Camry? Pintos can get anywhere from 28 to 33 MPG and they are as save as any car of that era. they are good and nimble for city driving.
Any 2wd 80s to early 90s mini truck of your choosing with a 4 banger and a stick will be wonderful if you want/are willing to learn how to fix cars, providing that it is still carbureted. They are easy to fix when they need it, a great easy platform to learn how to drive stick, and still useful as a truck. Working full time as a mechanic, they are still my favorite cars to get to work on. Everything is easy to do, easy to reach, and simple. Swap the stock carburetor with a Weber, and you could practically use them to teach beginners how a car works. It won't win any drag races, but it will keep on living through whatever you throw at it with little effort on your part keeping it alive. If you wanted a car, early efi non vtec 4cyl civics share many of the same pros, but to a lesser extent.
Now that's just stupid. $6000 Bentley WILL break down soon, and you will find out that only the official dealer can repair it and is asking $15K for repair. My opinion: the best first car is VW Golf IV. Cheap, reliable, safe, relatively easy to fix, cheap parts.
