Comments on: Nitrogen-Filled Tires & Better Gas Mileage?

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 17:05:44 +0000

Ok, i think its funny seeing all these rediculous stories and people who are all so scared of something new. I work in a Costco tire center. We never make any outrageous claims as the ones that people are sworn they are told here. The only thing we claim is that nitrogen is more stable then air when it comes to CLIMATE CHANGE such as when the weather is hot, the air expands in the tires just as after driving on your tires. Or when its cold out and the air condenses in tires. The nitrogen WILL fluctuate, just no where near as much as normal air would. As many have said above, YOU STILL NEED TO CHECK YOUR PRESSURE REGULARLY! Nitrogen is just there to keep fuel consumption and tire wear to a minimum between intervals of checking tire pressure. Another thing, COSTCO HAS NEVER CHARGED TO PUT NITROGEN INTO YOUR TIRES! Nitrogen inflation was something decided to be done once there were “BENEFITS” to it being claimed. We modified our systems for the MEMBERS benefit. With it being free, whats the downside of putting pure nitrogen compared to normal air? It cant make it any worse so all there is is room for improvement. Now Stealerships and small shops charge for Nitrogen but COSTCO has never charged a single person for Nitrogen. And to finalize for all you worried people about mixing nitrogen and air, THERE IS NITROGEN IN AIR! 78% ACTUALLY! Mixing them together just reduces/nullifies the claimed benefits of pure nitrogen. BUT IT IS 100% SAFE TO MIX THEM! No less safe in ANY way then normal air.

By: Ronda

Ronda — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 00:30:18 +0000

Thank you all for your comments on nitrogen and air being mixed in the tire. Funny how the dealer never said anything about my tires needing only nitrogen and the difficulty finding nitrogen sources for inflating them. So, since September I have reinflated my tires twice with air. Today the service manager at the dealership informed me of my mistake. If it is a big deal then the Consumer Safety Commission needs to make the tire manufacturers change the size of valve stems so that the hose for air is incompatible with the tire using nitrogen. In the mean time I will continue to use whatever I have to when the low tire pressure light is on because it is probably more dangerous to drive on an underinflated tire than mixing air and nitrogen. Thank you all for your information..

By: Mardi

Mardi — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 07:28:10 +0000

I did get nitrogen in my snow tires this past Wednesday when they were being mounted on my rims. Three days later driving on an Interstate, my car’s Rt front tire popped with great noise. I looked at the tire right before we left our relatives and it looked fine, although I realize that you can’t tell what the pressure it by looking. I can’t imagine that the pressure changed much after driving 200 miles, but I may be wrong. I’ll have them inspect the tire tomorrow to see if there is any evidence of a nail, etc. But I did wonder if the tire might have been under inflated. I’m glad my husband has nerves of steel and didn’t panic and got us off the road safely. It, of course, can be entirely coincidental, but still seems strange that it happened so soon after they were mounted. I’ve had a few flats – one with a nail, another when regular tubes had been used in radial tires back in the 60s. But never a blowout like this. I guess ther is always a first time.

By: Peg

Peg — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 12:18:50 +0000

I just bought a C6 Corvette and it had nitrogen filled tires. I got 31.1 mpg on highway, which was very surprising to me. My Ford Escape on gets about 25 mpg.

And from everything that I have read, you can put air in the nitrogen filled tires if needed and then have them flushed and refilled with nitrogen.

By: Jake

Jake — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 01:43:05 +0000

George, I’m assuming it’s pumped with regular air, correct? If so, you kinda answered your own question. he said that NITROGEN loses 1-2 psi every 6 months or so, while REGULAR AIR loses that amount in about a month. If you do in fact have nitrogen-filled tires, then I don’t know, something is messed up. If not, then read the friggin’ post before trying to call him out.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 16:07:28 +0000

if tires are filled with nitrogen, can you put air in them or are you locked in to nitrogren forever?

