[Christien]

I work in used car financing, and the one thing I've learned is that cheap cars can't be counted on for more than a few months. The only surefire way to get a good, reliable car for $2000 is to be able and willing to fix things yourself when they break.

You may get lucky and get a year or two out of them, but many won't see 6 months without something major (defined as a critical part costing more than, say, $200) failing.

She'd be better off trying to find a short term lease, if possible, or even a long-term rental, if that's possible.