- 6,092
- Phoenix, AZ
On the topic of permits, I get mine next Wednesday. 
And Ranman, I'd recommend a Nissan 240SX, the tried and true first sporty car for quite a few. They're one of the cheapest ways to get into rear wheel drive and sporty cars altogether, but you're also getting a Nissan, so it's going to last forever. Personally I'd stay away from an early 00s Tiburon; it comes from a transitional period when Hyundai went from making cheap, bad cars to making affordable, but still not exceptional cars. There's also the fact that they're fugly. Another one I quite like is the Acura Integra, which if you can find one that hasn't been molested beyond repair, is one of the best front wheel drive cars of its time. If you do get one, get a good alarm system, or at least keep it in a garage, they tend to get stolen constantly.
On the complete other end of the spectrum, assuming your budget is $5k, you can get a pretty decent early 90s Lexus LS400, and those will run forever. Seriously, look at the Lexus forums, there's an SC400 with 665k miles if I recall correctly. Back when these cars were introduced they set a new standard for refinement and quietness, just seamless cars in general. Noise, vibration and hardness in these cars are very low. Basing my knowledge off the LS430, they're really not all that bad to drive. They're comfortable, quiet, and have pretty good power but because they're big old sedans, insurance is not ridiculous. They're heavier cars, but are just as fast as any other sporty car within your budget, save for V8 Mustangs and Camaros. Finding a decent one for $5k or less is entirely possible, you just have to find one that wasn't owned by an aspiring gangsta. Thankfully, senior-owned examples in good condition still aren't rare. Seriously give these cars a look. 👍
And Ranman, I'd recommend a Nissan 240SX, the tried and true first sporty car for quite a few. They're one of the cheapest ways to get into rear wheel drive and sporty cars altogether, but you're also getting a Nissan, so it's going to last forever. Personally I'd stay away from an early 00s Tiburon; it comes from a transitional period when Hyundai went from making cheap, bad cars to making affordable, but still not exceptional cars. There's also the fact that they're fugly. Another one I quite like is the Acura Integra, which if you can find one that hasn't been molested beyond repair, is one of the best front wheel drive cars of its time. If you do get one, get a good alarm system, or at least keep it in a garage, they tend to get stolen constantly.
On the complete other end of the spectrum, assuming your budget is $5k, you can get a pretty decent early 90s Lexus LS400, and those will run forever. Seriously, look at the Lexus forums, there's an SC400 with 665k miles if I recall correctly. Back when these cars were introduced they set a new standard for refinement and quietness, just seamless cars in general. Noise, vibration and hardness in these cars are very low. Basing my knowledge off the LS430, they're really not all that bad to drive. They're comfortable, quiet, and have pretty good power but because they're big old sedans, insurance is not ridiculous. They're heavier cars, but are just as fast as any other sporty car within your budget, save for V8 Mustangs and Camaros. Finding a decent one for $5k or less is entirely possible, you just have to find one that wasn't owned by an aspiring gangsta. Thankfully, senior-owned examples in good condition still aren't rare. Seriously give these cars a look. 👍
