A BLACK-AND-WHITE ANALYSIS

If you are one of those obsessed car fanatics, who invests fortunes in buying the latest model, equipping it with the highest technology and the most advanced inventions of the automotive industry, maybe you are also thinking of giving it a touch of sophistication by inflating your tires with nitrogen. Sounds like Fast and Furious, doesn’t it?  Before you do it, you should find out the advantages and disadvantages of doing so:

ADVANTAGES

• Nitrogen is environmentally friendly.
• Does not oxidize with other substances or materials, avoiding the oxidation of steel rims as there is not so much presence of water vapor in the chamber.
• A tire filled with nitrogen maintains its air pressure longer than regular air-filled tires.
• Nitrogen helps keep your tires cool, even in dramatic temperature changes.
• As the tire inflation pressure is more easily maintained, there will be better fuel economy.
• Reduces tire wear. Nitrogen molecules are larger than those of oxygen and do not expand when a tire is inflated with it, avoiding the deformation of the treads and sidewalls.  

DISADVANTAGES

• Once your tires have pure nitrogen, they must be filled with pure nitrogen only.
• Nitrogen-filled tires are expensive. The cost may be exorbitant compared to regular air-filled tires.
• Nitrogen is not as available as compressed air. Not every service station can fill your tires with nitrogen properly, only at some tire centers and some dealerships.
• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) conducted tests that confirmed that using nitrogen does not slow pressure loss at a significant rate.

M&M VEHICLE TRANSPORT RECOMMENDATIONS

• Before deciding whether to choose nitrogen or air, read your vehicle’s Owner’s Manual.
• Unless you are a new car buyer with brand new tires that come pre-filled with nitrogen or have a vehicle with very specific operating ranges such as a race car, a semi-truck, or a dangerous goods carrier exposed to extreme loads, there is no benefit to justify the expenses. A regular road car does not need nitrogen. Just keep your tire pressures at the correct specifications.
• If you opt for nitrogen, consider the availability in your area.
• Our final recommendation? Stick to air. Nitrogen has few benefits and much higher costs.