PLUS: at the bottom of the flyer, it stated "In fact, we'll inflate any Costco member's tire with NITROGEN, no matter where the tires were purchased"
Edited: They changed my valve caps from the old black one to the green (alien green stuff), has a N on it! Cool but it look weird on my alloy wheel with black tire! Take your valve caps off if you don't want to loose it!
... but air is already something like 78% nitrogen as it is
shadow13x
Senior Member
posted: Aug. 17, 2004 @ 6:35p
Nitrogen is a race car "thing". We use it in the tires because it does not expand when it heats up. Nitrogen is an inert gas and does not contain any moisture. When regular air expands so does the size of the tire. Due to differing amounts of H2O is each tire they will expand at different rates from week to week. Race tires are not perfect from the factory, we need to eliminate as many variables as possible.
Dunno why Costco would advertise Nitrogen, it's not free or cheap.
ThE sHaDoW
jkj
Senior Member
posted: Aug. 17, 2004 @ 6:40p
cool wonder if sams has something similiar.
Jejunum
Senior Member
posted: Aug. 17, 2004 @ 6:51p
shadow13x said: Nitrogen is a race car "thing". We use it in the tires because it does not expand when it heats up. Nitrogen is an inert gas and does not contain any moisture. When regular air expands so does the size of the tire. Due to differing amounts of H2O is each tire they will expand at different rates from week to week. Race tires are not perfect from the factory, we need to eliminate as many variables as possible.
Dunno why Costco would advertise Nitrogen, it's not free or cheap.
ThE sHaDoW
(N2) is really cheap...and why would costco advertise it? same reason any company advertises - to make money
vsj
Member
posted: Aug. 17, 2004 @ 6:55p
Is this in bay area?
newwallet
Senior Member - 1K
posted: Aug. 17, 2004 @ 6:58p
shadow13x said: Nitrogen is a race car "thing". We use it in the tires because it does not expand when it heats up. Nitrogen is an inert gas and does not contain any moisture. When regular air expands so does the size of the tire. Due to differing amounts of H2O is each tire they will expand at different rates from week to week. Race tires are not perfect from the factory, we need to eliminate as many variables as possible.
Dunno why Costco would advertise Nitrogen, it's not free or cheap.
ThE sHaDoW
Well, there are several problems with what you're saying. Any gas expands as it heats, some less than others. Nitrogen is not completely inert either, it can tend to attract heavy metals (and who knows what is found in your set of belted radials). I suppose for the purposes of sitting in your tires, it is 'inert.' Any pure gas contains no moisture (read: water). As someone else pointed out, air is already mostly nitrogen and I highly doubt that Costco is giving you pure N2, which is very expensive for just filling tires. And once you have N2 in your tires, what happens when you try to fill them at the gas station? Therefore, I can't see any realy redeeming value in putting N2 into your tires. I certainly wouldn't pay anything for it.
kronus
Ancient Member
posted: Aug. 17, 2004 @ 7:09p
newwallet said: shadow13x said: Nitrogen is a race car "thing". We use it in the tires because it does not expand when it heats up. Nitrogen is an inert gas and does not contain any moisture. When regular air expands so does the size of the tire. Due to differing amounts of H2O is each tire they will expand at different rates from week to week. Race tires are not perfect from the factory, we need to eliminate as many variables as possible.
Dunno why Costco would advertise Nitrogen, it's not free or cheap.
ThE sHaDoW
Well, there are several problems with what you're saying. Any gas expands as it heats, some less than others. Nitrogen is not completely inert either, it can tend to attract heavy metals (and who knows what is found in your set of belted radials). I suppose for the purposes of sitting in your tires, it is 'inert.' Any pure gas contains no moisture (read: water). As someone else pointed out, air is already mostly nitrogen and I highly doubt that Costco is giving you pure N2, which is very expensive for just filling tires. And once you have N2 in your tires, what happens when you try to fill them at the gas station? Therefore, I can't see any realy redeeming value in putting N2 into your tires. I certainly wouldn't pay anything for it.
