The tires filled with nitrogen keep the tire temperature and tire pressure more consistent. It helps to prevent the tire rot inside out. It is not a free add on. Upgrade might costs between fifty to hundred dollars, and it is vary based on the dealership. Some tire stores and dealerships claims that the nitrogen filled tires will offer better performance than the air and save money on gas. Actually nitrogen is much higher cost and has few benefits.
A typical nitrogen will cost you around six dollars. According to Get Nitrogen Institute, the nitrogen tire inflation through cooler running tire temperatures, improved fuel economy, and better tire pressure retention will provide fuel efficiency and improvements in vehicle handling.
- Cooler running temperatures: Humidity condenses into a liquid form when the air is pressurized. The local gas station’s air storage tank collects that liquid. The water comes along with air when you add compressed air to your vehicle tire. When the tire temperature is increasing, the water turns into gas. When it expands the tire pressure will increase. But in case of nitrogen, it is dry. There is no water in nitrogen and will not effect on the pressure fluctuations. According to ExxonMobil a 2008 study, the change in the temperature when using nitrogen is negligible.
- Fuel economy: The tires that are under-inflated will give lower gas mileage. For every one psi drop in pressure in four tires lowers the gasoline mileage by 0.3 percent. The loss of pressure in nitrogen tires than in the air tires are slower. Because it gives the better mileage.
- Tyre pressure retention: A tire will gradually lose it’s pressure over time. The change in temperature will accelerate this process. For every ten degree fall or rise of temperature, one psi will loss. The nitrogen has larger molecules than oxygen and it has more stable pressure. The Consumer Reports conducted a study in 2006 for a year long to determine the air loss tire filled with air verses tires filled with nitrogen. In this study nitrogen won the test with a significant margin.
- Cost and convenience: The cost for a tire to fill the nitrogen is between five dollar to seven dollar. But in case of air it is free in many gas filling stations. Or sometimes it costs only less than a dollar. The nitrogen tires requires nearly eighty four dollars per year per tire as additional expense than the air. As well the nitrogen filling stations found at very rare places. For that purpose alone, you need to go there when the tire pressure is comes down. If you fill air in the nitrogen again it will make problem.
There are some more extra benefits with nitrogen than the air. As well some limitations too. In most cases, the advantage decides the availability of nitrogen for your vehicle. So compare before migrating to nitrogen tires.