2008 BMW Alpina D3 E90

First registered in February 2008, this Sparkling Graphite Metallic BMW Alpina D3 has had just the one previous BMW enthusiast owner, who had it in his BMW collection. 

Still showing under 3,600 miles on the odometer – yes, you did read that right - ‘FJ57 CVG’ is a museum quality example of the car that marks the moment Alpina had turned its talents to tweaking diesel cars.

Recently professionally valeted and detailed, it’s one of three cars from the same collection that are up for grabs.

If we could whisk you back 15 years and into a BMW showroom this is pretty much what you’d see. In a remarkably well-preserved condition, it is very close to being as good now as it was when Alpina finished modifying it.

With fantastic panel alignment, laser-etched shutlines, and a deep shine to the Sparkling Graphite Metallic paint, this E90 is as good as it gets – and remember; this isn’t a restored example, it’s completely original and cars are only original once.

The lamp lenses, badges, window glass and windscreen all are immaculate too, and in need of nothing doing to them other than continued careful curation.

The deep-dish, multispoke, 19-inch Alpina alloy wheels, unsullied by either age or clumsy parking, are fitted with a set of Michelin Pilot Sport tyres – and the fact Alpina determined the Michelin Pilot Sport 2 was the best tyre for the job back-in-the-day speaks volumes about its two owners’ determination to keep it as original as possible, doesn’t it?

And, we will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

It has got the odd mark most noticeably to the trailing edge and lower edge of the driver’s door and the offside rear wing. But, these are inevitable and are the sort of blemishes you’d expect to see on a six-month-old example.

The interior is stunning reminder of how good BMW cockpits used to be. Minimal and yet wonderfully elegant, it proves – again – that luxury and quality are engineering in, not bolted on. It might be simple but it lacks nothing you need and contains nothing you don’t. 

The manually adjustable, half-leather sports seats, complete with variable under-thigh support, are excellent. Very excellent, in fact. Maybe even very, very excellent, which might not be great English but does illustrate the point that these are way better than you have any right to expect in a car that was built in 2007.

As for the rear seats, they are so good they might never have been sat on. It is truly remarkable to see a 16-year-old car in such a condition. 

The Alpina steering wheel, gear knob, and build plaque are present and correct. Even things like the door shuts, which still carry the Alpina plate, are immaculate.

Nor does it end there, because the netting pockets, the headlining, the carpets, and the door cards are all in a stunning condition.

The boot is as clean as everywhere else and includes some lovely goodies like a BMW bag with a sponge and shampoo, the box containing the original Leather Preserving Set, the first aid kit, the torch, and even the vinyl bag that holds a litre bottle of engine oil from the supplying dealer. 

If Alpina or BMW are looking for an example of the E90 D3 for their collection, this is it.

The turbocharged diesel grumbles into life nicely, and while it isn’t the most musical of engines this one does make all the right noises and none of the wrong - and it does so without illuminating any warning lights other than the one for a low battery in the key fob.

As for the engine bay, the only issue we can see is a missing letter ‘A’ in the Alpina name; that all our problems should be so small, eh?

The underside still bears its original factory warning stickers, so you can guess the state of everything else. 

True, some of the fasteners and suspension components have a light dusting of surface corrosion but that’s unavoidable and fairly easily remedied if it bothers you. (Hint: unless it’s going in a high-end museum, it won’t…)

The Alpina’s service history is recorded as follows:

• 11.10.2010 and 1,111 miles – service by John Clark Tayside Ltd
• 21.03.2013 and 1,632 miles – service by BMW
• 11.05.2016 and 2,444 miles – service and fresh brake fluid by North End Garage of Dundee
• 08.07.2019 and 3,024 miles – service by North End Garage of Dundee
• 17.08.2021 and 3,476 miles – service by North End Garage of Dundee
• 13.12.2022 and 3,568 miles – health check by Maundrell & Co Ltd

The Alpina’s MoT certificate, which is valid until October 2024, was issued with no advisories, something it’s managed every single year bar one – and that was only for having undertrays fitted. This means we think we can confidently say it has never had a single adverse comment about its mechanical condition during its annual inspections. That’s quite something, isn’t it?

The Alpina comes with both the BMW book pack and the Alpina wallet plus the stamped service history booklet, a wealth of MoT history, and the Alpina key fob and keyring.

The Alpina D3 makes a very convincing case for itself; no, it doesn’t have a snarling, hand-fettled petrol engine but it doesn’t gulp fuel like a hand-fettled petrol engine, either.

And, despite its parsimony, it’s still as fast as anyone can really use on today’s roads, and its massive mid-range punch allows for effortless overtaking no matter how small the gap. 

As Evo magazine put it: “After a slight pause while the turbo fills its cheeks, a sizeable slug of turbocharged torque gets things moving. In fact you have to be pretty quick with the gearstick before the engine races right through its powerband and stumbles on the other side. Keep it between 2000 and 4500rpm, however, and it thumps along ... and it even makes a decent noise.”

It handles too, and stops and steers as an Alpina should. And, possibly best of all, it could be yours for somewhere between £20,000 and £24,000.

And this is, you’ll remember, an impeccably maintained example that has been owned by a pair of unusually meticulous and fastidious owners; phrases like “museum quality” get banded about a lot but it has never been truer than here. 

They simply don’t come any better than this

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located with the vendor in Grove, Oxfordshire. Viewings are strictly by appointment.  To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.