Same here in my company. Some older guys take it to manual mode.
What I usually do is leave it in auto and when there's a big echo ahead change to manual to get a better idea of how it is at the present altitude.
I once finished my controlled rest while over the north atlantic and there was a big echo displayed ahead and we where heading right in to it, nice moment to be back. Then changing to manual showed that it was something way below, so no problem.
Most convenient of course is full moon
