Alpina B3 3.3 Touring
Discussion
Cheers guys 
The pictures are down to the locations, it's often in pretty dull spots, like now where I'm on site - not so scenic. The car's still handy though, I'm a furniture and interior designer and it's often filled with furniture. Last month was a wide bath and shower screen, it's a surprisingly practical car!
Here on Christmas tree removal duties
The pictures are down to the locations, it's often in pretty dull spots, like now where I'm on site - not so scenic. The car's still handy though, I'm a furniture and interior designer and it's often filled with furniture. Last month was a wide bath and shower screen, it's a surprisingly practical car!
Here on Christmas tree removal duties
First mechanical upset: buggered torque converter 
To be fair, this is the first mechanical issue (apart from a leaking air hose, but I'm classing that as a perishable) in over two years of ownership. We'd just come back from a weeks holiday, 5 up in the Isle of Man with roof box fitted for the first time, and it was surprisingly comfortable. The day after I could hear a faint rattling which got worse. I pulled over dreading it could be VANOS related, but after much helpful diagnosis from initially the Alpina Register and my indie mechanic, it was identified as the torque converter.
It's been trailered to an automatic transmission specialist, where they're rebuilding the torque converter. It's one of the few Alpina specific parts on it, a lot of them are pinched from other BMW's. A brand new one from Alpina is £££, but a rebuilt one is universally considered just as good, it's based on the 330's and is apparently a straight forward job. The price including recovery and another gearbox oil change (important on the b
ks-concept of sealed for life gearboxes) so I'm happy, sort of. It's back next week, I didn't think I'd miss it but 2wks of a loan 118d have helped that!
To be fair, this is the first mechanical issue (apart from a leaking air hose, but I'm classing that as a perishable) in over two years of ownership. We'd just come back from a weeks holiday, 5 up in the Isle of Man with roof box fitted for the first time, and it was surprisingly comfortable. The day after I could hear a faint rattling which got worse. I pulled over dreading it could be VANOS related, but after much helpful diagnosis from initially the Alpina Register and my indie mechanic, it was identified as the torque converter.
It's been trailered to an automatic transmission specialist, where they're rebuilding the torque converter. It's one of the few Alpina specific parts on it, a lot of them are pinched from other BMW's. A brand new one from Alpina is £££, but a rebuilt one is universally considered just as good, it's based on the 330's and is apparently a straight forward job. The price including recovery and another gearbox oil change (important on the b
ks-concept of sealed for life gearboxes) so I'm happy, sort of. It's back next week, I didn't think I'd miss it but 2wks of a loan 118d have helped that!Thread from the Dead!
So here’s my very overdue B3 update in a quick summary:
- Was my daily driver for years, was always maintained to regular servicing and proper repairs, however the TLC didn’t necessarily extend to bodywork as it never suffered from the dreaded E46 wing rot. Just the bloody Alpina wheel caps perpetually being a nuisance.
- Mileage piled on, it’s currently at 178,000miles.
- My work changed and was starting to do 20,000 a year. Whilst I’ve no issue about putting miles on a car, a 2001 Alpina E46 was possibly not the ideal vehicle. It’s sad replacement as my daily was looming...
- We had two kids (this is relevant, I promise)
- I pathetically wanted them both to be brought home from hospital in something cool.
- An e46 isn’t big enough for two rear facing swivel seats, so it’s replacement arrived. A 2011 MB E350cdi estate with a DMS engine and gearbox remap. It has sufficient space, with the biggest roofbox I could fit, for a family holiday. And 315hp with 750NM of torque, it’s a handy daily, just a little soulless. It’s perfect for work.
- However and contentiously are home, I didn’t sell the B3.... I promised and I lied.... I couldn’t bring myself to sell it as it literally feels part of me.
- It suffers from lack of use. Mainly in the bodywork and the battery.
- I replace the shocks with new Alpina shocks, handy having a friend living in Buchlöe who could get them over the counter at the factory.
-Fast forward to 2020 and I decided to bring it back to a good standard again. Bodywork quotes varied wildly, but found somwhere and this is where it’s at...
So here’s my very overdue B3 update in a quick summary:
- Was my daily driver for years, was always maintained to regular servicing and proper repairs, however the TLC didn’t necessarily extend to bodywork as it never suffered from the dreaded E46 wing rot. Just the bloody Alpina wheel caps perpetually being a nuisance.
