I always used to use the compressor at my local supermarket filling station to top up my tyre pressures.

However on one or two occasons recently I have used the compressor at a Shell garage instead.  I have been surprised to find that there is a subtle but definite change in the way my car drives since I started doing this.  The tyres, somehow, seem to have a slightly more supple response to bumps and potholes, and the tyre noise on rough surfaces now has a much more pleasant tone.

Puncture resistance has also inceased - in fact, I have not had one single puncture since I started using Shell air in my tyres.

I have heard that Shell use their own special air in their compressors, which contains various additives designed to improve the fexibility of tyres and to increase their life by preserving and protecting the tyre carcase.  Whether this is true or not I do not know, but in futuure I will try to avoid inflating my tyres at supermarkets.  There is no point in compromisng my safety by damaging my tyres with cheap air.

 
       

Lol, don't even joke about this or people will be start on the whole nitrogen or normal air debate even air is 78% nitrogen anyway so another 22% will make naff all difference on a road car.

On a side note I don't can't see the point in using the compressors at petrol stations as tyre pressure should be set when cold so driving to a petrol station completely defeats the purpose.... Unless you wait around a couple of hours once you get there for them to be cool.

April 1st? lol

Lol, don't even joke about this or people will be start on the whole nitrogen or normal air debate even air is 78% nitrogen anyway so another 22% will make naff all difference on a road car. On a side note I don't can't see the point in using the compressors at petrol stations as tyre pressure should be set when cold so driving to a petrol station completely defeats the purpose.... Unless you wait around a couple of hours once you get there for them to be cool.

Simply take the cold pressures you use and add 3psi to them when filling warm tyres

Simplest is to check your tyre pressures, cold, at home (always use your own gauge - even if it isn't any more accurate, it will at least be consistent) and make a note of how many PSI - if any - you need to add.  Then, when you get to the filling station, regardless of whatever temperature or pressure your tyres are then at, add that numbe of PSI.  If you're that fussy, you can re-check again at home, later, when the tyres are cold.

Or (like me) use your own compressor at home.

The trouble with supermarkets, so I have heard it said, is that they use warm air in their compressors.  Do not risk it.
 
 
 

I always used to use the compressor at my local supermarket filling station to top up my tyre pressures.

However on one or two occasons recently I have used the compressor at a Shell garage instead.  I have been surprised to find that there is a subtle but definite change in the way my car drives since I started doing this.  The tyres, somehow, seem to have a slightly more supple response to bumps and potholes, and the tyre noise on rough surfaces now has a much more pleasant tone.

Puncture resistance has also inceased - in fact, I have not had one single puncture since I started using Shell air in my tyres.

I have heard that Shell use their own special air in their compressors, which contains various additives designed to improve the fexibility of tyres and to increase their life by preserving and protecting the tyre carcase.  Whether this is true or not I do not know, but in futuure I will try to avoid inflating my tyres at supermarkets.  There is no point in compromisng my safety by damaging my tyres with cheap air.

Yeah I've found this too. Don't ever risk supermarket air if I can fill up with premium air.

Biggest difference is with mpg tho. Supermarket air always results in a drop of 1 or 2 mpg for me.

I've never found a difference with so called "super air" tho so stick with the regular rather than v-power/nitro. ;-)

I find that my 0-60 times drop by 0.3 sec with premium air and the radio reception drastically improves along with the sound quality... 

I'm glad I'm not alone in this, I've found that since I started using supermarket air the wear rate on my tyres has reduced by 15% and they are so much quieter, the g force generated in cornering is also considerably higher.

It's all down the secret ingredients

Regards all

Juan

Sent from my iPhone using my thumbs

I'm glad I'm not alone in this, I've found that since I started using supermarket air the wear rate on my tyres has reduced by 15% and they are so much quieter, the g force generated in cornering is also considerably higher.

It's all down the secret ingredients

Regards all

Juan

Sent from my iPhone using my thumbs

RUBBISH! Supermarket air is inferior so can't possibly see better results.

It's why theirs is free and the good stuff costs 50p to use

I use my local garage air compressor, he uses the flatulence ducted from his unicorn stables and now I run sub 9 sec 1/4's, and that's on 10yr old winter remoulds. Gets the grip down like you wouldn't believe.......

RUBBISH! Supermarket air is inferior so can't possibly see better results.

