Are all Autos like this?

[BadgerDog]

Hmm, good to know, guess I need to do some digging. I screwed up and bought the wrong part (in fairness, Burgertuning.com has it HORRIBLY labeled on their site... stated simply as an N54 E chassis part... well I have an E chassis!). So I'll either be sending that back or selling it on fleabay since they have an asinine return policy (20% restock fee, despite the fact it was never on a car and can be resold with nothing more than a cursory inspection...).

So depending on what happens maybe I wont bother upgrading it. Now, would your opinion change if a person were running a JB4/MHD tune on the car? Nothing too aggressive, still just pump gas, but it WILL put some extra stress on it.

[BMWZ4MC]

I have an E89 20i with the 8 speed ZF auto box. Wanted an auto as I struggle with my left ankle and it's the first one I've owned, although I have driven a couple of others some years ago.

Now, in normal driving it's perfect. My problem is very slow speed manoeuvring like when I'm parking on an incline. I always thought that in Drive the car wouldn't roll back, but it does quite a bit. If you give the throttle a press there's too much grunt going to the wheels and I'm in danger of bumping into the car in front or behind. Seems it's difficult if not impossible to have the same control you get by holding the car on the clutch biting point. Doesn't help that you can't release the electric handbrake unless you're pressing the footbrake, so as soon as you move your foot to the accelerator it's already started to roll.

Now - are all automatics like this or is it just mine? And if it's a common thing, how do you smoothly parallel park on a slope?

I’ve had a similar experience whilst manoeuvring on slopes or on the flat in various automatic cars that have poor throttle modulation from stationary. The inability to creep backwards or forwards at extremely slow speed (as you can by just bringing the clutch to the bite point at idle in a manual) is especially annoying.
I don’t think you are describing a fault, simply the nature of automatics. It is most problematic on an incline in a torquey car with poor throttle modulation and without a hill-hold function, where left foot braking is the only practical solution.

[Ming]

I have an E89 20i with the 8 speed ZF auto box. Wanted an auto as I struggle with my left ankle and it's the first one I've owned, although I have driven a couple of others some years ago.

Now, in normal driving it's perfect. My problem is very slow speed manoeuvring like when I'm parking on an incline. I always thought that in Drive the car wouldn't roll back, but it does quite a bit. If you give the throttle a press there's too much grunt going to the wheels and I'm in danger of bumping into the car in front or behind. Seems it's difficult if not impossible to have the same control you get by holding the car on the clutch biting point. Doesn't help that you can't release the electric handbrake unless you're pressing the footbrake, so as soon as you move your foot to the accelerator it's already started to roll.

Now - are all automatics like this or is it just mine? And if it's a common thing, how do you smoothly parallel park on a slope?

I’ve had a similar experience whilst manoeuvring on slopes or on the flat in various automatic cars that have poor throttle modulation from stationary. The inability to creep backwards or forwards at extremely slow speed (as you can by just bringing the clutch to the bite point at idle in a manual) is especially annoying.
I don’t think you are describing a fault, simply the nature of automatics. It is most problematic on an incline in a torquey car with poor throttle modulation and without a hill-hold function, where left foot braking is the only practical solution.

Thank you. That's the explanation I was hoping for. I will try the left foot braking and see how I get on.
Or just never park on a slope

[Carl69]

As others have said this should not happen. I have the 2.0l 8 speed zf autobox and in drive the car does not roll back at all. Suggest you have a mechanic look at this. Hope it's nothing expensive.