I'm with ya on both accounts. My EJ was killing me on freeway rides because I'd have to crank the stereo so much and I get that ringing in my ears when everything got quiet. And the scraping.... I've been rolling on the steelies lately and that makes the ride a good inch or two lower than with the rims I had so it was like I was slowing down and creeping over every single bump. Right now she's got a dented header and a scraped up oil pan so it's time to change something.