My G31 B5 Touring has arrived....NOW WITH A FEW PICS!

[Metrics]

Excellent news!

One final rambling on tyre pressures - I run mine on the high value as last winter both my front tyres were damaged by potholes causing sidewall damage and requiring replacement. Local councils of course showed me 2 fingers.

Going lower pressure could increase the risk of damage on our poor roads...

I find comfort plus nicely compliant, even with the full tyre pressure

[Lizard Lounger]

Excellent news!

One final rambling on tyre pressures - I run mine on the high value as last winter both my front tyres were damaged by potholes causing sidewall damage and requiring replacement. Local councils of course showed me 2 fingers.

Going lower pressure could increase the risk of damage on our poor roads...

I find comfort plus nicely compliant, even with the full tyre pressure

Good advice, thank you for that. I hadn’t considered that side of things, just perhaps increased wear and poorer fuel economy (?) with the lower pressures. Thankfully, where I live the pot holes are few and far between. When I visit family, however, in the south east I will keep the pressures higher as the roads where they live are atrocious!

[ScooBeeFive]

Well, to wrap this one up, and to hopefully move on to something more exciting than tyre pressures, I sent an email to ALPINA and they responded within the hour, confirming that my tyre pressures can be reduced to 2.7 bar at speeds below 155mph. Thank you all for your input and advice, much appreciated.

That's a real result - well done. Was worth asking the question and confirmed what we had been thinking.

Whilst the springs/dampers were still nice and compliant with the higher pressure, I just felt it bought a slight harshness to the ride and a hard edged response over bumps. For me, it spoilt that amazing ride/handling balance that Alpina's possess.

[Guy]

Excellent news!

One final rambling on tyre pressures - I run mine on the high value as last winter both my front tyres were damaged by potholes causing sidewall damage and requiring replacement. Local councils of course showed me 2 fingers.

Going lower pressure could increase the risk of damage on our poor roads...

I find comfort plus nicely compliant, even with the full tyre pressure

Does higher pressure result in less risk of sidewall damage risk though? The counter argument would be that the lower pressure gives more sidewall flex which means they can better absorb impacts.

[Lizard Lounger]

Ok....just when I thought it was sorted I received this email from ALPINA...

Dear Jason,

I made a mistake in my email. Please apologise.

I was writing about the LCI (cars built from 07/20). Your car is a B5 pre-LCI.

ALPINA tested the so called "comfort tyre pressure" only for the LCI models. Pre-LCI weren't officially tested and approved for the reduced tyre pressure. This means, that for your car, there is actually no approval for the 2.7 bar tyre pressure.

Please apologise for my mistake, we have also sold a LCI Touring in UK and the car has the number #625 which I thought was your car.


So...I wonder (and have asked) what the difference is between LCI and pre-LCI cars which makes it inadvisable to reduce the tyre pressures...? Presumably nothing, and it’s simply because the pre-LCI B5 was not tested.

[Guy]

There's no difference in the tyre specs or the vehicle weight for the LCI, so they should be identical in terms of effect. i.e. running lower pressure will be fine.

They are just covering themselves in saying it has not been 'officially tested', thats very German (and I speak having done much business in Germany where rules and interpretations are very rigid).

[Charles]

There's no difference in the tyre specs or the vehicle weight for the LCI, so they should be identical in terms of effect. i.e. running lower pressure will be fine.

They are just covering themselves in saying it has not been 'officially tested', thats very German (and I speak having done much business in Germany where rules and interpretations are very rigid).

That would be my take on this too

My advice would be to adjust them down to, say, 3.0 bar to see how that feels and then tweak accordingly, but not go below 2.7 bar

[Metrics]

Excellent news!

One final rambling on tyre pressures - I run mine on the high value as last winter both my front tyres were damaged by potholes causing sidewall damage and requiring replacement. Local councils of course showed me 2 fingers.

Going lower pressure could increase the risk of damage on our poor roads...

I find comfort plus nicely compliant, even with the full tyre pressure

Does higher pressure result in less risk of sidewall damage risk though? The counter argument would be that the lower pressure gives more sidewall flex which means they can better absorb impacts.

I guess that's up for debate. My tyres were damaged by potholes while at the recommended (high pressure) with sidewall damage. If the tyre had lower pressure I'd argue the flex would be so great that it would damage the rim and badly damage the tyre.
The higher pressure still allows sidewall flex afterall, but not too much flex, so what would less pressure result in?

[Lizard Lounger]

There's no difference in the tyre specs or the vehicle weight for the LCI, so they should be identical in terms of effect. i.e. running lower pressure will be fine.

They are just covering themselves in saying it has not been 'officially tested', thats very German (and I speak having done much business in Germany where rules and interpretations are very rigid).

That would be my take on this too

My advice would be to adjust them down to, say, 3.0 bar to see how that feels and then tweak accordingly, but not go below 2.7 bar

I took them down to 2.7 (prior to receiving the second email) and the difference is night and day. Fantastic ride comfort.

Plus, I just received a phone call (!) from ALPINA basically confirming that whilst the official line is that they haven’t tested the pre-LCI at 2.7 bar or given fuel
consumption figures at this tyre pressure, it will be fine to drive at this pressure below 155mph. Furthermore, there is no fuel consumption penalty or increase in tyre wear. In fact, the tyres will wear more on the inside at 3.4 bar because there is less surface area in contact with the road. At 2.7 bar the tyres are flat on the road and they therefore wear evenly. But I’m sure you guys know all this stuff. I’m still getting over the difference in ride quality. Result!

[Guy]

Glad you got there in the end and pleased it has got you the result you wanted - the only reason I was so insistent is that I’ve been through it myself so knew it would sort your problem.

[Lizard Lounger]

Glad you got there in the end and pleased it has got you the result you wanted - the only reason I was so insistent is that I’ve been through it myself so knew it would sort your problem.

Yes, and thank you for your advice, I didn’t doubt it. I just wanted to hear it from the horse’s mouth to feel comfortable with changing the pressures that much.

[D3orbust]

Still waiting for those photos

[Frosty]

Still waiting for those photos

Indeed, dirty or not would be good to see some more pictures?

[churchie386]

Still waiting for those photos

Indeed, dirty or not would be good to see some more pictures?

Filthier the better

[hap]

I’ve just seen a 1100nhp Nissan skyline today at a mates tracked in semi slick for a detai and that was absolutely filthy but looked sexy as
+1 pics of a dirty alpina