Is it profitable to drive a diesel engine?

Gasoline or diesel: Which is more profitable?

Which car is cheaper to own?

Do you think the cost of owning a diesel car is cheaper than a petrol car? Many car enthusiasts answer this question by saying that diesel cars are much cheaper to operate due to lower fuel consumption compared to gasoline ones? But in reality it's not that simple. To calculate which car is more profitable in the first three years of operation after purchase, you need to carry out complex calculations and take into account not only diesel fuel consumption and its cost at gas stations, but also calculate and take into account the cost of purchasing a car, its maintenance and other factors affecting the cost possessions.

In addition, do not forget that most cars lose market value over time. Moreover, each brand, model and version of the car loses value in different ways. So to calculate how much it costs to own a diesel and gasoline car, you also need to take into account the depreciation of the car over three years.

Also, don’t forget indirect expenses, such as insurance, transport tax, etc.

Do diesel cars cost more than their petrol counterparts?

As a rule, this is true. When you buy a diesel version of a car, you will pay more than if you bought the same model with a gasoline engine.

Here's a live example:

The 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe crossover with a 2.4 liter petrol engine producing 175 hp, in the “Comfort” configuration costs 1,479,000 rubles (price as of 02/10/2015, based on the official Hyundai website). The diesel analogue of the SUV of this year of production costs 1,679,000 rubles (Comfort package with a 2.2 liter diesel engine with a power of 197 hp).

That is, in order to purchase a diesel crossover you must overpay 200 thousand rubles .

Now let's compare the prices of gasoline and diesel. Let's take the average prices at Moscow gas stations from the beginning of 2015. The cost of AI-92 gasoline was 33.5 rubles. AI-95 costs an average of 35.5 rubles. When the average cost of diesel fuel since the beginning of the year was 36 rubles. As you can see, the cost of fuel for a diesel car is more expensive compared to gasoline.

But, as you know, diesel engines are much more economical than their gasoline counterparts. In our example, the average fuel consumption of the 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe 2.2 CDRi (automatic) is 6.6 l/100 km. A gasoline SUV with a CVT consumes 8.9 l/100 km.

Is buying a diesel car justified (using an SUV as an example)?

Let's calculate how many kilometers you need to drive to recoup the overpayment when buying a diesel version of the crossover, thanks to lower fuel consumption. Let's assume that the average car mileage is 25,000 kilometers per year. Now let’s compare how much the Santa Fe owner will spend on gasoline for a whole year with this mileage. We take the average cost of AI-95 gasoline and calculate the total costs based on the average fuel consumption of the car. We get that in a year the car owner will spend almost 79,000 rubles (78,987.5 rubles with an average gasoline price of 35.5 per 1 liter). Let's carry out the same calculations when operating a diesel car with the same mileage. As a result, the cost of diesel fuel will be 59,400 rubles (taking into account the average price of diesel at gas stations in the amount of 36 rubles per 1 liter). As a result, the difference in fuel costs is almost 19,500 rubles .

At first glance, the savings are obvious. But in order to recoup the overpayment for a diesel modification of an SUV, you will have to drive the car for more than ten years.

Of course, if your mileage is higher each year, it will take much less time to recoup the overpayment. Especially if the average annual mileage of the car is more than 50,000 kilometers. With this mileage, you will recoup the overpayment you made when purchasing a diesel car in just over five years. But not everything is as simple as it seems at first glance. After all, we only calculated fuel costs and did not take into account the cost of maintenance.

Which car depreciates faster during use?

In terms of economy, of course, a diesel car is more profitable than a gasoline car. In addition, as a rule, average market prices for used diesel cars are much higher than their gasoline counterparts. The thing is that gasoline cars lose value faster than their diesel modifications. This is due to the fact that diesel cars are more in demand on the market than their gasoline counterparts. In our country, diesel passenger cars and crossovers are not as popular as, for example, in Europe. But, nevertheless, due to the small number of offers on the used market, prices for them remain at a fairly high level. Therefore, diesel cars have a low depreciation rate in the first three years compared to their gasoline counterparts.

Which car is more expensive to maintain?

We all know that the total cost of ownership is not only due to the cost of fuel and annual mileage. Mandatory vehicle maintenance plays an important role in the financial costs of owning a car. Typically, diesel vehicle maintenance costs 10 to 15 percent more than gasoline vehicle maintenance.

