How far would you drive to audition a component?

Not very far considering that the components sound is going to change, maybe even dramatically, when you get it home and put in with your equipment and in your room.
I have been more successful in buying a single piece by reading user & professional reviews, questioning and researching here and AA and then buying the component then I have by auditioning at a dealer. I think this is due to various things. One is synergy and room interaction. the other is that the dealer usually has a superior room and therefore the component sounds at its best. This changes in my living room where there are some compromises and therefore the component doesn't sound as good and I am let down. Buying without an audition usually keeps me from the let down. i have not bought any pieces that I was displeased with so far. I have bought some that I was more wowed with than others though. Maybe this thinking is somewhat askew. but i always remember back in the 80's when I bought a high end receiver to replace my ailing HK 730 receiver. it sounded great at the store. I NEVER liked it and sold it within a year.

The furthest I've gone to audition was 100 miles but I've gone much further to pick-up/deliver gear. I took a trip a few months ago & delivered some spkrs, picked up a tuner & then picked up another pair of spkrs for a friend. I also stopped & visited w/2 good friends in 2 different cities.

Total mileage for this trip was 1865 & I was gone for 5 days.

No wait, that's wrong. I was in Denver visiting my sister & planned the upgrade of my amp so I could pick up when I was there. That was 1700 miles one way but I stopped at my friends (same as last trip) and picked up a trailer so I could haul a motorcycle when I got to Denver.

I too pretty much only by used anymore, but I have driven 100 miles (one way) to hear speakers in Phoenix.

I drove from Halsey, OR to Depoe Bay, OR (maybe 100 miles) with my New Advents in their original boxes strapped to the luggage rack of my Toyoata MR-2. They really affected the aerodynamics and handling. :-) The buyer drove up from California, but he was there on vacation and to see his parents, so like Chadnliz, I guess that doesn't count.

I also drove from West Point to the southern tip of Manhattan to buy a turntable, and it was one of the most harrowing experiences in my life. That was the one and only time I drove into the city, since I didn't want to tote the unboxed TT onto the subway and train.

It was worth it though; great deal, great turntable.

David

I won an ebay auction for a Salamander synergy twin 30 audio rack in Oklahoma City last month(I live in New Orleans). It stated local delivery only. I got a great price and planned a trip in the Talimena Parkway - a high mountain road in se Oklahoma Kiamichi mountains.
10 hours each way. I also hit up 3 record stores on this weekend trip

Usually I'd keep a trip down to 5 hours one way

Galibier in Boulder Colorado offers airfare trip compensation for those who purchase their turntables.
Sounds like a nice scenario

I'd probably fly to hear a big speaker or amp purchase or do it as a side loop to a vacation. That being said I purchased a pair of Salk HT3's lightlyused - unheard as they had many extra features I wanted and were competitively priced. This turned out really well.

Analog front end purchases - cartridge/arm I've done off of word of gon mouth, I trust those who have done all the legwork. And you can't go wrong with Mehran at Sora Sounds

On the amp end - I am considering a Moscode 401hr
they have a money back 30 day in house trial
that's a nice option to see your own in house synergy