Best car for $5-8k?

Hey, I'm getting my license in 2 months and I need some help in picking out my first car. Please give some suggestions. These are my requirements and preferences for the car in the order of importance:

1.performance and speed
2.reliability
3.fun to drive
4.4-passenger seating (preferred but not required)
5.manual
6.aftermarket options

Honestly, since this is your first car, performance is probably not going to be your primary concern. Not to be mean or anything but almost all (especially guys) new drivers say they want what you just said for about the same price and they generally wind up getting a bad car they they later dont really like.

I was the same way too but luckily my parents convinced me to turn away from any actually good cars for my first car. Get a 2 or 3k throw away car, because you WILL wreck it if performance is the first thing on your list.

Try an older civic, camry, accord (really consider the accord) or some other good reliable car that wont break the bank to get running again if you crash it. Then awhile from now, you will have saved a couple thousand on a car, and you will actually know what makes a car tick, what you REALLY want in a car and you wont go onto forums saying things like, "Whats the best car with this incredibly generic information."

I'll have to agree with planet_keeper on this one. I can give you advice from my own experience. I turned 16 and wanted all that stuff you want, but I didn't know anything about cars because I had no experience with them. So I bought the first black, tinted window sporty lookin car I saw, It was actually a Cavalier z24, automatic. Don't get me worng this car was fun and was kinda fast I guess, but after driving it for a year I had realized what I really wanted and am now trying to sell it.

Then I have two friends, one bought a piece of crap neon for 2 grand when he turned 16 and the other bought an old beat up saturn for about the same price. And now one is driving a 99 camaro rs 5 speed with rims and sweet exhaust and the other is driving a dodge stealth r/t 5 speed. And I'm stuck trying to sell my car for something I really want.

So it's up to you but I'd say buy something cheap that is reliable, save your money, and when you figure out what car you really want, go out a buy it.

You didn't say what your budget was. Civic would be the best option IMHO. Just don't become a ricer, read on the board, there's a lot of good info on how to make your car perform, while doing it right. Just say no to spinning hubcaps, wings, stickers, etc.

You want performance and speed at 5k? God, I hate people like you. I sell electronics and it irks me to no end when people come in and say "I want the BEST camera, I want it to do this this and that and I want it under 200 bucks".

Yeah, good luck with that bro.

well that was kinda rude. are you saying people with a limited budget can't have something decent. I own a 1991 Integra and it's a great car. Easy to handle not to much power(but more than a civic so enough to get you going) and i bought mine for $2500. It also has great visibility and it's fun

Hey jabby don't be such a dick. Who says you can't have performance and speed for that price... which is $5k to $8k. My friend bought a 92 stealth twin turbo for 8 grand and it's amazing. Low mileage and one of the fastest 6 cylinders in town.