Get a suzuki swift/Geo Metro. They are lovely on gas and very very very cheap to repair/maintain. Also you can get 1996+ for under 1k easily. If you don't care about looking "stylish" and modding and other shit like that and just want a reliable car that will cost you near nothing in gas/repairs and at the same time get you from point A to B reliably then this or as stated before an older corolla will be your best bet.



Edit:
a toyota tercel would be decent and are fairly cheap as well.....