What's Wrong With This Picture: A Steal Of A Deal Edition

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

The Porsche Center of San Antonio offers its customers the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fill their tires with nitrogen for only $49.95. No word on whether this is special imported German nitrogen or not, but it definitely isn’t the most expensive nitrogen scam out there… [via Corvetteblogger.com]

Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • CarPerson CarPerson on Jul 27, 2010

    $50 to increase the nitrogen level of the air in the tires from 78% to 95%? I think I’ll continue using 78% nitrogen run through a filter/dryer and spend the $50 on a top drawer air gauge. Longacre has a nice 0-60psi unit with 0.1 increments but it comes in a $50 case.

  • Silvy_nonsense Silvy_nonsense on Jul 27, 2010

    If your fantasy life is "race car driver" then by all means put the nitrogen in your tires for $50. However, if your fantasy life is "Jason Bourne/James Bond/Hot Russian New York Realtor" then stick with the regular "air" in your tires so you have something to breathe when your car is forced off a bridge into the water and you need to stay submerged so that the bad guy can't shoot you. That won't work if you foolishly put nitrogen in the tires. If your fantasy life is "comedian" put helium in your tires. It will make your voice sound funny and it will improve your fuel economy because the car seems to weigh less and that reduces the tires' rolling resistance. If your fantasy life is "1940's German zeppelin Captain", then you want to fill your tires with hydrogen. It should be fine as long as you don't drive into New Jersey. What other ridiculous gases can we use in our tires to re-enforce our fantasy lives? Argon. Everyone knows exactly where I'm going with that one, right?

    • See 2 previous
    • Ihatetrees Ihatetrees on Jul 27, 2010

      If your fantasy life is Hunter S. Thompson can you fill to 100psi to improve cornering?

  • Venator Venator on Jul 27, 2010

    At the dealership I work customers sometimes ask if we fill tyres with nitrogen. I tell them that we use a 78% nitrogen solution that gives practically the same result as "pure" nitrogen, and that puts their mind at ease. When they find out that we provide it for free, they go home very happy.

  • Cardeveloper Cardeveloper on Jul 27, 2010

    {sigh} Aircraft use it because Nitrogen contains zero moisture, air (78% Nitrogen) contains moisture. As mentioned above, freezing temperatures can play havoc on the moisture. Even worse, on the other end, during an emergency braking situation during landing, the moisture could turn to steam, and substantially increase pressures to the point of overwhelming the safety devices and causing a blow out. Tires used in racing need strict pressure control, and once again, it's the moisture turning to steam that will cause most of the issue.

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