[Sven7]

I'll tell you this. If you are driving a Geo Metro on twisty mountain roads you're going to want to drive it off a cliff just so you don't have to live with its lifeless steering and complete lack of driving joy. Seriously, you'll wonder if the steering wheel is actually connected to the tie rods.

Do yourself a favor and buy a 1988-1995 Honda Civic/CRX. As long as it's not an Si you can put a few mods into it and get 40mpg highway easily (mine has an engine swap and I'm averaging 37mpg). My Civic is seriously the most fun to drive car I've ever owned (and possibly driven (No, that was a Miata)). It's like a big go-kart.

And the parts are CHEAP!

In order of decreasing fuel consumption: Si, DX, CX, VX, HF

If you're driving 130 miles a day, you may also consider renting a room nearby for a few hundred a month and walking or cycling to work. Unless, that is, you work for Fujiwara Tofu!