The Benefits Of Diesel When diesel powered automobiles first came out in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, there were some noticeable problems.  Though the cars would get over 50 miles per gallon, the sound of the motor and the smell of the exhaust were unmistakable.  Now, diesel motors get even better fuel economy, and they’re much quieter, though still not as quiet as a gasoline powered engine.  Additionally, the newer diesel powered engines are much more powerful than the ones that were in use 30 years ago. Perceived Problems With Diesel Cars If you live in a colder climate, you are probably familiar with how difficult it was to start diesel cars in the winter.  Cold temperatures meant that you had to keep your car plugged in to keep the diesel from freezing.  If the diesel froze in the fuel lines, you needed to use a hair dryer or other form of heat to thaw everything before you could start your car. Now, these problems are reduced or eliminated with new diesel cars.  For example, many new diesel cars now come with glow plugs.  These plugs preheat the combustion chamber to ensure that your diesel car starts without a problem in the cold weather.  Additionally, if you live in a colder northern state, the diesel sold for passenger vehicles is mixed with the higher grade diesel sold for professional vehicles.  This mixture will not gel like the diesel for passenger vehicles used to.  This mixture eliminates the need to purchase the anti-gel additives that you used to have to add to your fuel in the winter. In most cases, the above features allow you to start your diesel car in the winter without a problem.  However, whether it’s summer or winter, you may want to make sure that your battery is fully charged as well.  Since diesel engines need more battery power when starting, a weak battery can prevent you from starting your car whether or not you have glow plugs to warm the compression chamber. At one time, diesel cars didn’t run very cleanly.  The engine would belch unbelievable amounts of smoke.  However, new diesel cars are very clean running.  New EPA mandates went into effect in 2006 that didn’t affect the cars as much as the diesel producers.  Diesel that you purchase for a passenger vehicle is now ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD).  Many automakers have been working on methods to clean the emissions further, reducing the harmful emissions by up to 80%. Diesel Cars In the American Market In many cases, diesel cars will last longer than gasoline powered cars.  Because the engines in new diesel cars have a higher compression ratio, the engines need to be built stronger than the same size gasoline engine.  The compression rods and crankshaft are heavier to prevent them from falling apart with the higher torque.  The end result is that new diesel cars will run much longer than gasoline powered cars, especially when properly maintained.  This also means that diesel cars are generally heavier than gasoline powered cars.  However, the higher torque and compression ratio means that the extra weight doesn’t equate to lower fuel economy.  Instead, the high torque allows you to use less fuel to travel from one point to another.  Additionally, diesel engines provide you with the torque reminiscent of American muscle cars without the poor fuel performance these cars are known for. Diesel Cars And Gasoline Electric Hybrids You may wonder why there aren’t any diesel electric hybrids since diesel engines get such good fuel economy.  Unfortunately, diesel engines are heavier than gasoline engines, so the battery wouldn’t have the power at lower speeds.  However, diesel cars are still very fuel efficient without the use of an electric motor for slower speeds. The fuel economy for diesel cars on the American market is comparable to the fuel economy for hybrid cars.  Where hybrid cars may get up to 40 or 50 miles per gallon, a diesel car can get more than 70 miles per gallon.  This additional fuel economy can make up for the fact that diesel fuel is more expensive than gasoline.  Buying Used Diesel Cars If you are looking at used diesel cars to purchase, you will want to be conscious of the car’s age.  This is especially true if you are considering diesel cars because of the fuel economy.  The FuelEconomy.gov website at http://www.fueleconomy.gov/ will help you research the fuel economy for the different makes and models of the used diesel cars that you find.  However, there are cases where your fuel economy will vary, especially if the car hasn’t been well maintained.  Additionally, the FuelEconomy.gov website has fuel economy estimates from other drivers, allowing you to get an idea whether the listed fuel economy is accurate. Unfortunately, if you do purchase a diesel powered car, you may find that there are fewer service stations offering diesel than gasoline.  If you are going to be traveling in the same areas all the time, you can use the same filling station each time you need fuel, so this may not be a problem.  However, if you plan to travel across the country, you may want to plan ahead so you don’t have problems buying the diesel you need for your trip. The Future Of Diesel Cars Currently, European countries offer tax breaks for diesel fuel, ensuring that the cost remains lower than gasoline.  This means that if you look at the European market, you may be able to get a glimpse of the future of diesel cars.  However, some issues will need to be overcome.  The number of people who are considering a purchase of clean diesel cars has increased over the last few years.  Unfortunately, these people don’t have many choices for clean diesel cars.  Additionally, the main choice is much more expensive than a traditional gasoline powered car.  However, some less clean alternatives show automakers that the interest in diesel is genuine.