Some interesting arguments. If I'm flying across more than my local zone I always go IFR, in my experience limited though it is I've found I'm more liable to get a zone crossing flying IFR. I use my IMC privileges regularly because
a. with the weather we've had in the past year or so there wouldn't have been much flying otherwise.
b. There's not much point in having it if you don't keep on top of it.
c. Odd though it may seem I like instrument flying in a single engine spammy with no autopilot, it's a different challenge and mentally stimulating. At no time have I ever felt that I wasn't in control of the situation; put that down to excellent instruction in the first place.