Finally someone who was listening in AP Chem besides me
and yes, you will run into a problem IF you have to add air anywhere other than Costco.... a regular air compressor fitting will not fit the new valve stem (thank you OSHA!!!).
Doughboy
Senior Member
posted: Aug. 17, 2004 @ 7:35p
Its just another way to make money off cars. Heres some info. I love this reason: "4. It is environmentally safe." Its like they are implying air is bad for the enviroment?
sguart
Senior Member
posted: Aug. 17, 2004 @ 7:43p
This is probably due to the increase in popularity of gas station filling car tires with nitrogen in asia. The gas stations initially offer it for free and later they charge you for it.
Costco probably picked up this trend from its international bidness units. Maybe they will employee the same strategy.
If you do the research, nitrogen inflation is expensive in us. It's only done on big vehicles like airplanes, big construction equipements, and 18 wheelers.
According to the literature, regular automobiles won't receive any benefit from replacing air w/ nitrogen except one thing. Replacing nitrogen with air might allow you longer Gap inbetween topping off your tires.
But this is not really a gain if you maintain your vehicle regularly.
I heard on the radio that Costco is test marketing coffins. They are trying it in the midwest, Chicago first. There would be a display in the store and you could order a coffin. $799 for any style they have which is actually very inexpensive for what they are. Local Pittsburgh radio guy talked to the vp of Costco about it today. Should change the funeral business a little, there is normally a huge mark up on coffins.
clearanceman said: I heard on the radio that Costco is test marketing coffins. They are trying it in the midwest, Chicago first. There would be a display in the store and you could order a coffin. $799 for any style they have which is actually very inexpensive for what they are. Local Pittsburgh radio guy talked to the vp of Costco about it today. Should change the funeral business a little, there is normally a huge mark up on coffins.
We wouldnt think you are kidding at all, because 100 random idiots have posted about it on FW today in various places. Did it ever show up in FW Finance?
BTW, I think this might be a good idea for motorcycles. A rider with half a brain will always check his/her pressure before riding. Of all the bikes I've ever owned, they have all leaked slightly over the course of a few weeks/months except for one, and this may help prevent that according to the info link provided. Also, I assume it doesn't expand as much as normal air, so I can finally set my PSI at 48psi and have it stay roughly there, warm or cold?
redgtxdi
Senior Member
posted: Aug. 17, 2004 @ 7:52p
Technologist said: and yes, you will run into a problem IF you have to add air anywhere other than Costco.... a regular air compressor fitting will not fit the new valve stem (thank you OSHA!!!).
Just an FYI........there's no difference in valve-stems. They are still just regular old valve stems that you can fill at any gas station or other standard auto tire valve inflation system. Only the "caps" are changed out for green. Same old stems.
gssethi
Ancient Member
posted: Aug. 17, 2004 @ 7:52p
Here's what i am thinking.
You fill up your tires with nitrogen for FREE NOW. Next time you need to refill your tires, you got 2 options:
1) Go back to Costco to refill with nitrogen and most probably, they will charge you by that time. 2) You go to a local gas station, fill in regular air, most probably you mess up your tires (tires blowing etc...), some of you go to Costo to purchase new set of tires.
Either case, Costco wins in the long run, RIGHT ?
redgtxdi
Senior Member
posted: Aug. 17, 2004 @ 7:56p
gssethi said: Here's what i am thinking.
You fill up your tires with nitrogen for FREE NOW. Next time you need to refill your tires, you got 2 options:
1) Go back to Costco to refill with nitrogen and most probably, they will charge you by that time. 2) You go to a local gas station, fill in regular air, most probably you mess up your tires (tires blowing etc...), some of you go to Costo to purchase new set of tires.
Either case, Costco wins in the long run, RIGHT ?
Nope. Neither scenario. As long as you have a Costco card, you can fill for free with Nitrogen at any participating Costco for any time in the unforeseeable future. And, no, mixing air with the Nitrogen (if needed) will do absolutely nothing to your tires if you're withing a few psi either way. But, yes, Costco wins regardless of what you do. Costco is that da*n good!!!!!
newwallet said: shadow13x said: Nitrogen is a race car "thing". We use it in the tires because it does not expand when it heats up. Nitrogen is an inert gas and does not contain any moisture. When regular air expands so does the size of the tire. Due to differing amounts of H2O is each tire they will expand at different rates from week to week. Race tires are not perfect from the factory, we need to eliminate as many variables as possible.
