Alpina 3.4 or M Sport 3.2?

D

Dustybobins

Member
Am pretty sure the question has been asked before and I do not want to start a division as both have their merits.
Now I'm a motor engineer been in the trade a looong time.
Both the Alpina and M Sport both have vanos, head gasket, steering coloum, suspension bushes, springs and damper issues.
Alpina parts are more difficult to source and won't get any easier.
But there are only 167 rhd!
Am torn between the two so chuck some thoughts at me and MX5 is not a qualifying reply!
 
Finding a low mileage Alpina would be difficult, but there are 3 benefits to owning an Alpina - Low Road Tax and Lowish Servicing costs, plus a slightly softer ride.
 
griffnut said:
Finding a low mileage Alpina would be difficult, but there are 3 benefits to owning an Alpina - Low Road Tax and Lowish Servicing costs, plus a slightly softer ride.
Click to expand...

I think they also have more torque helped by larger capacity :?
Rob
 
Not so worried on service costs as it would go through my workshop.
Softer ride is not what I would have thought from one so interesting.
They definitely have more torque lower down.
There are a few around for sale some at 100k ish and 50k and 60k Mark price is very competitive against the 3.2 M.
Though to me the coupe is a better looking car, more money!
 
Are Alpina parts getting more difficult to source? I haven't had any difficulty. Certainly when I have enquired with Sytners parts department they haven't said parts were getting scarce. Maybe the parts I have enquired about aren't scarce yet.
The MC is a fantastic looking car but IMO the Alpina is it's equal, but you are comparing a roadster with a coupe.
I haven't driven an M car but as I understand it the performance is very similar, just delivered in a different way. Number 5 would be better qualified at giving you a direct comparison as he has had both, he sold the M and kept the Alpina.
Also not sure about the softer ride, doesn't seem particularly soft to me, I can compare it to our coupe's Msport suspension which does feel softer in comparison.
 
I’m interested in the quote above about a softer ride! Why is that, what’s different about the two suspensions and can the Alpina suspension fit on the Z4MC?
 
As I understand it, one of the things that Alpina is well known for is the suspension set up on their cars, also that it is more suitable for daily use rather than the M cars suspension. I may be wrong and as I say I haven't driven an M car so can't compare personally but it certainly isn't soft, it may be that it is just a little more compliant than an M's suspension.
 
Somewhere on here is an article written by Stuart Truman who owned both an M and an Alpina and he reviewed his opinions on the two.
Unfortunately, my searches havent found it yet, but someone may and will hopefully post the link.

I've owned both . An Alpina for 5 years and an M for just the one year. I've still got the Alpina...
 
Not heard of any Z4M-specific steering column, head gasket or damper issues, but I’d happily have an Alpina coupe :P

Everything else that breaks, breaks on all models.
 
That's an interesting question OP.

If there had been an Alpina Coupe it's probably one I would have been asking myself, but being a serial Coupe owner solved it for me!

I have never been in an Alpina but with the M it's really all about that engine with its 8,000 rpm red-line, and hydraulic PAS as a bonus! Although the M engines require a bit more maintenance as they don't have hydraulic lifters and can suffer from crank rod bearing shell issues, a topic which has it's own thread running!

But I did notice at the AV8 on Saturday that the Alpina has a 6,500 rpm red-line so I imagine they feel quite different to drive, even though the performance is reportedly very similar.

In an ideal world the best answer would be to try one of each, but given the numbers around that could be tricky - especially in the situation we find ourselves in right now.
 
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