I am in Chicago and drive the same route (more or less) every week. I leave home before 6am to beat the morning traffic, and leave work around 4 to beat the rush-hour traffic.

It seemed to me, and of course this is pure subjective, that I had to give the car more 'pedal' with the 2.47 than I did with the 3.07. For example, with the 3.07, if I was going 60mph I was maybe pressing the pedal 60% of the way down. With the 2.47, if I was going 60mph it felt like I was pressing the pedal 75% of the way down. Sure, the rev's were lower with the 2.47, but I feel like the extra pedal I had to give it largely negated any benefit. Of course there was no simple way to measure it, but that was the impression I got.

I never really thought about it until know, but it seems like the 2.47 might be putting more stress on the turbo and the transmission.

All things considered though, the swap is totally reversable and is not extremely difficult, so it's not like you'll be out more than a couple quarts of gear oil and an afternoon or two from your life.