16' Alpina B6 should I buy?

[STi from DSM]

So I have always been a fan of the 6 series ever since it came out. I have only ever seen a handful of Alpinas out in the wild. I know how rare they are.

I currently have one close by me and am captivated by it. From what I know these cars are fairly reliable as the N63tu engine is gone over by Alpina and most everything is upgraded from the original N63 powerplant.

The current vehicle has 51k miles for $44k. It is mineral white and looks to have every option except the B&O sound. (Bummer I know)

What are the things to look out for?

I spoke with my BMW salesman at Moterwerks and he said it has had these services.

In 2016 the propeller shaft to the front axel/differential broke, and in 2019 the connecting pipe exhaust turbo charger leaking. There was also a note about housing center bearing with a rubber melt cracked and they also did a tension stress compression as well. (Not sure what any of that means?)

I really do not know much about these cars and was hoping for some of you to chime in to talk about reliability of the platform.

Here is a link to the Autotrader posting.
https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...=myATCsavedcar

[Luftpost]

Car looks very nice. My first observation is that the OEM Alpina wheels are not present in the photos. I just want to make sure you know that. The wheels in the photo look very good in my humble opinion, but are not OEM.

Reliability is nearly impossible to predict. As far as what to look out for, there should be plenty of info on that in this forum. Spend some time digging through it and look at others posts.

Hopefully others will chime in with their .02

L

[Opie55]

People who have them tend to really like the distinctive Alpina wheels. They have so many spokes that they look like a real chore to clean. They also have the valve stems inside the center caps so they are very streamlined. Wheels are a matter of personal choice, and I personally don't care much for the wheels on this car. The lack of the original wheels removes some of the overall "classiness" and distinctiveness that makes it an Alpina. As for options, the car also does not have night vision. It would be the fifth button in that row below the headlight switch. Also, this may just be some difference about an Alpina, but it appears to have the square radar unit in the lower front grill for Adaptive Cruise Control, but the place on the steering wheel for the buttons to control the sensitivity appear to be blanks (inner spaces on the left side of the wheel). I'd want to check into that unless somebody here has the easy answer. The pictures are not clear enough to see what the buttons that are there say.

[Frupal]

I own a 2016 640 GC and I love it, but about a year ago, when everything went to 5G, anyone with a 2016 or older BMW lost 'connected drive' which means your GPS will no longer show traffic, etc, if the car gets stolen, BMW can't recover it; they lost all connection with the outside world. Also, pre-2017 BMWs do not have Apple car play. And for me, those wheels are a deal-breaker. An Alpina without the distinctive Alpina wheels loses most of its panache, imho.

[STi from DSM]

So I have noticed a few things when looking online. The specific dealer listed the vehicle as a 650i Xdrive but then says in the description that it is an Alpina B6. I did notice that it did not have the Alpina specific wheels (Which I actually do not like but realize for purist sake is the best way to have correct resale value) I have always used factory navigation in any car that I own which gets me where I need to go MOST of the time. Until recently was not a user of Carplay or AA. So that fact that it does not have that functionality is not a deal breaker for me.

As for the Adaptive cruise... That WOULD be a deal breaker for me. Also the fact that it has the square for it and it does not have it would throw a red flag for me as well.

I really need to just go look at the car, but is there an easy way to confirm it is an Alpina and not just some guy who thought he would be cool and change a few things to make it look like an Alpina?

[Opie55]

If you decode the VIN it appears to be an Alpina. As for the cruise, it has option 5AS called "Driving Assistant." I have a factory 2015 pricing guide, and the option with Adaptive Cruise was 5AT. So I'm not totally sure what 5AS was, but setting that aside the steering wheel issue is still a mystery, at least to me.

[Opie55]

So I just looked at a few other Alpinas for sale online. Those with Adaptive Cruise do have buttons where that car has blanks, as I would have expected. However, they all appear to have the square flat section where the radar would be - not sure why. Anyway, that car just has regular cruise, not adaptive cruise.

