RE: BMW M3 vs Alpina B3 vs BMW M340i

[theplayingmantis]

jigonda said:

All great cars in their own right ....... I'm biased, happily owning a de-badged M340i in Oxford green with Cognac leather; and exhaust valve hack so always open. It's the ultimate "daily" stealth machine and is the car in my fleet I'm most likely to lose my licence in, despite others more powerful.
The M3 may be the perfect solution if you can only have one car; but most potential owners of an M3 Touring will have the resources for more than one weapon, probably high performance sportscars. The only people who notice my 340 are serious car guys...... and police !

Exhaust valve open so not stealth and debadged...hmm

Edit cos I'm special

Edited by theplayingmantis on Tuesday 7th May 17:38

[theplayingmantis]

E90_M3Ross said:

And yet the Alpina won't see even 5% the quantity of the M3....

What's your point.

They sell few as every tom, dick and Ross can't get into one because they wont discount them like pretty much every m car bar a few honorable exceptions.

Alpina all day long.

[E90_M3Ross]

theplayingmantis said:

E90_M3Ross said:

And yet the Alpina won't see even 5% the quantity of the M3....

What's your point.

They sell few as every tom, dick and Ross can't get into one because they wont discount them like pretty much every m car bar a few honorable exceptions.

Alpina all day long.

Sorry I thought my point was more clear, apologies if not. It was that the market appears to dictate that fewer people want the Alpina.

Or to ask another way, do you think if the Alpina was available for the same price as the M3 they'd sell as many, or more than the M3?

[Tin Hat]

Baldchap said:

Lowtimer said:

evojam said:

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

Around here, definitely risky. Does anyone know if the standard M340i 18" will fit over the brakes of the Alpina? Would seem a bit safer, especially in winter

They honestly aren't an issue.

I have two sets, winters and summers. Neither have a mark on them after 20,000 miles.

My 20,000 B3 Alpina miles over the last 28 months have attracted in excess of £3k in unexpected wheel and tyre repairs, leaving me stranded to the mercy of woeful BMW Assist at least 3 times, once on the hard shoulder for over 4 hours.

And yes I can see perfectly well, and yes I am very careful

[Gigamoons]

E90_M3Ross said:

theplayingmantis said:

E90_M3Ross said:

And yet the Alpina won't see even 5% the quantity of the M3....

What's your point.

They sell few as every tom, dick and Ross can't get into one because they wont discount them like pretty much every m car bar a few honorable exceptions.

Alpina all day long.

Sorry I thought my point was more clear, apologies if not. It was that the market appears to dictate that fewer people want the Alpina.

Or to ask another way, do you think if the Alpina was available for the same price as the M3 they'd sell as many, or more than the M3?

Alpina’s are (or certainly were!) a niche offering and production limited.
There a lot of bespoke work and each engine is hand built, except the D3 4-cyl I think.
They only employ something like 300 people and could churn out about 1,500 cars a year max.
There were years when they had a two year order to get through so they couldn’t produce an M3’s worth of order book if they tried.
Volume isn’t what they’re chasing. It’s a bespoke offering for affluent BMW customers who want a faster more luxurious car that isn’t an M.

But I guess everything I’ve written is changing as they get swallowed up into BMW.

[schaeffs]

Looks like this thread has turned into a real Alpina lovefest! If only Sytner had discounted them new, we would have seen a lot more on the UK roads.

Had a lovely Nachtblau E46 B3 3.3 that I ran for 8 years - absolutely superb car and still have huge fondness for it even now. The ride/handling tradeoff was just perfect for UK roads and the engine sublime. Still look through the classifieds to see what one's are around, it would still be a great car now.

[BSSBMW]

Gigamoons said:

Alpina’s are (or certainly were!) a niche offering and production limited.
There a lot of bespoke work and each engine is hand built, except the D3 4-cyl I think.
They only employ something like 300 people and could churn out about 1,500 cars a year max.
There were years when they had a two year order to get through so they couldn’t produce an M3’s worth of order book if they tried.
Volume isn’t what they’re chasing. It’s a bespoke offering for affluent BMW customers who want a faster more luxurious car that isn’t an M.

But I guess everything I’ve written is changing as they get swallowed up into BMW.

They are not about to get swallowed up by BMW. All they have done is to sell the Alpina brand to BMW. They will continue to trade as Alpina Classic.

