[Clutch Dog]

it sounds like you got a good head on your shoulders, but here's the low down. S chassis are getting OLD

for the same price as a decent manual ( say 3500-5000) you can pick up a 2000's Forester or outback and have the same hp and manual experience you want, but its safer, more roomy, newer, more reliable, and it'll get the job done.
other options cars you could look at would be an SC300/400, the 300's came in manual only and you have an NA 2jz to start, pluss side with those is that if you keep em nice, they make a great date car since they are cushy

I personally like accords for daily status since they are roomy, either the i4 or v6 has plenty of punch and they cost nearly nothing but oil changes and brakes year to year ( did a 90k main on my gen 7 and it cost me 1500 BUTTTT that was including a timing chain replacement. so... fair game)

i would get some insurance quotes and keep your eyes open, but dont limit yourself.