I'd rather buy a needs work car for $ 500 and put $ 3,000 into it than buy a driving $ 3,500 car and pretty rapidly have to put the same $ 3,000 into it.

With a $ 500 broken car you know it is broken, with a running $ 3,500 car you won't know what is going to break turning it into a $ 500 car.

In the land of road salt, body condition overrides a complete power train swap.