By: N2TYRZ

N2TYRZ — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 16:11:08 +0000

Andy, I put nitrogen in my friends semi in Nov 2009 he usually gets 300 to 330k on driver tires. He has 440k and going to go another 20k before replacing. He usues the same tires and runs a route weekly 6k per trip. He did not bother rotating 1/2 through like he does with air because the tires were wearing so evenly. I and he recomends it.

By: N2TYRZ

N2TYRZ — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 16:06:34 +0000

FDAFL, the best mpg increase I ever heard. The best I personaly heard was 2 mpg. I would attribute the oil change may have helped a little too better lubricity engine worked easier changing viscosity etc. What I have read that nitrogen decreases rolling resistance a study done by some scientist. Good that you matched pound for pound as well so extra psi would be ruled out. Many theroist try and down play the benefits of nitrogen inflation but it has merit. I dont agree with over pricing for the service and should be free with new tires like some dealers offer. Costco does it because they self insure tires so less failures due to underinflation works for them and they dont upsell its free. I do a portable Nitrogen inflation business a car cruises with almost 100% positive feedback. Psi maintained a year later, better ride some say with manual steering older cars alot easier matching pound for pound psi. Another, example a friend and his wife are long haul truckers ownwer operator team. They run the same route each week from west coast to east about 6k per trip. They use the same brand tires for years and same loads. I put nitrogen in their tires in Nov 2009. They usually get 300 to 330k per set of driver tires. They are at 440k and going another 20k before changing tires. He checked psi and had not lost any and usually has to rotate 1/2 through a set but the nitrogen set was wearing so even he didnt bother. He wants me to do his new set when he replaces. The only variable was nitrogen inflation vs compressed air. Sorry for babbling on but my experience has been positive with nitrogen the nay sayers down play nitrogen on paper but probably never tried or own a car.

By: FDAFL

FDAFL — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 18:08:49 +0000

Earlier this year we bought a 2010 Mercury Grand Marquis off lease. It’s the model with on-board computer. Dealer gave free nitrogen in all tires with first free oil change. So, I decided to go with the free nitrogen when we did oil change today. I checked tire pressure before I left and it was 32lb in each tire. I checked mileage on the way over when we got on the interstate by pushing the reset button for the average mpg. It was 24.8 on average while on the interstate when we got to the dealer some 35 miles away. Did the same thing on the way back. Got on interstate, hit reset, and checked when we left interstate 35 miles the other way, this time with nitrogen in the tires. Mileage was 30.1 mpg. Can anyone explain this? I’ve read all the goofy letters and replies, I have a doctorate, I was a chemistry scholar. No, it wasn’t the 50 mile per hour tailwind on the way back. I’m thinking about changing out the air for nitrogen in my older Grand Marquis. I know it doesn’t seem possible to get this much of an increase in mileage…but figures don’t lie? Right????

By: malordus

malordus — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 21:39:04 +0000

Hear is an article about the advantages of using nitrogen in your tires. Some places charge you to switch to nitrogen, Others do not.

By: KenColgate

KenColgate — Tue, 24 May 2011 15:32:06 +0000

Spelling ..sorry NORMA hrt= hurt …ambiaent=ambient

By: KenColgate

KenColgate — Tue, 24 May 2011 15:30:41 +0000

Narma, remember that the air we breath is already 72 % nitrogen ..no, it will not hrt your tires by mixing the two (pure nitrogen and ambiaent air).

By: Aj

Aj — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 21:09:00 +0000

first post 02/02/2009 at 11:04 am !!!!

Wowzers!!

By: N2TYRZ

N2TYRZ — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 02:17:22 +0000

That a boy Goob git er done

By: N2TYRZ

N2TYRZ — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 17:45:47 +0000

Andy,
There are dozens of articles on line of trucking companies using nitrogen. They have experienced increased tire life, small mpg increase and failures are minimal for running air. They had commemted that a blowout costs approx $500.00 and have decreased using N2. Here is a link of one of many articles. Hope this helps.
http://getnitrogen.org/pdf/Nitrogen%20Tire%20Inflation%20for%20the%20Big%20Rigs.pdf