Buying a private seller car
My car (2011 Ford Escape) took a crap earlier this month with multiple issues that I don't want to sink $$ into. Instead I thought to take the money and purchase another aging vehicle to get to work in and do my weekly errands. I've been looking in my area (Chicago and surrounding areas in IN and WI) for a car under 6k but I'd like to ideally purchase for 4.5k. Cars that I've been seeing that match my loose criteria are Buicks, specifically the 11-13 (some 14-16) Regal, and 09-12 Lucerne and Lacrosse have been in my price range without hitting the 200k mile marker like most Japanese brands, i.e. Toyota. From the research I've done these seem like reliable and low maintenance cars. Is that correct?
For clarity, I'm not partial to any brand but I'd like to at least enjoy the car I purchase. I have zero mechanical knowledge and I do not travel far for work or daily commuting but I am in a dense city so traffic extends travel time making me prioritize comfort. My Escape was Flex Fuel which had huge savings at the pump but not sure if that correlated with the mechanical issues I had over time. I'd like some luxury features and Bluetooth is huge since I am a big podcast/audiobook listener. Any first hand experience with these Buick models or advice on better cars to help me with my search would be appreciated.