I hate autos. I've always found them slow to react, dim witted and a hindrance. But a few things made me tick the 8AT box when I orderered.
First off, when I had a days test drive in the 520d ED, it was the first car I've ever driven when I thought "this could really do with being an auto"
Secondly, mine will be a company car, I'll be driving around 150-200 miles a day, we will need to become very close friends! As I was pondering which options I should select on a very tight budget, I had three days on the bounce when I had to drive right across the centre of London. For those that have never had the pleasure of London traffic, it's like doing a booby trapped assault course whilst having your teeth pulled! Seriously, you could walk across central london quicker! Doing that in a MT is hell!
And last, I drove for a couple of days a 325i MSport coupe with the 7AT and it wasn't too bad, it still had faults, but not too bad. Having read on this forum that the 8AT BMW fit to the F10 is one of the best boxes in the business, I took the plunge and ordered the 8AT.