The era of the depreciation special has long been upon us. Some of the most expensive performance leaders can be had for short money, but there is, of course, a good reason for this. When buying a car that originally sold for $100,000, one should expect running costs that are at least commensurate. Still, it doesn’t diminish the allure of owning something with say, 500 horsepower, especially when it can be had for just a fraction of its original MSRP.
Tyler Hoover of the appropriately named Hoovies Garage YouTube channel has achieved Internet fame for his propensity and willingness to buy cars that are both well beyond their prime mechanically speaking and heavily depreciated. Hoover’s strategy is inadvisable at best—he typically buys the cheapest example of something listed for sale in the U.S.—but it does make for excellent entertainment. As one might be able to guess, he hasn’t had much luck with BMWs, and he’s on his second V12 model, but whether it’s glutton for punishment or the undeniable enticement of the brand, Hoover hasn’t given up on trying to make it work.
Although his BMW history includes a V12 8 Series, E65 760li, and an Indianapolis Red E60 M5, Hoover’s latest acquisition is clearly his most captivating yet. The E65 7 Series-based Alpina B7 is in a sweet spot right now, with nicer models selling for around $25,000, or less than a fourth of what they were originally priced. With 500 horsepower from a supercharged 4.4-liter Alpina-massaged V8, these performance thoroughbreds drive a hard bargain. But what if you could get one for mere pennies on the dollar?
That’s exactly what Hoover has managed to facilitate with his latest YouTube car-buying transaction, in which he acquires a 170,000-plus mile Alpina B7 that needs what seemingly every BMW N62 V8 valve train needs after a while, along with just about everything else. Get all of the details in the two videos below, the latter of which includes a full repair estimate for everything wrong with Hoover’s third (here’s his first) E65 7 Series.—Alex Tock
[Image and videos via Hoovies Garage on YouTube.]
