benzokirk

This could be the same problem or two different things, based on some of the related posts and threads I've read here. About 2 weeks ago my 2008 E63 started jerking/lurching from 1st to 2nd gear, and when slowing down to a stop sign/light from 2nd into 1st. This only happens when the engine is cold. Then today, after driving for about an hour, the car wouldn't go into Park. I pushed as hard as I could until it felt like I might break the shifter but, although it would push all the way forward, I could not get it to push towards the left to settle into Park. After working for a couple of hours with my car in the parking lot running, because obviously I can't turn it off if I can't get it into Park, I drove to the dealership where service tech pushed harder than I did and got it to Park. Their diagnosis is that I need a new shifter, but I've read here that it could be a solenoid, specifically, the PWM Solenoid. I don't mind paying $1,200 for the entire shifter, if I absolutely have to, but my plan is to take it to my indie shop Monday morning to get a second opinion. Just concerned that if I replace the solenoid perhaps later I'm looking at replacing the shifter anyway, but then paying for the same labor twice. Anyone else with similar experience with the solenoid, or shifter?