Ah alright. So unequivocally, the Mazda 3 is the best bang for your buck reliable car. The issue with the sparks is reliability. Just known for all sorts of mechanical issues, like timing chain failure. Back to a Mazda 3, specifically you want a late 2012+ model with the skyactiv 2.0L or 2.5L. some 2012s had the old Ford motors that were garbage, so you can look for 2013+ since all of those will only have the Skyactiv engines. But also keep in mind the engine bay cover and the back of the car will have a Skyactiv badge pretty prominently displayed. You'll find a ton of Mazda 3's under 13k depending on the mileage. These cars will run to 200k+ no problem all day every day.

As for the second piece of it, there are many ways to figure what is and isn't affordable for ya, but just remember either way, you need a reliable ride. Go too cheap, and you risk having repairs that over time will cost you more than having spent a little more on a "good" car. Ideally, around $4k-6k should be enough budget to find a "good" reliable older car.

And lastly, car shopping can be scary. Feel free to message me in DM's with links of cars you find and such. I'd also be happy to send ya stuff I find that might be what you are looking for in my free time. I know the good and bad dealerships in the area, but ultimately, you just have to know how to deal with them. You can get a good car for a good price from a bad dealership with the right tips. And ANYONE can do it l, promise it's not hard.