I went in to look at accessories. I drove by to see what they had in the Prius section. No black cars, no gray or white. They had 5 cars, and someone was testing a blue car. No cars with leather. When I got out a young couple waiting, asked me how I like my car. The salesman was very jolly and was having a good day, winked at me. The parts guy told me he put nitrogen in his prius tires, and that they would do that for me - it wasn't even the dealer where I bought the car. What do you all think about nitrogen??
If you can get it for free, I'd use it. Otherwise, there's not much difference between nitrogen and normal air. Normal air is about 78% nitrogen. The Air Force uses nitrogen in aircraft tires to extend their lives, reduce expansion when hot, and maybe reduce leakage over time.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusmaybe @ May 20 2007, 12:14 PM) [snapback]446138[/snapback]</div> Nitrogen is (majority opinion) a gymic. Speeking of gymics . . . the search tool is a WAY better gymic, where you'll find the word 'nitrogen' inputted, yields tons of comments, discussed adnausium. That being said, be of good cheer! Tons of topics end up being duplicated over & over again ... as opposed to simply resurecting the thread's topic already posted. Heck, even the 'use the search tool' topic gets recycled!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hill @ May 20 2007, 12:00 PM) [snapback]446170[/snapback]</div> I believe it's spelled "gimmick", and Costco uses Nitrogen in all their tires they install. I think Costco is a pretty smart company, so if they think it's worth it, it must be. Dave
They use nitrogen because you can get a "nitro concentrator", which pulls nitrogen out of the air, pretty cheaply now, and it gives them a marketing advantage. It encourages people to come back to them for their tire checks because they are worried about mixing nitrogen and air in their tires. But I think its mostly a marketing gimmick, as others have said. I knew a guy who used nitrogen because he could rent a bottle of nitrogen pretty cheaply to use for his vehicles (he had a few off-road "toys"). The nitrogen was only something like $4 at that time, with a deposit on the tank. He found that easier than firing up his compressor, waiting for it to build up enough pressure, and then having to empty the tank after adding 2 PSI to a tire. Plus the bottle was portable, so he could take it out to the desert easy enough. He laughed about people thinking it was some kind of "secret weapon" for his dirt bike racing, and I've always wondered if some of the mythology about nitrogen in tires stems from people seeing nitrogen tanks strapped into the beds of trucks with off-road vehicles.
One advantage with Nitrogen, is that its very dry. Won't condense into water that could mess with the TPMS.
People, people . . . Dear lord, if I have to re-hash another nitrogen myth . . . okay, here it goes. Race car drivers DO put nitrogen in their tires, nitrogen is a more stable gas at high temperatures that racecars normally drive. Nitrogen is non-combustable. If you have a fiery car crash then the tires won't add to the explosion. If you're a racecar driver there is a little comfort in this idea. For all us normal drivers out there. Nitrogen makes NO major difference. Not even a little difference! Yes, our tires get hot from driving, not extreme temperatures like a racecar's tires. We're not driving the INDY 500 at 200 mph, we're driving to work at 70 mph. Normal compressed air is just as stable as nitrogen in this environment. Yes, normal air is combustable because it contains around 30-40% oxygen. If you are in a fiery car crash, your nitrogen filled tires will not compound your fiery-ness. Think about it though, THERE IS OXYGEN ALL AROUND YOU! It doesn't freakin' matter! Nitrogen is generally not free. Air is (okay the 25 cents at the corner gas station isn't free but what can you buy for 25 cents these days?) Yes, compressed air can and may have humidity/water particles in it. It will cause your tires to corrode faster than if they never, ever, ever touched water. If you never drive in the rain, through a puddle, in the fog, this may be something to consider. Since you're probably going to replace your tires at 50K anyway, you'll be just fine with your run of the mill air from the corner gas station. Don't believe me or any other posters? Check www.cartalk.com, or any other objective third party site.
The water vapor in air will cause the tire pressure to change with temperature a wee bit more than nitrogen will do. If they give me nitrogen for free I take it. When I need to pump up my own tires I use air. My big question: Will the gas station people get mad at me when I fill the tires of my all-electric Zap Xebra with their free air. Yes, where I buy gas for my gas-guzzler (Prius) the compressed air is free. It's not like I'm a great customer. Even my gas guzzler only takes about 6 or 8 gallons of gas at a time.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ May 20 2007, 08:23 PM) [snapback]446427[/snapback]</div> In California, they decided that air and water for cars was a thing the gas stations would have to provide for free as a "public conveyance" or "public business" (something like that). So here, at least, they have to provide the air to bicycles, electric cars, etc., and they can't charge a quarter for it either!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(The Bransons @ May 20 2007, 11:25 PM) [snapback]446404[/snapback]</div> What planet are you living on? Here on Earth, the air contains about 21% oxygen by volume. For the record, here is the chemical composition of normal air: Nitrogen: 78% Oxygen: 21% Argon: .9% All other gases : .1% Source: http://www.miamidade.gov/derm/air/library/...osition_air.pdf
Dude, you have no idea what you are talking about. As an Air Force pilot...we use nitrogen because it doesn't exand the same way regular air will at different altitudes and temperatures. At 35,000 feet, the air pressure is quite low and the tires would have a tendency to blow up like a balloon since the wheel wells are not pressurized.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusmaybe @ May 20 2007, 12:14 PM) [snapback]446138[/snapback]</div> Only if you can get it for free...For every 10 degrees of temperature change you have 1 PSI of pressure change in your tires, so the theory goes that nitrogen will not yeild to temperature fluctuations like standard compressed air. This might be good for people who live with extreme temperature variances or do exceptionally fast driving, but other than that, it won't help you much. Free is good, but it's not worth paying for it.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(The Bransons @ May 20 2007, 10:25 PM) [snapback]446404[/snapback]</div> And the "regular" air in my tires IS combustible in a fiery crash???? YIKES!
Helium in the tires is much better. It is non-explosive and it makes the car lighter. You have to be careful though going over bumps, hit the bump too hard and you'll be airborn for a while. What a glide.
I prefer to fill the tires with nitrous oxide. That way if I see the person in the car behind me passing out, I know I have a flat.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Les Gas @ May 21 2007, 07:48 PM) [snapback]447107[/snapback]</div> Good warning system. However, they probably won't pass out. Just start weaving (more than usual). Dave M.
