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Tue 1 Aug, 2006 07:20 am
Recently, some people have taken to filling their tires with nitrogen, in order to improve gas mileage. Apparently, nitrogen is less sensitive to heat, so that you will not lose as much nitrogen as you lose air. Nitrogen has been used in trucks and race cars for a long time, and is safe.
My husband's friend put nitrogen in his tires. He claims that he feels an improvement in the overall handling of the car. I am a bit skeptical about that though.
Do you or would you consider putting nitrogen in your tires?
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I got it a coiple of years ago - the new tires came filled with nitrogen.
I didn't observe any advantage at all.
Doing the math....
my car holds approx 10 gals and I get 320 miles from a tank of gas.
an extra 1.5 miles per gallon would mean I'd get 335 miles from a tank.
At $3.00 a gallon, 320 miles costs me 9.375 cents per mile
At $3.00 a gallon, 335 miles costs me 8.955 cents per mile
That a savings of .42 cents per miles (less than 1/2 a cent)
If it costs $8.00 to inflate 4 tires with nitrogen, I'd have to drive 1,904 miles to break even.
Chai- Well, there is another benefit. A car does run better, and handles better if the tires are properly inflated. There are many people who don't check their air pressure on a regular basis. For those people, I think that
having tires always properly inflated would be an advantage.
oh, I check my tires on a regular basis, that's why I'm questioning the need to fill it with nitrogen if you're going to break even on cost only after a couple of thousand miles...by the time you do break even, it would be time to top off the tires again, paying another 8 to 20 dollars, to start the cycle all over again.
Like I've said again and again....
All these gizmos and to an extent even hybrid cars that cost a few thousand more than an gas efficient car seems to me to be just another way for the consumer to fill their desire to buy buy buy.
Instead of paying 8 to 20 dollars to inflate your tires with something besides air....why not (gasp) slow down a little, keep your tires inflated to a proper level, stop tailgating, stop rabbit starts and sudden braking.
That's just not as sexy as paying money to save a mile and a half a gallon.
Something else I've asked before, that I observe every single day....but no one seems to want to give a thought to...
Does everyone not realize, that if you take your foot off the gas, your vehicle will not come to a schreaching halt?
Another amazing thing is that if you are going downhill, gravity will actually keep you moving!!! Isn't that amazing!!!
I've looked at hybrids, again, with my driving habits, I've figured it would take me I think 4 years to recoup the cost. There's other aspects about the car I don't like as well.
Chai has convinced me that my tires do not need nitrogen.
I drive with my tyres about 50,000 miles until I have to get new ones.
The car computer checks the pressures - but I like to look at the tyres by myself.
Chai Tea really gave good advice ... the same, as the automobile clubs and the garages here :wink:
But Walter, who do I trust more? The professionals at the garage or Chai?
I think the answer is clear.
Both, since both gave the same advice :wink:
Bella Dea wrote:But Walter, who do I trust more? The professionals at the garage or Chai?
I think the answer is clear.
Well FINALLY my genius is recognized!
Got questions? Chai's got answers!
Slow Down!
Dump his abusive lazy ass!
Tell the kid to pipe down and sit still!
Exercise to keep the weight off!
See? It's easy.
I would like to put Helium in my tires. I think that would be way cool.
It would make the car lighter and I could effortlessly float down the street.
Put nitrous oxide in your tires. When things get boring on the highway, you just stop the car, get out and take a puff from your tires.
Well, air is approximately 80% nitrogen anyway, so that does seem a little steep for the final 20%.
Helium. Fabulous idea. Sometimes I inflate my bike tires with CO2, and haven't noticed any difference due to the increased rotational mass, but go ahead. And do it often. I can't think of anything that will leak out faster.
I fill my tires up with Wheaties and I can really feel the difference!
I fill my tires with freon . . . because, like, i'm really cool . . .
I used to know an old maintenance man, who actually did fill tires- -bike tires- -with freon.