So I'm almost 16 and about to get my drivers license, but the problem I have right now is deciding on what kind of car to get.  I have about a $3,000 - $4,000 budget and I have some extra money that I would like to save for possibly new parts, upgrades, or repairs.  Since I'm paying for my car my parents have decided to pay for my insurance which is like $700 a year so I don't have to worry about that.  I have worked my butt off this summer working 40 hour weeks to save all this money and some from the end of last school year and I intend to save more over the next three months till I get my license.  I've been doing some research and was looking at three particular types of cars mainly the Nissan 240sx, Mitsubishi Eclipse GST, and the Acura Integra GSR.  And as far as years go it seems like I may be able to find one any where from a 89' to possibly a 97' but I would like to stay in the 90's like a 95' or a 97'.  And if your wondering why I said the GST instead of the GSX is because the GSX has all wheel drive and if something goes wrong it's more expensive to fix.  And once school starts for me again I will probably have anywhere from $300 - $400 of disposable cash each month.  I am not really heavy into cars yet but I'm already taking every auto coarse available at my school and can't wait to learn more about cars I'm not just an average kid lets just say I'm really good at figuring out things on my own like with just a book on cars just by glimpsing over it I could learn how to take apart an engine and put it back together, I guess I'm what they call a very bright kid.  So getting back on topic about cars I do want a tuner car because I love going fast and making things go fast drifting I love the adrenaline.  Something else that I have a benefit in is that my Grandma works with the dealers driving cars around so she said that that when I give her the money she'll look out for the car I want because she knows one of the dealers really well and he'll buy it for me as long as I have the money of coarse so this will allow me to get a cheaper car.  So I'll take any suggestions I can get about any other cars that are good and cheap for tuning and reliable, and the pluses and minuses of each one of the cars I mentioned.

So thanks to all of you who have taken time to read about my dilemma I know I kind went of topic a bit but I was just trying to provide more background info to receive better help.

Thanks once again, I cant wait for some responses.  

Hey there.  I can vouch for the Eclipse being a great car.  I own a '97 GST and it's a great car.  But...you will learn a lot with it.  By that, I mean you'll end up working on the car a bit.  It's not all bad though.  They can be tuned to a great extent.  But I do recommend that you do the 6 bolt engine swap.  Hopefully, you know of the crankwalk issues.  This will only add to costs.  The stock T25 turbo is known to have a short lifespan so you'll want to upgrade there.  With the GST being FWD and you wanting to go fast, you'll benefit a lot from a LSD.  For ~$4000, you'll be limited in upgrades once you have the car but it has so much potential.

A good running Integra GSR will cost a bit more and dwindle your starting budget.  Even used Acuras carry a good price on them.  The GSR is no exception.  It's a great car, but like the Eclipse, it may take a while to build it up.

If I didn't have my Eclipse, I'd have a 240sx and I can tell you that will probably be my next car.  Depending on which body style you like, S13 or S14, you can get these real cheap.  I like the S13, just a preference, in that they're dirt cheap and you can do anything to it.  The S14 will be a little higher in price, but still affordable.  Naturally, I'm sure you'll want to swap the engine w/ an SR20;  maybe even an "RB" series engine.  But I'm sure you could even find an S13 already w/ an SR20 and some good mods with cash to spare.  This will also be your only possibility at drifting as well.

Since you're "bright" and all, you could do a lot of the labor yourself and save money there too.  But w/ ~$4000, you'll have more success in how far you can take the 240sx over an Eclipse or an Integra.  I love the DSM's, but w/ $4000, I'd go with the 240sx.  Hope this helps.  

1sickgst gave some good advice, especially if you are interested in drifting, its the only rwd car you mentioned.