Need Help Buying A New Car

I'm getting ready to start my 3rd year in college and need a new car. My parents are willing to throw in about 4 grand for a car. i want a late 90's honda prelude but they are pretty exspensive, i've seen them around for 9 or so. my question is, would it be worth trying to find one at a dealership and financing it or taking a loan out with my bank? or should i just abondon the prelude idea and look for a cheaper car? one thing i would like is the credit rating if i financed. i have no clue what to do and my parents don't understand what kind of car a prelude is. any help or suggestions is very much appreciated.

The Prelude is an excellent car, but if you wanna save a couple grand, consider the Integra GS-R. It's a little weaker, but it's also a little lighter, so performance is just as good, and it's better on mileage/cheaper.