Skip advert
Advertisement
Long term tests

Alpina D3

A stay in Gatwick's car park resulted in a rear puncture on the D3, and with no spare that necessitated use of tyre foam and crossed fingers

Alpina D3

It had been a long day, and once I’d remembered where I’d left the D3 in Gatwick’s South Terminal car park I was ready to relax into the 125-mile cruise home. What I really didn’t need was for the tyre pressure warning light to bong into life shortly after I set off, but bong it did, and the squidgy response to my next steering input confirmed that this was no false alarm. The hard shoulder beckoned.

Advertisement - Article continues below

It turned out a screw had embedded itself into the edge of the right-rear so, as the D3 wears regular Michelin Pilot Sports and carries no spare, it was out with the foam and compressor pack. Five minutes later I was back on my way. Who needs run-flats?

A few days later, with a new tyre fitted, I headed over to the Bedford Autodrome to video Barker and Catchpole setting a lap time in the Caparo for last month’s ‘How fast?’ feature. As the track was still damp in places, I was sent out in the D3 to try and create a dry line. In the dry corners it would understeer a little, but on the wet bits it would slide and drift beautifully, so I kept going round until the fuel ran out.

Running Costs

Date acquiredJanuary 2009
Total mileage5603
Costs this month£160 (tyre)
Mileage this month1785
MPG this month39.8
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

​Best hot hatchbacks 2025 – from grassroots greats to supercar slayers
Best hot hatchbacks 2025
Best cars

​Best hot hatchbacks 2025 – from grassroots greats to supercar slayers

Contracted though the hot hatch market may be, there are still some great models out there, from the electric Alpine A290 to the five-cylinder Audi RS…
10 Mar 2025
Used Honda Civic Type R (EP3, 2001 – 2005) review, specs and buying guide
Honda Civic Type R icon – tracking
Reviews

Used Honda Civic Type R (EP3, 2001 – 2005) review, specs and buying guide

The early noughties Civic overcame opinion-dividing looks and flawed dynamics to become a legend in its own lifetime. To rev it is to love it
7 Mar 2025
Used Porsche 911 GT3 (991, 2013 - 2019) review, specs and buying guide
Porsche 911 GT3 (991) front
Reviews

Used Porsche 911 GT3 (991, 2013 - 2019) review, specs and buying guide

The 991-generation GT3 brought massive changes for the GT3 bloodline as a whole, for better and worse
6 Mar 2025