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Most people who have been driving for some time have a preference for either diesel or petrol engines. Whilst diesel engines have tended to triumph over petrol engines for their fuel efficiency, petrol engines have offered a quieter and smoother drive. However engineering developments have meant that the latest diesel engines can now be considered on par with most petrol engines. Turbo chargers and common rail injection means that diesel cars start quicker and offer a more pleasant drive. And it is not just the engines that have been updated; diesel fuel has also been modified so that it is no longer as smelly or difficult to refuel with. And diesel fuel still offers more mileage for your money when compared to petroleum. So now the decision about whether to choose petrol or diesel engine for your next car might be a tricky one. Comparing the cost to buy and maintain is a good way to help make that decision easier. For example, the purchase price of a brand new diesel car will typically cost you more than a similar car with a petrol engine but you should be able to sell the car for more when the time comes.
Your motor insurance premiums is not necessarily dependant on whether you have a diesel or petrol car but as diesel cars cost a little more you will be insuring a more expensive vehicle, which could make a difference to the amount you pay. Both diesel and petrol engine cars should cost around the same amount to service, however diesel engines may require more oil changes than petrol, which will come at an extra cost. You should also consider the price of road tax, which is now based on official measures of CO2 emissions. Diesel engines are more fuel efficient and therefore they tend to produce less CO2 emissions which means you could pay less for road tax than you would for a petrol car. However, Diesel engines do tend to produce more toxic emissions, which are not so good for the environment. When starting your car diesel engines warm up faster then petrol, which means that if you make short journeys during which your engine has hardly any time to warm up, than a diesel would be better. But if you are spending more time driving around in traffic filled towns then a petrol car would suit your needs better. Fuel consumption for motorway driving is very similar for both petrol and diesel cars, so there is not much to difference between them in this case, but diesel cars are better for towing as they have more torque.
You should remember that petrol and diesel are not the only options available. You can also buy cars that are built as hybrids, which have been designed to have a small petrol or diesel engine as well as an electric motor. It is the electronics in the car, which can run off the electric motor dependant on how much power is required. At the moment Hybrids are cheaper to run than pure diesel or petrol engines but at present they are more expensive to buy. So the main choice is still between petrol and diesel engines and that is a tricky decision to make. Rochelle Martinez, Freelance Web Content Article Writer for three years. Some of her articles are about http://www.quinn-direct.com.
