I know what you mean, but with some fixing up even a very cheap car can give decent service as long as the model hasn't earned a bad reputation and there is no sludge under the oil filler cap or rust (even a trace) in the cooling system. I drove a $500 car for five years and a $650 car for almost ten years... although both needed engine rebuilds off the bat. (The Plymouth had a bad rod knock and the Volvo had broken rings from detonation.) Even with that each was under $1500 total.
Mike