Opinions sought on Alpina quandry

[jamesfuller]

As I know there are a few connoisseurs here that own or have owned an Alpina or two I thought I would seek some advise regarding what to do with mine.

Now you see, I'm a bit of a car hoarder. But since moving away from the family home and setting up home for myself, I no longer have the space/desire/need or indeed excuse to own a huge amount of cars. Many of the collection have been sold.

So the problem, I have an Alpina B10 3.2 (number 96) of 1998 vintage. I've owned it for a couple of years but unfortunately I only drove it for 300 or so miles! It has sat unused since.

I understand a car cannot be valued on a description/opinion of its condition so will not go into great detail about it. Its in Alpina blue over black leather. Apart from some scratches on the leather seats it is very presentable for fifteen or so year old car.

Now it would seem my choices are to go to town with a very thorough service/recommission with all new brake components and tyres.

The other way is to fit a new battery, get it running and mot'd to get my personal plate off and either sell as it is requiring the work or to then break it for spares!

With the thorough recommission etc. It would in my opinion be one of the best condition cars of its type.
I'm finding it hard to put a value on the car and so is leaving me unsure of the best route to go down.

Sorry that went on a bit. Would be gratefull for any input or advice!

 

[Charles Morgan]

Looking around you'd be unlikely to get more than £5k for a B10 3.2 for whatever reason in good nick. Selling it as a project / breaker is really not going to get you any great value unless you know how much the work is going to be - a set of decent tyres is going to be a minimum of £400, add in the other work you need to do (don't do a major service), and compare it's value as a project, which I suspect is going to be close to £2k.

I'd do the work and move it on but you're pretty close to being economically indifferent either way.

 

[John Jones Jr]

Nice car. If in doubt sell, with an mot! What is it a £5-7k car in good order? Less whatever you need to spend on it plus your time to get it to a condition you are happy with. Yep, flog it as I reckon E34 Alpinas will harden in price before E39's do.

 

[John Jones Jr]

What's the spec, mileage & history? Manual, under a 100k, SH & a few owners along with an MOT & valet I could see it been sold pronto if priced right. For a quick sale & reasonable priced sale and possibly cutting out the 'dreamers & tyre kickers' (I'm being polite ) I'd stick it on a BMW club site, maybe even as is? Would I be correct in saying it doesn't owe you much anyway?

 

[Charles Morgan]

My Alpina took 4 months to sell and that was not a giveaway but not absurdly over-priced as some. As a facelift model with new tyres, Inspection II service and a few other things done, it was an immaculate car. Put it up too high and it could stick for over a year as some that I looked at early last year are doing.

Alpina owners tend to be far outside the usual BMW gits, my buyer came via Car and Classic to the dealer.

 

[jamesfuller]

What's the spec, mileage & history? Manual, under a 100k, SH & a few owners along with an MOT & valet I could see it been sold pronto if priced right. For a quick sale & reasonable priced sale and possibly cutting out the 'dreamers & tyre kickers' (I'm being polite ) I'd stick it on a BMW club site, maybe even as is? Would I be correct in saying it doesn't owe you much anyway?

I paid top money from a dealer as I wanted the best! Unfortunately a few reasons have kept me from using it. Seems like an awful waste of a car to be sat there. I have decided that one way or another it will have to go though, its just to modern for me and I have know real connection with it. Don't get me wrong, its a very good car with fantastic performance but just doesn't have the wild/deadly side of the old school Alpina.

 

[jamesfuller]

My Alpina took 4 months to sell and that was not a giveaway but not absurdly over-priced as some. As a facelift model with new tyres, Inspection II service and a few other things done, it was an immaculate car. Put it up too high and it could stick for over a year as some that I looked at early last year are doing.

Alpina owners tend to be far outside the usual BMW gits, my buyer came via Car and Classic to the dealer.

I have a feeling patience will be required. A rare car with a small market, most people that want an Alpina already have a few!

The truth is most people don't understand them. Most people compare performance etc on paper and with bhp figures!

I can accept I wont get what I paid for it, I just want a fair price etc. If I can get a few grand for it I wouldn't mind spending a bit on it with regards tyres and brakes etc. Might have to join an Alpina forum!!

 

[John Jones Jr]

If it was an E34 manual there's a good chance I'd be knocking at your door as I too prefer the old machines. Anyway, on the plus side if you paid top money for it there's a reasonable expectation that it's a sound car overall. Get it MOT'ed, valeted and go from there...a clean, road worthy car is a different car from one that's not.

 

[John Jones Jr]

Might have to join an Alpina forum!!

Now, you're firing on all six!

 

[Charles Morgan]

I have a feeling patience will be required. A rare car with a small market, most people that want an Alpina already have a few!

The truth is most people don't understand them. Most people compare performance etc on paper and with bhp figures!

I can accept I wont get what I paid for it, I just want a fair price etc. If I can get a few grand for it I wouldn't mind spending a bit on it with regards tyres and brakes etc. Might have to join an Alpina forum!!

All true.

The Alpina Register forum is the one I joined. It does get reasonable traffic for a small marque site.

For your interest, here's the ad Nick Froome (Bolide here) did for my car.

 

[John]

I had a 2001/Y B10 V8 from 3 years old and that took an eternity to shift at 4.5 years old.

If it were my car, I would do the bare minimum and sell it as a project.

I've no doubt if you did the full works on it it would sell eventually but I wouldn't take the gamble personally. Even though I think the E39s are one of the finest ever 5 series shapes, I just don't think they've 'got it' when it comes to Alpina heritage.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Although I don't get to drive my C43, I might be interested in your Alpina to sit alongside it and barely move too.

 

[jamesfuller]

All true.

The Alpina Register forum is the one I joined. It does get reasonable traffic for a small marque site.

For your interest, here's the ad Nick Froome (Bolide here) did for my car.

Thanks for that, the youngtimers website is very interesting! Don't know how I've not stumbled across that before!

 

[MCFastybloke]

I love those e39's.Put some pictures up please.

 

[jamesfuller]

I had a 2001/Y B10 V8 from 3 years old and that took an eternity to shift at 4.5 years old.

If it were my car, I would do the bare minimum and sell it as a project.

I've no doubt if you did the full works on it it would sell eventually but I wouldn't take the gamble personally. Even though I think the E39s are one of the finest ever 5 series shapes, I just don't think they've 'got it' when it comes to Alpina heritage.

This makes me think I may have made it sound worse than it is! I would fit a new Varta battery and and rear tyres as a matter of course because I noticed one has a puncture repair in. To be honest at that point I would expect it to go through the Mot without problems and be perfectly reliable. Just I feel changing the fluids etc is a must along with other service items. The brakes would probably be fine after 10 miles to clean the rust off.

I just feel if I advertise a car for sale for a reasonable price I should do what I can to make it nice and not need any work for the near future. That's the only reason breaking it crossed my mind, there is nothing actually wrong with the car.

 

[jamesfuller]

Although I don't get to drive my C43, I might be interested in your Alpina to sit alongside it and barely move too.

Once I have it Mot'd I shall let you know the outcome and if your still interested I'm sure we can do a deal!

 

[jamesfuller]

 

[jamesfuller]

Don't worry, it was only parked on grass for the photos. I've seen what wet grass can do to metalwork!

 

[MCFastybloke]

I like that.Just in the early stages of the search for an e39.Be interested in the post MOt info as well.

 

[V12]

Don't consider breaking it.

You might get £2k if you're lucky and patient breaking it yourself.

Selling it to a specialist breaker would yield a £500 ish offer and you might be lucky and get up to £1000.