buying a new (to me!) car

Good morning! Some of you may be impressed by the fact that I'm coherent enough to post anything at 9:08am on a Saturday. No, don't worry, I haven't started doing drugs. Actually, I'm buying a car. Woot.
Basically, my approach to cars is this--I think they're dumb. I hate driving, and I choose to drive as seldomly as possible. But when I do drive, I want to drive something that is not going to break down at the side of the road, or require me to drive it like a manual transmission when it is actually an automatic. I'd like something where all four windows consistently roll all the way up. Air conditioning would be nice, but I suppose if the windows work I'll survive without it. I'd also (and I know this is stretching it) like not to have to drop $200 or so on repairs to my car every three or four weeks.
And I don't want my car to be ugly. It doesn't have to be the hottest thing on wheels, just not ugly.
My parents have pointed out that my approach to cars seems remarkably like my approach to men. I think they're just being cynical because I refuse to give them any grandchildren for the next decade.
Do any of you have any advice on buying a used car for about $8000? Any cars I should definitely not buy? How do you feel about the Nissan Sentra?