Asking for help

I mean...

it's the answer, after all.

but we'll need a few more details before we're really able to help you.  Where you at?  Do you want to AutoX or track?  Is this just a daily, or a project?

Neons, mk1/1.5 focus, festivas, Miata, mr2, base Mazda 3s, ect. 

I've seen some Civics in that price range. 

These days it seems like most of the cheap stuff that's advertised online has migrated from Craigslist to Facebook Marketplace, FWIW.

What's your location?

Toyota Corolla. At your price range and I am guessing future $$$ constraints will also be a consideration. These are reliable transportation that with a couple mods can be a fun little car. I had a 97 that my daughter totaled (she walked away) and it was a great little car. I would add tires, a set of koni struts stiffer springs and it would be a great little skateboard. 
 

Being a 4 door with a trunk  it also makes a very practical daily driver. 

Miata.  Done.

Since you’re in the south & rust has likely not progressed as extensively as it has up here… I would highly recommend any 4 cylinder DOHC Mazda BG-chassis car if you can find one.  Reliable, fun to drive, and a bit different.  By this I mean any of the below:

2 door hatch:

91-96 Escort GT (often the cheapest because people associate this generation Escort with being junk)

92-95 MX3

2 door coupe:

98+ Escort ZX2

4 door sedan:

90-94 Protégé LX

91-96 Escort LX-e or 91-96 Tracer LTS (pretty rare but they turn up occasionally)

Stay away from the single-cam cars, at best they are boring (1.6 liter 323), at worst they are boring and somewhat unreliable (1.9 liter escort).

In reply to 300Amigo :

I'm Biloxi, MS so I'm only about 90-miles away. I'll see if I find anything on Marketplace that might meet your needs & post some links here. 
 

Edit: if you can live without a/c(at least until you can save up to fix it) this Focus ZX3 for $1k looks promising. 

I like the therieldeal's idea the best in that price range.  Those Fordzas are typically less precious on the used market than Hondas/Toyotas/Miatas and probably just as reliable at this point in their lifecycle.  That said, I would keep my options open and simply snatch up the cleanest example of anything that falls into the acceptably fun category.

If you're not afraid of wrenching, sourcing NLA parts, and generally caring for an aging sportscar then you can find Mk1 MR2s (85-89) in that price range.  Personally, I find them way more interesting than the "smart" options, but most of the time they're a rolling project simply due to their age.  I daily drove mine for 7 years and in that time I had to slowly replace nearly every piece of rubber on that car whether it was a gasket, suspension bushing, or motor mount.  That stuff just ages out.  It also needed all new struts, ball joints, tie-rod ends, radiator, and stuff I'm forgetting about.  That's not to mention all of the expected maintenance and repairs the drivetrain needed between 100-180K miles (timing belt, water pump, alternator, ignitor, clutch, etc.).  Nevermind, I take it back. I've spent way too much money on that car.  Just run. 

96 Civic coupe for $750, though it may be a bit of a gamble why its running rough. 
 

In reply to Pete Gossett :

I've got to admit... that was one of the rougher marketplace/CL markets I've looked into.  I wonder about looking further afield?

Plus, it should probably be assumed that you're going to have to fix some kind of issue with a car this cheap.  Is Louisiana one of the places that buying an IAAI/Copart car is not heinous?

I just have to second the miata advice.  I have driven most makes and I consider myself a mustang guy.  I will always have my mustang, but I have totally fallen for the miatas.  We now have two.  If you want a car to cherish, wait your time until you either find one someone is just ready to sell for your price or get one that needs some work.  Getting a car working that wasn't just makes the love affair more intense, and hopefully long lasting.  (I just had a thought on a thread!)

Keep in mind, IAAI/Copart is risky... even more so if you can't make it to the yard to check out the car ahead of time; and I have no idea your comfort level in fixing things, and how important it is for you to have a car working and running every single day without question.

John Welsh has a bunch of threads here that you can learn some of the tips of on this:
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/the-2k-06-ford-f250-super-duty/136297/page1/

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/the-sumo-wrestler-01-mitsu-montero-limited/130334/page1/

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/salvage-to-rebuilt-2010-mercury-milan/143420/page1/

and:
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/tell-me-about-your-iaai-auction-experiences/142634/page1/

I am by no means recommending this course of action.  I don't even know if Louisiana is a state that lets the public bid on cars, and what the requirements are to fix and re-license a salvaged car.  And there's the whole issue of how you get the car from the auction to where you're going to work on it to put it right to then get it rego'd/licensed.

You need some skill, ingenuity, time, and support systems to make that work.  But, there's a way to see that being true of any $1000 budget car... especially based on what I saw searching around.  Most of the cars I saw there had been driven hard, deferred maintenance, and then posted for $1k when a big enough failure came along that it was serious enough they couldn't ignore it, and required a mechanic to fix it.

Zx2. Cheap as hell, light and waaaay faster than they are given credit for( mid 7 sec 0-60), great handling too

I just went into CL and sorted by manual trans and then gave a price cap.

Here are a couple of standouts...

Scion TC needs maf sensor which could be gotten at junkyard.  Should be same as Camry's sensor.  I would start with maf sensor cleaner spray

'98 Civic

Ill bet this guy just needs the damn car out of his way...  $500 Capri convertible but needs engine replaced (which he has.)  

Miata

Is

Always

The

Answer

My 98 ZX2 will be up for sale soon. Prob gonna be asking $1200. Has couple upgrades from an S/R model. It could use some work but doesn't  neeedd work...

These cars are really fun to drive, decently quick, and consumables are cheap.

Im in Austin TX, not sure how far away that is from you. 

In reply to sleepyhead the buffalo :

Louisiana & Mississippi both require someone with a license to purchase from a salvage auction. I'm not sure about over in LA, but here in MS an inspection is required before it can be put back on the road. 

I've got a Ford Escort LX-E. Needs transmission, bumper, fender, maybe hood, maybe needs the front crash bar straightened out. $300 OBO. 

You want something called a Toyota Camry. They are legendary for their speed and dominance on the race track.  Fully built ones with plenty of horsepowers go for about $800. (look,, if they cant Google Civic or Miata, then they probably should be in a Camry)