Same here. When I turned 16, my parents matched me dollar for dollar to find what I wanted. I bought a '91 Olds Cutlass Calais and loved every minute of it, until her life was savagely taken by a red light runner 5 months after I got my license. I bought my consecutive 2 cars myself, and at age 19 bought (by myself) my Saturn VUE.
I look at it this way... offer some assistance for the first car, and let them work for the next ones after that. I feel that I respect my vehicles much more than many of my peers because of the fact I work so hard for them. It was a large leap of faith in my parents in letting their son finance $24K for a car at age 19, but now, at age 22 - my vehicle is paid off fully and happily churning along with 46K miles on it. If anything, I showed my parents what I am capable of, as well as bettered myself.
Now... only to get my damned 240D...argh.
~D.J.~

I would go with a 126 model 84-89 300SD or SDL
Cant go wrong.
Click and Clack actually anounced last year on their sydicated show that a 1984-5 300 SD was the BEST kids car.
slow-safe-cool.
good luck