Roadster S spotted… 👀
- Thread starter jasecasecarr
- Start date
Gloucester
By the seaside...
That's #164, as for the price... it's worth what someone will pay for it
There are fewer and fewer with < 80k around and pricing is heavily dependent on condition, service history and provenance
NB it's unusual to see a RHD car with a full set of stripes, they seem more common on the LHD cars (I only have the front spoiler stripes on mine because I'm not particularly keen on the side stripes)
There are fewer and fewer with < 80k around and pricing is heavily dependent on condition, service history and provenance
NB it's unusual to see a RHD car with a full set of stripes, they seem more common on the LHD cars (I only have the front spoiler stripes on mine because I'm not particularly keen on the side stripes)
North Yorkshire
I really like the Alpina stripe kit on the sides. Looks classy IMO.
I was going to get them put on my E92 B3, but didn't keep it long enough!
Don't get me wrong, the side stripes look great on the saloons, coupes, 'verts and tourings - I just don't think they work on the RS, the contours of the car disrupt the lines and to make them fit the shallower bodywork they have to be applied in a way that takes them over the wheel arches.
I will admit the stripes look a little 'disjointed' on the E85, so make them look 'wonky'.
It does look a decent Alpina E85, though. And the money, for the mileage, is about the same as a decent E85 M. I would take the 'Alp' any day over it's 'chavvy' cousin.
I'd take an M every time over an Alpina with the chavvy stripes and wheels that must be a nightmare to clean. Not to mention the EPAS, run-flats and open diff that Ms don't have, and that's before you get to the wonderful S54 screamer.It does look a decent Alpina E85, though. And the money, for the mileage, is about the same as a decent E85 M. I would take the 'Alp' any day over it's 'chavvy' cousin.
Never owned an Alpina have you Iain?I'd take an M every time over an Alpina with the chavvy stripes and wheels that must be a nightmare to clean. Not to mention the EPAS, run-flats and open diff that Ms don't have, and that's before you get to the wonderful S54 screamer.
Alpinas have always been "the gentleman's M". So much so they never bothered making the weird 2 seat hatchback version of the Z4.
Yes you are Iain. You are probably THE biggest gentleman on this forum. You need an Alpina in your life!I'm not a gentleman.
That's why I said you obviously haven't owned an Alpina. They are not like that.
Where's @PerryGunn, he will explain your mis-conceptions?
I'd take an M every time over an Alpina with the chavvy stripes and wheels that must be a nightmare to clean. Not to mention the EPAS, run-flats and open diff that Ms don't have, and that's before you get to the wonderful S54 screamer.
The lady doth protest too much, methinks...
Stripes are optional - most RS don't have them
Wheels are surprisingly easy to keep clean as long as you have something like a medium wheel woolies brush
EPAS - never found it particularly lacking for road use and I bet, if you didn't tell them, 99 out of 100 drivers wouldn't notice the difference
No run-flats - Michelin Pilot Sport were OEM
Open diff - easy to correct if required, I have the Quaife ATB on mine
Engine sound is a matter of taste and the Alpina has a hand-built engine with a tuned exhaust and it sounds wonderful, which is why you don't get Alpina owners hankering after carbon intakes, airboxes or exhaust backbox replacements to 'improve' the sound
On the other side of the coin, Alpina's don't require rod bearing shells/cams/followers to be replaced as preventative maintenance to stop them eating their engines for lunch or commonly have engine mount or vanos issues, have a lighter (to use) clutch & gearbox, they don't need to be worked hard to extract performance as they generate more torque at lower revs, have sensible servicing costs with no M-tax, get taxed as PLG so only £375/year - oh, and can easily average over 30mpg in mixed use.
As I've said on a number of occasions, owning an Alpina is like being a member of White's whereas ownership of an ///M is akin to being a regular at Stringfellows...
You can have your fill of the public school boys, and I’ll take the strippers!
I'm of an age whereYou can have your fill of the public school boys, and I’ll take the strippers!
Nothing to confess other than that recent circumstances haven't allowed much in the way of time for 'fun' driving. I retired early just under 9 years ago and we now only spend half our time in the UK - and we're hoping to reduce that further over the next couple of years by spending more time in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Vietnam and Malaysia.
Old age infirmity dictated that my elderly mother took up a lot of the spare time we had available while in the UK, but she died earlier this year and I'm currently dealing with the administration of her estate.
We have another car and a 125cc scooter that I use for most around-town stuff as it allows you to ignore most traffic queues/jams and you can park virtually anywhere. Cindy passed her scooter test on it a couple of years ago which allows her to ride with confidence when we're in India - she volunteers for a beach dog charity while we're there.
As a consequence the Alpina has only been used on special occasions, although that will change as Cindy will be stopping work completely in a year or so and we'd like to do a European road trip.