Farewell - last thoughts on a bunch of 5's

bigchiefmuffin · Post by **bigchiefmuffin** » Wed May 17, 2017 10:48 pm

Hello all

As a long running but very infrequent poster, I thought I would sign off with some farewell thoughts on the 3 E39's I have owned over the last 17 years :- An M5, a B10 3.3 and, for the last 14 years, a B10 V8s.

Although superficially similar cars, they had very different characters. I remember the M5 ( admittedly, after 17 years, these are slightly distant memories ) as really feeling like a supercar in a saloon body. I was fortunate enough to own a Ferrari 328 at the same time, and the M5 was a far faster car ( though the Ferrari was more special - but that's for a different post... ). The M5 was a 10/10th's car - when you were really going for it ( and, in those days, opportunities to do so were more common than these days ) , it was the car to have. Plenty of power high in the rev range, good balance and it seemed to shrink around you. On the other hand, when you were stuck in a traffic jam on the M6 late in the evening, it was not so good. The clutch on mine was heavy and I found the seats a bit hard. It wasn't a car you could easily "switch off" in...

I never really got on with my B10 3.3. It was an early pre-facelift model, so had the older steering wheel, which always felt to big and just old. It really needed a 6 speed gearbox to - I was doing nearly 4000 revs at 70, which is too much. Mine drunk oil like it was going out of fashion, admittedly a common problem. Maybe I was spoilt by the M5, but it just never felt "right"

The B10 V8s was a totally different matter. Right from the first day, I knew that this was "the one". It just so effortlessly covered all the bases - fast, comfortable, refined, special without being showy and oh-so-rare. In 14 years of ownership, I only ever saw 1 other ( and both of us were so surprised we nearly crashed into each other ). The gearbox is fine ( though of course I never used the "nipples" on the wheel" ), the fittings are great - I could go on. Certainly the car did - it clocked up 210,000 miles before I finally sold it a few weeks ago. Admittedly, by then, it did sort of feel that it was reaching the end of its useful life - lots of bits, some bigger and more expensive than other, all started going wrong at roughly the same time, almost as if they were saying "This is how long we were designed to last".

Had a long thought ( well, 14 years ) as to what to replace it with. Recent 5 series have just gotten too big for me and my needs. So, instead, bought at 2013 328i estate which, in size, feels pretty similar to the E39. It's a lovely thing too - you notice the progress of time in things like NVH, audio and infotainment and general build ( admittedly, as said, the V8s was feeling its years at the end ).

Will be interesting to see if this one lasts another 14 years...

Anyways, that's it from me. Thanks to all those who have given me help over the years with various queries on my cars. Suspect I won't be buying another Alpina for a while, but who knows. Never say never, as they say...

hap · Post by **hap** » Wed May 17, 2017 11:03 pm

I presume this was your car
http://www.thealpinaregister.com/forums ... hp?t=21562

Post by **neil** » Thu May 18, 2017 10:33 am

Interesting to read your thoughts as I have owned 2 of the cars you've had

Oddly I never really connected with my M5 probably just didn't get to drive it enough - working in London and having a small family at the time. I also came at things the other way around having (and loving) the B10 3.3 and 'upgrading' to the M5.

For me the steering on the 3.3 was so superior in feel to that on the M5 - thanks to it being rack and pinion vs. recirculating ball. The 3.3 was also a car I felt fully in charge of - I did a lot in the car - lots of miles, trackdays and advanced / performance driving courses in it and it was very sure footed - sharing the same underpinnings of the B10 V8 but with less power it was very hard to unsettle it - and believe me I and Don Palmer tried very hard to do this one day many moons ago at Bruntingthorpe.

Lots of great memories. The B8 has been with me nearly 9 years now and again that is a long love affair that still feels in its honeymoon period - and long may it stay that way.

One things for sure ALPINAs getting under your skin

bigchiefmuffin · Post by **bigchiefmuffin** » Thu May 18, 2017 1:20 pm

hap wrote:I presume this was your car
http://www.thealpinaregister.com/forums ... hp?t=21562

Nope - that's not mine. Mine was very close to Le Mans Blue....

Metrics · Post by **Metrics** » Thu May 18, 2017 3:15 pm

bigchiefmuffin wrote:
hap wrote:I presume this was your car
http://www.thealpinaregister.com/forums ... hp?t=21562
Nope - that's not mine. Mine was very close to Le Mans Blue....

Was it the one on Autotrader for Â£17.5k, around Watford, Sytner history?

Good to read your comments bigchief, and as a V8S owner I can identify with much of your thoughts. Being 15 years old they are certainly at a critical point of their lives and big bills will be looming - not just due to mileage but also age.

It would be good hear about the work you carried out on your car over those years and miles. You mentioned several issues cropped up recently - can you share the nature of these? Any tips from your ownership on keeping the car tip top, including who you used for maintenance would be great to hear of.

bigchiefmuffin · Post by **bigchiefmuffin** » Thu May 18, 2017 9:58 pm

Can't say too much, as not really very mechanically minded... I always had it service at North Oxford BMW, who seem fine and have had good write ups on this site.

I've changed the gearbox oil every 50,000 miles or so, as recommended, but even then I've had some trouble with the box ( but then again, after 210,000, that is hardly unexpected ).

The car did rust in pretty much all the places E39's do ( rear wheel arches, boot lid ). The pixels on the dashboard went when still under warranty, but Alpina ( very expensively ) replaced the whole unit.

Other things that have gone over time have been the water pump, alternator and timing chain - the latter what very expensive to fix, but not sure if there was anything I could have done to avoid it.

At this age and mileage, it did feel quite "baggy". Lots of creaks and groans and stuff , but again, that's what you have to expect ...

BarryM · Post by **BarryM** » Thu May 18, 2017 11:48 pm

Interesting to hear your thoughts on the different versions and keeping the V8s for 14 years says a great deal about it.

bigchiefmuffin wrote:Other things that have gone over time have been the water pump, alternator and timing chain - the latter what very expensive to fix, but not sure if there was anything I could have done to avoid it.

I guess after 210,000 miles the car was fully run in......I'm just getting the timing chain guides replaced on mine (not an s) and as you say it's quite expensive but as I'm hoping to have many more years with the car I think it's worth doing.

B10BRW · Post by **B10BRW** » Fri May 19, 2017 12:42 am

Very interested to read about your time with the B10 V8S, can you remember how often you had to change the Brembo discs.
How long would a pair last.

bigchiefmuffin · Post by **bigchiefmuffin** » Sat May 20, 2017 1:16 pm

I am pretty light on my brakes - first set of pads and discs actually lasted close to 100,000 miles. Not sure I was given then correct second set, or if it was fitted properly ( admittedly not done by a BMW dealer ) but it only last 60,000 miles