An increasing number of auto-repair shops and car dealerships are charging customers $20 to $50 to fill their tires with nitrogen.
Their pitch is that pure nitrogen maintains better tire pressure, which gives you better gas mileage, longer wear and a smoother and safer ride.
The idea of riding on nitrogen isn't new. It's been done for years in race cars, commercial airplanes and long-distance trucks.
More recently, a number of car dealerships across the country are using it in new car tires -- basically, a luxury "extra" to impress buyers.
The thinking is that nitrogen has larger molecules, which prevent it from seeping out of the tire as quickly as air and thereby maintain more stable pressure.
Tires filled with regular air tend to fluctuate in pressure level -- increasing in summer and decreasing during the cold season.
Tire pressure is vital. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says maintaining the proper pressure can improve gas mileage by almost 3 percent.
The government also estimates that underinflated tires cost the nation about 2 million gallons of gas every day. Low tire pressure can cause wheels to lose traction, making the car work harder and burn more fuel.
But is filling your tires with nitrogen really a good solution?
"This is still a heavily debated issue," said Steve Phillips, AAA Carolinas' traffic-safety manager. Some Goodyear and Michelin experts have reported that tires lose pressure from the areas around the valves and rims whether they are filled with air or nitrogen, Phillips said.
"So there is no guarantee that you are going to get better pressure," he said.
Phillips worries about what he calls the "fill-it-and-forget-it" mentality.
"Our fear is that people will put nitrogen in their tires and never check them again," he said. "They still have to check for tread [wear] and punctures."
According to a survey by Uniroyal Tire, nearly 50 percent of Americans say they check their tires once a month.
Source: Star-Telegram, 11/10/07
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