E92 Alpina B3 Biturbo #185

[BSSBMW]

Thanks for the kind words everyone!

Bolidemichael, forgive me but where do you know from from? Do you have another user name on another forum?

Kettmark said:

Currently in an e46 330c i sport auto which I've had for 15 years. Would one of these be a more suitable step up than an e92 m3 auto?

A nice E9x 330i or 335i auto would be the natural progression from an E46 330Ci but a E9x B3 or B3S is a fantastic step on.

MattOz said:

Lovely work on a fantastic looking car.

Can you let me know where you got the gearbox service done please? I have an F30 D3 and it's coming up to the time to get it done.

Cheers
Matt

As mentioned, i did it myself and my company do these on a regular basis but any reputable automatic gearbox specialist should have the same equipment. Parts and oils are available from an ZF supplier.

[BSSBMW]

bolidemichael said:

Matt, Barry owns BMR Performance in Crawley. I don't think that you'd get a surer bet than a BMW fetishist that runs his own BMW Specialist garage!

Thanks.

I'm fortunate enough to have turned a life long obsession into a career and now business.

[MattOz]

Thanks Barry. Might give you a bell if i can't find a suitable service centre closer to me.

[bolidemichael]

Barry, it's Michael that still has your Sport cloth seats in my E30 325i Sport.

[BSSBMW]

bolidemichael said:

Barry, it's Michael that still has your Sport cloth seats in my E30 325i Sport.

Ah, hi!

About time you got that Sport out!

[bolidemichael]

BSSBMW said:

bolidemichael said:

Barry, it's Michael that still has your Sport cloth seats in my E30 325i Sport.

Ah, hi!

About time you got that Sport out!

I went to check it out the other day and O think that I need a checklist from you as to what I should do now that it has been in storage for a couple of years. All we did was disconnect the battery.

The worst thing is that I know the longer I leave it, the more it'll cost me as you get bigger and busier!

I saw one the other day on the road, brought a smile to my face.

Anyway, back to more fettling stories on your cars please!

[chandrew]

What a lovely thread & superb car so lovingly being cared for.

I was fortunate enough to drive the latest B5 a few weeks ago at the Switzerland / Liechtenstein importer. Their test route is an alpine road up to the local ski resort. For the most part it did that lovely coasting along on the torque thing giving enough pace to make good progress whilst being calm and relaxing for the passengers. However when I decided to put my foot down to get past a camper van between a couple of hairpins in kicked down and launched me forward at a remarkable pace.

It's a totally adorable car and I left wanting one of the 3 green Tourings (all with stripes) that they had in stock. Unfortunately the maths only start making sense for me next year. The times that I've driven a B3 or B3s I've loved them but the B5, especially when kitted out in the full Lavalina is a very special thing. I know this is a bit strange, and from a driving characteristics perspective they're not the same, but my mind was putting the experience of a B5 in the same category as driving a Wraith.

[BSSBMW]

chandrew said:

What a lovely thread & superb car so lovingly being cared for.

I was fortunate enough to drive the latest B5 a few weeks ago at the Switzerland / Liechtenstein importer. Their test route is an alpine road up to the local ski resort. For the most part it did that lovely coasting along on the torque thing giving enough pace to make good progress whilst being calm and relaxing for the passengers. However when I decided to put my foot down to get past a camper van between a couple of hairpins in kicked down and launched me forward at a remarkable pace.

It's a totally adorable car and I left wanting one of the 3 green Tourings (all with stripes) that they had in stock. Unfortunately the maths only start making sense for me next year. The times that I've driven a B3 or B3s I've loved them but the B5, especially when kitted out in the full Lavalina is a very special thing. I know this is a bit strange, and from a driving characteristics perspective they're not the same, but my mind was putting the experience of a B5 in the same category as driving a Wraith.

Thanks very much!

I have also had the pleasure of driving the current B5 and a echo you sentiments that it really does have serene quality of luxury limousine yet when you need it to be, its a complete riot!

My B3 and most Alpinas from the last 25 years usually have a degree of that same quality and is one of the reasons i chose the B3 over an E9x M3 as my daily.

[BSSBMW]

Tagging onto to a Dyno day at Surrey Rolling Road i was keen to see how the N54 was performing at approx 80K miles. With its new injectors, spark plugs and a tank full of V power we had a good chance of making good figures. Alpina are usually conservative when it comes to power figures and they state 360 PS and 500 Nm (355 bhp and 369 lbft) as shown in their graph for the car.





Very pleased to see 358 bhp and 370 lbft! AFR were a touch on the rich side so maybe time for some new O2 sensors and a walnut blast.