The recent fuel crisis has brought many things into sharp focus. Primarily that filling your car up is incredibly important in your day-to-day life.
If you found yourself waiting 30 minutes at the pump lately, your mind might have wandered into the realms of your next car. And what fuel you’ll be putting in it.
The best advice is to do some research, obviously. And one obvious thing to do is perform a car valuation in order to find out how much your current car is worth. Once you figure this out, you know how much money you have to spend on your next motor.
But back to fuel. If you’re looking for a new car, there are three main ways to go. Electric, petrol, or diesel. If you’re reading this, you’re probably not interested in going electric.
So below, we’ve highlighted the pros and cons of petrol and diesel in order to help you make your next car buying decision a doddle.
Petrol
Pros
Frugality
Yes, really! Broadly, diesel is more economical than petrol. However…Each of us drives with particular idiosyncrasies. Some people stamp on the accelerator, some stay in gear for longer than necessary, while others dawdle about on under-inflated tyres.
Subsequently, we may achieve very different fuel consumption figures in otherwise similar cars.
Diesel engines take longer to warm up. This means if you travel short journeys regularly, you’ll be better off with petrol. Diesel cars also don’t need to clear their diesel particulate filter if only driven short distances.
Driving
A lot of serious drivers prefer driving petrol cars. This is because they are broadly quieter, plus more fun.
Revving a diesel engine out to the extremes of its rev range is a chore, but with a zingy petrol engine, it can be really enjoyable.
Cons
Frugality
There’s no getting around it. Diesel cars, especially on longer journeys, produce better MPG.
We’ve seen large expensive diesel cars from German manufacturers crack well into the mid-60s on a motorway slog without any hesitation. If you travel a lot of miles, you can see that saving you money because even the most frugal petrol cars won’t do this.
Diesel
Pros
Technological Advances
In order to reduce emissions regulations, car makers are forever attempting to make their diesel cars cleaner and more fuel-efficient. The latest diesel cars benefit from all of this tech, such as stop/start and twin dosing with Selective Catalytic Reduction.
Pricing
Inevitably, rising costs of technology get passed on to consumers, meaning prices rise. Diesels broadly cost more than petrols. However, thanks to resale values and improved mpg, diesels can look like a bargain depending on how many miles you do.
Cons
Ultra-Low Emission Zones
Diesels are broadly worse for local emissions than petrols. Which explains why Ultra Low Emissions Zones don’t like older diesel vehicles. If you drive a pre-2015 diesel car into the center of London, you’ll have to fork out a £12.50 daily levy.
