Best beater/DD for $1000?, Opinions please! Options

[lagos]

My girlfriend is looking to buy a daily driver on a $1,000 budget. I figured I would post here to see if you guys had any good ideas of what to look for.

The only requirement is that the car is a 4 door and is fairly reliable. My initial idea was that a 90s Corolla would be perfect for her. Then I remembered that the Geo Prizm is basically the same car, but cheaper! So right now thats the main contender. Any other recommendations cheap cars?

This post has been edited by lagos: Mar 3, 2012 - 3:19 PM

[ricochet1490]

if gas mileage isn't a huge concern, Any of the 90's buicks with the 3.8L v6 in em.... those motors are EVERYWHERE, and I've known guys who will buy one for 300$ and dive it for 40-50 miles and NEVER change the oil. eventually the motor blows, but they knew that would happen, it was a work car for 300 for a reason. So if you can find one, in good shape and keep the maintenance up on it..... it'll run for a long time.

Not to mention, you are LIKELY to find one that was in the possession of an old lady and all buicks are 4 door.

Oh and p.s. again - my gf's parents have a pontiac bonneville with that 3.8L v6 in it.... the car got 32mpg coming back from michigan this summer.so not terrible mileage if you can stay out of it.