This is due to the fact that a diesel engine is much more complex in design than a gasoline power unit. Also, the cost of most consumables for diesel cars is much more expensive than for their gasoline counterparts.

So, take this into account when choosing which car to buy.

Diesel or gasoline car - Which one drives better and faster?

If you can’t decide which car to buy (diesel or gasoline), then before making a final decision, take two test drives at a car dealership, first driving a gasoline car and then driving its diesel counterpart. Thus, you will compare not only the dynamics of acceleration and cruising speed, but also be able to compare other characteristics of the cars.

It must be admitted that diesel engines are much louder than their gasoline counterparts. This is despite modern technologies that have allowed automakers to create modern diesel power units that are much quieter, more efficient and cleaner than their predecessors. But, nevertheless, gasoline engines are much quieter. In addition, diesel engines produce more vibration on the body than gasoline power units. In combination with a turbine, for example, some diesel engines are very loud.

What then is the advantage of diesel engines besides fuel consumption? Of course, traditionally diesel power units are famous for the best transmission of torque from the engine to the drive. Unlike gasoline engines, diesel engines generally have higher maximum torque (force). In addition, unlike gasoline analogues, diesel cars achieve maximum torque at low speeds.

Of course, gasoline engines, which can develop more power than diesel engines, are more suitable for fast sports driving. But the latest technologies in the automotive industry indicate that diesel engines may soon be on par with gasoline engines in terms of sporting characteristics. For example, the new Audi SQ5 model has a 309 hp diesel engine. which allows the power unit to compete on equal terms with its gasoline counterparts.

Is it profitable to buy a gasoline car more expensive than a diesel one?

Another most common question asked by car enthusiasts. Of course, when a gasoline car costs less (usually) than a diesel version, many of us decide to buy a gasoline car.

And as we calculated above, this is the correct decision (if the car’s mileage is no more than 50,000 km per year). But what if the gasoline version costs more than the diesel version? This doesn’t happen often in the car market, but nevertheless it does happen. In this case, everything also depends on the average mileage per year. If your average mileage does not exceed 40,000-50,000 kilometers, then you can safely purchase the gasoline version.

But of course it depends on the overpayment. If the gasoline version costs 200,000-300,000 rubles more, and your mileage each year does not exceed 15,000 kilometers, then of course buying a more expensive gasoline version is not justified. But such a situation is very rare in the car market. This is of course the exception rather than the rule.

Think before you buy a diesel

Fuel costs are a characteristic that, nowadays, is often at the forefront when choosing a car. Diesel fuel today is cheaper than 92-grade gasoline, and despite this, very soon after purchasing a car with a diesel engine, many car owners experience disappointment. The reason is that most drivers are not accustomed to diesel engines; they prefer gasoline cars. At the same time, in some European countries, for example, France, Spain, cars with diesel engines are very popular, which is confirmed by sales volumes - sometimes more diesel versions are bought than gasoline ones. In our country, there are a number of factors that explain the “cool” attitude towards this type of motor. And yet, those who decide to purchase a diesel engine should know about some of the intricacies of its purchase, operation and maintenance.

Economy is a well-known advantage of diesel engines, which is the main “lure” for buyers. But they also have “disadvantages”, which many, especially fans of comfort and a sporty driving style, soon find themselves not to their liking.

The first thing that gets boring very quickly is the characteristic increased “tractor” sound of a running engine. Although the sound insulation of the interior of foreign cars is not bad, automakers have not yet been able to completely protect those sitting in the cabin from diesel “music”. Then, although not in all cars, increased vibrations begin to irritate. And those who like to “get dirty” will clearly not like the weak acceleration dynamics, especially when it is necessary to accelerate at high speeds.

It is interesting that buyers manage to become familiar with all these shortcomings even when inspecting the car offered for purchase. But “programmed” for efficiency, many do not pay attention to these “nuances”. Only after some time have passed, new car owners begin to join the ranks of those dissatisfied with diesel cars.

The picture is complemented by the fact that diesel is a specific type of engine with an individual character, which determines the characteristics of its operation and requires compliance with certain operating and management rules. Usually they are not known, and if they are known, they are not observed. As a result, the diesel engine, instead of the required 500-600 thousand kilometers before major repairs, takes two or even three times less to maintain. So before you buy a diesel, make sure it suits your temperament and driving style and that you can "meet" its operating and maintenance needs.

