Diesel Cars are Suitable for City Driving?

One of the most frequently asked questions is car buyers "are diesel cars suitable for city driving?" A diesel engine delivers its power in a slightly different way to a gasoline engine, and generally results in better capacity of the economy and the transport of goods, but with less energy and a slower response time. That is why the buses and trucks usually run on diesel - they are large, heavy vehicles carrying large loads over long distances. But what is driving around town? Is the extra cost of a diesel engine operating cost savings for urban performance drivers?

Diesel in the city - fuel economy
First, short trips. The gasoline and diesel is very inefficient when it's cold, so the first 15 minutes or more of any trip will not give very good fuel economy, regardless of the fuel economy of the vehicle advertised. So if your trip involves a short commute to work or travel in the stores, you will have very low fuel economy in all diesel or gasoline cars.

Even once your engine warm completely, it still does not work efficiently if you are constantly accelerating, braking and sitting in traffic lights. It is certainly possible to run a diesel engine without any problem, but it takes a bit of practice and constant anticipation. Meanwhile, sitting idle at traffic lights uses fuel whether its gasoline or diesel, then you are simply wasting fuel at a time.

Mechanical problems - the diesel particulate filter (DPF)
Very new diesel cars (c. - Built in the last 4-5 years) are equipped with a diesel particulate filter (DPF). This device collects the black soot that you see belching older diesel engines, particularly when the engine is cold. The DPF particulate filter stores this until the device has reached a certain temperature and then proceeds to burn the soot. Well, yes, but ... For hot enough to burn the soot trapped in the filter, the engine must run for at least 15-20 minutes and takes 10-15 minutes to burn the soot and clean the filter . In addition to not filter diesel soot correctly, prolonged or repeated obstruction will eventually destroy the filter, which requires a very expensive replacement.

So if your regular use of your car does not have a regular 20-30 minute drive, you need to make a special trip just to clear your DPF every week or two, it's hard to help your fuel bills. Cars built in the last 2-3 years have generally better designed and optimized DPF engine computer controls that enable faster and more efficient combustion of the soot, is now less of a problem before, but it is still a question problematic for dealers who have to deal with angry customers who refuse to pay hundreds of pounds to replace your DPF when they are not aware.
 
Fuel errors - filled with the wrong fuel
Another risk is the use of inappropriate fuel, and it happens more often than you think - according to the British Automobile Association (AA), 150,000 people do every year, or once every three and a half minutes! Putting diesel in a petrol engine is very bad news, and gasoline used in a diesel engine is even worse. When changing an engine type to another, such as when you buy a new car or multi-car family, it is easy to fill the tank with the wrong fuel error. supply error for the damage is not usually covered by the warranty, then you might be thousands of pounds if the engine was damaged. Even if you do not destroy your engine, it is still a costly and time consuming exercise to have the car towed, drained and cleaned before you can drive again. Not a diesel problem by itself, but if you are planning for a gasoline car or already have another car petrol at home, it is helpful to keep in mind.

Abstract
All of the above suggests that buying a diesel car for mostly city driving is not a good idea. However, it also depends on your total mileage and load (passengers, baggage, trailers, etc.) that you put in the car. The broad advice usually given around the industry is that an annual mileage of 10,000 miles / year over 3 years is about the limit for choosing a diesel car on a similar gasoline. Stuart Masson is the founder and owner of the car expert, an independent and impartial agency automobile purchase, headquartered in London for those who want to buy a new or used car.

Originally from Australia, Stuart had a passion for cars and the automotive industry for nearly thirty years, and has spent the last seven years working in the automotive retail industry, both in Australia and London.