Choosing a Grand Company

Hello everyone.

I am currently watching the 3 different speeches from the grand companies. I've read somewhere that I get to choose, how ever if I do not, my question is invalid. I wonder though how much impact it has exactly on my character? Since it's possible for 1 character to unlock everything, there's very little point to me so far to actually have much more then 1 character. I've checked out the starting stats etc of the races, and I've read that towards endgame, the difference is minimal if you're using one race over the other. How big of an impact will my Grand Company choice have? Thanks!

It'll have some minor changes on the story, but mostly you'll have a different selection of items to buy using the GC seals such as chocobo armor and weapons. Each GC has a different style. For example i'm with Maelstrom and I was able to buy a lvl 50 cutlass that looks really cool and the full chocobo armor has red banners and a different crest/horn on the helmet.
It will also give you a unique salute emote for each faction.

Once you get to lvl 50 and finish the story you can change your GC at any time.

I can say that Grindania's Twin addler and Ul'dah's Immortal Flames are the best since they are the nearest to the main city's aetherite.
Limsa Lominsa's Maelstrom requires you to teleport to main then teleport again to Aftcastle so you arrive there.

I hate useless loadings and I had chosen Maelstrom without searching prior, and I'm mad with two loadings when I want to go there.

Thank you for your replies :)

From what I can tell, the differences will be minor details to the story, what NPC's you deal with, and the color/emblems that any Grand Company gear will have. Beyond that, there really is no difference.

Remember too, you can switch from one Grand Company to another and there is actually some Achievements for doing so.