Although the car market offers much fewer diesel foreign cars than gasoline ones, if you really want to, you can still find the right option. The control inspection of diesel cars is no different from gasoline cars in many respects - checking the body, chassis, transmission, serviceability of electrical equipment, etc. The difference lies in the engine testing. Two points are important here - checking during a “cold start” and the nature of the “hot” operation. It should be noted, however, that summer is not the best time to purchase a diesel engine. Therefore, if after this article someone has a desire to become the owner of a diesel car, it is better to wait for the onset of a cooler season. The ideal period for testing a diesel engine is winter, when the frost outside is 10-20 degrees. Under such conditions, “diseases” of this type of engine are much easier to identify. The main indicator characterizing the serviceability of a diesel engine is a “cold start”. It is carried out in the following sequence: to increase the fuel supply, the manual “gas” button is pulled out (if a thermal bleed is not installed); turning the ignition key turns on the glow plugs, which is indicated by the glow plug indicator on the instrument panel lighting up - a yellow lamp with a spiral symbol; when the spark plugs have warmed up (this takes about 20-30 seconds), the lamp goes out - this is a signal allowing the engine to start. If, after performing these operations, the engine starts on the first try and without prolonged rotation of the starter, then everything is normal.

A diesel engine does not start in the cold mainly for several reasons: the battery is dead, the glow plugs are faulty, the fuel system uses summer fuel, the cylinders have low compression. The procedure for replacing the battery and glow plugs does not require particularly large expenses (2000 - 3000 rubles). But as for low compression in the cylinders, there is a need for an expensive overhaul of the engine (30,000 - 50,000 rubles). Fuel that has frozen to a gel-like state is not able to pass through the filter, which means it can only be removed from the power system during heating in a warm garage, followed by replacement with winter diesel fuel or the addition of anti-gel additives.

While the diesel engine is cold, its operation is usually accompanied by increased noise and black exhaust. This is a common occurrence for this type of engine, since fuel in cold cylinders does not evaporate well and therefore does not burn completely. As a working diesel engine warms up, the noise decreases and the black exhaust disappears. If the nature of the work does not change and smoke continues to pour out of the chimney, then something is faulty. Blue smoke is a sign of wear of parts of the cylinder-piston group (piston rings, liners, pistons), which requires a major engine overhaul. When the exhaust is black, it means the fuel in the cylinders is not completely burned. This occurs in the following cases: poor-quality fuel atomization due to faulty injectors or their nozzles; supply of excess fuel by a misregulated fuel pump; lack of air in the cylinders with a clogged air filter.

As practice shows, the service life of passenger diesel engines in our operating conditions ranges from 200 to 600 thousand km. Such a significant spread is due to the large dependence of the diesel engine resource on operating conditions, systematicity and quality of maintenance.

The ability to operate a diesel engine is perhaps the main factor that has the greatest impact on its service life. This type of engine does not forgive the mistakes of the driver, who, for example, is accustomed to revving high-speed gasoline engines to the maximum and forces diesel engines to work in the same mode. Owners of such cars should remember one important rule - diesel does not like high speeds, since this significantly increases the load on the parts of the cylinder-piston group, fuel equipment, and the process of mixture formation and combustion itself does not proceed according to the required “scenario”. Therefore, you need to drive at average speeds or below average, and you should switch to higher gears much earlier than in the case of a gasoline engine. This has long been tested in practice. It is not without reason that at many motor transport enterprises, before “putting” a driver on a diesel engine, he undergoes an internship. If this is not done, the service life of engines in the hands of untrained drivers is reduced by 3-5 times, and sometimes more.

To reduce the impact of mechanical impurities and water contained in our diesel fuel on the very sensitive fuel equipment of diesel engines, it is advisable to equip the power system with a separator filter, preferably heated.
This will extend the life of expensive fuel pumps and injectors and protect yourself from winter problems caused by increased fuel viscosity. If it is not possible to install additional filters, it is better to first let the fuel settle in some kind of settling tank. By the way, you can pour it into the tank without stirring it in the sump only after two or three days. You should also know that it is undesirable to start a diesel engine from a pusher or in tow, since due to high compression in the cylinders, there is a high probability of a break in the timing belt (if the drive is belt driven). We have already written about the consequences this can lead to.

