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@damn_seagulls
In also looking around this week. I'm using Autotrader and Ebay as standard. I find on autotrader, location / dealer searches are sometimes a bit more fruitful as it stops you staying within the realms of cars you like the look of. For example I saw a mid 00 Mazda 3 in a fairly unattractive (but fine) silvery blue last night for under 2k.
My advice is, if you're really concerned about reliability, take a mechanic to the car first. The payment for that is going to be minor compared to whatever might be wrong with that car. Other advice would be the same as others have said - Japanese, or small petrol. If you happen to live East I can maybe recommend someone.
This isnt the oracle but you can also run an MOT check on DVLA which will give you some idea of how the car may have been treated at least in terms of tyres, consumables (wipers, oil, windscreen washing fluid). Sounds silly but if the last owner didnt top up their oil and windscreen fluid its a fair bet they didnt care much for the vehicle, which at the age you might expect for the budget is quite possible. First car I bought was exactly that.