Buying a used car?

I just saw a job ad that I would really like to apply for, but they want someone with a UK license (guess I'll have to step up preparations on that front) and the office, while within reach of public transportation, would be a real pain to get to.  So, I was thinking about looking for a cheap-ish used car (assuming I get the job, of course!).  In the US I would just start looking in the classifieds, but are there any major caveats to buying a car here that way?  Is it really more likely that you will get a lemon, or a chop shop job, as my husband calls them?  He's really paranoid about anything to do with cars, so I don't know if he is just nervous about buying a used one because that's the way he is, or if it's really that big of a problem.

And where would you start looking for such a thing?  I used to always buy semi-beaters, because the insurance was cheap and it didn't matter if it got vandalized.  But I don't know if that is such a good idea here, given that I don't have the tools or space to make repairs, and getting my Dad to come help me rebuild things is a bit more problematic than it used to be. 

Any sage advice on the matter?

My DH's family regularly picks up cars at auction--total beaters, but that's definitely part of the point! But, his dad is quite good with cars so we feel comfortable doing that.  Otherwise, maybe look around for cars w/ good reputations in general and then narrow your used car search to those brands?

Depending upon your budget, it's worth looking at actual dealers who will give you a guarantee for X amount of months/years.

IIRC, we spent about £2200 on our used VW Golf and NEVER had a problem with it. We bought through a guy who specialized in used automatics. He sold cars for as little as £1500 if I'm not mistaken. That had been our original intent, but we were so uncomfortable in the tiny tin can cars at that price range, we opted to spend the extra on more space and a more solid car.

We tried to sell the car through the classifieds but ended up selling it to a fellow UKYer.

Tips on buying a vehicle:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/BuyingAndSellingAVehicle/AdviceOnBuyingAndSellingAVehicle/DG_4022402

We've bought a couple of used cars from a local dealer who's a friend of my boss. Both cars have had little niggles, but have been reliable.  I think word-of-mouth recommendation is pretty valuable for something like that or I'd be nervous of buying from any random dealer.  Can you ask friends or family if they have any recs?

I know a couple of people who bought and sold cars through ebay, so that's one option.  I do see cars with 'for sale' signs taped in the windows, so you could just keep your eyes peeled as well.  Have a look online at sites like autotrader or the Which? consumer guides to get some info about how much different models are worth, problems to look out for, etc.

And yeah, it's worth starting the UK license process sooner rather than later, just cause it seems like these things always take longer than you think they will.