Best wishes to you family, hopefully your father will have a speedy recovery after surgery. (and hopefully insurance will cover it for you).
As far as sports cars goes, my stealth hasn't let me down for reliability, the only problem is if/when it breaks parts are spendy.
Escorts (older ones) have always been consitered cheap beaters.
Early 90's hondas run forever (or until the rust apart).
99% of the cars stay reliable if you keep your hands off them, the stealth is barely modified, and i am not nice on cars, but it still holds together nicely. I think a 1g dsm with proper maintence and being left stock is okay, but will probably grenade after a while.
the early 90's caravans are good beaters as well, my dad drove one for months on end as a construction vehicle, poor van's suspension was flatened

. It finally cracked a head and meet...the crusher.
Best of luck, things always work out for the better in the end.
:grouphug: