If it was my kid, a 16 yr old isn't ready for a high performance car. And since I love my son dearly. his car WILL have a driver side air bag at a minimum AND anti-lock brakes. Even if money were no object, your 3500 range is reasonable and there are some sporty mid 90s cars that fit the bill, i.e., Eclipse, Saturn coupe, Sentra, Grand Am, Sunfire, Cavalier, 93-94 Civic EX, etc.

Get her the latest 320i BMW E21 you can find. They make lots of noise, but they're not particularly fast, and are mechanically bullet proof. You can get parts for next to nothing compared to other BMW's because they're an unloved semi-classic. Fantastic car to drive and own, I was lucky enough to be given a free one.