Mate, cheap to run? Get a ae101 or ae102 corolla hatch. Cheap and will go forever. Although speedo clusters can go there's heaps available from wreckers.
Can also fit a lot of stuff with seats folded down, OK to drive and completely anonymous.
The 1.6 is fine but the 1.8 has a better engine.
I see them every day here, gonna need something cheap to run tho'...
It's gonna be a Toyota, betcha... One of my gf's autistic students called it... "Get a black Toyota, Miss G!"