KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Getting new tires for your car can cost you as much as $500 to $600 dollars. There is an alternative that promises to save you money in the long run.
A trend in the car industry is using nitrogen to fill your tires. Our atmosphere is made up of 78 percent nitrogen, and 21 percent oxygen.
For years, nitrogen has been used in race cars and even the space shuttle.
Discount warehouse giant,
Costco Wholesale, is one of
eight businesses here in the metro using nitrogen in tires.
Nitrogen leaks out of a tire slower than air so you're not supposed to need as many fill-ups. Those fill-ups are free at Costco, but some companies charge for them.
Costco took a bold step in only offering nitrogen filled tires a few years ago.
"We deemed it based upon studies presented to us. It is a better alternative to air over the life of the tire for a safer vehicle, handling, and fuel efficiency of the tire's life," Linwood Costco Warehouse Manager Clin Warren said.
Green tire caps designate a nitrogen filled tire. If you run low on air and don't have access to nitrogen you can fill it with regular air. Consumers have reported problems getting other tire shops to fill their nitrogen tires, though.
Consumer Reports tested nitrogen tires and found nitrogen does reduce pressure loss over time -- but just slightly.
Nitrogen is not a substitute for regular tire pressure checks.
NHTSA Study on Nitrogenhttp://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/tires-auto-parts/tires/tire-buying-advice/nitrogen-and-tires/index.htm