- Mileage piled on, it’s currently at 178,000miles.
- My work changed and was starting to do 20,000 a year. Whilst I’ve no issue about putting miles on a car, a 2001 Alpina E46 was possibly not the ideal vehicle. It’s sad replacement as my daily was looming...
- We had two kids (this is relevant, I promise)
- I pathetically wanted them both to be brought home from hospital in something cool.
- An e46 isn’t big enough for two rear facing swivel seats, so it’s replacement arrived. A 2011 MB E350cdi estate with a DMS engine and gearbox remap. It has sufficient space, with the biggest roofbox I could fit, for a family holiday. And 315hp with 750NM of torque, it’s a handy daily, just a little soulless. It’s perfect for work.
- However and contentiously are home, I didn’t sell the B3.... I promised and I lied.... I couldn’t bring myself to sell it as it literally feels part of me.
- It suffers from lack of use. Mainly in the bodywork and the battery.
- I replace the shocks with new Alpina shocks, handy having a friend living in Buchlöe who could get them over the counter at the factory.
-Fast forward to 2020 and I decided to bring it back to a good standard again. Bodywork quotes varied wildly, but found somwhere and this is where it’s at...
B3MX5 said:
Thread from the Dead!
- An e46 isn’t big enough for two rear facing swivel seats, so it’s replacement arrived. A 2011 MB E350cdi estate with a DMS engine and gearbox remap. It has sufficient space, with the biggest roofbox I could fit, for a family holiday. And 315hp with 750NM of torque, it’s a handy daily, just a little soulless. It’s perfect for work.
From the dead indeed - I remember this thread from 7 years ago and was jealous as hell then. And still am. - An e46 isn’t big enough for two rear facing swivel seats, so it’s replacement arrived. A 2011 MB E350cdi estate with a DMS engine and gearbox remap. It has sufficient space, with the biggest roofbox I could fit, for a family holiday. And 315hp with 750NM of torque, it’s a handy daily, just a little soulless. It’s perfect for work.
What did you make of the DMS remap? I have an E350 coupe and have been considering it.
StonedRollin said:
What did you make of the DMS remap? I have an E350 coupe and have been considering it.
It’s been great. It really hauls, and as I’m sittting, well, used to be, on a motorway 70% of the time it made it incredibly relaxing. The gearbox map was probably the most important bit, as I found it very ponderous especially in Economy.Mr Scruff said:
Beautiful car, I'd love to own one. I have a coupe version which I've spent too much money on already, and now wondering whether to go back to original OEM shocks and springs.
Look forward to seeing the restoration pictures.
I remember your car, you’ve done lots to it haven’t you? Mine’s mainly required bodywork and cosmetic fixes, I’d stayed on top of most mechanical issues throughout its services, MOT’s and other visits to the specialist. Look forward to seeing the restoration pictures.
I do have an issue where it won’t hold a charge, despite being on a CTEK trickle charger. I suspect there’s an alternator issue somewhere but that’s an easy fix.
JakeT said:
I thought you'd sold it after not seeing a lot of it on Twitter and seeing a lot of it on Instagram. Nice to see it's having a renaissance, though. 
I’ve been using IG a lot more since, I mainly use Twitter as a news feed as opposed to posting stuff. It’s been a thorny topic in our house with not everyone appreciating it being here, but now it’s not looking so decrepit that’s hopefully changing....Kompressor89 said:
Well done on starting to use it again, it's nice to see it move off your drive
Haha!I presume you’ve seen that on Instagram? Yeah, there’s been a protracted build up to be getting round to regularly using it, time’s always been tricky with work. But I’m furloughed so I literally had no excuse to not get it sorted.
I’ve just been out for an evening drive, for a 20yr old 172k mile family estate it really is a lovely thing to drive around in. But that could be because I’ve not really driven consistently for 3 months, and when I do it’s in the E Class barge.
I’ve managed to find (off a very helpful individual on a FB Alpina forum) some replacement Alpina wood trim for the dashboard. The trim above the glovebox had separated, and the gear surround had faded. Amazingly they’re a perfect match for the existing door trims.
Next, stripes...
I’ve managed to find (off a very helpful individual on a FB Alpina forum) some replacement Alpina wood trim for the dashboard. The trim above the glovebox had separated, and the gear surround had faded. Amazingly they’re a perfect match for the existing door trims.
Next, stripes...
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