[Qsilver7]

These two items makes me believe that it was actually a B6 from the factory...and not created in someone's garage...the Alpina placard on the headliner...and the owners manual binder in blue with green piping. A driveway built B6 would probably not go that far unless the previous owner was a true fanatic.

But too bad about the missing Alpina wheels.

[Qsilver7]

I interpret the ordering guide as follows. The 5AS Active Driving Assistant or the upgrade to 5AT which adds ACC stop & go to the 5AS Driving Assistant pkg

ZDB Driver Assistance Plus (SOP:07/13)
5AS - Active Driving Assistant (SOP:07/13) or
5AT - ACC Stop & Go + Active Driving Assistant (SOP:07/13)

• 5AG Active Blind Spot Detection
• 5DL Side and Top View Cameras
• 8TH Speed Limit Info
• Note: Active Driving Assistant (5AS) includes:
  • Lane Departure Warning,
  • Forward Collision Warning,
  • Pedestrian Warning,
  • City Collision Mitigation.

[SWFLf10]

I may be biased as the B6 has been my dream car since it was released in the US. And also because I finally purchased one last year

It’s missing a few things that I would want such as the classic Alpina wheels, the full leather interior, and the B&O stereo.

But for the price, mileage, and condition, I’d say it’s worth it if you really like the car. Definitely something special that you don’t see everyday.

[STi from DSM]

So I have confirmed that it does not have adaptive cruise. It has the driving assistant package, but not ACC stop and go. (Which is the adaptive cruise).

All B6's have that clear piece on the front bumper. Similar to the S4 that I currently have. It has two black spheres that look like blacked out fog lights. Same deal, not all of them have adaptive cruise. There is a black one close by with 5k more miles for $5k less. For some reason 56k miles sounds way worse than 51k miles. But the price of $39,999 seems hard to beat. This one has the correct wheels and has Adaptive Cruise.

[Opie55]

"Close by" is never a criteria for me when looking to buy what is already a somewhat rare car. Flying to wherever it is and driving it home is half the fun. If I want a blue car I won't settle for a silver one just because it's across the street.

[STi from DSM]

I usually like to say close by is not criteria for me. I do agree that driving a decent distance to get a car is one of the most fun things I have ever done. I always seem to compromise on color though.

[eye4speed2]

My 2016 is for sale if you are interested.

It is fully loaded with NV.

Just turned 50k miles.

[pabafree95]

Hey there I got a 2016 Alpina B6 Mediterranean blue black interior. I purchased a certified preowned with about 24,000 miles on the clock 2019.

I really have been enjoying it as a daily driver. I’ve been doing all the service at BMW Fairfax, Virginia.

I currently have 48,000. So far no issues. I’ve been doing the routine service.

I would recommend, however, purchasing a certified preowned (if you can find) drive it a lot while under CPO and if you like it, extend warranty . I ended up getting 5/60k extension “platinum” w $250 deductible. This will cost you $7-8k.

I ended up getting it sight unseen from BMW Sacramento. Initially wasn’t being sold as CPO but I asked for them too and they did .

Factory is 4 year + 1 year CPO; then 5 year extension (fidelity warranty services )

I also have an 08 997 4s, 6 spd , since 2010. So the B6 was a nice complement as the kids grow and need a little more space …

Good luck you won’t be disappointed

[Ralph III]

Hello OP,
You can create an account at BMW.USA and get full details on the vehicle. It's indeed listed as a "ALPINA B6 xDrive Gran Coupe 2016".

We spent about 6 months looking for a 650i and I was willing to drive up to 1k miles to get it. Anyhow, we finally found exactly what we wanted in Florida (2018 650i) some 500 miles away. It was the same story with our 530xi that we purchased some 13 years ago. I drove 700 miles one way to get that one.

I managed a detail business at a Dealer Only Auction for 14 years and my boss/friend had several car dealerships over the years. So, I'm very familiar with vehicles and I've never purchased a brand new one. You have to do your homework though. There are a few things I noted about your cars listing.

1) The service records look quite good on the CarFax, with exception of a few time periods. Its records are still better than most, so that is good.

