March 10th, 2010 by

Cost; Due to high compression ratios and resulting high cylinder pressure in diesel engines, they must be built to withstand a lot more consequence than gas engines.  The parts which might be spruced up include a thicker block and cylinder heads, pistons, crankshaft, and valves, which may be very costly indeed.

When it comes to the cost, gas wins this one by far.  Diesel costs a lot more to own than gas, which is one of the main reasons why people often choose gas over diesel.

Fuel cost; Diesel fuel is very simple to refine, taking less time to get from raw petroleum to final product from gas, passing on a lower price than that of gas.  However, within the united states, diesel is priced exactly the same or simply a lttle 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, diesels are still much louder and shake a lot more than gasoline powered vehicles.  At idle, the clatter and shake of diesel vehicles are 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 the cold day, you will know gas is by far easier to start. Diesels don’t have spark plugs like gas engines do, since the fuel is ignited once it’s injected into the cylinder that’s already under pressure. When it gets cold, the air is not hot enough to ignite the diesel fuel.

Upkeep; Maintenance on the diesel vehicle is more costly, thanks to a lot of things including the larger volume of oil in the engine and the fact that fuel filters and water separators should be serviced more regularly 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 don’t intend to keep your vehicle past 100,000 miles, you should consider buying a gasoline vehicle.

Gas runs smoother, fuel is very simple to find, and they are easier to start in cold weather.  However, if you plan to tow, value good fuel economy and 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 could be a bit more expensive than gas.  When you are not worried about price, then diesel might be the best choice.  For trucks, diesel is by far the superior choice for individuals who want to haul heavy loads on the frequent basis.

I highly recommend you also look into my other guide on lifted chevy and jacked up trucks.