Now that we are getting into discussions on lower priced basses, a couple of points to bear in mind. Some brands have absolutely awful resale value. Cort, Ibanez, Warwick, G&L all make excellent basses for mid range budget, but will not hold their value anywhere near any Fender/Squier. I think Sire are holding their secondhand value at the moment. Essential to bear in mind if you are thinking that you will want to upgrade to your higher budget later on.
Second thing with residual values is that higher priced versions of the above mentioned will drop their prices even further, so when you do go to upgrade, and you are confident buying secondhand you will get much better value.
Good luck with the search and enjoy the ride!