It’s a question that car experts get asked all the time – what’s the better choice, petrol or diesel engines? The truth is, it depends on a lot of factors so the answer is different for everybody. You’ll have to consider the running costs of each type of car and work out which is the best decision, depending on how often you use your vehicle. Each engine has its pros and cons, so read on to find out the features of petrol and diesel vehicles and which one is right for you.
Pros and Cons of Diesel
As a fuel, diesel is more efficient as the engines use less fuel – this makes them a good choice for long journeys. However, diesel is still more expensive per litre than petrol. Also, diesel cars are more expensive to begin with, sometimes by thousands of pounds, so you could be waiting a while before you actually notice any savings compared to a petrol vehicle.
Conventionally, diesels are known for being loud vehicles, making much more noise than the petrol counterpart. However these days there is now not much of a difference in the noise level – so this isn’t really a valid ‘con’ unless you’re considering buying an old diesel car.
In terms of driving preferences, certain people love driving a diesel engine and won’t go back to petrol. You can change up the gears sooner, enjoy more low-speed torque and diesel vehicles are often described as ‘smooth drivers.’ Diesel cars offer superior fuel economy and lower tax, but the extra upfront cost can put some motorists off.
Another downside is the maintenance of diesel cars – when something goes seriously wrong, it can be a lot more expensive to fix than a petrol vehicle.
Pros and Cons of Petrol
A petrol car is the obvious choice for somebody who doesn’t make long journeys, does less than 11,000 miles annually or is investing in a small vehicle. Petrol cars are less expensive than diesel, and it’s cheaper to fill up. However, petrol vehicles are less efficient which means they use more fuel – so you’ll need to fill your tank more often.
Aside from the financial benefits, petrol vehicles don’t really have any other benefits. They are said to be ‘less noisy’ than diesel engines but this problem is improving with modern manufacturing. There is an environmental disadvantage to choosing a petrol vehicle, as they emit more CO2 than diesel engines. Diesel is the eco-friendly choice when it comes to petrol VS diesel, however if you really want to make a difference you should be considering hybrid engines and electric vehicles.
Petrol vs Diesel
The conclusion? It really depends on your type of driving – you need to weigh up the benefits of diesel to see if you could save money in the long run. The service and maintenance costs of both engines are similar here at Windmill Garage, unless there is something major to repair.