In regards to the cars, balancing gets more cars on the track. Nothing else. I don't find GR$ to be particularly well balanced and I don't think has has been for a while now. GR4 at Bathurst is a play ground for the Megane because, even though it was nerfed, it's still too powerful. If there isn't a "must have" car, then people will choose what works best for them.
In regards to getting people racing more than qualifying, that's a personal choice. You, for instance, choose to not qualify, which I still find an odd choice. None the less, you enjoy it and you have your reasons. Who am I to force you to change? The cost of that choice is having to work your way through the field, which is treacherous.
If people find that they need to spend more time qualifying in order to get better positioning, that's the price you pay for wanting to start at the pointy end of the field.
The one thing that people can do to actually affect change is stop showing up to for crappy races. I would show up to GR3 at Bathurst, but not GR4. Why? Because that race is too short to make anything clean happen, which leads to chaos. Anyone notice how there are no more oval races in the dailies?
Beyond that, it's just going to be up to each individual to challenge themselves. That won't happen often because many people get stuck in their ways. Personally, I love the feeling of winning in a car I am not supposed to win with.
Yes, but it can be lots of fun getting it back

. I got punted down to C (IIRC). I racked up a bunch of poles and wins
And yes, sadly they got rid of the pressure sensitive buttons for the DS4