As many p-car owners in this forum (myself included) recommend only buying the best p-car you can afford....A 5000$ p-car while might be "cheap", what is it going to cost you in the long run. If you end up replacing major parts like the transmission, then the "savings" you make in the front end, will surely be lost in the back end of ownership. You will find that while p-cars are a blast to drive, they can also tend be a blast to the wallet when the time comes for major repairs.
Your best bet would be to "up" what you can pay and get a ppi done on any p-car that you are wanting to buy.
Good luck!!!