An important aspect that affects the life of a diesel engine is the timeliness of maintenance and the quality of the materials and spare parts used. Under no circumstances should you fill imported diesel engines with the first available oil, including the Kamaz M10/G2K oil that was popular in Soviet times. You need to pour only what the manufacturer recommends or the best quality, for example, instead of oil of the SS and even CE quality category according to the API, CD class oil, which is intended for highly accelerated diesel engines with high pressure supercharging, operating in difficult conditions on high-sulfur fuel.

Turbodiesels are especially demanding on the quality of oil. Under conditions of high temperatures and turbocharger shaft rotation speeds, only high-quality special oils for turbodiesel engines can maintain lubricating properties. Ignoring this requirement leads to the fact that, under such harsh conditions, the oil film on rubbing surfaces obtained by using low-grade oil is very quickly destroyed. This causes dry friction and, accordingly, increased wear of the shaft, turbine bearings and rapid breakdown of the turbine as a whole.

For the same reasons, diesel engine maintenance must be carried out in due time. Although, when using our diesel fuel with a high sulfur content, which promotes accelerated oxidation of motor oil, it is better to reduce the replacement interval by 20-30%. For example, if, according to the operating manual for a particular car, the replacement frequency is 10 thousand km, this should be done after 7-8 thousand km.

An important factor for the “health” of a diesel engine is oil filters. The filter element of diesel filters has very small cells that trap particles that a gasoline engine filter easily passes into the lubrication system. Therefore, you need to buy only high-quality oil filters for diesel engines - original or well-known companies (Bosch, Champion, Delphi, etc.). Counterfeits and products of unknown origin may use filter paper from a gasoline filter.

If “mineral water” or “semi-synthetic” is poured into the engine, it is advisable to flush the lubrication system every 20 - 40 thousand km (depending on the quality of the oil - domestic or foreign). In the case of “synthetics” with its excellent cleaning properties, you can flush the lubrication system less often.

Maintenance costs for diesel vehicles are lower than for gasoline vehicles. Savings are achieved due to the absence of spark plugs, which are changed more often than glow plugs, in addition, there are no complex electronics that control the operation of the power system (we are talking about diesel engines produced before the mid-90s). So think, YOU need this.

The whole truth about diesel: is it profitable to buy a diesel car?

If you decide that you can be a “diesel driver”, you need to find out whether this makes economic sense. Any other arguments for and against diesel are set aside. Today we only count money.

Comparing the cost of ownership of gasoline and diesel versions of the same model begins with an analysis of their prices. There is a common stereotype that diesel modifications always cost more. Indeed, diesel engines are made from more highly durable and expensive materials, and their fuel equipment is very expensive. In addition, all modern diesel engines are equipped with turbocharging with intercooling, and the turbine and intercooler radiator are also expensive.

Therefore, if the alternative to a diesel engine is a naturally aspirated gasoline engine of equal volume and number of cylinders, the diesel engine will be significantly more expensive. For example, for a Citroen C4, the surcharge for a 1.6-liter diesel engine compared to a naturally aspirated gasoline engine of the same displacement is RUB 85,000. With the price of the gasoline version at just over a million, this is a lot.

If a gasoline engine of equal volume and number of cylinders is also stuffed with high technologies - direct fuel injection and turbocharging, its price is very close to that of a diesel engine. For example, a two-liter diesel BMW X3 costs only 30,000 rubles. more expensive than its “turbo-gasoline” counterpart. Against the background of 3,000,000 rubles. this difference is completely invisible.

And it also happens that an alternative to a gasoline engine is a diesel engine of a much smaller displacement with fewer cylinders. In this case, the diesel version will be cheaper. For example, for a diesel Land Cruiser Prado with a 2.8-liter “four” they ask for 247,000 rubles. less than for a gasoline engine with a four-liter V6 in the same configuration.

Although in some cases the difference in price between petrol and diesel versions has no logical explanation and is the result of marketing games. Depending on the interest in sales of a particular engine in Russia, the automaker can set either an attractive or prohibitively high price.

For example, the diesel Mitsubishi Pajero IV recently cost RUB 500,000 more. more expensive than gasoline. In order for the diesel “four” to be half a million more expensive than a petrol V6 of similar volume, the latest version must be sold without an engine at all... It is not surprising that deliveries of diesel Pajero were stopped due to “lack of demand”...