It's why theirs is free and the good stuff costs 50p to use

I filled up with Tesco air a couple of weeks ago cos my old foot pump had broken, it was 20p per min, so I put 40p in but it stopped half way through the 4th tyre and I'd run out of 20p's so it cost me another 50p for about 30 secs of further use. 90p per fill up, not really cheap, even if you average 50p per fill up once every couple of weeks, that's £26 per year, you can buy a b100dy good foot pump for far less than that, so I'll stick to premium home brew air in my tyres!

I actually fill mine with expanding foam, no punctures and I get roughly 900 miles to the gallon.

 

They are rather hard though and the ride is terrible

Simply take the cold pressures you use and add 3psi to them when filling warm tyres

Good god you might as well said just guess! At what temperature are tyres classed as warm to 'add' 3psi?

Try fire resistant expanding foam, you get a slightly softer ride........

I fill mine with aircraft grade air, performs perfect on a 1200mph jet so must be the best air out there. Haha, it definatly a lot better mpg I get.

Good god you might as well said just guess! At what temperature are tyres classed as warm to 'add' 3psi?

For me I do 100 's of miles a day, so if I've been driving over 40 for 15 mins or more.

Been doing it for years as dad taught me about it, and now Michelin and the others list it on their site.

Checking when cold, they're spot on to the cold pressures

I actually fill mine with expanding foam, no punctures and I get roughly 900 miles to the gallon.

 

They are rather hard though and the ride is terrible

I'm surprised you don't use custard!

I've been using it for years.

Nice smooth ride, hardly ever need to top up.

If you have a puncture it's easily found as the custard oozes out of the hole.

As a bonus, if you get peckish on a drive, buy a fruit pie and you have hot custard to go with it

But unless you drive a vRS, it won't be mixed enough leading to a lumpy ride.

I'm surprised you don't use custard!

I've been using it for years.

Nice smooth ride, hardly ever need to top up.

If you have a puncture it's easily found as the custard oozes out of the hole.

As a bonus, if you get peckish on a drive, buy a fruit pie and you have hot custard to go with it

I found custard a trifle uncomfortable

I always used to use the compressor at my local supermarket filling station to top up my tyre pressures.

However on one or two occasons recently I have used the compressor at a Shell garage instead. I have been surprised to find that there is a subtle but definite change in the way my car drives since I started doing this. The tyres, somehow, seem to have a slightly more supple response to bumps and potholes, and the tyre noise on rough surfaces now has a much more pleasant tone.

Puncture resistance has also inceased - in fact, I have not had one single puncture since I started using Shell air in my tyres.

I have heard that Shell use their own special air in their compressors, which contains various additives designed to improve the fexibility of tyres and to increase their life by preserving and protecting the tyre carcase. Whether this is true or not I do not know, but in futuure I will try to avoid inflating my tyres at supermarkets. There is no point in compromisng my safety by damaging my tyres with cheap air.

Definitely. Shell air has a far better quality to it than supermarket air, no doubt about it. Even with a puncture cars run much better on premium brand air than supermarket. Unfortunately I've never run a car long enough after a puncture with premium brand air to be able to quantify the difference. Maybe you should try it and let us know the results..

I wanted to try the air used at Porsche garages as I'm told it makes the car go faster, but they will insist on using nitrogen which would make comparison unfair. Maybe methane would be a good idea, judging by the amount of BS around here it should not be in short supply.....

I have even recently taken a risk by using air at home, because my local Shell garage had not had a delivery of air, but home air is not EU or TUV approved so I may not be insured if I have an accident after a puncture if it is discovered that I have used non approved air. It might even invalidate my Skoda warranty.

Slowly Stuarted you are learning to appreciate quality, might be a slow process but you are showing signs of promise. I won't get my hopes up too far yet though.

Edited 17 November, 201312 yr by Timoctav

I really don't think the air compressors use warm air lol.

Lol at this thread in general tbh

I really don't think the air compressors use warm air lol.

Well actually they do, sort of, as working on the air by compressing it causes the molecules to move faster - causing heat - kinetic energy and all that. The opposite effect is expanding air which draws in heat from the surrounding air, cooling it, principles of refrigeration......

Here endeth today's lesson.

Edited 17 November, 201312 yr by Timoctav

I found custard a trifle uncomfortable

But it is balanced out by the sponge in the sidewalls

Lol at this thread in general tbh

Big mistake to take some of these mutton heads seriously, I made that mistake once!