Quote:
Originally Posted by oldschooleco
Ive always been interested in TDIs as well, but i work at auto zone. And vw's don't get the best wrap. Odd things are always breaking, they have special fasteners, fluids, hard to find parts and the check engine light is alway on. lol
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Having owned a TDI I can say that my experience was sub par, the car was great while running but a pile in terms of constant mandatory maintenance.
Timing belts, clogging intakes (winter), glow plugs, glow plug harness maintenance, injection pump, flakey auto xmsn (don't own an auto vw) and even a glovebox that breaks, with an interior that was totally impossible to clean.
That said you might get a deal on a TDI given current events but the cost of a TDI is not in purchase price, or fuel.
I would never own another TDI again if it was given to me, unless perhaps it was a totally different design.
Ah well
In terms of what I would recommend, I guess it depends too on what type of car will attract business to you, I have no idea what that is of coarse, but I would estimate a 25mpg Mazda 5 might grab the attention of folks with lots of luggage.
Other cheap options (if your going stick) is most any Saturn with a stick (4 door of coarse) and obviously the Cobalt 4 door with a stick both can do very well on fuel, they are simple cars so maintenance is very simple and parts are cheap and plentiful. I am told some of the Ford econobox's don't do bad either when in stick shift form but my experience with Ford has never been stellar either.
I guess it depends on the old, the devil you know conundrum, if you know what breaks on a car and how to deal or fix cheap then that car is fine for you regardless of how reliable it really is.
Sorry I can't Help More
Ryan