Filling your tires with nitrogen gas is one of the big luxuries you can get for your car, and some people want to know our Seattle auto body shop’s opinion as to whether this represents a worthwhile expense. Though this is a common practice for race cars and airliners, the fact is that this probably is not a practical idea for the common motorist.
The main idea of nitrogen-filled tires is that they resist wear and tear better, as nitrogen is less susceptible to leak out of your tires. It also experiences less of a change in volume when exposed to severe temperatures, allowing for more stable pressure. Ideally, this adds up to better performance for a longer period of time from your tires.
However, the first thing to remember is that the air we commonly put into our tires is already 78% nitrogen. An ideal mixture of nitrogen is going to be about 93% pure, so the extra money you spend is getting you roughly 15% more nitrogen. Based on the additional cost, and the miniscule improvement in performance you may experience, it’s not something that the average driver is going to find worthwhile.