I had good luck with my '92 Saturn, drove it to 170k before trading it in. Only thing I can remember replacing was an alternator and one front wheel bearing. Those cars got FANTASTIC gas mileage, I averaged low 30's mpg (DOHC engine, 5-speed manual) in mixed driving, it was not unusual to see 35mpg on the highway. VERY inexpensive car to own, looked great for the time, rode reasonably well, had more giddyup than one would expect for an economy car . It was also extremely easy to work on and parts were dirt cheap.
I also bought a '94 SC2 that I picked up from a guy with a supposed blown head gasket for $400 with the intention of fixing it and driving it. After getting it home I discovered the oil was about 4 quarts overfilled. Drained the extra oil and the smoking went away-- the head gasket was just fine. I turned around and sold the car for $2400, easiest $2k I ever made.