I recently found this place after stumbling onto the current deals on crossfires. I hope to take advantage of the great deal on the cars right now and if so I'll hopefully have a thing or two to add around here in time.

My question for the group is this... which one do I get?

I'll give you my situations and perhaps the collective understanding of the differences of these vehicles can steer me in the right direction. This is probably more information than you'll ever need, just covering my bases really.

First, I have just taken up a job in DC and live in an apt during the week and return home to North Carolina every weekend. I currently drive a Dodge Quad cab 1500 with a Hemi. The trip is about 300 miles and it's costing me $550 +/- every month in gas for this trip along (apt to job is a quick 15 min drive so it's not an issue) so, I started doing some figuring. I saw that a simple increase to 30 mpg would reduce my gas use to about $230 even with a higher octane fuel. If I had my druthers I'd keep the truck as I just like the functionality of it and quite frankly, the ballsiness of it, but that just doesn't make sense at this time.

So, I started looking at the usual suspects, Mazda 3/6, Toyota Camry, Honda Civic/Accord VW GTI and each time I did the base models were boring, and by the time I was finished I was anywhere from $22k - $28k for a vehicle that wasn't completely snore inducing. I ignored the American car makers out of hand because of the type of vehicle I was looking for. Not sure what got me even looking at a crossfire but I did an ebay search and pulled up all these cars going for very approachable prices. Thinking "That's cheaper than a civic!" had me checking out all the specs on the car and trying to justify buying a 2 seater sports coupe as a commuter car. (I’ve always loved the crossfire but never considered it as I have a wife and 3 kids at home and it was pricey).

Now I know the crossfire isn't an economy car, but my goal was really getting to about 30 mpg and I've seen several folks that manage that and the long trip back and forth to DC is really the only thing I'm concerned about, I don't drive enough in town (aside from the Friday traffic jam out of the metro (I'm on the south side)) to be concerned with it. But, that is a factor, one that rules out the SRT-6 (no matter how fun of a choice that would be). I don't care much for convertibles and the roof line of the crossfire, how it drops into the hips of the car, is one of its best features, so that puts me into the coupe, base or limited. This is the crux of the question (sorry it took so long to get here).

Plus’s for the base is obviously the price. Nothing touches it right now and it's hardly a stripped down car. It's nicely appointed and is the definition of bang for the buck. Downside is it's black and only black. It doesn't have leather and it doesn’t have an auto option (sometimes being in the traffic jam leaving DC it can be rather punishing to be in a stick). Those three items are really the only ones that are big motivators for me to pursue the limited. Now, some of the extra bits are nice, but they seem addressable issues. I am having a hard time seeing the limited as worth $7000 more than the base for these items, even though at $26k (the typical limited price I've been seeing) it is certainly a "deal", just not as good of one it seems.

So, final bits of info here. I'm tall. 6'5" I know there are a few tall guys here that have them as I have been reading. Is there a difference in the thickness or layout of the seating that make one better than the other? (can't seem to find a local place that has both base and limited to try out).

Back to the MPG I see it listed all over the place but no consistency to speak of, is one better than the other? I would imagine on a long trip they would be very close on MPG.
Are there other issues to consider about choosing one over the other than what I am considering here? I have read the threads about the differences in models and all that. I’m just if I get the base am I going to make a very restrictive choice? If I get the limited am I throwing away money for a few extras? I feel compelled to go base so I have at least one foot planted in practicality when I choose a 2 seater as a replacement for a quad cab truck.
Funny thing was, when I tried to explain to my wife how this might work if her truck had to go into the shop, I suggested that if needed she could drive the Barracuda, it fit everyone. I’m considering buying a car that makes my Barracuda look like a sensible family car. Maybe that civic is a better idea.

Thanks in advance, sorry for the ramble.
J