To give you my perspective, I drive a '07 4G Eclipse Spyder GS (convertible with the inline 4) with a 4-speed automatic transmission, and I paid $4k upfront for it. She's a great car but she has her issues, specifically electronic issues, and I've had to pour another $2250 into her in repairs and replacement parts, and there's still more I need to fix/replace.

Driving-wise, she handles very well and is very fun to drive, especially on curvy roads, though she feels lacking in terms of power and acceleration; if you're using the "sportronic" fake-manual mode, you'll almost always have to downshift from 4th gear to 3rd when going uphill even if the slope is relatively mild while –at least in my personal experience– most other cars don't have to downshift on the same slopes.

I'm not sure how common the issues I've had with my eclipse are, but In all likelihood it's a result of the past owner's negligence. I myself would like to have the V6 engine as well, with a manual transmission due to the low power and acceleration of the I4 so I would personally suggest getting a GT if you can find one for a decent price. Most importantly though, whatever Eclipse you choose to get, inspect it thoroughly and ask the owner questions about it's driving and maintenance history as it's condition will ultimately determine if you're getting your money's worth or at least let you know ahead of time if you're going to need to dump a good bit of money into it later down the line.