Have you driven a 5spd before? (archive)

Take it slower letting off the clutch in 1st gear. The jolting is not good and bad for your gearbox. It is usually a result of bad clutching (the driver). Depending on how hard it is and how much wear the clutch has, the clutch might need to be replaced. AC probably has a leak, which is common. My 87 325i has a leak, but the R12 refrigerent is illegal, so I roll down the windows and sunroof and wind it. You can replace the system for about 800-$1000, and sometimes repair the original and add black market freon, but that can be costly also.

Don't run your bimmer that hard (2nd gear at 80mph) before she has warmed up to operating temp. This is when the temp gauge is centered, or usually after about 4 or 5 minutes of driving. Failing to wait can cause busted seals and bent valves that can be hella expensive. The best thing about bimmers is that you can run them hard after they warm up and they still last for a long time. Just be mindful of the temp gauge.

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