Jeff,
I think Garrison Keillor put it pretty well on "Prairie Home Companion" when he said that "four-wheel drive means that you can get stuck farther from civilization" :p
Last winter, we had a few pretty good "winter weather events" here in NE PA, (nothin' like it used to be!), and it was interesting to drive home on I-81 in my '93 Escort and count all the fancy SUVs abandoned in the median or in the ditch.
(I won't drive my "good old vehicles" in the snow anymore, 'cause of the salt!)
I'm even thinking of selling my '61 Willys, cause I live in town, and we haven't had any winters that I've needed the four-wheel drive.
BTW, I like your "anti-theft idea" :p .