Buying a car is not as easy as listing down your specifications and having a car magically appear in front of you. Often times, you have to sacrifice some features in order to have other features. Remember, not everything can be found in one car. You have to study the features of each and prioritize the features that you cannot really do without. After all, you cannot have everything you want, unless of course, you have it custom-made.
When buying a car, one of the considerations that you have to look into is the fuel that you will be putting into the tank. There are two types of fuel that is being used nowadays, the diesel and the gas. To help you decide, here is a rundown of their characteristics, presented in a comparison format that you will find easy to read.
Safety
Diesels are actually safer than gasoline in terms of explosion. Gas tends to ignite but gasoline explosions are not as frequent as people want you to believe. In fact, gas explosions are actually quite rare. The last one happened some thirty years ago and no repeat incident has been seen so far. Statistics also state that it is more likely for persons to incur injuries in a plane accident than in a gasoline explosion.
Diesel on the other hand is not explosive by nature especiallu now that water-cooled turbochargers have been invented to prevent overheating.
In terms of carbon monoxide poisoning, gas is also more dangerous. Compared to gas engines, diesel-run engines produce less carbon monoxide. Rather it produces sulfur dioxide which although may cause nausea is not as life-threatening.
Price
Hands down, gas is more expensive than diesel in the world market. This is why it is much more economical to use diesel on your car because you can save a lot in terms of fuel cost. Costs balance out when maintenance costs come in the picture. This is because it is much more expensive to maintain an engine or car that run in diesel than in gas. Parts for diesel engines are more expensive and the rate for the mechanics that fix them are even higher.
In buying your car, make sure that you take this into consideration. If you do not plan to use your car for a very long time, it is better to stick to diesel but if you plan in keeping your car for decades, it is better to stick to the gas-type. Sticking to gas is also an option if you are the type who do not often use your car.
Long life
Diesel they say live longer than gas engines but when you count the number of times that you have to change a part, the costs that you incur is actually the same. Diesel engines seem to live longer because they are more maintained than gas engines. You really have to find the time to maintain your car and to really take good care of the engine. This is because diesel engines are more susceptible to corrosion.
Environment
One of the things why engines that run in diesel is being phased out is the fact that it is harmful to the environment. Unlike gas engines, which do not emit any smoke, diesel does, thick black smoke that are very harmful to the environment.
Are you tired of the continuing rise in gasoline price?
If you are, you're not alone. In this article, you'll find a few excellent tips designed to help you save a bit of your hard earned money.
First, its always best to purchase your gas either first thing in the morning or late at night. The reason for this is because gas is denser at a cold temperature, so you'll basically be getting more for your money.
Secondly, check your local gas prices to find the best price available. You can check your local gas prices online as well, which will prevent you from wasting gas while driving around to look for the best price.
By keeping your car well maintained, you can help improve fuel consumption. By simply tuning your car, you can decrease your fuel consumption by up to 20 percent. Also, you should keep your tires properly inflated and aligned. Tires that are under inflated will cause fuel consumption to increase by 6 percent.
You should also make sure that you change your oil and air filters on a regular basis as well.
Other tips to keep in mind are to drive by staying in the posted speed limits, as the faster you drive you will use more fuel.
Whenever possible you should use overdrive, as this will help fuel and also improve the wear on your engine. You can also combine your errands by making a list of things that you have to do, as the more you cold start your engine, the more fuel you'll be using.
By taking the time to do these tips, you'll be amazed at just how much fuel you can save. Gas prices are becoming ridiculous these days, which is why you want to do your part to converse little drop that you can.
* Gas Versus Diesel * Cost
Due to the high compression ratios and resulting high cylinder pressure in diesel engines, they must be built to withstand a lot more punishment than gas engines.
The parts that are spruced up include a thicker block and cylinder head, pistons, crankshaft and valves, which can be very costly.
When it comes to price, gas wins this one by far. Initally, a diesel vehicle costs a lot more to own - than gas, which is one of the main reasons why people tend to choose 'gas' over 'diesel'.
Fuel cost:
Diesel fuel is easier to refine, taking less time to get from raw petroleum to the final product from gas, giving it a lower price than that of gas.
On the other hand, within the United States, diesel is priced the same or just a bit below regular unleaded gas.
Noise and vibration:
Despite many improvements in noise isolation and engine noise technology in trucks over the last 10 years, diesel is still louder and shakes more than a gasoline powered vehicles.
At idle, the clatter and shake of a diesel vehicles is clearly noticeable, while it can be hard to tell if the gas engine is even running.
Cold weather:
If you've tried to start a diesel engine on a cold day, you know that gas is by far easier to start. Diesels don't have spark plugs like gas engines do, as the fuel is ignited once it's injected into the cylinder that is already under pressure. When it gets cold, the air isn't hot enough to ignite the diesel fuel.
Maintenance:
Maintenance on a diesel vehicle is more expensive, thanks to many things including the larger volume of oil in the engine and the fact that fuel filters and water separators must be serviced more often than gas vehicles.
Gasoline engines have a bigger advantage due to extended service periods on spark plugs, engine oil, and even antifreeze. Making that final choice between gas and diesel comes down to what you'll do with your vehicle and where you live.
If you use your vehicle for quick, fast acceleration and rarely ever haul heavy loads, and you don't plan to keep your vehicle past 100,000 miles, you may want to consider buying a gasoline vehicle.
Gas runs smoother, fuel is easier to find, and they are easier to start in cold weather. On the other hand, if you plan to tow, and you value good fuel economy, or you plan on racking up a lot of miles, then you'll want to buy a diesel.
Price is also an important consideration, as diesel vehicles can be a bit more expensive than gas. If you aren't worried about the price, then diesel may be your best bet.
For trucks, diesel is by far the superior choice for those who like to haul heavy loads on a frequent basis.
Both Bob Janeway & Ken Dunn are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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