[zorba_the_greek]

great trio

[Baldchap]

Tin Hat said:

Baldchap said:

Lowtimer said:

evojam said:

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

Around here, definitely risky. Does anyone know if the standard M340i 18" will fit over the brakes of the Alpina? Would seem a bit safer, especially in winter

They honestly aren't an issue.

I have two sets, winters and summers. Neither have a mark on them after 20,000 miles.

My 20,000 B3 Alpina miles over the last 28 months have attracted in excess of £3k in unexpected wheel and tyre repairs, leaving me stranded to the mercy of woeful BMW Assist at least 3 times, once on the hard shoulder for over 4 hours.

And yes I can see perfectly well, and yes I am very careful

Maybe the B5 wheels are better?

Maybe your roads are worse?

Maybe you should get a second opinion on whether you can see!

[theplayingmantis]

E90_M3Ross said:

theplayingmantis said:

E90_M3Ross said:

And yet the Alpina won't see even 5% the quantity of the M3....

What's your point.

They sell few as every tom, dick and Ross can't get into one because they wont discount them like pretty much every m car bar a few honorable exceptions.

Alpina all day long.

Sorry I thought my point was more clear, apologies if not. It was that the market appears to dictate that fewer people want the Alpina.

Or to ask another way, do you think if the Alpina was available for the same price as the M3 they'd sell as many, or more than the M3?

Its not comparable.

The market doesn't dictate it at all. The supply is limited and there is no need to discount. As such as one on here mentioned 20k discounts on an m3 and none on alpina, Darren in his new build executive house ain't gonna be able to make the numbers work however much he trys on an alpina whereas he and plenty of others can just about on the m2, 3 and 4 as there incentivesed to flog em. It's a different product. One more exclusive and classy and the other, well its reputation of a lot of the owners, proceeds it. But a decent product if you like that sort of thing and have no issue with that.

[E90_M3Ross]

theplayingmantis said:

E90_M3Ross said:

theplayingmantis said:

E90_M3Ross said:

And yet the Alpina won't see even 5% the quantity of the M3....

What's your point.

They sell few as every tom, dick and Ross can't get into one because they wont discount them like pretty much every m car bar a few honorable exceptions.

Alpina all day long.

Sorry I thought my point was more clear, apologies if not. It was that the market appears to dictate that fewer people want the Alpina.

Or to ask another way, do you think if the Alpina was available for the same price as the M3 they'd sell as many, or more than the M3?

Its not comparable.

The market doesn't dictate it at all. The supply is limited and there is no need to discount. As such as one on here mentioned 20k discounts on an m3 and none on alpina, Darren in his new build executive house ain't gonna be able to make the numbers work however much he trys on an alpina whereas he and plenty of others can just about on the m2, 3 and 4 as there incentivesed to flog em. It's a different product. One more exclusive and classy and the other, well its reputation of a lot of the owners, proceeds it. But a decent product if you like that sort of thing and have no issue with that.

Fair enough I guess I find it bizarre how Alpina owners are seemingly more classy, yet appear to sneer down on other people, because that doesn't seem classy to me. Or are they just the people who like Alpina but don't buy them?

I think as an estate it makes a lot of sense

[Baldchap]

E90_M3Ross said:

Fair enough I guess I find it bizarre how Alpina owners are seemingly more classy, yet appear to sneer down on other people, because that doesn't seem classy to me. Or are they just the people who like Alpina but don't buy them?

I think as an estate it makes a lot of sense

I can't speak for all of us but as an owner I definitely don't sneer at BMWs. Only diesel Alpinas.

Seriously though, an M5 is the faster car round a track and costs similar money to a B5, why would I be looking down my nose? They're just different.

[Wozza27]

Tin Hat said:

My 20,000 B3 Alpina miles over the last 28 months have attracted in excess of £3k in unexpected wheel and tyre repairs, leaving me stranded to the mercy of woeful BMW Assist at least 3 times, once on the hard shoulder for over 4 hours.

And yes I can see perfectly well, and yes I am very careful

I picked up a 2022 B3 Touring this year and am super pleased with it overall. I had heard the horror stories about bent rims and bulging tyres first hand from a friend though so first thing I did was put it on a set of 19" Alpina alloys and put the 20" wheels away in the garage. Ride is nicer on the 19s anyway, I don't brace myself everytime the road surface turns to shte and they can be set at a far more sensible 36 psi! I couldn't care less about aesthetics. Makes my non stripes car even more of a sleeper.

Apart from fuel tank being too small and the average seats and the HK stereo, this is by far the best daily I've ever enjoyed

[E90_M3Ross]

Baldchap said:

E90_M3Ross said:

Fair enough I guess I find it bizarre how Alpina owners are seemingly more classy, yet appear to sneer down on other people, because that doesn't seem classy to me. Or are they just the people who like Alpina but don't buy them?

