You sound like a practical person looking for a beater type car that you can take to the woods or beach. In this price and mileage range you will be looking at car that will probably need some parts wrenching to make it reliable and keep it that way. I'll give you a brief list of suggestions in my order of preference with a nod toward practicality:
Ford Escape Hybrid 2005-2012: This early and well thought out hybrid rig that will average over 30 mpg. It was so reliable that taxi companies started to snatch them up and apparently some have gone for 200,000 - 300.000 miles. Parts and even reconditioned batteries are widely available at a reasonable cost.
Tarus Wagon or Ford Freestyle (aka Ford Tarus X): These are what you want if lots of space is important. Lots of FWD Tarsus out there and parts relatively inexpensive. Freestyle a bit rare but lots of room, avail in FWD & AWD.
Ford Focus Wagon:On the smaller side, a reasonably reliable rig.
Saturn Vue: Another rare but relatively good choice. No worries about rust with these!
Subaru Wagon (Legacy or Outback): Could be a good choice but these demand a premium price and older models commonly had head gaskget and wheel bearing issues.
Best bet is to find a private party sale from an honest owner that has had it for 3 yrs or more. That way many of the parts that commonly need replacement may have already be replaced and you can get pretty good idea of what may or may not need attention. As always, a $100 mechanical check may help avoid a major issue.
Would love to hear what you decide on.
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