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Gas Versus Diesel an In Depth Look |
When it comes to the price, gas wins this one by far. Diesel costs a lot more to own than gas, which is one of the main reasons why people tend to choose gas over diesel.
Fuel cost, Diesel fuel is easier to refine, taking less time to get from raw petroleum to final product from gas, giving it a lower price than that of gas. On the other hand, within the United States, diesel is priced the same or just a bit below regular unleaded gas.
Noise and vibration, despite many improvements in noise isolation and engine noise technology in trucks over the last 10 years, diesels are still much louder and shake more than gasoline-powered vehicles. At idle, the clatter and shake of diesel vehicles are clearly noticeable, while it can be hard to tell if the gas engine is even running.
Cold weather, if you have tried to start a diesel engine on a cold day, you know that gas is by far easier to start. Diesels do not have spark plugs like gas engines do, as the fuel is ignited once it is injected into the cylinder that is already under pressure. When it gets cold, the air is not hot enough to ignite the diesel fuel.
Maintenance, Maintenance on a diesel vehicle is more expensive, thanks to many things including the larger volume of oil in the engine and the fact that fuel filters and water separators must be serviced more often than gas vehicles. Gasoline engines have a bigger advantage due to extended service periods on spark plugs, engine oil, and even antifreeze.
Making that final choice between gas and diesel comes down to what you will do with your vehicle and where you live. If you use your vehicle for quick, fast acceleration and rarely ever haul heavy loads and do not plan to keep your vehicle past 100,000 miles, You may want to consider buying a gasoline vehicle.
Gas runs smoother, fuel is easier to find, and they are easier to start in cold weather. On the other hand, if you plan to tow, value good fuel economy and plan on racking up a lot of miles, then you will want to buy a diesel.
Price is also an important consideration, as diesel vehicles can be a bit more expensive than gas. If you are not worried about price, then diesel may be your best bet. For trucks, diesel is by far the superior choice for those who like to haul heavy loads on a frequent basis.
Article written by Joshua Spaulding (Automotive Articles)
This entry was posted on Friday, April 27th, 2007 and is filed under Articles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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