I've used coals, then went to gas and then gone back to coals.
at the end of the day coals do flavour better, are more satisfying to cook on and you can cook low and slow if you want to.
BUT,,,,, you do get decent taste from gas if your bbq has lava rocks or vape bars and you use the hood. Anyone that says you might as well use the oven has clearly never used one. Its pretty decent, but its just not coal.
The only advantage gas has is you can be cooking in 3 mins.
You get home from work midweek and there is an unexpected small break in the clouds/rain, BOOM! You're having bbq for tea.
I find with coals the bbq is much more of a planned, all day affair, Which is great but it means I eat a lot less bbq.
When I had gas we had bbq approx 30 times a year, with coals maybe 10 if I'm lucky.
Now, folk that use coals but the bbq has no hood or cooking chamber????? What the fuck is the point in that?!?!?