Steptronic dipstick problems

My Steptronic gearbox dipstick handle has started to pull apart and pieces are falling off. To date nothing has been left in the gearbox
A breakers yard replacement quickly went the same way.
I have been unable to track down a new factory replacement. It seems that although Mini used the same gearbox to 2006 it never had a dipstick or tube the assumption originally being that the fluid would last for ‘life’. I have heard that this assumption cost BMW some grief in the US of A when gearboxes broke down. Some Ford Focus items may have used the gearbox but none of those models seem to have come to Australia despite the model name being used here on a Mazda derivative.
In an attempt to find a suitable replacement I attended one of the large multi make ‘Bomb’ breakers in Adelaide armed with one of my moulting dipsticks to use as a template.
I wish to report that a suitable donor for those with the same problem is a 2000 Twin Spark Alfa-Romeo. It is a snug fit to the tube with an O ring seal and vapour bypass. Requires only about a 5mm grind off the end and engraving new high and low level marks.
Also comes with a four leaf clover embossed on both sides of the handle and an obvious racing heritage.

Consequent to using Alfa dipstick replacement I had a problem with “leak” from the speed sensor unit located on the top of the gearbox. At first I thought my trans shaft seal was leaking but after much cleaning I tracked down the source to the speed sensor unit. Expensive piece of kit that. I tried new O rings in the unit to no avail. Every test run I has a leak. Then after one run I shone my super bright LED torch down at the very clean speed sensor and a bubble appeared! It was coming from a tiny crack in the top of the unit and nothing to do with the seals.
Then it struck me. THIS BOX IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE PRESSURISED.

I had kicked an own goal. The Alfa stick has a sealing O ring whereas the original dipstick has a convoluted path to atmospheric pressure. I solved the problem with a Dremel cut behind the O ring and all is well. Without the pressure the speed sender doesn’t leak

Still a good cheap fix but make the above modification