New guy here gathering info for future purchase
 

Hello everyone my name is Mike. I have never owned a Corvette, though I've admired them for many years. I've owned my share of "sports cars" - Mustang, Trans Am, Supra to name a few.
But, I've never owned "America's sports car", so when the C5 came out I was instantly smitten. It seems like I started looking at all the various models in a different light. I've considered other
models within the last year (E36 M3, FD RX7, Porsche 968, ....) but I keep coming back to the C5. My wife is even hooked. I plan on spending low to mid 20k, so I figure a 98 to 01 depending on
mileage/condition/maint history. This will be a daily driver, hence some of the following questions:
- How comfortable is the six speed vs auto for a dd (probably 40% city, though not heavy stop and go)
- What kind of mileage difference beween the manual and the auto
- For spirited steet driving with twisties and such, does the FRC (not Z06) offer a much different experience than the coupe
- Lastly, what kind of fuel mileage can I expect. I know its a sports car, but I've always considered MPG as another performance number.

I was initially set on a coupe, but the more I look at the FRC the more I like it. I would also imagine that a 99-00 FRC could be gotten at a good price due to the subsequent Z06.
What model do some of you guys have, and why do you prefer it over the others?

Thanks for any input and looking forward to future ownership.