Diesel vs petrol can be a tough one. You’re about to buy a vehicle, and you’ve chosen the model, the colour, and every other decision except for one. When looking at buying a new car, what can be a tough decision to make is what kind of engine to get.
Should you choose a diesel or petrol engine? Is diesel or petrol better? Is there really such a big difference? Or does it all come down to personal choice?
Here is what you need to know to answer all of these burning questions.
Diesel vs Petrol
One of the trickiest choices when buying a car can be deciding between diesel and petrol. But what exactly makes up diesel and petrol oils?
Diesel fuel is a combination of hydrocarbons obtained from distilling crude oil.
Similarly, petrol is made from crude oil that contains hydrocarbons. What makes them different is the way they are refined.
Petrol is made from a mix of alkanes and cycloalkanes which boil between 40 degrees Celsius and 205 degrees.
In comparison, diesel is made from alkanes that boil between 250 and 350 degrees.
Let’s look at some factors which could influence whether you pick a diesel or petrol engine.
Diesel Cars vs Petrol Cars Pollution
Petrol and diesel cars are different when it comes to the emissions that they give off.
Diesel engines emit less CO2 and greenhouse gasses than petrol engines. This is because diesel engines have a higher compression ratio than petrol engines. Ultimately meaning that they perform better.
This results in less fuel used, meaning less CO2 is emitted into the air. Generally, it is estimated that diesel engines emit 10% less than petrol engines.
What about diesel emissions vs petrol emissions that aren’t CO2? Diesel engines release large amounts of air pollutants such as dioxides, nitrogen oxides, gasses, and fine particles.
In comparison, petrol engines release fewer air pollutants and fine particles than diesel engines.
Is Diesel Or Petrol More Economical?
When it comes to the financial aspect, petrol takes the win.
Petrol is more affordable than diesel and the cars tend to be slightly cheaper when buying or servicing.
Newer diesel cars are also more costly in terms of tax than petrol cars.
However, if you’re looking specifically at fuel costs, diesel is more fuel-efficient than petrol is.
Diesel vs Petrol Acceleration
If you’re looking for the best acceleration, diesel is the way to go.
However, petrol engines provide better top speeds. The reasons for this can be found inside the components of the engine.
Furthermore, if you’re going off the road, towing, or carrying heavy loads, a diesel engine has the power you need.
Petrol vs Diesel Engine Difference
Diesel engines are usually heavier than petrol engines. This is what makes diesel engines slower than petrol engines.
Diesel engines have a higher compression ratio, the ratio between the largest and smallest capacity of the combustion chamber. This requires a heavier metal for the engine.
What happens as a result is that diesel engines produce more torque which gives them more acceleration. However, this also gives a smaller power band meaning that the acceleration is spread over a smaller area.
Petrol engines gain power through revs. This means that there is more usable power for a longer period.
Another thing to note is the revolutions per minute or RPM that the different engines produce. Petrol engines produce more power of the RPM band, whereas diesel engines provide most of their power on the lower range of the RPM band.
Maintenance Of Diesel Car vs Petrol Car
Diesel engines don’t have spark plugs or distributors. What these means are fewer moving parts that require less maintenance. Diesel engines also last longer than petrol engines.
However, it often costs more to take care of your diesel car with a service because the components used are usually more expensive.
In fact, reselling a used diesel car is often priced higher than that of a petrol-fuelled car.
Mileage Petrol vs Diesel
Another factor you might want to look at is the mileage performance of diesel or petrol cars.
Diesel cars have higher mileage than petrol cars. On average, a diesel car has about 25% more mileage.
The Bottom-Line
What’s the bottom line? Is diesel better than petrol? Let’s break it down.
Diesel is more fuel-efficient yet is often more expensive with greater diesel emissions. Whereas, petrol engines are more affordable but less fuel-efficient with greater CO2 emissions. Diesel cars also tend to be noisier, so a petrol car provides a better car experience.
So, here’s the deal. When you’re about to make your choice of a car, it all comes down to personal preference. Whether it’s a diesel or petrol car, both come with their pros and cons. Here is what you need to remember.
Diesel cars:
- Fuel-efficient
- Have higher acceleration
- Require less maintenance
- The engine lasts longer
Diesel also emits less CO2 emissions into the air and it’s better for drives off-road, towing, and carrying heavy loads. However, diesel engines release fine particles and other air pollutants. They are higher on mileage and have a lower top speed overall.
Petrol cars:
- More affordable
- They don’t release fine particles and air pollutants in the air
- Lower mileage
- Higher top speed
On the other hand, it is higher in CO2 emissions, requires more maintenance, and is more costly on fuel.
Why FairSquare is The Best Option For You
Whatever your preference, FairSquare gives you the best, most competitive options when choosing a vehicle to buy. They offer a wide variety of diesel and petrol cars for you at your fingertips.
FairSquare provides the most competitive deals when it comes to car financing. It is a one-stop website where you’re able to search for vehicles, complete your transactions, and get your vehicle delivered to your home.
They are completely transparent and independent which means the most trustworthy car finance deals for you. Also, FairSquare offers a soft search, zero-impact credit check that does not affect your credit score.
If you’re looking for a car, whether petrol or diesel, FairSquare has a variety of petrol and diesel cars for you to choose from.
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