Whether you are looking for a work truck or a daily commuter for yourself, getting a car or truck with a diesel engine has some great benefits and of course some draw backs.
Let’s get the negatives out of the way.
Engine noise: Yes diesel engines are ‘louder’ than gasoline engines but the modern diesel engines in today’s automobiles and trucks are a lot quieter than the engines from 15 or 20 years ago. In fact today’s modern diesel engine runs almost as quietly as a gasoline engine.
Emissions: You don’t want to be spewing black smoke and soot everywhere you go. Diesel engines are not ‘low emission’ or ‘green’ and they do put out more particulate matter (the soot) and they have higher levels of the gases that contribute to local smog (oxides of nitrogen). You can smell it when a Diesel engine is running and you may see more from the tailpipe of a diesel.
Fuel: If you are out on the road and need to refuel your diesel you will have a harder time finding service stations that sell diesel. Make sure that there are gas stations nearby that sell diesel. Do some research to see how many, if any, gas stations in your neighborhood or city sell diesel. Running out of fuel, diesel or gasoline is not fun.
Selection: You will be limited in your choice. At one point there were about 119 different diesel selections to choose from in America. Europe has many varieties available but due to stricter emission limits in many parts of the country the number of available diesel models is now in the dozens. Diesel trucks are quite coveted but again they also have limited models available.
And now the pros for purchasing a diesel.
Fuel efficiency: Diesel engines are anywhere from 20 – 30% more efficient than engines which utilize gasoline. Obviously that will lead to fewer trips to the station to fill up and will leave more money in your pocket. Some new diesels are approaching the 50-mile per gallon mark on fuel economy. According to Walter McManus, a car analyst at J.D. Power and Associates you can save a lot of money.
McManus comparison priced a Jetta with a gasoline engine to a Jetta with a turbo diesel. The turbo diesel car was about $1,000 more, however, the gasoline engine only had an EPA estimate of 31 MPG and the turbo diesel had a 46-MPG rating. The savings on fuel over approximately 3 years would cover the added expense of buying the diesel engine car.
Longevity: With proper care it is not unusual for diesel engines to last 250,000 miles and more. Some big rig diesel engines have reportedly hit the 700,000 – 1MILLION mile mark.
Performance: Do you feel the need for speed? Diesel engines have better get up that that of traditional engines. So you can take off quicker and still have improved gas mileage.
Towing: Diesel engines are workhorses. If you plan to haul heavy loads, tow a boat, a trailer or a 5th wheel a diesel engine will provide the extra power needed. That’s why so many heavy duty pick up trucks come with diesel engines.
So if fuel economy, performance and towing are what you are looking for in a new car purchasing a diesel engine may be the answer.
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