[MigsAngel]

Hi All,

I am looking to buy an everyday commuter car. i am going to park my M5 and simply appreciate her on weekends, track days and shows. However, i still need to go to work everyday, so need a daily commuter car for the parking lot that is the M25. I am looking to do it with some sort of a smile on my face, and be more fuel efficient than the M5. I've found and seriously considering a 1995 B3 Coupe 3.0 to use as that daily commuter. Is there anything you can recommend I should be looking out for as far as common problems or known issues of this model or era B3?

Thanks

 

[chrislux]

Hiya ,

Prob the worst problem with a '95 E36 is rust !!
Front of the sills where the wider wheels kick muck up . Rear arches . Boot lid edge .
Bottom of doors .
It's worth taking out the plastic wheel arch liners when you first buy it and clean the lip
out as a lot of stuff collects and can be a cause of problems if left unattended .

Engine is fairly bulletproof , as long as it's got a nice service history with it .
Shud run quietly and smoothly , even with high mileage as long as been looked after .
I had a '93 E36 with 285,000kms when sold and was still a lovely motor .
Water pumps go because of the plastic impellers breaking . It's worth a precautionary
change just to be sure it doesn't let go . Radiator's also worth precautionary change too .

Manual gearbox also fairly bulletproof . (I don't know much about Switchtronic I'm afraid)

Diff's also OK , although with higher mileage cars it might whine a bit , but it
shud be an Alpina LSD , so again , as long as it's had oil changes there shudn't
be any probs .

Suspension , dampers are Bilstein . I've had 2 sets of rears on my B8 since I've
owned it coz they were leaking , but the 2nd set was replaced under warranty by Alpina .
Check over the rubber bushes , especially rear subframe bushes .

Inside , make sure everything electrical works .
A/C well known for condensors going and that's an expensive repair .
Heated seats - the elements in the seats can break with bum wear and it's
not an easy or cheap repair either .


That's about all I can think of immediately .

Good luck , hope it's a good one and you buy it .

Cheers , Chris

 

[MigsAngel]

thanks Chris...i will keep it all in mind..

This is the car i am going to see tomorrow and possibly buy....

HertsCarSales : BMW ALPINA B3 SWITCHTRONIC :wroom:

 

[chrislux]

That's a very nice looking car . Nice colour combo . And good history too .
Only thing I can note is that the front spoiler I don't think it the original .
It looks like it has either the later facelift spoiler or a splitter , but I can't
tell 100% as the foto isn't right angle .

But good luck , hope it works out .

Cheers , Chris

 

[MigsAngel]

Right, I saw it and drove it....lovely, BUT it needs some brake work, an oil service, and a couple of other things. The seller will have my mechanic (since we are in same areas of UK) do the brakes, oil service and couple of the other things for me....so I i said yes, and put a deposit on it. I will have my mechanic look it over very carefully...and if anything else is really wrong and the dealer wont put right at their cost then i will pull out of the deal....the front spoiler is a replacement apparently since the other was chipped and a bit broken over time....i will overtime make sure the needed origional parts are on the car....
It has also been apparently in a few magazines under its original license plate and written about my Jeremy Clarkshon.
If I buy it then i will announce here and scan upload some of the articles...just for fun....
Thanks.

 

[MigsAngel]

Right...I've had it 2 weeks, and its been in garage twice for nearly 8 days of those 2 weeks. Why? First, the e36 door lock locked open, so had to drive to garage with arm out window holding door closed. The second trip to garage was on a tow truck, car wouldnt start no matter what i did. I thought it was the Sigma alarm immobilizing the whole car, since it was acting up since i got it back the day before, but no it turned out the battery didnt hold any charge....so new batter required, but while there the door was still not right nor was the drop window. So the common e36 problem of the window had to be fixed, and the door / lock was actually broken on the driver door...so that all had to be replaced. Now i have had it back for 3 days now and she drives and closes (lol) beautifully....one thing left to do, that is replacement of antenna so my new aftermarket radio works, since the old BMW one was crap and didnt play MP3/IPODs nor bluetooth for phone...once that i done then the car is to as good as it gets for its for its age.....and so BMW Alpina 3.0s Coupe number 179 1995 is making yet another enthusiast happy....Me!

 

[m5 killer]

Right...I've had it 2 weeks, and its been in garage twice for nearly 8 days of those 2 weeks. Why? First, the e36 door lock locked open, so had to drive to garage with arm out window holding door closed. The second trip to garage was on a tow truck, car wouldnt start no matter what i did. I thought it was the Sigma alarm immobilizing the whole car, since it was acting up since i got it back the day before, but no it turned out the battery didnt hold any charge....so new batter required, but while there the door was still not right nor was the drop window. So the common e36 problem of the window had to be fixed, and the door / lock was actually broken on the driver door...so that all had to be replaced. Now i have had it back for 3 days now and she drives and closes (lol) beautifully....one thing left to do, that is replacement of antenna so my new aftermarket radio works, since the old BMW one was crap and didnt play MP3/IPODs nor bluetooth for phone...once that i done then the car is to as good as it gets for its for its age.....and so BMW Alpina 3.0s Coupe number 179 1995 is making yet another enthusiast happy....Me!

sorry lad dont mean to dishearten you but you get what you pay for and thats not going to be the end of your visits to the garage so put some money aside...

 

[B10BRW]

sorry lad dont mean to dishearten you but you get what you pay for and thats not going to be the end of your visits to the garage so put some money aside...

You are a real prophet of doom, Roj :grinyes:

 

[MigsAngel]

Well...i kind of expect problems for its age and what its price was....my next concern is the cooling system, but if that goes in the next 3 months then at least it is covered by the sellers warranty....

I figure at worse i keep it for a year or two, get some things sort out for it, and seller on....so the next will benefit from my love and attention...

 

[scaly manfish]

Alpinas are great.