So this whole time I've been on the forum, I've had preferences towards the SRT (for obvious reasons). The extra speed, handling, and exclusivity were all things that made me pretty much snub the little Limited.

But, I'm in a situation at the moment that makes a certain Limited in particular look mighty fine.

See, my daily driver (a Buick affectionately known as "old man tan" (see gallery)) has undergone some significant hiccups in reliability. Seems like every week I'm replacing/bandaging some part to keep it chugging along. The paid-off creampuff has become a fussy old fart and I'VE HAD IT. It's in the shop as we speak getting a new supercharger.

Ironically, of all weeks, this was the week that someone finally decided to pay cash and take my Ranger (also in gallery) off my hands.

Currently, I'm vehicle-LESS. Thank God for a gorgeous charitable girlfriend that is loaning me her Accord for a few days 'till the Riv gets back on its feet...

So I've been HEAVILY shopping and have narrowed it down to two vehicles... One SRT in Charlotte for $15,999, and a Limited in Nashville (20 minutes away) for $12.5K

The advantages of the SRT are the obvious ones I opened with. Speed, beauty, handling, exclusivity.

It has 43K miles and three previous owners, however, and not a shred of warranty intact. The Limited has half the mileage and one owner, and warranty is alive and kicking until February '10.

And, as luck would have it, I always said that the only Limited I would choose would be one that had everything the SRT-6 couldn't offer; 6-speed, White, Cedar Interior. Bingo, bingo, bingo.

This car has all three. AND warranty. AND it's in my back yard. AND it's immaculate. Lady-driven. The list goes on...

Translation, I think I'm actually going to (tearfully) drop the SRT obsession for this car. Everything is too perfect not to, and the monthly payments AND insurance are significantly cheaper than the SRT. Plus the urgency of the situation kind-of dictates swift action.

It is a gem though. And it's not exactly like I'd be suffering, despite the massive speed handicap. Any Crossfire is better than no Crossfire. After all... if you're important enough, they'll wait the extra three seconds for you.

Long story short, I never expected to say this but I'm actually excited about potentially buying a Limited. For once, it doesn't seem like a massive sacrifice. The cheaper insurance, lower initial cost, distance away and existing warranty simply makes too much sense. The über-sexy color combo means I'll still have a winner in the looks department... now I'll simply have to tout the handling instead of brute speed.

So yep, that's my deductive reasoning. The SRT's are gorgeous but I'm growing old waiting on these things to become accessible. The ones that ARE affordable (to my budget) are beaten to death. And with the scarcity and price of parts for the SC32 engine, I'm a little skittish having no warranty whatsoever.

Wish me luck guys. Still negotiating with her on price but I'll simply keep wagging the check in front of her face. I'm almost in one of these puppies... soooo close.