Instead of paying an upcharge to fill your tires with nitrogen, use the money to buy a good-quality gauge to help you maintain proper air pressure in the tires.
Nitrogen vs. Air in Tires
Some tire shops try to convince drivers that paying extra for nitrogen in their tires is worth the cost, but it’s not.
A salesperson might tell you that using nitrogen for tire inflation leads to benefits, including better fuel economy through decreased rolling resistance, improved safety, less pressure fluctuation, and slower air loss.
Regardless, these advantages are minimal for typical drivers in everyday situations. The most noticeable difference between nitrogen-filled tires and those inflated with regular compressed air is the presence of green valve stem caps.
MORE: How to Put Air in Tires
Can You Put Air in Tires That Are Filled With Nitrogen?
There are no disadvantages to filling your tires with nitrogen, except for paying around $5 per tire to have the air purged and reinflated with gas that’s about 95% nitrogen. The air in our atmosphere contains 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 1% other gases.
Don’t pay extra for nitrogen when it’s time to inflate your nitrogen-filled tires to the recommended pressure. Mixing it with the compressed air from the nearest pump is OK.
Keep this in mind: Tire manufacturers don’t require the use of nitrogen, and they don’t even encourage you to use it. You can achieve maximum tire performance and safety by following the manufacturer’s inflation guidelines, including monthly pressure checks.
MORE: How Long Do Tires Last?
How Long Does Nitrogen Last in Tires?
Proponents of using nitrogen boast that it seeps out of tires more slowly than air does. My experience brings this unscientific anecdote. I bought a used 2022 Chrysler Pacifica with nitrogen in its tires, and they didn’t need a boost of air for nine months. For comparison, neither did the air-filled tires on the other van in the driveway.
