Buying second hand cars in oz - how to ensure that the car is likely to last?

Australian second hand vehicles have always seemed very
expensive to me,

Cars here and elsewhere are sold at whatever price the local
market can afford to pay, I was looking at the price of a Holden
built by GM in Spain and sold in Germany (Opel) and here. The
German car with less features was more expensive by about $1500Au.

When you see what some developing countries pay for basic Jap
vehicles........ah those were the days - engine, 4 wheels, wooden
bench seat!!!