The amount of cars that are in a similar price bracket, but just don't compare is bonkers! An Alpina is never something that appears as a 'bargain' on the surface of things, but when you see Golfs for 50k and BMW 2-Series for 55k, all of a sudden a lightly used D3S looks like the bargain of all time really.
@@JamesGlenCarSales1982 ...these days you find Golf R´s for about 65k and that´s ridiculous for me! Ordered the most expensive car in my life (I´m 58years old) ... an ALPINA B3 GT...for weeks ago - now I have to wait until march 2025 for it
I've had my Alpina Blue D3 S Touring for 18months now having bought it from Sytner Nottingham when it was 6months old with 2500 miles on it. Probably the best car I have owned.
They feel like a pure indulgence. As nice as the M340d is, it never makes you feel like that! I think we'll have one in the family for the rest of time.
And I still wear that smile every time I'm in it! We drove 650 miles from Brighton to Perth and back to Airdrie in one go and I could have drove back to Brighton that night! What a car for a road trip!
I’ve got to admit that is one gorgeous looking car Stephen. It’s so classy but purposeful at the same time, Alpina through and through. They say you shouldn’t have any regrets in life, I think you’d always regret it if you hadn’t bought this gem.
Thanks Karl! Well, the last D3 I considered we had in stock was back in 2015, so I'm not waiting another 9 years for the next one. Plus this one is the perfect spec. We absolutely love it!
Welcome to sublimeness welcome the Alpina family a decision you will never regret, from a person that has so much knowledge within the motor industry to have an appreciation for this marque says everything welcome to an exclusive club and yes the comment you made regards the petrol station it happens regularly. Now a fully fledged member of the AAS 😍
Thank you for the warm hearted welcome Allan! Nice to be a part of it :) Its been a long time coming. Threatened to buy an Alpina for too long, and as you say, I think we will remain in one for the rest of time now we have made the jump.
The M340d is sadly being taken off sale in the U.K. in June this year. I wonder how much longer the D3 S will be in sale for. Spoiler on the top of the windscreen is to stop wind noise over the sunroof.
It's to prevent the sunroof from blowing out at 300 kmh (the car is unlimited). I can attest to the fact that it does not reduce wind noise. I was doing 160 kmh and right there and then I decided not to get the sun roof.
Finally someone makes this video. Thought Joe Achilles would have done this comparison video a long time ago. But didnt. Two cracking cars. Dream dad cars (with family in tow).
I was amazed I couldn't find many D3S videos, (if any!), never mind a head to head with the M340d. A few B3S videos, but sadly no D3S that I could find.
It took me a week to finally decide (although our M340d was pretty special itself), but now we've made the change, have zero regrets. And thanks! Its a pretty looking machine!
I just drove them back-to-back. What nobody talks about is the difference in road noise. Agreed that the suspension is amazing, but the tire roar just gets really tiring during long trips. I was ready to spend 20K extra, but I decided against it because of this.
I've just driven 200 mile round trip on Sunday for an overnight, and I honestly can't say I hear any true road at all! What tyres were on the car you drove? The Alpina specific items?
@@vollcare4076 The Alpina. I drove the pre-LCI version and I found the difference with a normal 3 series to be noticeable. I'm still on the lookout for my next car and my dealer just invited me to drive the latest Alpina B3 back-to-back against the updated M340i, so I'll be able to tell you more by the end of the week!
@@bartmulder6995 it’s probably the Tyre alone that makes the more noise on the Alpina. Bigger size = more noise, that’s normal. So I’d expect the new Alpina to be same loud as the old one unless the Tyre type of the Alpina has changed. But you can also retrofit noise dampening in the wheel arches with Butyl and foam, that helps really to reduce the Tyre noises
Yes, stunning Car I have been looking at them myself. I like the saloon as well. The B3 B5 the BD3BD 5 you could have picked a better day too show us your one 😊
Price for one, plus the D3S has a lovely torquey engine with phenomenal range which is great for when we drive abroad. From memory, The B3 was around 15-20k more and I was already pushing the boat out on the 15k more than the M340d !
