"but amateur radio will be elitist only" no not really after over 30 years of having two way radio capability, I decided to put a CB back in my car, it was in there about a week, I took it back out because of the crap I was hearing, there are more and more truckers that use ham radio, because there are also tired of the crap of the crap also, of course they still have their CB so they know what is going on out there.
As far as you having a ham rig on your car, that is up to you, try this first if you have a scanner take it with you next time you do a road trip down the interstate, monitor the repeaters along the way, and monitor 146.520 also, then you decide what you want to do. I apparent advantage is knowing what the weather is doing where you are headed, oh sure you can ask the trucker that was where you are headed, and do the same thing, but if he is 50 miles out the conditions probably changed if the weather not ideal.
With two meter capability you can monitor what is current by checking with someone a repeater, heck for that matter, there may be a bridge washed out 75 miles ahead, with a cb you may not hear about it, until it is two late to take an alternate route.
Besides what's wrong with a mobile antenna farm? I know a ham that has no less than 20 antennas on his minivan yeah that is over kill, why have 20 when three or four, HF one antenna, 6 meters one antenna, 2 meter/440 one antenna and 800-900 mHz, one antenna, you can condense this to two antennas, if you are lucky and have the cash.
Gotta go to work with my two antenna mobile antenna farm (not including broadcast)
Cheers