Dunno why Costco would advertise Nitrogen, it's not free or cheap.
ThE sHaDoW
Well, there are several problems with what you're saying. Any gas expands as it heats, some less than others. Nitrogen is not completely inert either, it can tend to attract heavy metals (and who knows what is found in your set of belted radials). I suppose for the purposes of sitting in your tires, it is 'inert.' Any pure gas contains no moisture (read: water). As someone else pointed out, air is already mostly nitrogen and I highly doubt that Costco is giving you pure N2, which is very expensive for just filling tires. And once you have N2 in your tires, what happens when you try to fill them at the gas station? Therefore, I can't see any realy redeeming value in putting N2 into your tires. I certainly wouldn't pay anything for it.
The redeeming value, if you had bothered to look it up on google is lower temps, air pressure consistency, better mileage, and longer tire wear. This is nothing new, it has been proven over decades. Many big rigs use Nitrogen in their tires you bunch of idiots!
Adam2004
Senior Member
posted: Aug. 17, 2004 @ 8:01p
Uhhh, filling your tires with Nitrogen is actually very smart. Why? When you fill your tires with air, the current humidity (amount of water in the air) goes into the tire. This means your tire pressure will fluctuate a lot more than you want it to depending on the weather. Nitrogen reduces the variation in tire pressure, increasing tire life and keeping your miles per gallon high.
douggie
Senior Member - 1K
posted: Aug. 17, 2004 @ 8:02p
I wouldn't bother with the hassle. At the speed we're driving, it's not THAT critical if pressure fluctuated while driving.
It's different in racing because they are running at much higher speeds and that every fraction of a second counts.
newwallet
Senior Member - 1K
posted: Aug. 17, 2004 @ 8:04p
Adam2004 said: Uhhh, filling your tires with Nitrogen is actually very smart. Why? When you fill your tires with air, the current humidity (amount of water in the air) goes into the tire. This means your tire pressure will fluctuate a lot more than you want it to depending on the weather. Nitrogen reduces the variation in tire pressure, increasing tire life and keeping your miles per gallon high.
I think we covered this before. If they're giving 100% unadulterated N2 gas, this is true. But chances are they're not. Any good gas station should be giving you 'air' with very low humidity to avoid precisely the problems you describe. Again, there's not much difference between 89% N2 and 99%, as long as most of that other 11% or 1% is O2 and CO2 and not H20.
CH4 - Methane - You can tell your tire is leaking because of the cow toot smell H2S - Hydrogen Sulfide - How do you want your eggs? Sunny side up, scrambled, or ROTTEN! O2 - Oxygen - Get stoned legally. C3H8 - Propane - "Burn"-outs are the real thing! H2 - Hydrogen - "Oh, the humanity!!!" Ne - Neon - With clear tires and high voltage, they glow! CO2 - Carbon Dioxide - Help the environment by containing green-house gases. CCl2F2 - Freon - Even if your tires are bald, cupped, and falling apart, they are still "cool".
mblitch
Thrifty Member
posted: Aug. 17, 2004 @ 8:05p
xcdhridr said: i want helium.
don't laugh. Most of my tires have a good amount of helium or argon in them! I do a lot of deep SCUBA diving (200+ feet) and use trimix (helium, ozygen, and nitrogen) for the breathing mixture. When my tires need to be topped off, I'll just grab whatever scuba bottle is handy and fill them, usually trimix or argon. I'd just as soon use normal air, but since I rarely dive using air, I just use whatever is left over. Next time I get a tank of nitrogen for cleaning my bottles, I might just use anything left over for my tires...just for kicks and giggles. <G>
BuddyLeeCIA
Senior Member
posted: Aug. 17, 2004 @ 8:09p
osuuma said: Alternative gases for tire inflation:
CH4 - Methane - You can tell your tire is leaking because of the cow toot smell H2S - Hydrogen Sulfide - How do you want your eggs? Sunny side up, scrambled, or ROTTEN! O2 - Oxygen - Get stoned legally. C3H8 - Propane - "Burn"-outs are the real thing! H2 - Hydrogen - "Oh, the humanity!!!" Ne - Neon - With clear tires and high voltage, they glow! CO2 - Carbon Dioxide - Help the environment by containing green-house gases. CCl2F2 - Freon - Even if your tires are bald, cupped, and falling apart, they are still "cool".