@@JamesGlenCarSales1982 good plan. I’ve got the N53 330i, so I average 42mpg on long trips. The M340d or D3 S is only realistic car that is faster and matches or exceeds the mpg. I don’t want to lose much range or mpg.
@@JamesGlenCarSales1982 yes lovely thing, with 272hp it’s plenty fast enough - have done indicated 160 on the autobahn in Germany. Yes very frugal on a run, much more so than a 335i, I can do 500 miles per tank on a motorway run at about 41.5/42mpg. Took me a long time to find a manual in the spec that I wanted. There really aren’t many LCI N53 manuals. LCI is the one to get with direct injection and LED lights. The water pump and the injectors can go, but I factored that in to the (low) price I paid. It’s the last N/A straight-six 3-series really. I wanted manual, straight-six, rwd, and good fuel economy - there’s nothing much else around in that price range that’ll do the same. D3 S fabulous car though! Have you found a mpg drop with the D3 S? The stated mpg seems to be a bit lower than the M340d.
Hi James, Great car! I really think that's an incredible package for a powerful daily driver. Just one question about the exhaust: are you sure the two pipes on the left are fake? Could there be a valve that opens depending on the gas pressure in the line? If that wouldn't be the case, that would be quite of a downside considering that the M340d has real ones.
Oh, sadly they aren't attached, just like the M340d's aren't either. The exhaust system isn't attached to neither, the squares or the quads are attached to the bumper only which is disappointing. Still love it no less !
Hi Martin, switching from Pzero run flats to non-run flat Michelins on the M340d was a revelation as far as ride comfort was concerned. I'm already itching to put the D3S on MPS4S, but as the Pzero's that are fitted are ALP specific, I'm sure they're spot on for the car in reality.
For me, Alpina is the most appealing car brand overall. Their whole brand philosophy and execution of their product is just so spot on. Sadly, Alpina as we know it will shortly cease production of their beautifully re-engineered BMWs and the brand will be in the hands of BMW itself. Mayyyybe they won't completely muck it up? 😬
We can only keep our fingers cross, because as you say, Alpina have done an incredible job of maintaining a very special place in the market. Hopefully we won't loose that!
Yeah, the location wasn't the best for the B-Roll 🤦🏻♂️ Fly tipping is a huge issue around here, and it seems that every lay-by has crap dumped in it at times.
Chuffed for you mate and it looks a lovely motor. Hopefully its a little more comfortable than the standard M340d. I bought one but had to sell it after a few weeks as found the ride too harsh and gave me back ache (a sign I'm getting old😂😂). Anyway, ended up in a new G31 530D - not quite as fast but so much comfier but has a decent bit of pace (admittedly nowhere near as fast as the M340D - I miss the engine but not the car itself).
@@vollcare4076 hmmm debateable. It sets the car up automatically for the road surface. Dont get me wrong the M340d is a good car. I just found it too firm and a little bit too small for what I need. Definitely notice the difference in quality between that and my 5 series too. Id recommend the car still though but just make sure you take one for a decent test drive to see if youd be happy with the set up. The engine is an absolute peach though.
@@JamesGlenCarSales1982 no criticism on you mate Just I deliver all round Scotland and see rubbish everywhere so you are lucky to get a spot that isn’t minging! Other videos are good
The issue with the B3 is the fuel economy of the S58 is a lot worse than the M340i. Stated average figures are 28mpg for the B3 vs 34mpg of the M340i, and in the real world even less. D3 is a way of getting a taste of Alpina without dropping to 25 mpg.
@@richarddocherty5007 I wouldn't own a diesel alpina. I've driven a D4. Don't get me wrong it was very quick but an alpina should be extremely refined. Diesel are for trucks and tractors
@andrewhurstcars that's not an issue for someone buying an alpina B3. That's like saying the issue with a Bentley is mpg... not a problem for those who buy them. Also the S55 and S58 were actually fairly economical for the power. Also the S58 in the alpina is setup differently with a different turbo setup.
