I bought a share in a mk3 in the UK soon after doing PPL in a 172 in the US.
Really pretty airplane. I found it lovely to fly! Between 15l and 20l mogas per hour on a 582.
Not very much room if you or your passenger are on the larger side.
Took me around 4 to 5 hours to convert to tailwheel (with around 100 hrs TT) Main issue was remembering to stay on the rudder pedals and not to get distracted or relax after touchdown until at walking pace.
Go for a 912 engine for peace of mind if at all possible.
I did limit myself to fairly low crosswind limits.
Al