Good first tuner?

I'm going to be getting my first car in a few weeks, so I'm looking for some advice as to what a great starter tuner car I should get. I'll be buying something used, under 5k. I want a car that is reliable, and fairly easy when it comes to modification (nothing too complex), yet can produce great power. There are so many cars out there, and I have no idea where to start.

Would you guys mind sharing your ideas for a first "tuner" car thats under 5k, is reliable, has a manual transmission, and can produce great power when modified/upgraded correctly? Thanks.

try a daihatsu charade turbo not sure what the insurance is like but it a 1.0 litre with a turbo and people have claimed nearly 300 bhp from them
or a peugeot 106 gti they have plent of mods to do to them
but the best in my opinion would be a civic hatchback if you can get a vtech one there mental but if not theres still so many mods to do to them and the engine isnt too complex
hope this helps
dan

Daihatsu Charade?
In Boise?
5.0 Mustang. Up to 1993.
'94+ are harder to tune because of the EEC IV computer.