2) It's missing the original rims as everyone has stated but it really comes down to preference. I like the look of the rims that are on it now.

3) *The dealership is quite small. They have nice looking vehicles but they are an affordable type dealership. So, this is something you are going to have to be careful of because they may only be interested in making a sale and not their reputation. Consequently, they may be willing to cover up whatever they need to in order to make the sale.

4) Given the Dealership and the fact the car was involved in a minor wreck; I'd highly recommend having a Lemon Squad inspection performed on it. I almost pulled the trigger on a BMW in Texas that CarFax also showed had been involved in one "minor" accident. I didn't like the answers and the requested pics the Salesperson provided me; so I had a Manager and their Service Tech perform a video walk around. The Service Tech quickly noted and pointed out that the car had had four different panels painted on it. So, that was a deal breaker. I had another similar incident where the paint had an issue but the Dealership didn't show that in the listing. Another video walk around and requested pics showed it though. Anyhow, tell the Dealership you want to buy the car but that you'd like a LemonSquad inspection. If you condition it on that, they may even pay for the inspection for you. Meanwhile, have them point out and take pics of all imperfections for you consideration; if you cannot view it in person.

5) Just FYI. I went ahead and pre-purchased a third party warranty from CarChex for our 650i. It's performed perfectly over the last 6 months but I'm about to have it inspected at our local BMW dealership. Once that is done I'll be dropping the insurance. It was just an initial safety net. Otherwise, I'm capable of maintaining it myself.

6) Lastly. As others have stated, don't let distance discourage you from getting the car you truly desire or a better vehicle. Also, don't rush. Again, we spent 6 months looking at a thousand cars or more online and driving to several states to look at a few in person. We finally found exactly what we wanted 500 miles away in Orlando, Fl. I rented a trailer to haul the car back to Mobile, Al. My wife and I just made a vacation out of it.

Good luck,
Ralph

[aopthof]

I'm one of those Alpina lovers that needed the original wheels although they are indeed labor-intensive to clean... Adaptive cruise control and B&O as well, since I wanted the car as a garaged long term keeper. It took me a while to find one with the full spec. Adding pictures to give you an idea of the look in this color with the OEM wheels. Good luck. It's that car that will never stop giving you a smile when driving.

[STi from DSM]

Update: So the dealership does have the original wheels, they were not in the pictures first released. I keep coming back to it thinking this would be a viable option. The wheels do not have tires on them. I do love the look of the Alpina and do not think it is matched with any other vehicle on the roads today. I did put a deposit down on a 2025 Acura Integra Type S due in August of next year, so I will most likely hold off for that. Still conflicted on what I should do. I think a test drive is in order, lol.

[thebmw]

Originally Posted by STi from DSM

I did put a deposit down on a 2025 Acura Integra Type S due in August of next year, so I will most likely hold off for that. Still conflicted on what I should do. I think a test drive is in order, lol.

I am not sure how Acura Integra and BMW B6 Alpina are in the same sentence, much less in the same thought process! Absolutely no comparison between the two by any metrics. Many that will help you decide what to do

[Alpine650]

Originally Posted by STi from DSM

Update: So the dealership does have the original wheels, they were not in the pictures first released. I keep coming back to it thinking this would be a viable option. The wheels do not have tires on them. I do love the look of the Alpina and do not think it is matched with any other vehicle on the roads today. I did put a deposit down on a 2025 Acura Integra Type S due in August of next year, so I will most likely hold off for that. Still conflicted on what I should do. I think a test drive is in order, lol.

Make sure the test drive is on the original wheels to confirm they are good.

[Opie55]

The fact that the dealer still has it after all this time is good news in terms of negotiating price.

[swissfraser]

Let me summarise this thread so far STi from DSM and see if I can help your thought process any :-)

1) you've found a car that - to use your own word - captivates you
2) everyone on the forum says only sticking point is not having the original wheels
3) turns out it has the original wheels

You've found a car that captivates you and have no real reason not to buy it. Go buy it :-)