Thus, a diesel modification can cost both more and less than a gasoline version. This depends on the specific model in question.

The diesel 245-horsepower Porsche Cayenne is significantly inferior in dynamics to the gasoline 420-horsepower Esque, but is in demand. Even for buyers of such cars, the lower price of diesel, plus savings on insurance, taxes and fuel, makes a difference.

At first glance, the diesel Touareg costs significantly more than the petrol version, but it has much richer basic equipment. Therefore, when you start equipping a gasoline car with options, the difference in price between them is significantly reduced.

In another article, we found out that diesel engines are extremely demanding on fuel quality, and their repairs are very expensive. However, this does not mean that the gasoline version will be more reliable. For example, many European automakers have diesel engines that are quite durable even with our fuel, and high-tech gasoline engines are repaired and replaced in batches already during the warranty period...

But if there is a serious problem with a gasoline engine, the automaker usually fixes it free of charge during the warranty period, without trying to compromise the quality of the fuel. If a diesel engine fails, the first thing to do is send a fuel sample from the tank for examination. And if it does not meet the requirements of the car manufacturer in at least one parameter (most often this is the case), repairs, even during the warranty period, are carried out at the expense of the client.

Moreover, it’s good if there is a warranty on diesel fuel equipment at all. Some automakers, not trusting the quality of Russian diesel fuel, include it in the section of the warranty booklet “What is not covered by the factory warranty.” How correct and legal this is is a separate question. But the probability of shelling out 100,000-200,000 rubles from your pocket. for diesel repairs is incomparably higher than for gasoline engine repairs.

As we have already said, some diesel engines do not warm up the interior well in the cold. If the car is not equipped from the factory with an additional heater for the air entering the cabin, you may have to install an “autonomous” system, supplemented by a post-start mode.

In principle, it can be installed on the gasoline version. But if among gasoline engines there are still few “cold” ones (although recently they have also begun to appear), then for diesel engines “autonomy” is often a necessity rather than a whim of the owner. Therefore, you must be prepared to add another 70,000-90,000 rubles to the cost of a diesel car.

In addition, in Russian conditions, it is very useful to install a heated fuel separator on a diesel engine. This is about another 15,000 rubles.

As you know, the CASCO tariff is calculated as a percentage of the cost of the car. Accordingly, if the diesel version is more expensive than the gasoline version, you will have to pay more for the policy annually; if it is cheaper, you will have to pay less.

True, sometimes the tariff for diesel and gasoline modifications is different. For example, a high-theft Prado is only of interest to thieves with a diesel engine, which is why some insurers have lower rates for the gasoline version. But this is rather an exception to the rule.

Currently, the amount of transport tax depends on engine power. Most often, the power of a diesel engine is comparable or slightly less than that of an alternative gasoline engine. Accordingly, you have to pay about the same or slightly less for diesel. Although, for example, for the Land Cruiser Prado this is not “several” at all. If the state has to pay 42,300 rubles annually for a 282-horsepower gasoline engine, then for a 177-horsepower diesel engine it costs only 8,850 rubles. Feel the difference…

The common myth about the high cost of servicing diesel engines is perpetuated by the fact that people confuse routine maintenance with repairs.

Yes, diesel engines are really expensive to repair. But this is a lottery, in which losing is possible, but not at all necessary. Some people drive 150,000-200,000 km on a diesel engine and manage to sell the car without investing a penny in engine repairs.

In addition, it is not at all a fact that an alternative gasoline engine will be more reliable. For example, many German automakers' diesel engines are quite durable even with our fuel, but gasoline engines are repaired en masse even during the warranty period. As for the cost of scheduled maintenance, it is comparable for diesel and gasoline engines. Replacing the fuel filter on the former is balanced by replacing the spark plugs on the latter, but otherwise the scope of maintenance is almost the same.

A diesel engine may turn out to be more expensive to maintain only if its service interval is shorter than that of a gasoline engine, or the owner voluntarily reduces it (which is very useful in our conditions). But if over 100,000 km you make three additional oil changes and two additional filter changes, the overpayment will be a non-critical 20,000-30,000 rubles.

