Should I be using nitrogen in my tires?

As if we don't have enough issues to consider when it comes to maintaining our vehicles. Mechanics have created a whole new option for vehicle operators. Will replacing nitrogen in your tires decrease leakage preventing less wear on the tread resulting in better gas mileage? Proponents of nitrogen argue that since studies show that fewer than 60 percent of drivers rarely if ever check the inflation of their tires, anything that will slow the normal leakage -- estimated by some at 1 to 2 pounds per square inch a month -- is a good safety measure.

Well lets first start with consulting some scientific facts. There is already 78% nitrogen gas in the earth's atmosphere. The rest is 21% oxygen and the 1% is other various gases. So going to pure nitrogen only squeezes out a small amount of the oxygen molecules that nitrogen proponents argue are so detrimental.

The advantage of nitrogen being more stable and less prone to changes in pressure due to heat in the tires seems of little benefit to average drivers. Race teams use it because they can change the handling of the car by adjusting individual tire pressure by as little as a quarter pound. So having a gas that's ultra stable has real benefits when dealing with such small degrees.

Claims of nitrogen being more friendly to the rubber and wheels is also questionable, since most tires wear out the tread on the outside long before the inner rubber would go bad from exposure to oxygen. The same factors hold true for wheels, many of which are made from alloys, not straight steel. You're far more likely to damage a wheel from hitting a curb than see a wheel go bad from oxidation.

When it comes down to a dollar decision, it's hard to argue that spending as much as $40 for nitrogen in a set of tires is a good fiscal move.

Even if you accept the arguments of proponents, at some point you are going to have to add air to your tires -- not even the most ardent nitrogen pushers will say that your tires will never lose pressure. When that happens, you're most likely to go to the corner gas station, put in a couple of quarters and pump your tire up with regular old air, which will mix with the nitrogen and degrade its benefits.

Save your money and just keep an eye on your tire pressures.