24 May 07
Endorsements come no higher. Its mileage is now heading for the 12,000 mark but my service interval indicator says there's still another 9,000 to go before it needs to see a dealer. The fat Michelin tyres have at least half their tread left (even on the back) and the only squeak or rattle from the interior comes from the optional dog guard when I'm driving on particularly rutted roads.
I've never run a car which contains so little I would change. All I'd really like is a limited slip differential to cope better with all that torque and, most of all, a standard six-speed manual gearbox.
BMW says there's not enough demand for one to justify the cost of making it available, but I've heard a rumour that something closer to the truth is that BMW doesn't actually have a gearbox small enough to package within the 3-Series shell that is capable of taking the monumental torque of its mighty motor.
Even so, I don't imagine BMW is struggling to sell them, even to three-pedal fans like me. My brother has run a manual 330d for the last five years and was going to replace it with a car like this until I told him it was automatic only. Being a purist of the most unreconstructed sort, he ruled it out on the spot. So when we met up last week, I took it along and we went for a little ride together. He'll be placing his order shortly.