So, we have destroyed many stereotypes about diesel economics. You will soon find out with what coin they definitely beat their gasoline counterparts, and which of them are ultimately more profitable.

Alexander Konov, car selection expert

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latest comments

Is it worth taking a diesel - personal experience

When choosing a foreign car, an important question arises: is it worth taking a diesel engine?
Indeed, is it necessary to experiment when there is a sea of ​​cars around with gasoline power units that have already been proven over the years?

When purchasing diesel cars, many do not take into account the operating conditions of a diesel car in Ukraine.

Headache

Another problem with diesel engines is cracked or “misaligned” cylinder heads.
Most often this happens as a result of engine overheating. For gasoline engines, due to their lower thermal intensity and the different material of the block head, this problem is not so pressing. Among diesel engines, cracking of the cylinder head is most often observed in the aforementioned 2L-T(E) (Toyota) and 4D55/56 (Mitsubishi). Moreover, with the 2L-T(E) the problem arises precisely because of a design flaw, since the 3L-T, which is similar in design but has additional cooling cables, no longer has this. When overheating, the head of the block often “drives” in the Toyota 2C-T turbodiesel, but this almost never happens in the naturally aspirated 2C. So before buying a diesel car, remember the saying: measure twice, cut once. Please note that according to statistics, about 70% of contract purchases of engines (i.e. the purchase of an entire unit to replace a failed one) are diesel engines.

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Diesel or gasoline – which is better for Russia?

from Evgeniy 12/21/2017, 00:30 24.6k P 56 G 1 Comment

Diesel or gasoline? For some reason, Russian motorists rarely ask this question. Yes, a Russian buyer can think for a long time about the brand of a car, its color, equipment, engine power and other characteristics, but if you ask him about his preferred type of engine, he will most likely say without hesitation: “Gasoline!”

It’s quite strange to see such unanimity when half of Europe drives diesel cars. Let's figure out which is better: diesel or gasoline, and why the second option is preferred in Russia.

What is the fundamental difference between gasoline and diesel engines?

To understand which is better: gasoline or diesel, it would be nice to first find out how these types of power plants differ from each other.

The main difference between gasoline and diesel engines is the method of ignition of the fuel. In both cases, the fuel mixture is under pressure, but in gasoline engines it ignites from a spark from a spark plug, and in diesel engines it ignites spontaneously from strong and dynamic compression.

The process of fuel combustion also takes place in different ways:

In a gasoline engine, the fuel mixture burns quickly, almost instantly. With such a flash, a considerable part of the energy is spent on detonation processes inside the engine, and not on performing useful work.

The main characteristic of gasoline is the octane number (ON) - the ability to resist detonation (self-ignition) when the pressure in the combustion chamber increases. The higher the octane rating, the more efficiently gasoline burns and the less fuel is emitted in the exhaust gases.

In a diesel engine, fuel burns slowly, which ensures smooth piston stroke and more efficient use of diesel fuel. Perhaps you have noticed that at low speeds, a diesel car always pulls better than its gasoline counterparts? This “responsiveness” of the engine is achieved precisely due to the smooth combustion of the fuel.

The quality of diesel fuel is determined by its cetane number (CN). The higher the central frequency, the smoother the fuel mixture burns.

You can distinguish diesel from gasoline by the characteristic vibration and knocking that appears at idle. Manufacturers are doing everything possible to minimize these noises, but if you previously drove a gasoline model, then when you switch to a diesel one, you will immediately feel the difference.

So what do we get? Gasoline cars are more powerful and accelerate faster, but diesel cars are more economical, develop more torque and perform well at low speeds.

Diesel or gasoline: ecology and safety

It is not for nothing that Europeans choose diesel: this type of gasoline is more environmentally friendly compared to gasoline. The main part of the exhaust of a diesel car is soot, that is, carbon compounds. Soot decomposes quickly and does not harm nature. As for gasoline, when it is burned, lead compounds and other hazardous substances are released into the atmosphere.

When it comes to fuel, it is somehow not customary to remember its safety. However, gasoline was and remains a flammable fuel. One spark or elevated temperature is enough for its vapors to ignite. This is why after a serious accident people are in such a hurry to leave the car: if there is a fuel leak, the car can instantly turn into a burning torch.

At the same time, diesel fuel requires very high temperatures to ignite spontaneously. It’s not for nothing that there is a joke that diesel is good enough to put out matches. Of course, it is not worth testing this judgment in practice, but there is some truth in it. Diesel is more fireproof than gasoline.

Diesel or gasoline: the financial side of the issue

How economical are diesel models and why are they always more expensive than gasoline ones?

When a buyer decides whether to choose diesel or gasoline, first of all he looks at the cost of the car. And for diesel it is consistently higher.

The increased cost of diesel is caused by the design features of the engine. To withstand high pressure, all parts of the connecting rod and piston group must have a large margin of safety. Accordingly, fuel equipment must be more reliable and more expensive. Because of this, the diesel engine (and neighboring components) is more expensive and also more massive. Additional material costs are another argument in favor of increasing the price of a diesel engine.

Fuel consumption

As for fuel, the advantage here is on the side of diesel. Longer range - less fuel consumption. On average, in terms of fuel consumption, diesel is 45–65% more economical than its gasoline counterparts. Significant difference?

Diesel fuel itself is somewhat more expensive than gasoline, although the difference between diesel fuel and, for example, AI-95 is not so significant; with the same maximum mileage, the cost of diesel fuel can easily be covered by low consumption.

Engine durability

Another financial aspect is the longevity of the engine. When choosing which is better: gasoline or diesel, it is important to understand that diesel engines can last 4 times longer than gasoline engines. However, their maintenance is performed at least 1.5 times more often. Consequently, you will have to spend more on consumables.

When it comes to buying a new car, the choice between gasoline and diesel is obvious: the second option looks preferable. However, a practical person always looks forward. We must not forget that after some time breakdowns inevitably begin and the car has to be repaired. And at this moment, many happy owners of diesel cars suddenly become unlucky.

This is because while spare parts for gasoline engines are always available quite quickly, for diesel engines you have to wait weeks for them. Diesel models are not very popular in Russia, so original parts for them cannot be found in every car service center. Let's say more: not every employee of such a service is competent in the matter of repairing diesel engines. It is easier to find non-original parts, but it is not a guarantee that they will be of high quality. Quite the contrary.

Ultimately, due to their “scarcity”, factory spare parts for diesel engines are too expensive, and services charge more for repair work.

In addition, the ordeal of shopping and services will give even the most balanced driver a heart attack. Well, or to the point of obscene language.

Interesting numbers

To clearly show how much it costs to maintain new petrol and diesel cars, we will provide some figures.

As an example, let's take two popular models that are sold in our country with both types of engines: Renault Duster in the Expression configuration and Citroen Grand C4 Picasso in the Tendance configuration.

Renault Duster

The cost of a new diesel car is 679 thousand rubles, a gasoline car – 614 thousand rubles. (Prices taken as of summer 2017).

According to the passport, the car consumes 5.9 and 5 liters of diesel fuel or 11 and 7 liters of gasoline for every 100 km in “city” and “highway” modes. If we take into account that the car will travel 20,000 kilometers in an average year, then 43,237 thousand rubles will be spent on fuel. (DT) or 73,512 thousand rubles. (AI-95).

In this case, a diesel model will have to undergo maintenance twice a year, while a gasoline model will need to undergo maintenance once. Consequently, 18.4 thousand rubles will be spent accordingly. and 8.3 thousand rubles. The results are in the table.

As you can see, the annual maintenance of a new Duster with a diesel engine costs almost 45 thousand rubles. expensive.

Citroen Grand C4 Picasso

Let's do the same calculations for the Citroen Grand C4 Picasso minivan:

The final difference was more than 99 thousand rubles.

Diesel or petrol: used cars

There is an opinion that if you buy a used diesel car, then its use will be much more economical than in the case of a used gasoline car.

On the one hand, this is true. The type of motor on the secondary market has little effect on the price.

On the other hand, do not forget about repairs. If the car's warranty has long expired, you will have to repair the engine entirely at your own expense. If the car is too old, you often have to either buy another engine (new or used) or pay for major repairs of the existing one. And here three problems emerge at once.

Problem #1 : Trouble with the traffic police. It turns out that it is not so easy to re-register a car with a reinstalled engine. This applies to both gasoline and diesel cars.

Problem No. 2 : It is not a fact that a second-hand engine will be better than the old one.

Problem No. 3 : The cost of a diesel overhaul is not so affordable and will significantly hit the budget. This immediately negates all the advantages of buying a used diesel engine.

