I've asked a question here and scotty's community has been helpful.
I currently daily an 03 Ford e250, 4.2l v6 and it has 330,000 miles. I love my van. Wanted to buy another Ford that is economical (good on gas), has a manual, and is very reliable. I'm looking at a Fiesta at around the 5000 range. I'm looking at early 2000s escorts, early 2000s focus. Any recommendation on what I should get, what I should avoid, etc. I can do some easy repairs but nothing major. My budget is up to 6000, but I'm eyeing Fords in the range under 3000.
Expecting a decades-old car to be "very reliable" is optimistic. You can consult sites such as carcomplaints.com to get an idea but maintenance history is going to be the most important factor.
My idea of a Ford that is economical and reliable (or at least easy to repair when it breaks) would be something like this:
