Dynamics of the Indian automobile industry keep changing from time to time due to the kind of diversity that exists. It is a known fact that smooth functioning of automobile industry is significantly dependent on the prevalent fuel prices. And to say the least, fuel rates in India are highly unstable and have been on a rise for quite sometime now. Not only petrol, the prices of diesel are being consistently increased as well, thereby giving headache to customers regarding their decisions. In India, buyers are heavily influenced by prices, be it of fuel or the vehicle itself. Thereby, it becomes difficult for buyers to choose between purchasing diesel or petrol cars. Industry experts believe that choice of vehicle varies from individual to individual and their respective requirements.
Till sometime ago, people who were planning to purchase an economical car would always prefer a diesel model. However, times have changed and now, gap between petrol and diesel prices is reducing quickly. In addition, recent circumstances have propelled car makers to hike prices of their vehicles to protect profit margins. Therefore, it is now advisable that a person weigh his or her options before zeroing in on any particular vehicle, in terms of fuel type. First of all, a buyer needs to decide the type of car he/she wants to purchase, like hatchback, sedan or a utility vehicle. This is because there are certain segments, wherein one fuel type is preferred over the other.
For instance, compact hatchback segment, comprising cars like Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 and WagonR, Tata Nano and Hyundai Eon, does not have any petrol model as of now. This automatically leaves customers with no choice in terms of fuel options as they have to go for a petrol car. On the other hand, it is always advisable for anyone who wants to buy a full-fledged Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) to go for a diesel model because it returns a good fuel economy as compared to the petrol model. The biggest factor that plays a role in determining buyers' choice of vehicles is the distance they have to cover on a regular basis. For people who live in city and use cars for short distances, a petrol model is advisable. This is because it is easier to keep a maintenance check for a petrol model as compared to a diesel version.
On the other hand, diesel models are ideal for people who have to travel long distances on a regular basis. Diesel cars are fuel efficient and have higher engine durability, which is always a plus point for them. Lastly, one has to also decide the time period for which he or she has to buy a car. There are certain buyers who keep changing cars on a regular basis and always consider the resale value of a vehicle before buying one. Experts feel that this category of customers should go for a diesel cars as they have a higher resale value as compared with the petrol models.
