Things that make me go Hmmmmmm. NF

[Bernie]

Been seeing more and more vehicles coming in with little green valve caps to indicate they are nitrogen filled. Really didn't put a lot of thought into it until yesterday. First of all what is the big advantage? Less change in tire pressure as heat builds up? Can't be moisture content. What about the air that is already inside the tire when it is mounted? Here's just a quick calculation. Atmospheric air pressure at sea level is about 14.7 psi, let's round things off to 15. To get to 30 psi you need to add double the amount of volume already inside the tire. Ok this means 1/3rd of the gas inside the tire is air. Isn't regular air already 70% nitrogen? To get 100% nitrogen you would need to apply a vacuum to the tire. Try to do that without pulling the tire off the bead. Yep. I say it's a scam or awful close to it.

There are some more things that are marketing scams that bug me too.

 

What bugs you?

Edited November 14, 2008 by Bernie

[Beats]

I bought a new set of winter tires from Canadian Tire today and noticed the green caps right away, but didn't think much about it. I got home and checked the bill and saw that they had filled my new tires with nitrogen (without asking me) and charged me 20$ for doing it...

 

I had heard nitrogen was better, especially for winter tires since they aren't affected by fluctuating temperatures as much. But I don't know how it works to refill them now. Do I need to take them to CT (or elsewhere) to add pressure to the tires instead of just going to a gas station pump. I assume you can't add air from a regular pump to nitrogen.. I am not too impressed that they charged me 20$ for nitrogen when I assume it is free to have them put regular old air in the tires. I don't like the idea of having to pay a garage a bunch of $ every time the pressure is off. I ended up being charged 20$ for nitrogen and almost 30$ for Protection Plan Plus. Neither of which I asked for, or even had mentioned to me.

[Greencoachdog]

Your new Avatar makes me go Hmmmmmm Bern!

 

... but I really do like it!!!

[Bernie]

Beats that is my point. When the tire is mounted it has air in it at atmospheric pressure. So then they add nitrogen to it to build up the pressure. That makes the air inside the tire only 2/3 pure nitrogen along with any moisture from the tire lube. It's marketing crap. Tires are designed to build pressure as they travel due to the friction inside and outside the tire. This is also part of what makes your car/truck better on fuel on longer trips. The difference in pressure due to installing nitrogen would be minuscule. I don't believe it is good value.

[BUSTER]

i went to crappy tyre in guelph and asked for hankook I pike winter tire and when i picked it up the next day it had goodyear nordic the hankook cost 80 each plus and the nordic was 130plus , after tell them to change the tires cause i wont pay the difference they gave me them for the cost of the hankook @80 each? stupid idiots,how do they make money? oh ya rip off other members like Beats to get the cash lost..

[Beats]

Yeah, well like I said, I didn't have a clue I was getting nitrogen. Hopefully with brand new tires that are only for the winter the pressure with the nitrogen will stay consistent and not need any more added. Any one else going to CT for winter tires should take not that they may use nitrogen without asking you. I'm not saying it's bad since I have driven on them for less than 30 mins so far, but there's something that just isn't right about not getting the option or being informed.

[Bernie]

I do believe Beats that it is your right to not have to pay for something you did not request or authorize. Take it up with the service manager and get your refund.

[John Bacon]

Been seeing more and more vehicles coming in with little green valve caps to indicate they are nitrogen filled. Really didn't put a lot of thought into it until yesterday. First of all what is the big advantage? Less change in tire pressure as heat builds up? Can't be moisture content. What about the air that is already inside the tire when it is mounted? Here's just a quick calculation. Atmospheric air pressure at sea level is about 14.7 psi, let's round things off to 15. To get to 30 psi you needs to add double the amount of volume already inside the tire. Ok this means 1/3rd of the gas inside the tire is air. Isn't regular air already 70% nitrogen? To get 100% nitrogen you would need to apply a vacuum to the tire. Try to do that without pulling the tire off the bead. Yep. I say it's a scam or awful close to it.

