Nitrogen Filled Tires? Yay or Nay? - United Bimmer Community

**Numark318i** · 06-29-2007, 10:21 PM

So i had my wheels refinished and straightened, and i also got some new Michelin Pilot sports, which i purchased at costco.

So costco installed the tires and put nitrogen in the wheels. From what i read it stays inflated longer. Havent read to much about it yet, but what are the cons and pros? every article i read just shows the pros..and the only con is price?

discuss.

**RSF5** · 06-29-2007, 10:29 PM

Pretty much yeah. Nitrogen doesn't expand and contract in hot and cold like normal air does. I have nitrogen in my tires and they never loose pressure really, only downside is that air is free and nitrogen costs a little bit.

witeshark · 06-29-2007, 10:34 PM

Regular air is mostly nitrogen as we know. But I guess in places with big temperature changes, nitrogen only helps some

nick_318is · 06-29-2007, 10:51 PM

They say its better but there aren't really any benefits to having nitrogen in them, mostly a marketing ploy.

**celsdogg** · 06-29-2007, 11:00 PM

good point whiteshark, air is 70% nitrogen.

i heard about this before and i think it said that nitrogen has larger particles so it doesnt leak out as easily. who knows. sounds like crap to me. fill them with argon or something, that will be interesting.

**xsperf** · 06-29-2007, 11:22 PM

yea its a buncha crap, instead of paying 40 dollars to fill up your tires, just go to the gas station every once in a while and drop in 50 cents and be normal

**Rooz** · 06-30-2007, 01:18 AM

If you get it fro free, by all means do it, if not, I wouldn't stress it

**cainchapman** · 06-30-2007, 02:04 AM

Air is 78% Nitrogen. It is of very little advantage.

As both are next to each other on the periodic table, they are both of similar molecular siz and weight. The advantage to using Nitrogen is that it is dry. If you buy your Air from Air Liquide, BOC (or the like) there Air is just as dry. It is the expansion of the water in the air that changes the pressure.

As you aren't talking about a race car (and even then it is pointless, until you hit F1), save your money. Trucking companies use it significantly as it does aid in the aging of the tyre. Car tyres wear out faster, so this is not a concern to you.

Aeroplanes use Nitrogen as they use much higher pressures in their tyres and the concern is more about adding Oxygen to very hot components and fueling a fire.

End of Story.

**RSF5** · 06-30-2007, 02:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xsperf

yea its a buncha crap, instead of paying 40 dollars to fill up your tires, just go to the gas station every once in a while and drop in 50 cents and be normal

Damn who charges you 40 dollars for Nitrogen??

drz · 06-30-2007, 03:09 AM

Air is not in the periodic table

**cainchapman** · 06-30-2007, 04:52 AM

Smart arse.

Technically Air is.

78% Nitrogen, 20.9% Oxygen, 0.04% Carbon Dioxide & 0.96% other gases.

You will notice that Oxygen & Nitrogen comprise 98.9% by volume.

**Numark318i** · 06-30-2007, 12:40 PM

k. makes sense

obviously there wont be a problem when i put air in next to the Nitrogen..cause costco decided 32psi was good enough.

**xsperf** · 06-30-2007, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RSF5

Damn who charges you 40 dollars for Nitrogen??

audi dealer, it used to be more

**3050rpm** · 07-01-2007, 10:36 AM

I've read that there are advantages to using nitrogen, the tire runs cooler (hence better fuel economy?), the inner rubber isn't prone to the deteriorating effects of oxygen being the two principal ones, but as for the cost most places are charging, fuhgeddaboudit. I'd spend a buck a tire, and at that they'd be making a tidy profit, but nothing beyond that.

**Numark318i** · 07-01-2007, 01:32 PM

costco services it for free. so i guess i dont have to worry about the cost.

I dont like how the caps are green though..