what year elantra?
i ask because if you're looking at brand new cars, Hyundai or Kia is just about your only route with 12 grand to spend. if you're looking at cars that are a few years old, i suggest you look around a bit more. With Hyundai, you're getting what you pay for. I've driven them before (including the V6 Tiburon) and i can definately say that everything in the car feels unsafe to me...very plastic-y.
Forgetting the whole ricer thing, Honda should definately be very high on your list. Honda makes excellent cars. Hands down, some of the best you can buy. The same can be said for Nissan. You can drive them forever, they're incredibly easy and cheap to work on, and they hold their value very well.
Honestly, it seems to me like a newer Civic, a mid 90's Accord, or a mid 90's Sentra or Altima would be your best bet. With any one of these, you could easily shop around and find one for $10,000 or less, which will save your dad some money (and it doesn't matter what your financial situation is, that always works out to your benefit).