I thought I'd really hate, but it doesn't really bother me. I think the biggest concern for me is the engine wear at each restart when oil pressure is reduced.
With auto stop, I learned I can put it in 1st and not have to worry about rolling away. Sometimes, I'm too lazy to keep my foot on...
I should be a 5/9 blend date too! The only accessory I've bought so far is the Curt hitch. I didn't get the factory roof rack so I'm curious to see what options comes out in the aftermarket
Last Sunday I got to drive the 7 speed for the first time at a nearby off-road park. It was a 2dr black diamond Non-Sas, and it was very capable. We had a lot of rain and the mud was deep which made for some really fun wheeling. There were a few tough obstacles but the granny gear, sorry...
You're definitely not alone. I had the manual badlands '21 and switched to the base man-squatch when I got pushed to the '22. Just got my VIN last week for a week 12/20 build. I also ditched the roof rails since it seemed like a pain to remove the roof panels.
Good luck!