What first car should I go for?

Ist of all, Take someone with you that knows about the Mechs of cars otherwise say good bye to your money, a little Peugeot 205 -106- they are cheap to run & Insure plenty of parts in the scrap yards easy to fit within your knowledge, Serviceable, Reliable depending on the way you look after it, cheap Road tax depending on Engine size, don't bother about your mates running around with their unpaid Saxos, at your price you can have it for 12 mths gain % of no-claims & go forward from there.