Against advice from my Dad, and my mechanic, in 1978 I purchased a 1970 Datsun 510 Wagon with a little over 100,000 miles on it. It lasted about three weeks before blowing the head gasket (first of many). By the time I graduated from college four years later I could replace the head gasket in about 90 minutes. A little quicker if I had a helper.
The last replacement used a copper gasket, guaranteed to last for the life of the car. Sadly, for me, that was about four months, because as soon as I had a job offer I went out and bought a 1977 VW Rabbit, can't remember the mileage, for $3500. It was totaled six weeks later when I was t-boned two blocks from my dorm.
That was followed by another 1977 Rabbit (an ugly orange, but beggers can't be choosy), not is quite as good shape as the first, but it lasted forever. Two years later I bought a 1984 GTI, which I accidentally wrapped around a tree (and walked away). When I bought the GTI the orange Rabbit became my Rally car. I had a lot of fun "fixing" it up and racing it.
That was followed by a 1984 Sirocco, which made it to 210k miles with no major repairs. It was finally benched when a rock flew up and cracked the transmission. I couldn't justify the cost to replace the transmission for a car with over 200k miles and ten years on it.
I have owned only two cars that weren't VWs - that awful Datsun, and a very old Subaru Outback that I bought from my Dad when he lost his license. I was unemployed at the time and could not be too picky, and besides, Subaru's last forever.