Alpina D3

[ortontom]

Due to ongoing issues, I may change the wifes E46 M3 for a similarly priced Alpina D3's - good mpg and any issues?


oh the on going issues - we'll have a second child by the end of the week, shes about blow.

..the old car at the moment is an R26 megane - but need to change it due to company car policy...


So im looking for a solution -

1 - 1x fast car and one big car - and one has to do MPG

Current solutions are -

1 - back to the old E39 M5(almost a money swap against the M3) for her and an audi A1 for me (as I do the 20k miles PA - and can charge back my miles at 45p and 25p every week)
2 - Keep the M3 and get a passat CC GT - good mpg, good space, but not a boat floater....
3 - RS250 Cup megane (as the company car) and an Alpina D3 for the wife
4 - CLS 55amg for the wife and a Audi A1 for me

i should point out she does 8k pa and i do 20k ish, and the thoughts are if i pick a company car (its a personal lease that they back) a small one will deliver more cash in hand due to cheapness and good mpg, a faster like the rs250 deliver less so. I loved the test drive in the rs250 and sort of loved the CC GT - Very good VFM.

....i know im going to get some silly answers back but hey...

[Magnus Barelegs]

Is it a mono-turbo D3 you're looking at?
If so, I owned one for 2.5 years.
The only issues I had with it were the dreaded clutch judder (common to loads of 320D models, even my latest 2010 320ED) and lots of issues with the wheels being susceptible to pothole damage.
In the end, it was the combination of easily damaged wheels and ludicrously bad roads around where I live that meant the D3 had to go, sadly.
MPG wise, the lowest I ever say was 38mpg in urban driving, and regularly nearer 50mpg on the open road.
I once did Aberdeen-Brighton is one day on very nearly one tank of fuel (586 miles).
The fuel light came on with Brighton in sight.
And I did the journey in a time that I don't want to say on here, because the average speed is naughty.
The D3s are brilliant things to drive, they handle very well and they attract admiring looks.

[liquidken]

The seats were more than a little uncomfortable in the example I drove. That was from new, too.

The car went back to the dealer for investigation but the usual 'they're all like that, sir' was the only response.

[Magnus Barelegs]

No problems with the seats in mine, I could drive it all day long without an ache or pain.
They're just standard BMW sports seats (cloth centre/leather sides)