Shooter vehicle sections only work well when they are a core part of gameplay and when the player has a choice. Like Halo and Borderlands where you can choose to bail on the vehicle at any time and go hand to hand with the enemies if you so choose. Anytime they are a forced part of the game it's almost always a bad idea. Man I hated that Derrick in GeOW2!
But yeah man, I'm right there with you.