Diesel vs. Gas Trucks: Which Best Fits Your Driving Needs?

When it comes to searching for trucks in the Troy area, you’ll find plenty of options in the new vehicle inventory at %%di_name. But the decision ultimately comes down to two choices: diesel vs. gas trucks. Our knowledgeable staff has compiled a breakdown of the pros and cons of diesel vs. gas trucks, so you can make the most informed purchasing decision possible!

Diesel vs. Gas Truck: Pros and Cons

Diesel Truck Benefits

• Vehicle Lifespan: The evidence is in: diesel engines generally have a much longer lifespan compared to gas engines, largely in part because they use a simple design and more powerful engine blocks. According to Motor Biscuit, “The design of a diesel engine is gear-driven. Unlike other parts that can be broken or damaged, gears can be easily fixed and never lose timing. Most diesel vehicles may also make use of gear-driven water and oil pumps. This decreases the risk of parts and components failing.” 

• Fuel Efficiency: Diesel engines across the board tend to have a higher fuel economy rating than gas engines. There’s no doubt that diesel fuel can sometimes be more expensive, however, many truck drivers prefer diesel due to the reduction in fuel stops they’ll need to make during their OH hauls.

• Towing & Torque Capabilities: Diesel trucks are known to generate significantly more torque than their gas-powered competitors. This means that diesel trucks can tow heavier loads in comparison to gas-powered engines of the same size most of the time. If you’re looking for a heavy-duty work truck or a reliable long-distance transportation vehicle, the best choice is to go diesel.

Gas Truck Benefits

• Reduced Maintenance Costs: Diesel engines lack spark plugs in their simplistic design, leading many Troy drivers to the conclusion that maintenance is easier compared to a gas engine. However, many diesel engines use heavy-duty and esoteric parts, making both routine repairs and service appointments more expensive.

• Easily Accessible Fueling Stations: There’s no guarantee that your local gas station offers diesel fuel. With a gasoline-powered truck, you can spend less time coordinating where you’ll refuel and more time cruising Piqua roads.

• Horsepower & Acceleration Capabilities: Diesel engines offer more torque, however, Sidney drivers generally care more about a vehicle’s acceleration and horsepower performance. In terms of speed and efficiency, gas-powered trucks are superior to their diesel-engine counterparts.

Diesel vs. Gas Truck: Mechanical Breakdown

Curious about the technical differences between gas and diesel trucks and why there’s such a distinction between engine types? Read on and find out some important factors to keep in mind when consider whether to buy a diesel or gas truck:

• Engine efficiency is determined largely by the relative difference between its maximum cold and hot temperatures. Higher compression ratios allow for a smaller min-max temperature difference, which is why the diesel engine provides greater fuel efficiency.
• Gas trucks often compress air and fuel at a ratio of roughly 10:1. However, diesel trucks compress their own air/fuel mixture at a rate between 15:1 and 25:1. This results in a hotter cylinder temperature, which is why diesel fuel self-ignites and generally doesn’t need a spark plug.
• Gas and diesel engines both rely on internal combustion, which means that fuel is turned into energy within the engine itself. 

Compare Diesel vs. Truck Pros and Cons at Dave Arbogast!

Interested in continuing your truck search further? Then visit Dave Arbogast to get behind the wheel of one of our GMC or Ford trucks for a test drive! Contact us to schedule an appointment or reach out to our Finance Center to get the car-buying process started today!