Weird car related post
- Thread starter MichaelC
- Start date
martin clark
pinko bodger
@Yank
An Alpina B6
Alpina are a very small, actually independent car builder, who take sa small number of pre-delivery builds from BMW and, at a price, generally finesse them into the real-world driving joy BMW might only if they could properly cut-loose.
In former models this meant fitting Alpina's own hand-built take on engine, gearbox * , suspension and yeah, the wheels... About 500 such Gentlemen's Expresses delivered, per year. Not cheap; not even directly comparable with the M3. M5.M6 etc; but sublime to drive on real roads.
Also generally, wonderfully, under the radar. NO loud exhausts (the very opposite in fact); no garish styling, no flash badges.. in fact if you go looking to buy, you have to know what you are looking for to check it is genuine.
I ran a B10 3.3 manual (e39 5 series based; - only c.12 right-hand drive saloons made in manual
for 6yrs and bought it over several e39 M5 tried - not as fast, no: but a wonderful ringing-singing handbuilt straight-6 engine, a much finer chassis balance, ride & feedback overall: no regrets there, none whatsoever.
* NB the BMW 4.8l v8 is wholly based on Alpina's in-house development of the M62 4.4; so to, post 2001, was the steptronic adaptation of the ZF auto boxes - the relationship works both ways. But it's not an in-house badge thing like AMG is to Mercedes, by a long way. Separate chassis number series for a start....
An Alpina B6
Alpina are a very small, actually independent car builder, who take sa small number of pre-delivery builds from BMW and, at a price, generally finesse them into the real-world driving joy BMW might only if they could properly cut-loose.
In former models this meant fitting Alpina's own hand-built take on engine, gearbox * , suspension and yeah, the wheels... About 500 such Gentlemen's Expresses delivered, per year. Not cheap; not even directly comparable with the M3. M5.M6 etc; but sublime to drive on real roads.
Also generally, wonderfully, under the radar. NO loud exhausts (the very opposite in fact); no garish styling, no flash badges.. in fact if you go looking to buy, you have to know what you are looking for to check it is genuine.
I ran a B10 3.3 manual (e39 5 series based; - only c.12 right-hand drive saloons made in manual
for 6yrs and bought it over several e39 M5 tried - not as fast, no: but a wonderful ringing-singing handbuilt straight-6 engine, a much finer chassis balance, ride & feedback overall: no regrets there, none whatsoever.* NB the BMW 4.8l v8 is wholly based on Alpina's in-house development of the M62 4.4; so to, post 2001, was the steptronic adaptation of the ZF auto boxes - the relationship works both ways. But it's not an in-house badge thing like AMG is to Mercedes, by a long way. Separate chassis number series for a start....
Craig B
Re:trophile
Lest we not forget, Lucas, Prince of Darkness.
Was your mick-taking detector temporarily unplugged for a bit last night Martin?
MJS
Technical Tinkerer
Reminds me of what a colleague said of the original Nissan Leaf - "It's a Japanese design with French electrics rather than the other way round"
You're not married are you ?
Not any more, apparently.
Not the best combination imo. Rather like the Alfa Romeo Arna. "Hey I know Luigi, Hayatomi, I have it sorted! We can put that unorthodox Italian engine that's been around since the days of the AlfaSud into that bland Japanese hatch that nobody wants to buy, it will sell like hot cakes!"
I just hope that somewhere in a parallel universe there is an AlfaSud that's been properly assembled and painted before having a slightly warmed-up Japanese 1600 4-pot dropped in, and that this creation is that universe's answer to the 205 GTi. A place of beauty and wonder where the dread words "Austin Metro" do not have car enthusiasts waking screaming at 3am.
Sue Pertwee-Tyr
Accuphase all the way down
One of the better things about the Alfasud was that boxer engine. It was a hoot to drive, the car just needed better brakes, electrics and structural steel.
The Arna's problem was that it instead of an Italian-designed body assembled in Japan, we got a Japanese-designed body assembled in Italy. The engine lineup was the only choice they got right. The current FIAT 124 has done it right: Italian engine and bodywork, built in Japan.
Replacing the engine in a Sud with a Japanese unit for reliability reasons would be like doing a production of Tosca and dropping "Vissi d'arte" and "E lucevan le stelle" because it was "a bit long": giving up the best bits for a tiny gain.
Replacing the engine in a Sud with a Japanese unit for reliability reasons would be like doing a production of Tosca and dropping "Vissi d'arte" and "E lucevan le stelle" because it was "a bit long": giving up the best bits for a tiny gain.
Tony Lockhart
Avoiding Stress, at Every Opportunity
Maybe in the 70s.
graystoke4
pfm Member
i thought B6 was a vitamin
Sue Pertwee-Tyr
Accuphase all the way down
What would you know about vitamin B6; as far as I know, it isn’t found in booze.
Tony Lockhart
Avoiding Stress, at Every Opportunity
chuck a banana in a cocktail?
Yank
Bulbous Also Tapered
That's when I heard it...
Yes, I had an Alfa 33 with the 1.5 version of that engine. Crap car overall, but the engine was great. Revved like a bike engine, handled very neatly. Until it went bang on the A1 10 miles north of Scotch Corner. I fancy another Alfa. All I need is to check my breakdown insurance and review the tool and spares bag.
Mullardman
Moderately extreme...
Back to the OP. The only common factor between both vehicles seems to have been the atmospheric conditions both were exposed to prior to setting out.
ISTM that no amount of modern car wizardry will overcome the effects of condensation on ignition leads/associated components under certain atmospheric conditions.. which has indeed been alluded to above. This would explain the rough running, which in turn would likely provoke a fault code.
It is then entirely likely that the heat generated by the short trip would be sufficient to dry off the ignition leads/components, such that when taken out shortly afterwards, both vehicles would perform normally.
ISTM that no amount of modern car wizardry will overcome the effects of condensation on ignition leads/associated components under certain atmospheric conditions.. which has indeed been alluded to above. This would explain the rough running, which in turn would likely provoke a fault code.
It is then entirely likely that the heat generated by the short trip would be sufficient to dry off the ignition leads/components, such that when taken out shortly afterwards, both vehicles would perform normally.
Rana
pfm Member
Might be worth getting an OBD reader depending on the age of the cars. They have come down from many thousands bought by workshops, to about a tenner! Mine is a Bluetooth one from Amazon that links with my Android phone. My mate had a MIL event on his new expensive Italian car and was worried when we met up at a dinner once. Luckily I had the reader in my glovebox and used it for the first time. It told him that his exhaust oxygen sensor voltage on one of the banks was sensing slightly low; so it was nothing immediately fatal and gave him the confidence to drive home and call the dealership in his own time.
