Alpina B3 3.3 Touring
Discussion
I've wanted one for a few years now, had a string of BMW tourers and never thought I'd find one as there's rumoured to be only 8 RHD in the UK. Luckily this came up, and eventually after some checks with the factory and importers, it ended up mine 
2 weeks after getting it we took it on a trip to Italy, going via France, Bavaria, Austria & Switzerland. The car was faultless apart from a puncture but hardly was the cars fault! It was the perfect holiday car - it's very relaxing to drive, and deceptive as to how fast you're going. I'm wanting to keep this one for a bit, it's on 117K miles now, but drives so well, can't think of anything else for the money that's such a great all rounder for me.
On the Stelvio
In Switzerland
Visiting Alpina!
2 weeks after getting it we took it on a trip to Italy, going via France, Bavaria, Austria & Switzerland. The car was faultless apart from a puncture but hardly was the cars fault! It was the perfect holiday car - it's very relaxing to drive, and deceptive as to how fast you're going. I'm wanting to keep this one for a bit, it's on 117K miles now, but drives so well, can't think of anything else for the money that's such a great all rounder for me.
On the Stelvio
In Switzerland
Visiting Alpina!
Rouleur said:
I'd love one of these. Have you driven 'normal' E46s, and if so how does it compare?
I had an e46 328 touring, followed by an e36 328 touring, both manual, before this. The B3 has the damping/ride bias nailed for this sort of car. It feels smooth, but controlled. at 8/10's on a country road it's quick, over that you feel it's size but I don't think Alpina's or e46's are for that. Motorways, autoroutes, autobahns are obviously brilliant in it! The 328's feel brisk but quite a bit slower in comparison. With this you feel you've got loads of low-down pull and it doesn't give up, it really is very easy to drive quickly. The e46 328 felt like it took more effort, and was less composed, but again, that's pretty much what Alpina are all about. I know something from M would be technically quicker, but this is so relaxing it's perfect for a daily driver. I was sceptical of Switchtronic, but after Stelvio Pass I'm a convert, find I use it about a third of the time in semi-auto.
bmthnick1981 said:
Nice. Camber looks odd on rear wheel in last pic?
It does look odd. We found out we had a puncture on the NSR tyre straight after, but it was also fully loaded and the surface undulated quite a bit (but can't be seen).A few hours later
Edited by A S P on Thursday 15th September 23:48
Nearly one year on and nothing significant to report apart from it fitting into daily life superbly. When you need a relaxing car to waft in, it's perfect, but when you want to press on its deceptively quick.
I'm getting married in a few weeks and we're heading off to Provence for a long week afterwards, just gonna book it in for a quick checking over and maybe a gearbox oil change. Not trusting the sealed for life original BMW reccomendations and it seems Alpina no longer share that view..
I'm getting married in a few weeks and we're heading off to Provence for a long week afterwards, just gonna book it in for a quick checking over and maybe a gearbox oil change. Not trusting the sealed for life original BMW reccomendations and it seems Alpina no longer share that view..
DJC said:
I wonder if you would be able to give a rough breakdown of the costs of running this Alpina? Perhaps in comparison to your previous 328? I for one would be interested not only in the figures but how they compare to a run of the mill E46...
I've not got to hand right now the actual costs of servicing, but it's taken to both a reputable indie and a main dealer, and they class it for servicing as a regular 6pot e46, so it's the same as a e46 330i. Differences are though that Alpina specific consumables items are Shocks/springs, brake pads and oil - which it can go through Castrol Edge 0W-30 at circa 1L per 1000miles, they pretty much all do that. It's very fussy about tyres, but in reality you probably wouldn't put much less than Pilot Sports on.It's not cost any more than the e46 and e36 328, although I've not had to replace any Alpina specific components.
orangesrule said:
Just seen one of these in work. Very nice looking car. Shame they arnt manual, though thats personal preference more than anything.
The UK are Switchtronic only, EU has manual gearboxes as an option. It's my first auto, I was thinking it'd be a compromise but now wouldn't have the manual version over it. tommy vercetti said:
Wow, love it.
SVX said:
That's utterly lovely OP, coming from a diehard Merc fan.
Thank guys!Funnily enough I've been looking at future potential replacements, and a C55 estate is looking pretty tempting. There's a real lack of e90 B3 tourings around, less I think than the e46's, and the e60 B5's are equally rare. Purely speculative as I don't see myself getting rid for a few years.
Just been to Snowdon and back in it this weekend loaded up with 4 blokes and all our walking gear. It absolutely tipped it down but it handled it perfectly. It's the perfectly sized smallish everyday, do everything car, think they're awesome for the money
Small update:
Car still going very strong, now on 143,000 miles and feels very tight, no different to how it did when I got it to be honest. There's been no dramas either, just regular maintenance schedule done by my indie, and approx 1L of Castrol Edge 0W-30 every 1000miles.
We've just made a recent trip to the Applecross Peninsula. Long haul journeys are where it excels. Like previous trips to Tuscany and then to Provence, it's great at being cosseting on long journeys, just enough power for not much to bother you, then be entertaining on smaller roads. Which reminds me, there is a problem with it! There's a baffle stuck open in the exhaust, when the exhaust has got hot after a big run, it's LOUD coming off motorways. Not enough for me to get it fixed though
And the amazing Bealach na Bà to get there
I suppose the main gripe with it is it's thirst, in town driving I can get 18MPG. However mixed is around 23-25 and a steady 70mph is 30mpg so I try to keep it off short local journeys and use the tram
when I can.
Not long ago, a previous owner contacted me through the Alpina Register asking if when I sell if he can have first refusal. I get why he asked. It's not happening any time soon, but the answer is of course
Car still going very strong, now on 143,000 miles and feels very tight, no different to how it did when I got it to be honest. There's been no dramas either, just regular maintenance schedule done by my indie, and approx 1L of Castrol Edge 0W-30 every 1000miles.
We've just made a recent trip to the Applecross Peninsula. Long haul journeys are where it excels. Like previous trips to Tuscany and then to Provence, it's great at being cosseting on long journeys, just enough power for not much to bother you, then be entertaining on smaller roads. Which reminds me, there is a problem with it! There's a baffle stuck open in the exhaust, when the exhaust has got hot after a big run, it's LOUD coming off motorways. Not enough for me to get it fixed though
And the amazing Bealach na Bà to get there
I suppose the main gripe with it is it's thirst, in town driving I can get 18MPG. However mixed is around 23-25 and a steady 70mph is 30mpg so I try to keep it off short local journeys and use the tram
when I can. Not long ago, a previous owner contacted me through the Alpina Register asking if when I sell if he can have first refusal. I get why he asked. It's not happening any time soon, but the answer is of course
Edited by B3MX5 on Tuesday 14th May 19:30
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...
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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