courier car suggestions

[mngtp]

I'm looking for suggestions for a good courier car.

I just got a second job delivering news papers in the early morning hours. The pay is decent. I am using my wife's 2005 Chevrolet Equinox for the job right now. The grand prix needs work and is in no condition to do the job. I have realized that this will be rough on the Equinox right now. The routes are 3-3.5 hours long. The car is idling a lot.
So we are thinking about getting a 3rd car for this job and also be a commuter car for to my other job as well.
Our budget is max $5000 but we'd like to stay in the $1000-$3000.
My wife likes the mini Coopers. But I know BMW makes them so I bet repairs and maintenance is costly.
I'm thinking along the lines of a civic, Accord, Cavalier, focus, prizm/corolla, vw gulf/jetta/passat tdi's.
I like the tdi's. I believe diesel lasts longer that regular gas, correct? But I don't know a lot about them. From what I have seen, they can run to 250,xxx+ miles.
I'm also not sure a auto or a manual would better suited for something like this. I myself prefer a manual over an auto.
I know this is a grand prix forum, but I'm hoping you guys could hopefully give me some suggestions on a car that might suit our needs for a courier car and maybe some weak points of possible courier cars. I'd like something that is relatively easy to work on and maintain. And it obviously has to be good on gas as well. So I'd imagine a 4cyl is going to be best.

Thanks in advance

 

[LeadfootCJ7]

I would be looking at Cavalier or Civic. One of my neighbors buys old trashed cavaliers and drives them until they get totaled. No oil changes for years etc. When they break, the parts are dirt cheap and her brother who is not very bright can do the repair with basic tools. I have actually been shocked at how well they have held up in the wrecks she has been in.

I don't know a ton about Civic's, but would assume they require minimal repair as well. Repairing them I am not familiar with though.

While the TDI's seem like a good idea, they have good years and bad years. Repairs can get $$$. Unless you are familiar with diesel engines, it might be better to avoid it.

If you prefer a manual, get a manual. I have seen our delivery guy in the mornings and he seems to have quite a few things going on at once so I would think the auto would be better suited to the job you are doing.

 

[mngtp]

All very good points. We had a 2000 Cavalier 4dr base model. It was a 2.2l 3 speed auto car with 160,xxx miles on it when we bought it from her. We were I nose in repair or maintenance costspinch and needed a car just to get us by for a few months before we bought our GP. I was driving 40 miles one way to work at the time. We weren't in love with the car. But we learned to love it. A very good car. We paid $900 for it from a friend. She thought it was on its last leg. I put new spark plugs, wires, and a fuel filter and it ran like new. We drove it for a year or so. Then the timing chain broke at 215,xxx. A $900 car went 55,xxx miles in about a year. Yeah we got our money's worth I think. And it got 35+ mpg. I miss that car. Second best car we have owned, next to our GP.

Good point about he auto transmission and tdi's. I didn't really think about the repair costs on those. The money we would save in gas we would possibly loose In repairs or maintenance costs.
Thanks for the reply and input.

 

[Fivefingerdeathpunch]

Everyone that see near me is either a jeep/cr-v or a blazer type vehicle.

And all the other couriers are mini vans.