At the present time I have a PPL. The aircraft would have to be IFR suitable as I may use it to get to places for meetings and would need reliability.
I don't want to encourage you from using a light aircraft for getting around, infact the experience can be very rewarding.
I would however try and discourage you from going down the IFR route for a couple of reasons however...
There is of course the additional cost of acquisition and maintainance, and the added complexity of something extra to breakdown (admittedly I've never used those new GA glass cockpit setups so cant comment there).
As for reliably getting you from A-B, depending where you are located icing will be an issue which will ramp up the expenses mentioned above, or keep you on the ground anyway.
If the weather is too bad to go VFR, then you will have certainly have your hands full going IFR (assuming single pilot).
The initial IFR training and later 'legal currency' is not too difficult but many others may agree that become 'profocient' IFR is a challenge. It took me quite some time to 'comfortably' plan a flight and blast off into the murk single pilot IFR. Now midway through a career in GA and airlines I would not fancy going back single pilot IFR, especially if it was not my day job that was doing day in day out. Enjoy the VFR and when the weather turns bleak enjoy the simplicity of the road trip
