The current vehicle that I have if a 99 Ford Ranger. I bought it 2 years ago for $3200 when it had 42k miles on it. It is a 4cyl 5spd regular cab and is in very good condition. I have had no problems with it and almost all of the regular maintenance can be done with a few standard sized sockets, a C-clamp, and a pair of pliers.
You can still get these vehicles go for relatively little money, although the 4cyl are becoming more popular now that gas is around $4 a gallon. Simple vehicles are really good for a starter car, not only is there little to break, but they are easy to maintains and great to learn on.