M3 Touring

[Wilspeed]

Just as I'm starting to wonder if its going to be 2024 for a car based on current posts-of-doom from the Facebook group, I've got a confirmed build slot of week 8 next February. Not sure how long it takes to actually build and get to me, but that's a pleasant surprise so guess I need to pick a colour soon-ish...

That's great news buddy!

Thanks! I've been waiting for this car since the M5 Touring went...

Have finalised my order and despite much to'ing and fro'ing about colours and an individual colour, I've stuck with the dark blue as I'm wanting something a bit subtle and have always liked that colour for estates. I did think about the Mexico/Riviera blue thing but at 5K, a 6 month delay and the fact I'm nearly 50.... meant I'm going for the old man colour.

It's booked-in with a local company to get the vulnerable bits PPF'd and a ceramic coating done in March.

All this sounds very reasonable Sir.

Meanwhile, I've changed my order form Sapphire to Carbon black. Stay tuned for further updates folks

[Ascender]

Black looks stunning on it @Wilspeed... are you tempted by the bling BMW Performance alloys in frozen gold?

[Broccers]

Oh just read about these orders. Fantastic choices

[Wilspeed]

Black looks stunning on it @Wilspeed... are you tempted by the bling BMW Performance alloys in frozen gold?

In a word, nein. I’m too old for that shit.

[IanF]

[McSwede]

Brooklyn grey please.

[Jobbo]

Skyscraper Grey is rather nice and almost makes black wheels look ok.

ETA: hang on, there are two different colours captioned as Skyscraper Grey; the second looks like Dravit. Brooklyn Grey is in there twice but appears to be the same colour both times. Still a bit of a fuck up

[Rich B]

I think all those colours look good to be fair.

[Matty]

Skyscraper Grey is rather nice and almost makes black wheels look ok.

ETA: hang on, there are two different colours captioned as Skyscraper Grey; the second looks like Dravit. Brooklyn Grey is in there twice but appears to be the same colour both times. Still a bit of a fuck up

I've seen it twice and I'm still confused. Skyscraper Grey (what a fucking terrible name) looks the best of the lot....the first time it appears.

[Mito Man]

Are carbon black and sapphire black “individual special” colours now? I swear they were the generic metallic option on all 5/7/X models before.

[DaveE]

Latest issue of Car has a feature on the new (LCI) Alpina B3 Touring

It looked great, caked in muck and salt from the road

Think I may prefer one of these over the M3 Touring

It's certainly not as ugly!

Think it would be a much better daily driver...

[Rich B]

new (LCI) Alpina B3 Touring

Think it would be a much better daily driver...

why?

[V8Granite]

I don’t know about modern Alpina but historically they have always managed to have a better ride. It depends on what the M3 touring rides like.

Dave!

[Ascender]

Are carbon black and sapphire black “individual special” colours now? I swear they were the generic metallic option on all 5/7/X models before.

Sapphire is a standard no-cost option for the Touring, Carbon is individual now. They seem to chop and change per model and it also varies per territory which is interesting.

The Alpina B3 is a nice looking car, much more subtle I guess, but just not for me.

[Rich B]

I don’t know about modern Alpina but historically they have always managed to have a better ride. It depends on what the M3 touring rides like.

Dave!

So might be a tiny bit better if you have piles.

[Mito Man]

And ever since adaptive dampers have been around they're been pretty obsolete in that regard. Want a car which costs pretty much the same but is worse in every other metric apart being from being more unique as a result of poor sales? And only has a 2 year guarantee? Well sign me up

[Rich B]

And ever since adaptive dampers have been around they're been pretty obsolete in that regard. Want a car which costs pretty much the same but is worse in every other metric apart being from being more unique as a result of poor sales? And only has a 2 year guarantee? Well sign me up

yeah, but my piles!

[Ascender]

I guess if you just don't like the look of the BMW Touring you could go for the Alpina? Its priced pretty much the same and I guess will be a bit softer in its approach to everything (turn-in, braking, steering etc), so maybe if that's what you're looking for its a better option? Not sure about the ride given the adaptive dampers on the M3.

They are sometimes subtle to the point of not being able to tell they're anything other than a normal BM with bits on. But maybe that's the point? I've always thought they're quite nice, but never enough to actually buy one. They're almost curiosities.

[V8Granite]

I don’t know about modern Alpina but historically they have always managed to have a better ride. It depends on what the M3 touring rides like.

Dave!

So might be a tiny bit better if you have piles.

I’ve driven quite a few cars that simply don’t work on fenland roads, the worst being a BMW 120d M, I bounced my head off the roof.

Audi S5 was another.

The piles are more of a pain on cattle grids.

Dave!

[Rich B]

I don’t know about modern Alpina but historically they have always managed to have a better ride. It depends on what the M3 touring rides like.

Dave!

So might be a tiny bit better if you have piles.

I’ve driven quite a few cars that simply don’t work on fenland roads, the worst being a BMW 120d M, I bounced my head off the roof.

Audi S5 was another.

The piles are more of a pain on cattle grids.

Dave!

my M2 is surely firmer than a 120d - I've not had any issues with comfort!