and the 330d M Sport... is 34,725GBP vs 30,650GBP for the D3, considering the 330d offers only 17bhp over the D3 it is really worth 4,075GBP more????
Inverness... the D3 touring is 32,650. The 330d M Sport Touring (with Pro Nav) is 37,845...
Granted you got leather for free but essentially for the extra 5,195 you got Sat Nav and an extra 17bhp.
Just re-read what you wrote, so your saying that instead of paying 37,845 you got it for 32,650...?
In that case its not such a bad deal, but even so I still think I would take the Alpina over a 330d.
Edited by Rochester TVR on Wednesday 31st March 15:55
Inverness said:
We were very intrested in a B3 touring last year but could not justify the premium over a standard 320d, so we got a 330d m sport with leather (BMW were doing a promotion so leather was a free upgrade) and the full all singing all dancing sat nav, which we have found really good, as it gives you a concierge service (which at first I thought was a gimmick but now use all the time including to find other car dealers and last saturday, tile shops) they send the postcode direct to the car!
So for the price of the B3 Touring we got a 330d m sport with leather and the options we wanted. But what we did do after 6 months was ditch the 18 inch runflats for set of 19 inch Alpina non run flat wheels, so people now think our car is an Alpina.
HTH
That last sentence I find very uncomfortable(for want of a stronger word LOL) so people now think its an Alpina?So for the price of the B3 Touring we got a 330d m sport with leather and the options we wanted. But what we did do after 6 months was ditch the 18 inch runflats for set of 19 inch Alpina non run flat wheels, so people now think our car is an Alpina.
HTH
Having driven both,the lighter engine ,greater turn in ability superior suspension of the REAL Alpina I am afraid your 3 ltr Alpina lookalike,hybrid, Busted or whatever on the twistys would be a very poor second and that is a fact.Having said that your car is obviously a lovely car and I wish you all the best with it.Pretend Alpinas leave a sour taste ,sorry for the dig but they do,can't help it.
Edited by B3pete on Wednesday 31st March 18:40
B3pete said:
roofer said:
Go and drive one first, they are an aquired taste.
"sorry this magic carpet ride is driving me nuts ,ill never be able to sit in my armchair and feel comfortable again" 
roofer said:
B3pete said:
roofer said:
Go and drive one first, they are an aquired taste.
"sorry this magic carpet ride is driving me nuts ,ill never be able to sit in my armchair and feel comfortable again" B3pete said:
Inverness said:
We were very intrested in a B3 touring last year but could not justify the premium over a standard 320d, so we got a 330d m sport with leather (BMW were doing a promotion so leather was a free upgrade) and the full all singing all dancing sat nav, which we have found really good, as it gives you a concierge service (which at first I thought was a gimmick but now use all the time including to find other car dealers and last saturday, tile shops) they send the postcode direct to the car!
So for the price of the B3 Touring we got a 330d m sport with leather and the options we wanted. But what we did do after 6 months was ditch the 18 inch runflats for set of 19 inch Alpina non run flat wheels, so people now think our car is an Alpina.
HTH
That last sentence I find very uncomfortable(for want of a stronger word LOL) so people now think its an Alpina?So for the price of the B3 Touring we got a 330d m sport with leather and the options we wanted. But what we did do after 6 months was ditch the 18 inch runflats for set of 19 inch Alpina non run flat wheels, so people now think our car is an Alpina.
HTH
Having driven both,the lighter engine ,greater turn in ability superior suspension of the REAL Alpina I am afraid your 3 ltr Alpina lookalike,hybrid, Busted or whatever on the twistys would be a very poor second and that is a fact.Having said that your car is obviously a lovely car and I wish you all the best with it.Pretend Alpinas leave a sour taste ,sorry for the dig but they do,can't help it.
Edited by B3pete on Wednesday 31st March 18:40
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