Choose Wisely – Diesel Or Petrol?
The best way to save money on fuel is to choose a car that requires none at all. But, while electric cars have certainly become more popular in recent years, they’re still unattainable for some due to their high upfront costs and lack of national charging infrastructure.
There are financial benefits to electric, diesel and petrol cars. But before you make your choice, let’s look at the various benefits of each option to see what suits you best.
Benefits of electric cars
As well as being the most environmentally friendly option, electric cars also have some financial benefits.
Electricity is typically cheaper than both petrol and diesel, making them more cost-effective to run. And because they have fewer components and moving parts, there is less to break down and you’ll find an EV requires less maintenance and suffers from less wear and tear.
While the initial cost of electric vehicles tends to be more than their ICE counterparts, as we get closer to the government’s 2035 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars, this is expected to change. The secondhand market for EVs has also started to grow, giving people access to cheaper upfront costs for these vehicles.
Benefits of Diesel Cars
Perhaps the biggest advantage of diesel cars is the performance they offer. If you’re someone who regularly uses a car to drive long distances, a diesel car is arguably the best option.
Despite having a reputation for being loud, diesel cars actually have lower revs than their petrol equivalents. The higher the number of revs, the less fuel efficient a vehicle is, so these lower revs mean you can save money when it comes to your car’s fuel.
While diesel may be slightly more expensive than petrol at the pumps, this fuel efficiency also means you’ll be able to drive longer distances without having to fill up.
From an environmental perspective, diesel does have some advantages over petrol, too. Carbon dioxide, CO2, is one of the most harmful substances that is contributing to global warming. You might be surprised to learn that diesel cars actually produce less CO2 than petrol cars. Of course, this all depends on the specific vehicle involved, but in general, this has proved to be the case.
Benefits of petrol cars
When buying a car, whether new or second hand, the initial purchase price is going to be one of your biggest concerns.
When it comes to choosing between petrol and diesel, it is petrol that is usually the cheaper of the two when buying outright. This is because they’re made up of cheaper components than diesel vehicles, making them a great choice if you’re looking to cut costs.
In addition to this, insurance is usually cheaper for petrol cars, although it’s important to note that this will vary from vehicle to vehicle.
When it comes to filling up, petrol is also cheaper than diesel at the pump. So, if you’re someone who uses your car for day-to-day tasks and carrying out errands around town, petrol is likely the way to go.
As mentioned above, while diesel releases less CO2 than petrol vehicles, diesel cars also release a whole host of other harmful chemicals. This means that overall, petrol cars remain better for the environment when compared to diesel vehicles.
The Windscreen Company works across the West Midlands and the South East. We can provide leading windscreen repairs or replacement services to vehicles of every make and model. To find out more, contact us at The Windscreen Company today.