There are some more things that are marketing scams that bug me too.

 

What bugs you?

 

Actually regular air is 78% nitrogen. I guess that makes it a bigger scam than you thought.

 

I never really believed the advantages of nitrogen since air is mostly nitrogen anyway. I never even considered the air that was already in the tire. It seems to be a bigger scam than I thought too.

[douG]

I'm a fricken rocket whatever, and I think it's nuts. Getcher money back.

 

And, it's not just me.

[kemper]

typical hosery

[Beats]

I'm a fricken rocket whatever, and I think it's nuts. Getcher money back.

 

And, it's not just me.

 

 

To me, it's basically a new catch phrase. The garage (CT in my case) gets to make money on it and they are also ensuring that now I must go back and spend even more $ to get them brought backup to pressure when the need presents itself. It is true though,if I go and tell someone I have nitrogen filled tires most ppl would think that is "cool" or "next generation" type of thing. The cutting edge stuff. Again, having not really driven on them yet I can't say anything positive or negative. I just hope that with new tires they hold the pressure and I don't need to worry about it. As long as that happens I will be happy. I'm not about to deflate them and put straight air into them. Yet, if the pressure goes down enough to warrant it in the snow season,I just might do that.

[Vanselena]

I'm a fricken rocket whatever, and I think it's nuts. Getcher money back.

 

And, it's not just me.

 

 

:yeahthat

[GBW]

so beats, your telling us that you are now out $50 from CTC not asking you about those 2 items and your ok with that?

[dp3200]

What bugs you?

 

"prebiotic" products everywhere.

 

Not discussing the potential health benefits, how many people that buy the products do you think actually know what prebiotic means?

 

 

 

On the topic of fishing, people who think that you need the best of every piece of gear imaginable before you can even wet a line. I hate that "you can't be a fisherman unless you have 85 fishing rods" attitude.

 

Not beating up on people that want/have lots of gear, I just hate the attitude that it's necessary. It discourages people.

[DRIFTER_016]

I have seen nitrogen used in racing applications, but think it is a waste inpassenger applications. IMHO

[Pachone]

the automotive industry is scrambling for cash.

 

in its current state, i would be too. Doesnt mean what they are doing is right... get ur money back beats!

[BillM]

Nitrogen doesn't increase in volume when it's heated up as much as oxygen does.. So the pressure within the tire stays constant no matter what the temp of the tire is.

 

Such a waste of $$$ and extremely overhyped.

[aplumma]

You know what makes me say Hmmmm bernie? It's when I was a kid all of the elevators I got on smelled like butt, but as I got older they all smell like hair spray..... What gives????

 

 

Confused in USA

[Bernie]

You know what makes me say Hmmmm bernie? It's when I was a kid all of the elevators I got on smelled like butt, but as I got older they all smell like hair spray..... What gives????

Confused in USA

Get together with GCD and discuss your issues Art.

[JohnF]

You know what makes me say Hmmmm bernie? It's when I was a kid all of the elevators I got on smelled like butt, but as I got older they all smell like hair spray..... What gives????

Confused in USA

 

 

Dear Confused,

 

If you think back to the very early years you just may remember that elevators smelled of Odor-O-No.

 

Helpful Hattie

[limeyangler]

makes me go HMMMMMM.....governments that say they have no moneyto do this or that....then suddenly all of them can come up with gazzillions!......of our money!!!!

[Greencoachdog]

Get together with GCD and discuss your issues Art.

 

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm... what'd I do to pissyou off this time Bern?

[Bernie]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm... what'd I do to pissyou off this time Bern?

Not ticked at all Glen. We don't have any escalators up here.

[pikehunter]

Why haven't you phoned or gone back to Crappy Tire to rant? After you do it will be interesting to read about the results. I would have done that before making a post about it and then posted your epic as a warning about getting scammed.

[OhioFisherman]

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2...-instead-of-air