Only Ford Pintos with Firestone tires are allowed to fill up with Hydrogen.
douggie said: I wouldn't bother with the hassle. At the speed we're driving, it's not THAT critical if pressure fluctuated while driving.
It's different in racing because they are running at much higher speeds and that every fraction of a second counts.
Apparently you've never had a blowout. You know those people you see on the side of the freeway? It's usually because their tire is flat, and it's usually because the heat of driving (or ambient heat on hot days) expanded the moisture inside the tires, causing it to burst.
My company spends $3 million a month on liquid nitrogen
We were actually talking about coffins, hence the bad joke about dying.
thnnwallet
Member
posted: Aug. 17, 2004 @ 8:31p
hellmutt said: douggie said: I wouldn't bother with the hassle. At the speed we're driving, it's not THAT critical if pressure fluctuated while driving.
It's different in racing because they are running at much higher speeds and that every fraction of a second counts.
Apparently you've never had a blowout. You know those people you see on the side of the freeway? It's usually because their tire is flat, and it's usually because the heat of driving (or ambient heat on hot days) expanded the moisture inside the tires, causing it to burst.
You have got to be kidding. Basic science: the "heat" of any tire at highway speeds cannot blow a tire! Look at a steam table. From 5 deg C to 60 deg C at 100% rel humid only causes a Max of 8% increase in presure.
Even over-inflating by 20% cannot blow a modern tire.
Nitrogen is used to inflate aircraft tires as well. If you have hot brakes, and then of course hot tires, you don't want a big explosion. And, yes the heat of an underinflated tire sure can cause a tire to fail. You can easily get tread separation and have a blow out. You can generate enough heat to cause a bead deformation at the rim too.
shadow13x said: Nitrogen is a race car "thing". We use it in the tires because it does not expand when it heats up. Nitrogen is an inert gas and does not contain any moisture. When regular air expands so does the size of the tire. Due to differing amounts of H2O is each tire they will expand at different rates from week to week. Race tires are not perfect from the factory, we need to eliminate as many variables as possible.
Dunno why Costco would advertise Nitrogen, it's not free or cheap.
ThE sHaDoW
It is not true that N2 does not expand or expands less than air.
locksmith9
Happy Member
posted: Aug. 17, 2004 @ 8:43p
Wow - so much conflicting advice on N2 and my tires. I think I'll just buy a coffin.
I am sorry for saying this guys, but what an IDIOT. I couldn't stop laughing when i read this post.
Shahhere
lol exploding tires because of mixing it with air and nitrogen, loll still cant stop laughing.
gssethi said: Here's what i am thinking.
You fill up your tires with nitrogen for FREE NOW. Next time you need to refill your tires, you got 2 options:
1) Go back to Costco to refill with nitrogen and most probably, they will charge you by that time. 2) You go to a local gas station, fill in regular air, most probably you mess up your tires (tires blowing etc...), some of you go to Costo to purchase new set of tires.
Either case, Costco wins in the long run, RIGHT ?
Skipping 98 Messages...
medo
Mother Superior
posted: Aug. 19, 2004 @ 9:17a
larrymoencurly said: More importantly, do you remember the episode of Alias where Sidney Bristow escapes by driving a car off a dock and crashing it in the ocean? She was able to evade capture by staying underwater and breathing air from the car's tires, something that would not have been possible if the tires had been installed by Costco.
totally!
whew - thank goodness sidney is ok.
sidney is really, really smart. she has social skilly too!!!
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