Buy a used car!!! I picked up a 2002 neon last fall with 26,000 miles, perfect condition, full power everything for $5000. Then I sold it with 37,000 miles on in in May for $5000. All I put in it was a set of tires, gas, and oil.
Point of my post: find a good used car with low miles and it is basically like buying a new car without spending an assload of money. AND you get to KEEP IT!