[strat61caster]

Sounds like you'd enjoy a good small pickup instead, Nissan D21/Hardbody and Toyota Hilux/pickup would be my top two but a Ranger wouldn't be bad.

Much cheaper than an FRS, much slower (less trouble) and decent gas mileage with the 4 cylinder and manual, you can still wrench, incredibly reliable if maintained, incredibly useful in the next few years as you move around (college/crappy apartments) and you can continue to off road with your buddies.

Odds are you're going to screw up a car you get at 16, save your parents some cash and buy yourself a nice car when you can afford it. Just my two cents, totaled my dad's truck, bought myself a nissan a few years later and learned some responsibility along the way.

Although I am incredibly surprised a mid 90's Toyota is having engine trouble at 160k miles...

Edit: also, these trucks will be relatively light, front engine, rear wheel drive and perfectly capable of getting sideways.