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I think that enjoying the sight of two large mechas/robots in explosive combat is just as legitimate as enjoying the sight of a well-choreographed swordfight or any other sort of action/fight scene.
So I like mecha anime more or less as much as I do any other sort of action-oriented anime show. To a certain extent, I like Gurren Lagann for much the same reason that I do s-CRY-ed or Ga-Rei Zero or even Nanoha A's: Great action scenes involving compelling charismatic characters.
That being said, action scenes are typically like the condiment that you put on your meal; the ketchup or mustard on your hamburger, to give it some added zing and taste.
It's the quality of the meat itself, as well as the buns, that will play the largest factor in determining how satisfying the hamburger is. Likewise, it's the quality of the characters and story that will play the largest factor in determining how good a mecha anime is.
I think it's perfectly fine to like mecha as a genre (i.e. enjoying Gundam, Gurren Lagann, Macross, and other shows of that type) as well as to like it as an element (enjoying it when the girls of Magic Knight Rayearth basically start flying magical Gundams, for example).
However, I think what hinders mecha as a genre/element in the internet age, is that its novelty appeal has worn off. There was a time when mecha was fresh, new, exciting, and truly captured the imagination of futurists and technologists of all ages (but especially young bright kids and teenagers, of course). There was just something indescribably cool about a giant, flashy robot that you could personally pilot, and would act as an extension of your own will (to borrow from C.A.'s excellent point). It mixed the hot-blooded testosterone-fueled fun of being a race car driver or a fighter jet pilot with the technological awe and wonder of sci-fi.
Then, in time, we saw Gundam do such a superb job in incorporating giant mechas (or "mobile suits") into conventional futuristic warfare. The mechas became superb vehicles to help explore sociopolitical issues, as well as speculate as to what the future could be like.
But over time, the novelty did begin to wear off. Advances in animation technology managed to keep things a bit dynamic as newer mechas became increasingly elaborate and impressive looking in comparison to most older ones, but things have now just about plateaued here.
Putting the genie back in the bottle, and recapturing the magic that the early mecha anime had can be tricky, perhaps even impossible.
So how does mecha promote itself going forward?
The mecha is an extension of the pilot, just as a sword is an extension of s/he who wields it. Tight associations need to be made between each notable individual mecha and its pilot. Colorful but practical and easy-to-remember names should be given to the mecha.
Char Aznable is an anime character that has transcended time to a degree, one of a precious few pre-NGE anime characters to be commonly known among most modern anime fans (I get the impression, anyway). Char's charismatic personality is part of the reason why, to be sure, but I think it also helped that him and his Red Comet were so tightly associated with each other. When you saw the Red Comet, you saw Char. When you saw Char in his Zeon uniform or civilian clothes, you instantly became excited at the prospect of him being in the Red Comet.
In future mecha anime shows, allow the mecha and the (wo)man to become associated with one another, infusing the mecha with the character's personality, and making the character seem empowered and emboldened by his personal mecha.
Sorry if I came off as rambling here, but those are just some observations about a genre that, while not my favorite, is one that I find I tend to miss if we go too long without a Code Geass, or a Gurren Lagann, in the anime world.
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