My 2011 335i sedan with MSport package has a 6 speed auto with paddle shifters. When manually shifting, starting from a stop, modest acceleration, is there any harm in doing so from 2nd gear? When in manual mode (D/S and paddle shifter has been actuated), if you forget to downshift the car will do it for you, but will stop at second gear instead of first, which suggests that starting from second is OK. First gear is very short and really not needed other than for very quick launches. I shift manually, even when driving moderately, because in auto mode when pressing the accelerator from a stop there is a brief pause, then surge forward as it seems to "find" the gear. Not sure if this is normal or due to age on this 54K mile car I bought used last fall.
Starting in second will not harm the vehicle at all. I do suggest when on inclines though do start in 1st to keep extra stress off the drivetrain. That transmission in auto mode will start off in second sometimes it's called in town mode. The vehicle when on relatively flat surfaces and see a lot of stop to stop light trips it will activate this mode and lock out first gear. Of course there is a ton of parameters to get this function to work and you may not even notice it doing this. Hard to say with your trans shifting issue without feeling the shit personally if it is normal for the mileage or to harsh.