Therefore, if you choose diesel over gasoline, then definitely a new one.

Diesel or gasoline: who is more capricious?

In Europe this question is not asked, since, as a rule, there are no problems with fuel there. Everything is according to the standards, no confusion. And the climate there is relatively mild.

However, a diesel engine is always more demanding on fuel quality than a gasoline engine. Depending on the time of year, such a motor requires “summer” or “winter” diesel fuel. If you fill up at the “left” station, you’ll be able to take a taxi to work in the cold.

And the point is not even that at a gas station they can slip you a “summer” diesel fuel instead of a “winter” one. The quality of the fuel itself may be far from normal. Unfortunately, we often sell diesel engines that are so disgusting that they are only suitable for old domestic tractors.

The fuel equipment of modern engines fails immediately when low-quality diesel fuel gets into it. One clogged injector and you end up with expensive repairs. Injector cleaning is carried out under high pressure on special stands costing several million rubles. It’s clear that you won’t find such a stand in every car service center.

Even if we take into account that you have enough money for periodic “reanimation” of the engine, are you ready to choose diesel over gasoline, so that your iron friend will then sit for a long time waiting for repairs?

Oh, yes: if it’s minus 30 outside, then even with a good “winter” diesel engine, the car may not start. For fuel to ignite, the air in the combustion chamber must be sufficiently warm. This does not happen in cold weather.

To eliminate this problem, modern diesel engines use glow plugs. Pre-heaters also help make engine starting easier in winter by increasing the temperature of the engine coolant.

These devices allow you to start the car, but this does not mean that nothing will happen on the road. If there is still insufficient quality diesel fuel in the tank, due to the cold, paraffin crystals form in it, which can clog the fuel channels and filters at any time. Antigel must be used.

Why are diesel engines popular in Europe, but not in Russia?

If you believe the statistics, more than 55% of cars in Europe are equipped with diesel engines. In Russia this figure barely reaches 7%. Why is this happening? Why do pragmatic Europeans love diesel cars, while our compatriots shy away from these economical, highly environmentally friendly and reliable models?

There are several reasons for such low popularity, many of which are already known to you. Here they are:

1. poor quality fuel;
2. difficult launch in harsh Russian winters;
3. problematic repairs;
4. higher cost of the car;
5. meager offer.

If the first 4 reasons were discussed above, then the fourth is worth talking about separately. The fact is that rare car brands bring diesel models to our country. And if they do bring it, it’s only in separate configurations.

That is, Russians have little choice. But we are stubborn people, so if we want a diesel engine, but the offered configurations do not suit us, we would rather buy a gasoline model, but with the package that we need. As a result, our demand for diesel remains low.

It turns out to be a vicious circle: a poor assortment leads to low demand, and due to low demand, foreign factories do not increase their supply volumes to the Russian Federation. They would not mind importing more, but the law on consumer protection obliges them to supply a sufficient number of spare parts for these machines to Russia and promptly carry out warranty repairs, and this is not profitable for companies.

Among the best-selling diesel cars in our country are the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, Toyota Land Cruiser 200, BMW X5, BMW X6, Renault Duster, Mitsubishi L200, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, Volvo XC60. As you can see, most often buyers are interested in diesel models of crossovers and SUVs.

Diesel or gasoline – which fuel is the future?

In automotive matters, we are accustomed to focusing on the West. And therefore, many would also like to choose between gasoline and diesel in a Western way. They love diesel engines there, so why don’t we switch to this type of car?!

However, there is a well-founded opinion that in Europe the age of diesel engines is already coming to an end. Experts are confident that from 2020 the share of diesel cars on European roads will begin to decline steadily.

The reason for this is tightening environmental standards. Diesel models are already expensive, and designing engines for Euro-6 and Euro-7 makes them even more expensive. In addition, prices for diesel fuel in Europe are steadily rising, and in the near future they may be even higher than prices for AI-95 and AI-98.

Probably, very soon, thrifty Europeans themselves will exchange diesel for gasoline.

Diesel or gasoline? Let's summarize the advantages and disadvantages of both models

So, everyone decides for themselves what is better for them: diesel or gasoline. To make it easier for you to make a choice, we have collected all the advantages and disadvantages of both types of cars in one table.