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OK so my real problem here is very high miles on imports vs 60-120K miles on some of the domestics.
I want a beater car, and so far, my choices are a 99 Olds Alero GLS 2DR with about 120K (GLS has all the nice things, and the 3.4L GM 6cyl) or a 95 Nissan XE Truck (standard cab, AC, 2WD, 4cyl, 5spd) with 200K miles.
I don't much like GM and Chrysler at all, but this Olds does have a driver Airbag, the older Nissan Truck does not.
What other make/model is out there for around 4K with at least a driver's side airbag that YOU, oh wise car people, might purchase.
(No sports cars or pony cars or import sporty coupes please, insurance for the driver of this beater would be too high!)
I've found that in my area, just about anything running with an air bag starts around four grand. Everything else must be getting sold off to some wholesaler or recycling company or something.
Yeah the Ford Ranger was my first choice, but they seem to go for much higher than 4K (in general, at least all the ones I have found)
hmm there is also the mazda B3000 which is based on the ford ranger platform that could also be another option
http://www.motorrageofalaska.com/images/99_Mazda_B3000.JPG (broken link)
If you are not in rust country, the old VW Rabbit/Scirocco/GTI cars are still around, and still as good as they ever were - you will have to deal with a few electrical gremlins from time to time, but I like my 'rocco very well - a $1000 car as I bought it, although I have cleaned up a lot of minor issues, that said the minor issues were cleaned up for small money.
Not a muscle car, but with about 80 hp/ton, it gets out of it's own way, will cruise 80 all day long, getting better than 30 MPG while doing it. The Cabrio is still a very cool car, although like the Miata it is sometimes figured to be a "hairdresser's car" by guys long on tesosterone and short on grey matter.
Another "blast from the past" car is the 2nd generation Camry - they are still all over the place around here, my experience with the 87 has actually been more troublesome than the VW, parts are expensive, but it tends to fail gracefully rather than strand you on the side of the road. Parts are expensive and you don't usually have the option of going to Bosch, Ate, etc. with the Japanese cars. I think I had bad maintenance costs early on with this one as it was an ex-"boy racer" car and I didn't recognize the signs.
Does everything you need it to do and will keep asking for more. Unless you get one with the airbag suspension...then all bets are off.
I'd side with the Ranger clones, but I would not trust their auto trans as far as I could throw one.
What this poster said and the Lincoln Towncar too. These are full framed cars that hold up to abuse well and can be bought cheaply.
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there is also the mazda B3000 which is based on the ford ranger platform that could also be another option 
