How do I tell if it's a REAL Alpina???

[E30M3SE]

They have been manufacturers in the own right since 1983, so should show as Alpina, or at least BMW Alpina, and then the model designation.

[BriC175]

Fair enough - so it's a very good replica then!

[GR4]

A bit like RUF with Porsches. If a car was converted brand new at Alpina's factory it will be registered an Alpina, but if genuine Alpina parts are fitted by a BMW dealer, even to a new car, it is a BMW. I don't know if also like RUF, you could take your own car to Alpina and have it converted? in that case car should be as good as an Alpina VIN car.

[Magnus Barelegs]

GR4 said:

I don't know if you could take your own car to Alpina and have it converted?

Pretty sure that's a no.
You buy an Alpina, that's it.
They don't offer a 'conversion' service for normal BMWs.

[yinujim]

dave de roxby said:

Yep! You were right! Was worth a punt.

Anyway, its now on ebay if anyone is interested.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

Thats a counciled up turd. Fake badges and gay exhausts. Its a tired old E38 with need a new gearbox. Its worth nothing.

[yinujim]

BriC175 said:

When you do a car reg. check (such as askmid), should an Alpina show up as an Alpina?

Only reason I ask, is that there is an E38 I've seen a few times in a car park near me. Has the whole lot... Alpina badges, wheels, bodystyling, interior, etc.. but when I did a reg check on my iPhone (was curious to see if it was genuine) it came back as a BMW 735i.

Has someone been busy making a very convincing replica, or did Alpina take a stock 735i and carry out the mods, but it remained registered as a 735i?

Its a fake car.

[Slurms]

BriC175 said:

When you do a car reg. check (such as askmid), should an Alpina show up as an Alpina?

Only reason I ask, is that there is an E38 I've seen a few times in a car park near me. Has the whole lot... Alpina badges, wheels, bodystyling, interior, etc.. but when I did a reg check on my iPhone (was curious to see if it was genuine) it came back as a BMW 735i.

Has someone been busy making a very convincing replica, or did Alpina take a stock 735i and carry out the mods, but it remained registered as a 735i?

Should show as an alpina unless its one of the very very early 1980's cars that sytners converted to Alpina's with a car from BMW and an imported kit from Alpina.

The only E38 7 Series Alpina's were the V12 cars, no V8 E38 7 series was ever produced by Alpina for the UK market. BMW did offer some cosmetic aftermarket alpina parts wheels, spoilers etc but that was it.

Most that are described as "Alpina" means someone has stuck some replica wheels and a badge on it.

A good way to tell if it's actually an Alpina is to look at the Vin stamped under the bonnet because it'll have two, one that has been crossed out (but is still readable) and a new one. The crossed out one is the number of the original BMW chassis the new one is the one issued by Alpina for the car.

[BriC175]

Slurms said:

Should show as an alpina unless its one of the very very early 1980's cars that sytners converted to Alpina's with a car from BMW and an imported kit from Alpina.

The only E38 7 Series Alpina's were the V12 cars, no V8 E38 7 series was ever produced by Alpina for the UK market. BMW did offer some cosmetic aftermarket alpina parts wheels, spoilers etc but that was it.

Most that are described as "Alpina" means someone has stuck some replica wheels and a badge on it.

A good way to tell if it's actually an Alpina is to look at the Vin stamped under the bonnet because it'll have two, one that has been crossed out (but is still readable) and a new one. The crossed out one is the number of the original BMW chassis the new one is the one issued by Alpina for the car.

This one was literally a spot on replica though. Seats had the alpina logo's stitched in, had the alpina steering wheel and clocks, it had all the right badges, bodykit, wheels, the whole lot. I was pretty sure I saw a plaque as well, but I may be wrong.

It could have been that the private plate had only just been transfered from his old BMW 735i, as I don't think it's updated straight away.

[Gunk]

yinujim said:

Thats a counciled up turd. Fake badges and gay exhausts. Its a tired old E38 with need a new gearbox. Its worth nothing.

As you say it's worth nothing, they are BMW Style 32 wheels with fake Alpina badges, there is no front spoiler, it's a dogs dinner.

Currrent bid £499, that's about all it's worth.

[Slurms]

BriC175 said:

This one was literally a spot on replica though. Seats had the alpina logo's stitched in, had the alpina steering wheel and clocks, it had all the right badges, bodykit, wheels, the whole lot. I was pretty sure I saw a plaque as well, but I may be wrong.

It could have been that the private plate had only just been transfered from his old BMW 735i, as I don't think it's updated straight away.

Maybe,suspect it's a replica

I'd love a B12 sadly the fuel economy makes an M5 look frugal

[Fun Bus]

Magnus Barelegs said:

Pretty sure that's a no.
You buy an Alpina, that's it.
They don't offer a 'conversion' service for normal BMWs.

They don't now but I'm pretty sure when Sytner Nottingham were the only agent you could.

[Gunk]

If you have deep pockets, everything is available from Alpina to retrofit, wheels, suspension, spoilers etc, so it easy to build your own Alpina replica.

http://www.alpina-automobiles.com/fileadmin/user_u...