I think as an estate it makes a lot of sense

I can't speak for all of us but as an owner I definitely don't sneer at BMWs. Only diesel Alpinas.

Seriously though, an M5 is the faster car round a track and costs similar money to a B5, why would I be looking down my nose? They're just different.

[CLK-GTR]

Wozza27 said:

I picked up a 2022 B3 Touring this year and am super pleased with it overall. I had heard the horror stories about bent rims and bulging tyres first hand from a friend though so first thing I did was put it on a set of 19" Alpina alloys and put the 20" wheels away in the garage. Ride is nicer on the 19s anyway, I don't brace myself everytime the road surface turns to shte and they can be set at a far more sensible 36 psi! I couldn't care less about aesthetics. Makes my non stripes car even more of a sleeper.

Apart from fuel tank being too small and the average seats and the HK stereo, this is by far the best daily I've ever enjoyed

Don't get me wrong as I love Alpina but that's not screaming great car to me. That's quite a lot wrong!

I think there's only one thing I'd change on my car, the soft wheels. And mpg but that comes with the territory.

[Baldchap]

CLK-GTR said:

Wozza27 said:

I picked up a 2022 B3 Touring this year and am super pleased with it overall. I had heard the horror stories about bent rims and bulging tyres first hand from a friend though so first thing I did was put it on a set of 19" Alpina alloys and put the 20" wheels away in the garage. Ride is nicer on the 19s anyway, I don't brace myself everytime the road surface turns to shte and they can be set at a far more sensible 36 psi! I couldn't care less about aesthetics. Makes my non stripes car even more of a sleeper.

Apart from fuel tank being too small and the average seats and the HK stereo, this is by far the best daily I've ever enjoyed

Don't get me wrong as I love Alpina but that's not screaming great car to me. That's quite a lot wrong!

I think there's only one thing I'd change on my car, the soft wheels. And mpg but that comes with the territory.

I love the every way adjustment in the massage seats and the stereo in my B5. 68 litre tank does me for long journeys too. All day comfortable mile muncher.

Sounds like you need a B5.

[CLK-GTR]

Baldchap said:

I love the every way adjustment in the massage seats and the stereo in my B5. 68 litre tank does me for long journeys too. All day comfortable mile muncher.

Sounds like you need a B5.

I think the only thing I'd change my car for would be a Panamera Estate or a B5, but they stopped making the Porsche and I can't see a single B5 for sale in the UK.

[Fox-]

toon10 said:

I'd take the Alpina.

Lots of people saying this as if it's a choice but the reality is that it isn't really a choice most people will make. The Alpina is so much more expensive than the M340i that if you want one, you probably don't even consider the M340i in the first place.

I didn't even look at the Alpina as it would have cost about £20-25k more to get one in the same specification as my M340i.

[toon10]

Fox- said:

Lots of people saying this as if it's a choice but the reality is that it isn't really a choice most people will make. The Alpina is so much more expensive than the M340i that if you want one, you probably don't even consider the M340i in the first place.

I didn't even look at the Alpina as it would have cost about £20-25k more to get one in the same specification as my M340i.

Oh, I agree with you. I'd not spend my own money on the Alpina or M3, not at those prices. I'd buy the M340i but if I had a choice between the 3 cars, it's the Alpina I'd want.

[Tin Hat]

Wozza27 said:

Tin Hat said:

My 20,000 B3 Alpina miles over the last 28 months have attracted in excess of £3k in unexpected wheel and tyre repairs, leaving me stranded to the mercy of woeful BMW Assist at least 3 times, once on the hard shoulder for over 4 hours.

And yes I can see perfectly well, and yes I am very careful

I picked up a 2022 B3 Touring this year and am super pleased with it overall. I had heard the horror stories about bent rims and bulging tyres first hand from a friend though so first thing I did was put it on a set of 19" Alpina alloys and put the 20" wheels away in the garage. Ride is nicer on the 19s anyway, I don't brace myself everytime the road surface turns to shte and they can be set at a far more sensible 36 psi! I couldn't care less about aesthetics. Makes my non stripes car even more of a sleeper.

Apart from fuel tank being too small and the average seats and the HK stereo, this is by far the best daily I've ever enjoyed

Hi Wozza, did you get Alpina wheels, or copies - If they are OEM Alpina, are they a gadzillion pounds?