Introductory

[kentishken]

Hi. I'm Ken. Currently on my second Z4, having sold my lovely black 2.2 in November and picked up an Alpina roadster s, in its place. Have since, had a Quaife diff fitted (to stay alive). Wonderful cars! Bought my first Bimmer in 1985 (a 2002, non-turbo in racing green with a silver stripe, fat tyres...had to scrap it when the head gasket blew and it needed new piston rings, as I had no money at all in those days. Current issues with my Alpina: how to improve the paintwork (black) which suffers from water spotting and light hazing in places; worth a machine polish?. One headlamp gets condensation, but managed to dry it out and reseal it, and upgrade the bulbs at the same time). Not impressed with the design of the headlamps or access to them (getting very good at putting wheels on and off). Everything else is extremely cool. Looking forward to some road trips, in the UK and Europe.

 

[Mrs Mint]

to the forum from Staffordshire - enjoy 

 

[Redline]

Hi. I'm Ken. Currently on my second Z4, having sold my lovely black 2.2 in November and picked up an Alpina roadster s, in its place. Have since, had a Quaife diff fitted (to stay alive). Wonderful cars! Bought my first Bimmer in 1985 (a 2002, non-turbo in racing green with a silver stripe, fat tyres...had to scrap it when the head gasket blew and it needed new piston rings, as I had no money at all in those days. Current issues with my Alpina: how to improve the paintwork (black) which suffers from water spotting and light hazing in places; worth a machine polish?. One headlamp gets condensation, but managed to dry it out and reseal it, and upgrade the bulbs at the same time). Not impressed with the design of the headlamps or access to them (getting very good at putting wheels on and off). Everything else is extremely cool. Looking forward to some road trips, in the UK and Europe.View attachment 29284

from Warwickshire.
Great car and nice wheels too. Don't know much about the Alpina - which engine does it have?
Agree with the headlights - awful in standard bulbs and horrendous to get at. Did you fit HID or just something like Osram Nightbreakers?

 

[Low Rider]

Hello and welcome to Zroadster.org

 

[Gail]

Welcome

 

[GazHyde]

Welcome Ken, love the Alpina What number is it?

 

[DavidM]

Welcome from Ireland!

 

[andyglym]

to the forum from West Cumbria.

 

[kentishken]

from Warwickshire.
Great car and nice wheels too. Don't know much about the Alpina - which engine does it have?
Agree with the headlights - awful in standard bulbs and horrendous to get at. Did you fit HID or just something like Osram Nightbreakers?

Hi Redline, thanks for the welcome. I just put some Nightbreakers in, and this has made enough of a difference to be worthwhile.
The engine is an old M3 3.0, which Alpina re-bored to just over 3.3. Straight six, tuned for torque (by Alpina), with a lot of pick-up right through the rev range. The handbook suggests driving in sixth gear at 20mph through built up areas to reduce noise, which I thought amusing and odd, but does illustrate the torque available, and I would not have been able to do this in my old 2.2i.

 

[kentishken]

Welcome Ken, love the Alpina What number is it?

Hi, Gaz. I see you're just down the road from me in Newbury. The roadster's number 255.
Thanks for the welcome.

 

[Redline]

Hi Redline, thanks for the welcome. I just put some Nightbreakers in, and this has made enough of a difference to be worthwhile.
The engine is an old M3 3.0, which Alpina re-bored to just over 3.3. Straight six, tuned for torque (by Alpina), with a lot of pick-up right through the rev range. The handbook suggests driving in sixth gear at 20mph through built up areas to reduce noise, which I thought amusing and odd, but does illustrate the torque available, and I would not have been able to do this in my old 2.2i.

I owned a 3L V6 that would run up from 20mph on 6th. Can't beat low end torque for town driving.

 

[oldcarman]

Welcome from mid central Canada!! JIM

 

[kentishken]

I owned a 3L V6 that would run up from 20mph on 6th. Can't beat low end torque for town driving.

Can only agree with that. Tends to make for laziness in gear changes, though, with a manual, particularly at roundabouts. Oops. Sun's out...gotta go.

 

[Jack Ratt]

Hello and welcome from Truro

 

[Antm72]

Hello and welcome from me in South Yorkshire ...A lovely zed

 

[GazHyde]

Hi, Gaz. I see you're just down the road from me in Newbury. The roadster's number 255.
Thanks for the welcome.

Nice to have another local. We have a growing group in the Newbury/Basingstoke area, so hopefully will be able to meet up soon!

 

[Shelly]

Hi and welcome from me too

 

[t-tony]

Hi Ken, what a gorgeous car you have. Welcome from near Lincoln.

Tony.

ps. Agree on the nightbreakers just make enough difference to be good enough, though I might just go the hid route. Plus they are a pig to change!

 

[Mint]

Hi @kentishken, to the forum from me too in Staffordshire. Great looking Alpina

 

[Bazza]

from me toooooooooooooooooo