Diesel Vs. Gas Commercial Trucks
The term “commercial truck” is a broad category that brings under its umbrella various types of vehicles that are used by businesses. Within this category, there are 8 subcategories that are divided by their gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR). Classes 1 and 2 are light-duty, 3 to 6 are medium-duty, while 7 and 8 are heavy-duty. If you’re in the market for a medium-duty commercial truck, one of the first choices you’ll have to make is between gas and diesel.
At Tri-County Truck & Equipment, we like to keep our customers informed so they can make the best decisions for their businesses. Keeping that in mind, we’ve compiled this informative article about the pros and cons of both gas and diesel medium-duty commercial trucks. For more information or to look at some commercial trucks for sale, head to our dealership in Pompano Beach. We proudly serve our patrons from Fort Lauderdale and the Tri-Cities region!
Initial Costs
A big concern for many buyers is the price of the vehicle. Diesel commercial trucks can cost anywhere from $7,000 to $10,000 more than their gas counterparts. This gap is mostly due to the exhaust after-treatment technologies that place the diesel vehicles within the EPA regulations standard. The mileage breakpoint of these trucks is 30,000 miles, so if you’re going to go above that, a diesel truck will best suit you. Otherwise, we suggest you get a gas model.
Running Costs
It’s common knowledge that diesel will give you more miles per gallon than gas, but diesel is usually more expensive to buy. To compare both, you need to know what you’re going to use your medium-duty commercial truck for. For longer distances and heavier loads, we recommend getting diesel trucks, while gas trucks will give you better returns over short distances. Also keep in mind that gas is more readily available than diesel.
Fuel Economy
For the longest time, diesel trucks had the upper hand when it came to fuel economy, but with the innovations of turbocharging, multi-cylinder controls, and direct injection, gas commercial trucks have bridged that gap. Here again, it’s the usage that will be the deciding factor. If you plan to add a trailer, a gas medium-duty commercial truck will have to work much harder than its diesel counterpart to get the work done. This means it’ll use more fuel for the same task.
Longevity
The high-compression ratios and high cylinder pressure of diesel engines makes them more durable. Even the exhaust system of a diesel truck will outlast its gas counterpart because diesel fuel is less corrosive than gas engine exhaust. However, a lot of the lasting power depends on the usage. If you keep overloading your medium-duty commercial truck or forget to service and maintain it at regular intervals, it’ll be a waste of money in the long run.
Maintenance Costs
A diesel engine has more components, so it’s more expensive to service and maintain. Their parts replacement is also costlier because the parts are more complex than those on gas engines. Some dealers estimate that diesel trucks have an average of 2.5 to 4.5 downtime days a year because of unavailability of parts or technicians. While you’ll have to perform more oil changes for a gas medium-duty commercial truck, they’ll be cheaper than diesel ones.
We hope these tips help you decide which truck would suit you better. In case you’d like more information, come down to Tri-County Truck & Equipment in Pompano Beach and have a chat with our helpful staff. If you’re looking for medium duty commercial trucks for sale near Fort Lauderdale and Tri-Cities, call or come over today!