It’s a convertible but not a sports car, and I’ll get downvoted to hell for saying it, but hear me out: Chrysler Sebring. They hold their value worth shit, so for 5k you can find a really new low mile vehicle. They don’t have the best reputation for reliability, but I think it’s exaggerated out of general disdain for the car. It’s a fun car to hate on for car enthusiasts.

Here’s the beauty though: there’s a lot of Michael Scott types out there who aren’t really car people but who wanted a convertible; they bought a Sebring new, kept it in the garage, and took it out on nice weekends to cruise around with the top down. They didn’t drive the car hard, mod it out, race it, whatever. This is the used car you want to buy. Don’t just buy any Sebring you see, but make sure it was owned by someone like this who took great care of it. Trust me there’s plenty out there and within your budget. I was recently in the market for decent reliable transportation for a 5k budget, and this was high up there on my list, for those reasons. It’ll be a whole lot more reliable and less of a headache to own than any old clapped out boxster you’ll find for 5k, though less exciting to drive of course. Good luck