Should you sell your petrol car and buy a diesel one?

  • May 28, 2012
  • Views : 9230
  • 2 min read

  • By Et
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Apart from buying a diesel vehicle to reduce running costs there is also the option of fitting a CNG kit on a petrol vehicle.

Maruti Suzuki A-Star

Petrol car owners are frowning. Petrol prices have gone up once again, while the prices of diesel have been left untouched once again by the government. This has widened the gap further between the two fuels which power most cars. 

Petrol now costs 78.57 for a litre in Mumbai, while diesel is only 45.99 a litre. That explains why petrol car owners are unhappy. They are troubled by questions like: will I save money if I sell this old car and buy a diesel one? Or is fitting a CNG kit into the old car a better option? 

While many petrol car owners started opting for diesel versions a while ago, the emerging trend is of fitting CNG kits into the old vehicles. Both these exercises can definitely save money, but there are some factors you should consider - mainly your usage and maintenance of the vehicle - before acting on these questions. 

"If fuel cost is your worry, there are a couple of options before you. You can fit your existing car with a CNG kit or alternatively sell your petrol car and buy a diesel or a CNG car. However, change only if you drive at least 500 km every month," says Uday Prabhu of Car Choice. 

Economics of fitting a CNG kit 

CNG kit

CNG (or compressed natural gas) is eco-friendly and it is also inexpensive. CNG, which is measured in terms of kilos, currently costs 33.10 in Mumbai, and offers a slightly better mileage than diesel. The cost of a CNG kit falls in the range of 30,000 to 55,000, depending upon the make of the car.

For example, a CNG kit for a Hyundai Santro or a Honda City could cost you between 30,000 and 35,000. A kit for Honda Accord could cost you 55,000. The cost also includes the mandatory RTO endorsement. 

However, a kilogram of CNG can give you an average mileage of 18 km, which means the average cost of driving every kilometre is only 1.89. Compared to this, a car like WagonR, which gives you an average of 14 km per litre of petrol, will cost you 5.67 per kilometre. So for every kilometre you drive on CNG, you can save 3.78.

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