Yes the Meridian is definitely the best airplane for the task at hand, unfortunately it is definitely out of my price range. I honestly dont even want to go over 600k for the Lancair since there's some possibility the piston might be attainable for this price. Nobody knows yet since none have been built yet.
I still feel the Cirrus is a reasonable all weather cross country flier. I intend to fly smart. I'm not going through blizzards or rain. Because of this a Cirrus will be limited on occasion. I dont want to be stuck in a hotel an extra day thanks to nature. At least in a Lancair I can power my through any inclement weather until it's clear again.
It's just those darn flight characteristics. I have a feeling the Cirrus will be more forgiving to a low time pilot (even one who will accrue lots of time in due fashion thanks to heavy commuting). I'm just not sure if the tradeoff is worth it. I can save 2 hours on a max range cruise in a Lancair, but does that 2 hours really feel like 2 hours considering the comfort of the Cirrus? If my buddy was in a Cirrus behind me, would he be coming in for approach by the time I reach my hotel? The savings in time need to be significant if I'm going to pass on the benefits of a Cirrus.
I really feel it's going to be a showdown between these two aircraft. I'm not interested in pressurized twins or older singles with more capacity. I really want a modern aircraft with all the bells and whistles, which is how I'm getting down to these 2 aircraft.