Without a doubt the spike in oil prices this summer has had most Americans scrambling for ways to save money on gas. In fact Ebay has seen record sales lately for used hybrid cars. But wait, hybrid cars aren’t the only fuel economy superheroes on the block anymore. There’s a new sheriff in town, the diesel, and it’s going to do more than raise a few eyebrows.

It’s safe to say that most will be hesitant when they hear the word diesel and fuel efficient in the same sentence.  A simple look at the facts, however, and you might be trading in those keys for a newer clean burning diesel. In order to look at the benefits of diesel over gas we have to first eliminate several variables. So for the purpose of this article we’ll focus our attention solely on one brand new car: The BMW 335, both the gas and diesel engine options.

Base Price- The gas BMW 335i has a base price of $42,050, and the diesel version, the 335d, starts at $44,150. That’s a difference of $2,100, however the IRS is offering a $900 tax credit for diesel buyers, which brings the difference down to $1,200. This price difference split over 5 years equates to about $20 a month, a total of $264 a year. So yes the gas engine is cheaper right off the showroom floor, but what about when you consider the price of fuel, operating costs, and residual value?

Gas Mileage- This is where the diesel really starts to pull ahead of the gas 335. The diesel is rated at 36 MPG, whereas the 335i is rated at 28 MPG. You can expect those numbers to change a little bit once the car is broken in but for the sake of comparison, we’ll assume that those will be the respective numbers for the life of the car. Now if we figure in a moderate 15,000 miles of driving a year and say that diesel ($4.00/gallon) and gas ($3.75/gallon) stay at that same price. That comes out to about $1,666 in annual fuel costs for the diesel and $2,000 for the gas. This is a $342 difference, which after factoring in the $264 advantage of the cheaper base price, puts the diesel in the lead by $80. It is worth mentioning however, that all auto reviewers have reported that the diesel has done much better than it’s advertised fuel rating.

Residual Value- After 4 years the residual value on a 335i is about 45%, and the residual value of the diesel is around 55%. This is due to the fact that there is more demand for diesels and less supply. People understand that diesels are cheaper to own, and have outstanding life expectancy.

If you’re looking for a new car that is cheaper to own and operate you may want to consider purchasing a new, clean diesel. As the diesel continues to grow in popularity you can expect to see more manufacturers introducing diesel engines into their lineups. While some people are only after the kind of comfort that you get when traveling in a motorhome, it’s safe to say that the majority of us will be looking for ways to cuts expenses over the next few years.  

Micah Castro is a freelance writer for RV Renovators. RV Renovators has over 35 years of experience servicing RVs, motorhomes, fifth wheels, campers, and other recreational vehicles.