Which is better: a gasoline or diesel engine? This is a question many potential car buyers ask themselves. This applies, among others, to those planning to order a car from insurance auctions in the United States. The case for diesel cars is bolstered by significant fuel savings of up to 20-40% compared to their gasoline counterparts, increased low-end torque, and minimal carbon dioxide emissions.
However, the task of choosing the right car is complicated by the fact that diesel cars are not particularly popular in America. Gasoline is cheap there, so there is no need to economize on refueling. Global automakers supplying their products to the US market initially exclude diesel versions. This largely applies to vehicles produced by American automakers. As statistics show, of all cars sold in the US, only 3% are diesel. For comparison, in European countries, this figure is around 50%.
What diesel cars are for sale in the US
Despite the low popularity, diesel cars can still be found in the United States. These are primarily powerful pickups and trucks that consume quite a lot of fuel and cover great distances in a single day. For instance, some of them can travel up to 1000 km on a single tank of fuel. Among passenger cars with diesel engines, the Volkswagen Jetta and Passat are the most popular in America. They were produced for the US market by the German automaker until 2015. It's worth noting that these vehicles come in the most advanced configurations.
The top 10 diesel cars from US auctions are listed in the table:
That is, cars of such brands and models are for sale at insurance auctions like Copart and IAAI.
Main damages
The situation with car insurance in the US is somewhat different from what is currently observed in Ukraine. All cars must be insured without exception. If there is an accident, a natural disaster, or vandalism, the owner immediately contacts the insurance company. Repairing a car in America is very expensive and not cost-effective. It's easier for the owner to return it to the insurance company, receive a payout, and buy a new one. The insurance company, in an attempt to recoup some of the payout, puts the car up for auction. Therefore, cars with damages are predominantly on sale at Copart and IAAI:
How diesel car prices changed over the year
2020 turned out to be quite unstable in many areas. The used car market from the US is no exception. In January, diesel cars at auctions could be bought for less than 6000 dollars. In February, the price rose slightly, by about 500 dollars, but the quarantine restrictions imposed worldwide in March-April brought the cost down to 5000 dollars. This was the lowest price for the year at which diesel cars were auctioned at US insurance auctions. Then there was an increase, which even exceeded the January figures. And now, in the last month of the year, the price of diesel cars is in the range of 7300-7800 dollars. It's too early to make forecasts for next year, but many experts agree that the market will stabilize and the prices for used cars from the US will return to pre-crisis levels.
