[barkles]

The problem is that besides these two BMWs, I've always driven a manual. So the entire motion of me reaching for the gear shift puts my left foot into stomp on the clutch mode, resulting in 100% pressure on the brakes and me scaring the sh*t out of myself and making the people behind me very upset. Same thing goes for the blinker switch, I just can't get used to it.

My Z4 had paddles and I drove it 99% of the time in Manual mode. Got good gas milage too.

With the 328i I mainly keep it 45% DS, 45% Manual and 10% D.

DS is pretty jerky driving around town when it downshifts to first gear. So I usually keep it in D if I have a lot of stop and go — seems to keep it from going in 1st gear and really retards the throttle. DS also keeps it out of 6th on the highway.