Its just about what you can afford now.
Old American metal is EXPENSIVE now. And the New American cars are pretty much worthless. Good old Jap stuff is efficient, easy to work on, and cheap to mod. The only reason I got into Datsuns was that very reason, and now see what it's done to me? Addiction.
I'm a huge fan of old American metal. Kids don't need as much power as those cars made though. They can't handle a 100HP Civic. Sure as hell don't want to see them in a 70's Camaro, or an '80's Buick. The death toll will rise. I'm honestly very glad that my parents never bought me, (or helped me buy) anything like that. I know given my surroundings at the time and all the influences of being a teenager I probably would have killed myself or even worse, someone else.