With gas prices and the economy the way it is i'm wondering if a tuner is the way to go. My parents and coworkers haggle me about getting a fast car when they don't understand what it's like for me to be behind the wheel. Feeling the engine and making the car an extention of myself. They all say I should get a camry or accord. I'm 16 about to buy my first car and they all say that im ignorant about cars and driving when I go to dealerships and know more about the cars then the salesman does. I need some help here.  

i would say that a tuner wouldn't be a bad way to go considering gas prices. if you are easy on the car gas prices shouldn't be a problem. what i would be more worried about is how much your insurance is and if you will be able to afford it month to month  

Insurance on a tuner car will kill you more than gas prices, in all likelyhood. On the bright side insurance prices go down, while gas prices go up.

It'd be smart to get something like a civic that can be made fast but doesn't have to much power for a beginner.  

My car is setup to run high 11's/low 12's in the quartermile and I can honestly say I get decent fuel mileage, due to my car being a turbo 2.0 4cylinder and only weighing 2700lbs.

If you know what combination of traits makes for a good fuel mileage car that can also be fast than thats the car to get. My first car I chose something slow though since I thought I was too inexperienced for a fast car, I got a Miata. Good gas mileage, not too fast, but it handled, braked and performed well.

Later on I moved up to a turbo 2.0 and tuned that, it got good gasmileage and was much faster than the miata, and handled and braked better since it was more setup for performance from the factory.

You dont have to buy a boring family car to get good gasmileage and cheap insurance.  

ive got 2 tuners, both hondas, one civic and one del sol. the insurance isnt bad and they are common so there are plenty of parts available for these two cars. there are also many engine swaps available for them as well as plenty of information and online articles. I hope this helps you out.
-Tom  

Get a civic. it's cheap on gas and you won't get into as much trouble as you would if you had a high horsepower car.  

a civic should also be pretty good in terms of the insurance cost because it can be considered a "family car"  

In canada the civic si has the highest insurance of any car thanks to fast and the furious, not sure if it still is.  

I never said anything about the civic si...I think that car would have high insurance costs anywhere you go.  

civics are very common.
be a very bad man and get a CRX