Gas stations and air for tires

[OriginHacker21]

I agree - Gas stations around my area costs $.25 for a minute of air or so. Where I work in Apple Valley you can go inside and get a free token for air if you purchased gasoline.

The air stations are usually falling apart, barely workable.

I agree - with the amount of tires with barely any air in them - you'd think there would be more of a promotion to keep them inflated. I don't think anyone cares though... Not like gas costs any money

Who cares if your back tires have 5psi causing -10mpg???

 

[Matt_S]

It's the same here, too. It used to be that most stations would do auto repair. They would just hook up an additional air line to the compressor and set it out for the customers. Now, most stations have party stores instead of mechanics, so they don't have a compressor that they can just tap into for the customers. As a result, you get these crappy inflator machines that do nothing more than eat up your quarters. That's one reason I'm very glad to have my own compressor now.

 

[cousincletus]

Sometimes I'll use my bicycle pump. Good exercise, too.

 

[TomJones76]

$20 at Wal-Mart gets me a cig-lighter-driven compressor. Works nicely, every Saturday morning, in my driveway.

 

[JayhawkRoy]

I have a cordless rechargable air compressor from Sears, so I am not tied to a cord. It works well for all the vehicles and trailers I maintain.

 

[Razl]

Yeah, but at least with the Mobil stations around here, as long as you buy something (gas, food, etc.), the clerk will just "push" the button for you so you don't need to put in a quarter.

I think a lot of places shy away from it becuase it's a non-revenue generating item. Usually, it's kids filling their bike tires or careless drivers that don't recoil the line and just drive over the darn thing. I guess I can't blame the stations too much. I'm sure those units are several hundred dollars.

Anyways, I only use them in an emergency since my tires are too warm for an accurate fill. I now just use the air compressor in my garage, though I do have a small compact unit that plugs in the lighter. I keep that in the spare tire well.

 

[ScottB]

I hate in general, the lack of real "service stations"
I don't know if they still exist in the rest of the country, but in SoCal, there is no sight of them any longer.

Remember pulling in and running over the rubber "snakes"?
Bell dings, someone comes out and asks if he can check your oil?
Regular or Super?
Wipe the windshield?

I've always wanted to open one of these because not only would it be fun, but I imagine that people would line up to patronize such a place today...

Anyone want to go in with me

Scott

 

[Mitch Alsup]

Why would a gas station give you access to free air. Running on underinflated tires simply means that you will return to buy more gas sooner rather than later! and still be so oblivious to the tire inflation pressures that you will buy still more gas before even looking at the tires.

 

[Racerjk]

There are two stations around here that have free air!

I have a cigarette lighter powered compressor and also an air tank. I can get all the air I want for free from work.

I have a new air compressor also that I haven't used yet.

 

[Clement]

Stewarts convenience stores in the NE USA that sell gasoline also have free air.

Good stores!

A hess atation near me used to have a free air pump, but people kept breaking it, intentionally I think. Eventually they just stopped getting it fixed.

 

[ScottB]

Here in LA, all the losers cutoff the ends with the valve, etc.
LA can suck so bad...

Scott

 

[brianl703]

WaWa and Sheetz stations all have free air.

 

[Gro Harlem]

Wawa FTW!

I drive there if I'm too lazy to hook up my cig-lighter compressor (which has a ridiculously inaccurate pressure guage).

If only there were Sheetz around central MD, only in Western, MD do I see them. I like being able to buy a toasted bagel for $.79 at 2am after doing car work.

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

First rule of business:

Give nothing away if you can charge a fee.

 

[moribundman]

Unless you drive only a very short distance to the gas station you'll heat up your tires and the pressure won't be "cold pressure." I use a foot pump before driving the car in the morning if I need to correct inflation. I check the pressure at least once a week and "top off" on average once every two months.

 

[bdcardinal]

go to Sears. mine we have an air hose around the back of the shop where customers can fill their tires. we have the shop compressor going all day so we dont charge. most of the time we just have a tech go fill them for the customer. mostly its elderly people that take advantage of this.

 

[Papa Bear]

Our local Canadian Tire store will check your tires if you ask them. The "SuperStore" gas bar has a free air standard also.
P.B.

 

[tom slick]

In Calif, by law, they have to give it away for free to customers. that is why they will give you a token if you ask for it. if they don't have air then they don't have to give it away.
find a chevron, they should have compressed air, they invented the idea of compressed air at gas stations!

 

[brianl703]

quote:

---

Unless you drive only a very short distance to the gas station you'll heat up your tires and the pressure won't be "cold pressure."

---

True, but what I do is check all of the tires before going to the gas station. Then I make a note of how low each one is and add that much air when I get to the gas station.

If only one of the tires is low, I make a note of which one it is, then when I get to the gas station I check one of the tires that was not low, then inflate the low tire to that same pressure.

 

[Papa Bear]

I will often stop and add a few lbs. on the way home. When I get up the next morning, I can bleed down to the correct pressure.
P.B.