Transmission problem

[David Ma <MaD@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Digesters,
I have a problem with my 92 E36 325I automatic w/ 69k miles.  It is
difficult to go in gear the first three minutes in the morning when it is
cold.  I don't have any problems driving it after the first three minutes.
It also has a high pitched humming noise which is intermittent from the
transmission area after I drive it half hour or so to the destination and
put it in P before I turn the engine off!  I can duplicate it if I don't
hear it by shifting it from P to N and back to P.  It will do it in N, too.
But it won't do it when I am driving.  The idle will slightly goes down to
close to 500 rpm and sometimes bounced back to 600 rpm and noise disappeared
for a second or two or just disappeared. The transmission had leaks when the
car was around 30K miles.  It was fixed under warranty.  The dealer had the
fluid changed at 56K miles for PM.  I have had the noise problem for six
months and I thought it was the heat shield.  Today I brought it to the
dealer and they told me it is the inside of the transmission and it will
cost me $3400 to replace the entire transmission.  They called BMW technical
support and they were told the torch converter can be replaced, but the
problem will come back if I don't get the whole transmission replaced. Do I
really need to get a new transmission?  The service manager told me new
fluid and filter will get the problem worse???  If I don't get the problem
fixed, how many miles more I can still drive it?
Please advise and send E-mail to me directly!  Thanks!
David  

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