I went from building cars around the stereo to taking the radio out of the dash to use the space for more important things. My 'expo' rig hasn't had any sound system at all for years. I enjoy both the road trips and music better this way. Just not at the same time.
I'm with you there. I like to listen to the vehicle and the bloody stereo just gets in my way. (Strange thing for a musician to say, I know...)
I remember reading something by Heinlein where he was talking about E.E. Smith being a superman (Jack of All Trades, Master of All.) He'd asked Smith for advice about buying a car. They took the car for a drive, and Smith (who was driving) was listening to the sounds the car made by pressing his head against the door pillar.
I don't remember exactly where I read that. 'Expanded Universe' maybe. There is a mention of it on the E.E. Smith Wikipedia page, though I'm not sure that it is strictly accurate about what Heinlein said:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._E._Smith
"In Heinlein's essay, he reports that he began to suspect Smith might be a sort of "superman" when he asked Dr. Smith for help in purchasing a car. Smith tested the car by driving it on a back road at illegally high speeds with their heads pressed tightly against the roof columns to listen for chassis squeaks by bone conduction—a process apparently improvised on the spot."
<end hijack> (sorry about that OP)