@@DaleSteel for some people lower range is a consideration, regardless of cost. Yes different set up to the S58, but still not as efficient as the M340i.
Absolutely beautiful - congratulations. Imagine spending £100k on an EV instead of buying one of these.
The amount of cars that are in a similar price bracket, but just don't compare is bonkers! An Alpina is never something that appears as a 'bargain' on the surface of things, but when you see Golfs for 50k and BMW 2-Series for 55k, all of a sudden a lightly used D3S looks like the bargain of all time really.
@@JamesGlenCarSales1982 ...these days you find Golf R´s for about 65k and that´s ridiculous for me! Ordered the most expensive car in my life (I´m 58years old) ...
an ALPINA B3 GT...for weeks ago - now I have to wait until march 2025 for it
The dream daily...or a B3, or a B5/D5. I'd take any of their Tourings! The best colour too, bloody lovely. Congrats, Stephen!
Cheers Paul! Always been a bucket list car, and so happy to have finally found such a special car.
I've had my Alpina Blue D3 S Touring for 18months now having bought it from Sytner Nottingham when it was 6months old with 2500 miles on it. Probably the best car I have owned.
Nice, what mpg are you averaging? And how is the ride? How did you decide between B3, M340i, M340d and D3 S?
They feel like a pure indulgence. As nice as the M340d is, it never makes you feel like that! I think we'll have one in the family for the rest of time.
The smile on your face throughout this review says it all!
And I still wear that smile every time I'm in it! We drove 650 miles from Brighton to Perth and back to Airdrie in one go and I could have drove back to Brighton that night! What a car for a road trip!
I’ve only watched 1 min but I’m suspecting your now the proud owner of a Alpina 👍🏻😂
I love these cars
Absolutely stunning 👍🏻
Might be a plot twist....... but you got me ! lol
😂😂
Both stunning cars, Alpina is just something else, special and exclusive, enjoy Stephen 👍
I’ve got to admit that is one gorgeous looking car Stephen. It’s so classy but purposeful at the same time, Alpina through and through. They say you shouldn’t have any regrets in life, I think you’d always regret it if you hadn’t bought this gem.
Thanks Karl! Well, the last D3 I considered we had in stock was back in 2015, so I'm not waiting another 9 years for the next one. Plus this one is the perfect spec. We absolutely love it!
Welcome to sublimeness welcome the Alpina family a decision you will never regret, from a person that has so much knowledge within the motor industry to have an appreciation for this marque says everything welcome to an exclusive club and yes the comment you made regards the petrol station it happens regularly. Now a fully fledged member of the AAS 😍
Thank you for the warm hearted welcome Allan! Nice to be a part of it :) Its been a long time coming. Threatened to buy an Alpina for too long, and as you say, I think we will remain in one for the rest of time now we have made the jump.
The M340d is sadly being taken off sale in the U.K. in June this year. I wonder how much longer the D3 S will be in sale for. Spoiler on the top of the windscreen is to stop wind noise over the sunroof.
But cars without sunroofs still have them ?
@@JamesGlenCarSales1982that’s what another review said - maybe it works well on the non-sunroof cars too!
@@JamesGlenCarSales1982check out the Rory Stewart B3 review for the bit on the spoiler. He could be wrong though.
@andrewhurstcars thanks Andrew, I’ll check that out. Curious to know !
It's to prevent the sunroof from blowing out at 300 kmh (the car is unlimited). I can attest to the fact that it does not reduce wind noise. I was doing 160 kmh and right there and then I decided not to get the sun roof.
Love the alpina and the colour mate and great that your so happy
Thanks Scott!
Finally someone makes this video. Thought Joe Achilles would have done this comparison video a long time ago. But didnt. Two cracking cars. Dream dad cars (with family in tow).
