The airplane you rent won't really matter, as long as it's mechanically sound and well maintained. (They almost always look like crap.) Any new machine will cost you more, especially the new Diamonds and the "new" Cessna 172 (since manufacturing re-started.)
I'd recommend you stick with something cheap, something simple, something basic. There's no point looking for something with glass panels when you're just learning. Most schools have Cessna 152 as their normal trainers, some have 172 and some have Pipers. The only good reason to not fly the 152 is if you don't fit in it. I don't really know of any significant advantages to learning on a Piper or a Diamond.
If you want to learn tail-wheel, or glass panels, etc, do so AFTER you're licensed. It can be much cheaper that way.
As for self-studying, there's plenty of stuff online. You'll need to go through "From the Ground Up" and know almost everything in it, but you'll go through it again during ground school.
Feel free to PM me if you have any questions. (I'm in the Toronto area and I fly only for fun, which sounds like what you're looking to do since you didn't say you're looking to do a CPL.)