Car buyers across the Indian subcontinent often come across the dilemma of choosing between a petrol or a diesel car before making an automobile purchase. Although when you go to a car showroom, a car with a petrol engine is cheaper than a car running on diesel. However, with a huge gap between the prices of the two categories, your decision can often get clouded with confusion. In this article, we will try and provide you with all the necessary information needed for you to make an informed and practical decision that is also economical.
Numerous factors comprehensively distinguish petrol and diesel cars. Here is a brief description of the fundamental differences between the two if you are wondering which car is more costly.
The difference in the price: Each car manufacturer labels the price of a diesel car significantly more than its petrol model. This is a significant factor when it comes to determining the overall economics before making the purchase. It is recommended to purchase a diesel car after considering all the factors.
Contrasting fuel prices: There usually is seen a huge gap in the fuel cost between petrol and diesel that can deflect your decision. While diesel car is more expensive, the fuel itself is approximately INR 15 cheaper than petrol.
Maintenance costs: The myth that diesel engines require higher maintenance is no longer true now. Earlier, low-quality diesel clogged the filters, causing damage to the engines. However, while the maintenance cost of diesel engines is still on the higher side, it's still very much comparable to a petrol engine in the current times.
Motor efficiency: Revolutionary transformation in diesel engine technology, has resulted in more fuel-efficient engines. A standard diesel engine is successful in providing a few extra kilometres when compared to a petrol engine.
Resale value differences: The resale price is a crucial factor for any buyer before purchasing any car. In this department, diesel cars offer a much better resale value as compared to their petrol counterparts. So, if you wish to sell your car in the future, you will get a higher resale value for diesel variants.
You cannot determine whether a petrol car is better than a diesel car only by the features of a car. You must consider factors like frequency and duration of driving when deciding which car is more costly: diesel or petrol. It is advisable to go for a petrol car if you want a vehicle for short-distance driving. Diesel cars are much more practical for long-distance driving because they are far more economical when it comes to fuel expenditure. Diesel engines offer more efficiency at burning fuel than their petrol avatars. Depending on the car as well as the engine used, a diesel engine consumes 15-20% less fuel when compared to a petrol engine.
However, petrol cars are usually cheaper primarily because of the use of lighter materials. This is because the compression ratio in a petrol engine is not as high as that of a diesel engine. Therefore, lighter materials at cheaper costs can be utilised, lowering the overall cost of petrol cars. So, if you do not have significant funds initially when purchasing your car, you can opt for a petrol car which is less expensive than its diesel variant.
Diesel consists of more Carbon Dioxide than petrol�2.68 kg CO2 per litre compared to petrol�s 2.31 kg CO2 per litre. However, diesel cars tend to emit less Carbon Dioxide during their respective lifetimes. Diesel fuels, having a lower sulfur composition, have been produced to reduce exhaust emissions that are harmful to humans and catastrophic for the environment.
Diesel fuel contains zero lead and emissions of regulated pollutants such as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides and is lower than those produced by petrol cars without a catalyst. Diesel carries more energy than petrol and the vehicle's engine combustion process is far more efficient. This results in higher fuel efficiency and lower CO2 emissions when you are using a diesel car.
Many factors can affect your perspective on which car is more costly� petrol or diesel. There is no one size fits all answer to this query and the choice usually depends on your requirements. Nonetheless, keeping the fuel prices in mind is essential to make the right choice. You can know about the fuel prices in every state using the Park+ website. Download the Park+ app to learn more.