Best Diesel Car for College Student?

I need a reliable diesel car while I finish college. Planning on doing a veggie conversion here in L.A. or getting one that has had it done.

I drive about 10k miles a year at most, so I need a car that will go another 40k miles without any major problems.

I have a budget of 4k, though I'd rather spend half that use the rest for maintenance.

Any suggestions? I've tried a mercedes 300D but it didn't feel safe because it was so slow, it was a non turbo though

Suggestion:

Well ? Budget 2000 ? in LA area …. not much of a choice around you.

Lets Shop… looking for a VW Rabbit or Rabbit truck

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/cto/1696907890.html

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/cto/1693442243.html

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/cto/1692555473.html

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/cto/1694926135.html

Found a Rabbit !!!!!!!!! http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/cto/1692197777.html

Already runs on Veggie oil or diesel ? But needs ody work , maybe they will take less

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/cto/1701930582.html

Another rabbit ..

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/cto/1701915931.html

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sgv/cto/1700696964.html

Trubo http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sgv/cto/1700180601.html

might take 2000

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/cto/1700010820.html

not very powerful but cheap

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/cto/1698226780.html

This will get you started….. There are more.

{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }

: VW Golf Diesel.

The Golf itself is the standard by which all other hatchbacks are judged. Audi through their Le Mans race cars have learnt more about diesel technology than anyone else. Ergo, the VW Golf is probably the best diesel car in the world.

djaca70: Having a lot of low-end torque means that you can accelerate harder from a standing start, which is utterly essential is stop start traffic.
: Mercedes 300 D with the turbodiesel inline 5. Diesels with the exception of direct injection ones as in VW's and Audi's TDi's are meant to be slow, because they have low-end torque. Who said going slow is unsafe? Going fast and not knowing how to drive fast is not safe.
: The older diesels tend to do better with they DIY veggie conversions. This older diesels did not tend to be turbos so this may be a problem for you.

Other issue is diesels do not do well with short trips. They like to get fully warmed up which even in CA is going to be say over 10 miles each way. The veggie system also works much better with things fully warmed up so if your commute is short you may not even get to the veggie oil on a typical commute because you usually start and stop the engine on regular diesel. If your daily commute is only a few miles you are likely going to spend more trying to keep it running than you would driving a gas guzzler. Now if you ride the bus or your bike to class and work most days but drive 100 miles to visit your grandma every weekend then you have a good plan.

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