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Why are diesel models much cheaper than petrol models?

It seems that a used diesel BMW X3 is considerably cheaper than a comparablyy aged petrol version and that the bigger engines are only available as diesels. I'm looking to trade in my M140i I'm a bit puzzled by the seeming anomaly. Is this due to the fact that diesels are not selling now and their prices are therefore lower? Thanks.

Asked on 26 October 2020 by BMW Touring

Answered by Andrew Brady
Yes. The market is swamped with diesels as, a few years ago, there were lots of incentives to buy diesel cars. These no longer exist and people have realised that diesel cars don't suit everyone - so used prices have dropped. You need to decide whether a petrol or diesel car suits your use best. If you cover a lot of miles (particularly on the motorway) and/or need to tow a heavy trailer or caravan, a diesel X3 is the best option. For lower annual mileages (less than 12k a year) or regular short journeys, you should buy a petrol model.
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