So my dealer sends an e-mail and offers free nitrogen and tire rotation, and since I have 10110 miles on my MCCs, I had my first oil change although the onboard was telling me I still could go an ADDITIONAL 12700 miles until an oil change. That cost was $135.
Now to the question, anybody else do the nitrogen thing? and if yes did you see a difference such as a slight increase in gas mileage?
I actually paid to have this done on my wife's Lexus RX350 and truthfully I haven't seen an increase in gas mileage.

 

Bahollings,

this topic has literally been beaten to death, yet there are still many strong opinions pro and con for filling tires with nitrogen out there...

My two cents are: the air we all breathe, every day of our lives, is something close to 80% nitrogen, (no, I don't know the exact number). But for me, it's close enough... I'll take the free air, thank you very much.

 

The only things I'd pay to have nitrogen in are beer and scuba tanks.

 

The topic has been beat up a lot. I got a mailing from Mini North Scottsdale for free NO2/rotation (they charged me $60 for a rotation the first time with balancing). Room air is 80% nitrogen. The only potential advantage is the tires won't lose pressure nearly as easily. If you have something that you let sit a long time (RV, boat trailer, the 1975 Dodge Demon out back of your trailer?) it might be good.

 

Or something that sees extreme heating/cooling cycles like an airplane or land-speed record race car. I learned that the Pirelli people at the endurance races only use regular air with less than 1% humidity rather than Nitrogen.

 

I did it a while back. The local mazda dealer does it for $50, plus free refills with the life of the tires. 8 months later, and no refills !!!! Will I do it again? Possibly, but I'm up in the air on the benefits. I didn't really notice a difference except that in the mornings when it's cold out, I don't have that flat spot feeling when taking off first thing. It's totally up to you, the driver.

 

I'm a fan.

As Deviant mentioned, getting the moisture out is one of the chief benefits of Nitrogen fill. That's what lets you have more even pressure across the temperature range. Essentially NO tire places go to the trouble to dry the air they use, so the only way you're going to get dry gas is with nitrogen.

The story is that the tires also run cooler in hot weather. Can't say that I've put a pyrometer on them to tell. They also don't drop pressure in the cold as bad as atmospheric air. I can confirm this from experience: SWMBO's Prius hasn't required top-ups since we put N in her tires.

On the motorcycles, I noticed that the ride was "livelier." Can't describe it any better than that, but it was obvious on both bikes. I noticed the same on the Passat. I did the N fill on the Clubman the Monday after I picked it up, so I had almost no "before" experience.

The going rate here is about $30 with free top ups, so if there's even an incremental change in MPGs or heat stress on the tires, it pays for itself. As always, YMMV.

 

Well, it doesn't seem that Costco currently has any of my tires in stock (the 175/65R15), but they might have some of the other more common sizes. And if you buy tires at Costco, they fill them with nitrogen and also offer free "top-offs" (or whatever you call bringing your tires up to pressure) as well as free rotate and balance (which I think lasts for the life of the tire). If I recall correctly they also provide road hazard automatically on every tire.

So if you can find your size, and you like the idea of nitrogen, consider Costco!

 

This subject has been beat to death. Nitrogen does have advantages, but they're exceedingly minor for a steet car and they have nothing to do with the junk science "different size molecules" rationales you see posted. Pure nitrogen is simply ever-so-slightly more temp stable than air.

If your tire changing outfit provides nitrogen, consider it a very minor freebie. But go back to them for tire top-offs? Fine if convenient, but a small amount of air used for top off is going to be even more marginal. And if you neglect proper tire pressures just so you can use nitrogen, then that's truly the tail wagging the dog.

- Mark

 

I got the same e-mail. I passed figuring it was a lure to extract $ for something else.

 

Keep in mind it takes quite a bit of energy to separate the nitrogen from the other 20% of the air so if you're doing this for environmental reasons you're better off just using a bicycle pump to keep your tires inflated as any improvement in economy or tire life would be offset by the energy required to produce the gas. This is a point I often see overlooked as people seem to think pure nitrogen is easily had.

 

Tires filled with nitrogen lose pressure more slowly than tires filled with air. Other than that, there's no real benefit for the average driver.

As far as a tire filled with nitrogen providing a "livelier" ride, it's actually the driver's thinner wallet that's providing that feeling!

 

As I said it was free, so no big deal there, plus I got them to replace all four wipers and as I said free tire rotation, so all in all I guess this time I did get something for nothing.

 

Uhhh, negative. It depends on the tires construction. If you know your car, and I mean really know your car, then it could provide a livelier ride.

 

And the supposed "livelier ride" is explained by what...?

 

I always wondered why someone didn't come up with filling the tires with helium to make the tires and wheels lighter!

 

http://www.whynot.net/ideas/1577

 

35 PSI is 35 PSI, no matter what's inside the tire.

If putting nitrogen in your tires gives you the feeling that it's handling better, then go ahead and do it.

I know my car runs better after I wax it, and I know it's a fact because I really, really know my car!

 

How do you even know they are putting Nitrogen in your tires?

 

You'll feel it in the handling, but only if you really, really know your car.

 

One good thing about the Nitrogen is when the temperture dips you don't get the low tire pressure warning. It seems to me that it is worth it just to have the same tire pressure no matter what the temperture is. My Corvette used to drive me nuts every time the Temperture went down.
I will keep using the nitrogen as long as I can get it. The Chevy dealer put mine in for $39.95 and all I need to do is stop in and get the pressure checked every couple of months or so. So far, since I put it in in November Ithey have not had to add any more. 38psi all the time no matter what the temperture is.
As far as this being beat to death on this forum. When a newer member does not go back to read 3 or 4 year old posts they should ask or post what they would like information on. Don't holler at the new guys for making a post.
Ronnie948

 

Why would you pay to have nitrogen in your scuba tanks? Helium, yes, nitrogen, no.

 

Some of you guys need to go back to high school and take a physics class:

- The only way the ride will be changed at all is if you change the pressure.

- Yes, gas pressure varies with temperature (Boyle's Law) - but the variation is not sensitive to what gas is used unless it is cold enough for some of it (i.e. water vapor) to condense or crystallize out. BTW, five minutes of driving will warm the tire up enough to evaporate moisture again anyway.

- and BTW, helium would leak out of the tires in a week or two

 

Easy: you remove the valve stem, inhale deeply, and if you start giggling it's nitrogen. If not ask for your money back
He already said way back there that by definition there won't be moisture in a NO2 filled tire like there will be with air. That's what reduces the tire pressure in cold weather, not the gas composition inside.

 

Putting nitrogen in your tires does not prevent the tire pressure going down in cold weather. That's basic physics, lower temperature means lower pressure. It may be less of a change than tires filled with plain old air, but I've seen nothing to indicate that's the case. Nitrogen does leak out more slowly than air, the only real benefit for most drivers.