High Mileage Alpina's Advice Needed

[noor]

Im in the market for a fastish saloon/coupe but my budget is a lowly 10k. Ive always hanckered after a Alpina, but until recently they have been out of my league.

My choice would be a either a b3 3.3 or b10 3.3 with a good spec. I have seen both a B10 and a B3 but both have very high mileage one with 130,000 and the other with over 150,000.

My question is what are your views on buying just a high mileage Alpina? Should i even be entertaining the thought of buying such a high mileage car ? or am i just bonkers and setting my self up for my trousers to be pulled down when something major goes bang?

What sort of things are likely to need replacement at this mileage?

If anyone knows of any good examples for sale then please let me know.

Thanks

[baSkey]

surely someone has a view on this..?!

_________________

with my limited knowledge i'd stay steer clear if you are on a budget. they have so many unique parts etc etc. i am sure you'd actually feel happier having a 330(c)i that at least you know that if something goes wrong it's a reasonably easy fix. you could always speak to munich legends or someone about some non-chavish mods to give the 330i a bit more sound and performance.

mods - maybe move to the bmw forum..?

[greatgranny]

What about something turbo so its easily tunable.

S60 T5?

[richburley]

Who wants an easily tuneable Volvo? Not someone who is interested in BMW Alpinas, that's for sure.

Alpinas are the unusual marque of the BMW range - you don't own a BMW, you "own an Alpina".
You don't have a 3-2-whatever, or a 3-3-whatever, you have a "B3" or a "B10".
I love the individuality you get from them, compared with run of the mill BMWs
They're often based on warm BMWs, not the M Power models, so maintenance is not much more than the cost of the warm BMW it is based on.
An £8-9k Alpina B3 Saloon is very much on my wish list...
Would mileage put me off? A little bit, but then again, mileage doesn't really worry me much; it never has, with decent cars. Normally a way of getting "more for your money" in my experience.

Edited by richburley on Thursday 1st March 14:05

[ian_cab28]

There has been a couple of B3.3's gone on the classifieds here ahead of part exing to dealers all sub 100k miles (but highish) around £10k for 01/51 plates if I remember correctly. Big miles like this well over 100k struggles to make decent money no matter what it is, very small market of potential buyers, they should be low 9's or high 8's. Porbably no more likely than a 95k mile version of a trouser dropping moment though. I don't think Alpinas are much worse than normal models for parts/unreliability unless you get core engine issues, the rest of it is the same isn't it (trick shocks and springs and trim etc.) Ian

[PetrolTed]

I've just sold my B3 3.3 with 90K on the clock. Full history and not missing a beat.

I also borrowed one with 120K on it before I bought mine and that was faultless.

If it's got full history I don't think it's anything to be scared of - in fact they're a bargain.