I was amazed I couldn't find many D3S videos, (if any!), never mind a head to head with the M340d. A few B3S videos, but sadly no D3S that I could find.
@@JamesGlenCarSales1982 yes real shortage of D3S videos. Perhaps you might be able to do an ownership update after 6 months? Cheers
Joe hasn’t had Alpina press cars for a while, they don’t provide insurance for press loaners.
Always liked the Alpina’s! Am sure the M340D is a cracking car but just something more special by having the Alpina equivalent. Great colour and spec!
It took me a week to finally decide (although our M340d was pretty special itself), but now we've made the change, have zero regrets. And thanks! Its a pretty looking machine!
I just drove them back-to-back. What nobody talks about is the difference in road noise. Agreed that the suspension is amazing, but the tire roar just gets really tiring during long trips. I was ready to spend 20K extra, but I decided against it because of this.
I've just driven 200 mile round trip on Sunday for an overnight, and I honestly can't say I hear any true road at all! What tyres were on the car you drove? The Alpina specific items?
Which one had more Tyre noise ?
@@vollcare4076 The Alpina. I drove the pre-LCI version and I found the difference with a normal 3 series to be noticeable. I'm still on the lookout for my next car and my dealer just invited me to drive the latest Alpina B3 back-to-back against the updated M340i, so I'll be able to tell you more by the end of the week!
@@bartmulder6995 it’s probably the Tyre alone that makes the more noise on the Alpina.
Bigger size = more noise, that’s normal.
So I’d expect the new Alpina to be same loud as the old one unless the Tyre type of the Alpina has changed.
But you can also retrofit noise dampening in the wheel arches with Butyl and foam, that helps really to reduce the Tyre noises
@@vollcare4076 are you considering getting an Alpina?
Yes, stunning Car I have been looking at them myself. I like the saloon as well. The B3 B5 the BD3BD 5 you could have picked a better day too show us your one 😊
Can't control the good old weather unfortunately! What's a BD3BD 5? I would love a drive in a B3
Lovely car. What made you go for the D3 S over the B3?
Price for one, plus the D3S has a lovely torquey engine with phenomenal range which is great for when we drive abroad. From memory, The B3 was around 15-20k more and I was already pushing the boat out on the 15k more than the M340d !
@@JamesGlenCarSales1982 good plan. I’ve got the N53 330i, so I average 42mpg on long trips. The M340d or D3 S is only realistic car that is faster and matches or exceeds the mpg. I don’t want to lose much range or mpg.
Those n/a 3.0L 330i are a thing to behold. Beautiful engine and incredibly frugal. Very rare now too! Always wanted an E90 or E92 330i M Sport manual.
@@JamesGlenCarSales1982 yes lovely thing, with 272hp it’s plenty fast enough - have done indicated 160 on the autobahn in Germany. Yes very frugal on a run, much more so than a 335i, I can do 500 miles per tank on a motorway run at about 41.5/42mpg. Took me a long time to find a manual in the spec that I wanted. There really aren’t many LCI N53 manuals. LCI is the one to get with direct injection and LED lights. The water pump and the injectors can go, but I factored that in to the (low) price I paid. It’s the last N/A straight-six 3-series really. I wanted manual, straight-six, rwd, and good fuel economy - there’s nothing much else around in that price range that’ll do the same. D3 S fabulous car though! Have you found a mpg drop with the D3 S? The stated mpg seems to be a bit lower than the M340d.
Hi James,
Great car! I really think that's an incredible package for a powerful daily driver. Just one question about the exhaust: are you sure the two pipes on the left are fake? Could there be a valve that opens depending on the gas pressure in the line? If that wouldn't be the case, that would be quite of a downside considering that the M340d has real ones.
Oh, sadly they aren't attached, just like the M340d's aren't either. The exhaust system isn't attached to neither, the squares or the quads are attached to the bumper only which is disappointing. Still love it no less !
