Sorry, Big, but thats nitrous oxide, not nitrogen.

And some articles on the topic - a few of the top 10 on a Google search:

- Consumer Reports - 1.5lb less pressure loss in a YEAR. You need to check it a couple of times each monta nyway. http://blogs.consumerreports.org/car...nitrogen-.html
Oh yeah, and if you pay $10/tire for 20 cents worth of nitrogen to get to 95% concentration instead of 78%, you are credulous, to put it gently.

- The Straight Dope - points out that the outside of your tires are exposed to oxygen anyway, so no difference in the life of the rubber. oh BTW, I replace mine because they wear out on the outside... http://www.straightdope.com/columns/...instead-of-air

- Hot cup of joe: debunks the five arguments about the value of nitrogen - http://ahotcupofjoe.wordpress.com/20...-tires-a-scam/

This whole idea is right down there with using acetone as a gas additive - silly, to put it mildly, and a rip-off by the tire dealers, to be more honest.

 

Just for a point of reference, when I put my winter setup on in early November I inflated the tires to 38psi with regular air, but did it indoors so the atmosphere was probably rather dry at the time (so there's relatively little moisture in the air in the tires right now) It was about 68 degrees in the apartment and 45-50 degrees outside when I did this. As of last week with temps in the 20s my tires are at 37psi. I don't think the advantages 1psi gives me is worth even the effort to get in my car and drive to the dealership or a tire-shop with nitrogen even if it's otherwise free. I'd use more in gas getting there than any savings I'd gain from it.

 

It's unusual to only lose 1psi over four months. The seal between your rim and tire must be very tight, indeed.

As for the drop from 38psi to 37psi, that's exactly what would be expected for a 20-degree temperature change, based on temperature and pressure being directly proportional. It's about a 3-4% drop in temperature, and a 3-4% drop in pressure.

 

Of course this is coming from someone who probably has never had nitrogen in their tires before.

Obviously you don't know your car, if you did, you'd realize that waxing your car ACTUALLY adds drag to it.

 

Oh no, not another classic "Old Rick" the science guy topic. Are you going to go on 5 pages how nitrogen is not worth putting in your tires. Seems like all these topics you get in on, you know everything. WOW, it must be nice to be Einstein reincarnated. And I doubt seriously 5 minutes of driving would heat the tires up enough to evaporate moisture.

 

Actually, I have plenty of nitrogen in my tires! Wouldn't leave home without it!

As for waxing making my car faster, if I believe it, it must be true!

I'm all for faith-based science!

 

Faterdeth, you should read the actual articles I cited instead of starting up the personal head-butting again. You might learn something for a change.

For example:
"A flavor of ice cream being transported affects a car's performance: every time vanilla is the driver's choice, the car stalls."
http://www.snopes.com/autos/techno/icecream.asp

 

Too funny. I had a 1972 Mercedes that had a similar peculiarity. If the engine was cold, it would start instantly. If the engine was hot (shut down less than 5-10 minutes), it would also start up instantly. But if I drove somewhere and then let the car sit for a half-hour, it would be very hard to re-start.

 

Nitrogen joins the list of fabric protection, paint sealer, gold packages, undercoating, and VIN etch -- all dubious products that dealers sell to bump their margins.

 

My, my. And you didn't quote Wikipedia?

 

 

Sorry, but I think a lot of people might say you start the head butting in threads. NAM studies have shown it.