Comments on: Nitrogen Tire Scam part 3

By: Jay

Jay — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 18:08:22 +0000

I think the arguments for using nitrogen are the best for proving it to be a scam. If the oxygen leaks out more quickly than nitrogen, then each time we air up a low tire we increase the percentage of nitrogen. After a half dozen fills, the gas in the tire should be 99+% nitrogen and we got there without the expense of the initial nitrogen fill.

Moisture in air can cause problems but since I live in Texas and have aluminum wheels, it isn’t much of a worry.

By: CRI Tactical Driver

CRI Tactical Driver — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:04:50 +0000

Great post! Are you a physicist? Do you have knowledge in vehicle dynamics/physics?

By: vinocat

vinocat — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 05:41:35 +0000

What a testament to PT Barnum! All these nitrogen believers (for consumer vehicles driven under normal consumer conditions) sound like the same people who are routinely “cured” by the placebos given in drug clinical trials. If youthink you’re going to get better mileage (or if you were told you would), then you will paymore attention, and you most likely will get better mileage. Same for keeping tire pressure up to snuff. Get a grip, people!

By: bluffguy

bluffguy — Sat, 09 May 2009 14:07:25 +0000

The reason people get better mileage with nitrogen is because they are paying attention to their mileage. Those same people who use nitrogen check their tires regularly and keep them properly pressurized. Just check your tires regularly, drive carefully and you will get the “nitrogen” benefits with no cost involved.

By: Tom

Tom — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 23:26:54 +0000

I have a 9 month old Lexus GS350 that came new with nitrogen filled tires (did not cost me extra). I live in Florida with mild winters. I drove up to Nashville for vacation. When the temperature hit 27, my low tire pressure warning came on. It bounced on/off (mainly on) for several days. So I bought a tire pressure gauge. All 4 tires were between 28-30 PSI (normal is 33). I called the two local Lexus dealers. One does not use nitrogen. The other wanted $50 to top off my 4 tires !!! So, I went to the local gas station and paid $1.50 to use their air pump. Maybe if they come out with do-it-yourself kits (like the freon kits) it will be affordable, but even with a $50,000 car I refuse to pay $50 to refill 5 pounds of nitrogen in each of 4 tires !!!!

By: jimsgarage

jimsgarage — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 12:46:17 +0000

OK, I thought it was “snake oil” when I first heard about it. On my own car with compressed air in the tires I got about 11K miles out of the first tow set. They were Yokahama Advans and the car is a Mitsubishi Evolution. Then, on a whim, I tried nitrogen on the (3rd) new set of Yokahamas. What I found was that they went 17K miles and kept the pressures much better. Gas mileage may have improved – tough to say. It look to me like it made a difference.

I read the Consumer Reports study and the only thing I find wrong about it is that all they did is fill the tires and set them in storage. They should have used the tires. The normal heat cycling is what makes the difference.

Anyway, I think the stuff makes a difference. And it was only $40 for all four tires with free top off’s.

By: ANTHONY

ANTHONY — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 22:08:28 +0000

I have worked in the auto industry for near the last decade. In recent years auto makers are installing tire pressure indicator sensors that cary a 5lb threshold to turn on an indicator lamp. Every fall and every spring hundreds of customers come through the door complaining about the tire pressure light. We sell nitrogen as a one time expense of $40.00 with a life time refill. The customers that utilize nitrogen that come in with tire pressure lights on are far and few between. So my suggestion to those out there that share thier advise with no personal experiance is to get some and then share your advise.

By: Todd

Todd — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:26:25 +0000

I think it comes down to cost – is it worth the cost? At 60 bucks a tire i think its a no-brainer that its a scam. However at 5 bucks or so a tire, why not give it a try? My mechanic will do it for 30 bucks for all 4 tires so I gave it a try. If it saves me a couple of miles per gallon then its worth it.

By: kyle

kyle — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 21:54:44 +0000

Actually, I am curious to know how a Nitrogen molecule (N2) is larger than a molecule of Oxygen (O2). I have heard this arguement many times. Nitrogen has a molecular weight of 28.01grams/mole and Oxygen (O2) has a molecular weight of ~32.0 grams/mole. This is fairly common knowledge. In addition, the occupancy of electrons in oxygen’s orbitals are slightly greater. So, to say that it is the oxygen permeating the tire faster than nitrogen would be a misnomer. If anything, the water vapor would be the faster diffusing molecule. But, I have yet to see a tire weeping water, because under the average 34psi the present water vapor would quickly condense. The only argument that could be made is that due to oxygen’s slightly higher molecular weight, the rotational mass of the tire would be greater causing the effort of acceleration to combust slightly more fuel. Conversely, “decceleration” would wear brakes at a faster rate. However, since approx. 78% of the Earth’s atmosphere is Nitrogen, the +/- 21% oxygen would have very little effect on the roational mass of the tires. Finally, most garages that I have seen advertising this scam, only offer “high purity” nitrogen. giving no data as to the actual percentage of nitrogen, high purity could relate to anything from 50% to 100%.

To make a claim stating that the tires “seemed to be wearing less after about 10,000 miles” is hardly a qualifying statement on filling with nitrogen.

Let me preface this next statement by saying that it refers primarily to passenger cars. This is not a brand new revalation by scientists toiling away in a laboratory for years on end. This is an old topic, the tire/auto/etc. industry brings this up about every 15 years or so. It’s all the rage until people realize its easier and cheaper to just inflate their tires with regular old 78% pure nitrogen. It’s just snake oil.

By: Jon

Jon — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:16:57 +0000

I am not in the racing industry, but using Nitrogen I am 22,000 miles over the estimated life of my tires with about 1/4 of the useable tread left. I also have picked up about 3 miles per gallon on the interstate. The car is a 97 Camry with a 22r 4-cylinder. Of course, the gas mileage did not improve in town because you do not loose gas mileage while sitting still from under inflated tires. The Nitrogen in my Camry was free from Costco with a new tire purchase; maintenance is free also. However, I did have my tires in my truck evacuated and refilled with Nitrogen and got similar results – about 4 mpg on the highway and after about 10,000 miles seem to be wearing less. It cost 15.99 to do all 5 tires – including the spare, and maintenance is free also. I have not checked the pressure of my tires in either vehicle yet, but I do get the same mileage in hot or cold weather.

Not everyone checks their tires every 3,000 miles – or ever for that matter. Highway safety lists it as 60% of people as a matter of fact. Nitrogen works, sorry to disagree, but it works for any vehicle, any year, and under any conditions – it has been tested over and over. You should try it out – but do not ever buy anything from a dealer. Find a tire shop that does it, they usually put out coupons for decent prices.