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Should You Use Nitrogen in Your Car Tires?

(www.consumerreports.org)
8 points reaperducer | 4 comments | 27 Jun 25 10:31 UTC | HN request time: 0.844s | source
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theandrewbailey ◴[27 Jun 25 10:53 UTC] No.44395709[source]▶
The title and the article comply with Betteridge's law.
replies(1): >>44396327 #
treetalker ◴[27 Jun 25 12:37 UTC] No.44396327[source]▶
From my reading, even according to Consumer Reports nitrogen can be preferable to air, but Consumer Reports believes the hassle of finding nitrogen, and the added expense, make monthly fill-ups with regular air a better option.

But that doesn't really apply to Costco members: the ready availability of free nitrogen at Costco eliminates any downside.

On that note, a related tip for Costco members (only because I always see people fail to read the instructions): on Costco's tire-inflation pumps, if your tires are hot (meaning you have driven at least 3 miles to arrive at the pump) you're supposed to set the pressure to 4 psi more than the pressure recommended on the label in your vehicle's door jamb.

replies(1): >>44396783 #
1. jqpabc123 ◴[27 Jun 25 13:46 UTC] No.44396783[source]▶
I get an unlimited supply of 78% pure nitrogen from my own compressor. No need for a Costco visit.

I'd bet money Costco sources their "nitrogen" the same way I do.

replies(1): >>44398652 #
2. treetalker ◴[27 Jun 25 17:31 UTC] No.44398652[source]▶
Possible! But I tend to trust Costco when it makes a statement of quality/content because it has actually earned a level of my trust over the years. Misrepresenting something so innocuous (in the big scheme of things) would have far more downside than upside — particularly where Costco provides the tire stations as an additional value / at no additional cost.
replies(1): >>44399221 #
3. jqpabc123 ◴[27 Jun 25 18:48 UTC] No.44399221[source]▶
There is no "misrepresentation" here by Costco.

Using one of their tire stations does in fact fill your tires with a compressed gas that is mostly nitrogen.

There is a potential "misunderstanding" by those who don't realize that ordinary compressed air is 78% pure nitrogen gas.

replies(1): >>44400644 #
4. ◴[27 Jun 25 22:00 UTC] No.44400644{3}[source]▶