When buying any type of heavy-duty truck, you may note that those with diesel engines are often priced higher than those that run on standard petrol. You may wonder if diesel actually offers you some advantages that are worth the added investment. Note a few reasons why you might consider a diesel engine in your new truck and why it can be worth that extra cost, especially when considering its long-term use.

Fuel efficiency

Diesel burns less fuel to operate an engine, so you actually get better gas mileage or fuel efficiency with a diesel engine. Some experts note that a diesel engine can actually be 30% to 35% more efficient than a standard petrol engine. This added efficiency means filling up less often and, depending on the price of diesel versus petrol in your area, paying less for fuel over the course of your truck ownership. 

Using less fuel also means fewer emissions and fumes when you run your engine, so diesel may be a more eco-friendly choice because of its fuel efficiency alone. You can also run a diesel engine on what are called biofuels; these are made from biological materials like farm scraps and not from petroleum. These are also a more eco-friendly choice than petrol engines.  

Durability of the engines

A diesel engine needs more compression and more pressure to operate; in turn, a diesel engine is typically built to be stronger to withstand that compression and pressure. You may find that a diesel engine is then built with stronger pistons, valves, gaskets, and cylinders than a standard petrol engine. A diesel engine might then be expected to last far longer than a petrol engine simply because it's built with better quality parts overall.

Pulling power

Since diesel engines create more torque with less power, they are stronger for pulling and towing. This is important for a heavy-duty truck, as the engine will work harder to pull the weight of the truck alone, as well as anything you're towing or hauling. By choosing a stronger diesel engine that suffers less wear and tear from this added weight, it may last longer overall than a petrol engine that tries to move all that weight. There is also less stress on the steering system, suspension, brakes, and other such systems when the engine is working sufficiently to pull the weight of your truck and any trailer behind you. Your truck may then need fewer repairs overall when you choose a diesel engine, making it the more cost-effective choice in the long run.