May I ask: the Michelin on the M340 - are they run flats or not? Considering switching to non-rft next
Hi Martin, switching from Pzero run flats to non-run flat Michelins on the M340d was a revelation as far as ride comfort was concerned. I'm already itching to put the D3S on MPS4S, but as the Pzero's that are fitted are ALP specific, I'm sure they're spot on for the car in reality.
@@JamesGlenCarSales1982 Thanks for replying. I hoped that’s what you’d say. Non run-flats it is then
Ps love the videos 👍
For me, Alpina is the most appealing car brand overall. Their whole brand philosophy and execution of their product is just so spot on. Sadly, Alpina as we know it will shortly cease production of their beautifully re-engineered BMWs and the brand will be in the hands of BMW itself. Mayyyybe they won't completely muck it up? 😬
I really hope they keep the brand values.
We can only keep our fingers cross, because as you say, Alpina have done an incredible job of maintaining a very special place in the market. Hopefully we won't loose that!
Same !
just knew what the outcome was going to be , the closer it got to the end!! 🤣
I was trying to remain as objective as possible, but all the while, failing badly at it! lol
Wasn't there a better place for the travelling presentation from 0:20 ??? AHAHAHAH !!
Yeah, the location wasn't the best for the B-Roll 🤦🏻♂️ Fly tipping is a huge issue around here, and it seems that every lay-by has crap dumped in it at times.
Chuffed for you mate and it looks a lovely motor. Hopefully its a little more comfortable than the standard M340d. I bought one but had to sell it after a few weeks as found the ride too harsh and gave me back ache (a sign I'm getting old😂😂). Anyway, ended up in a new G31 530D - not quite as fast but so much comfier but has a decent bit of pace (admittedly nowhere near as fast as the M340D - I miss the engine but not the car itself).
Thanks Colin! Thats a real shame on the M340d! They are fairly stiff when compared to the ride comfort of the 5-Series with its rear air suspension.
Passive or active/adaptive Suspension?
@@vollcare4076 adaptive.
@@colinward1007 thanks.
Wow, I thought the adaptive is more comfy then the standard (passive) M suspension
@@vollcare4076 hmmm debateable. It sets the car up automatically for the road surface. Dont get me wrong the M340d is a good car. I just found it too firm and a little bit too small for what I need. Definitely notice the difference in quality between that and my 5 series too. Id recommend the car still though but just make sure you take one for a decent test drive to see if youd be happy with the set up. The engine is an absolute peach though.
Love the Alpina
Hate the footage of rubbish by the side of the road in the background
Criticism taken! I had to borrow my wife so was limited to time. Hopefully my other videos were better 😬
@@JamesGlenCarSales1982 no criticism on you mate
Just I deliver all round Scotland and see rubbish everywhere so you are lucky to get a spot that isn’t minging!
Other videos are good
Oops
Hi, I think this might be a comment on the wrong video?
Nobody wants a diesel alpina. You want the B3 not D3
The issue with the B3 is the fuel economy of the S58 is a lot worse than the M340i. Stated average figures are 28mpg for the B3 vs 34mpg of the M340i, and in the real world even less. D3 is a way of getting a taste of Alpina without dropping to 25 mpg.
Have you owned one? It's a fantastic car. The B3 is another level up so competes with the M3.
@@richarddocherty5007 I wouldn't own a diesel alpina. I've driven a D4. Don't get me wrong it was very quick but an alpina should be extremely refined. Diesel are for trucks and tractors
@andrewhurstcars that's not an issue for someone buying an alpina B3. That's like saying the issue with a Bentley is mpg... not a problem for those who buy them. Also the S55 and S58 were actually fairly economical for the power. Also the S58 in the alpina is setup differently with a different turbo setup.
@@DaleSteel for some people lower range is a consideration, regardless of cost. Yes different set up to the S58, but still not as efficient as the M340i.
I see this car has paddles, never saw a d3 or d3 s with paddles, is this aftermarket or an option?