What kind of car would you buy for $26,000?

I was at the local dodge dealership, I am friends with the owner, and someone came in and bought a SRT-4 neon for $26,000 and some change. I guess that the car is going to be a graduation present for some High School kid. Seriously, I know that the SRT-4 is fast and everything, but it is still a neon, I drove that car before, so I know it is fast, but it is still a neon. I would have bought something else for that price, but that is just me. Just courious if you guys and grils would pay $26K for a neon?