Paying for gas station air .....

Crazy Horse

Well-known Member
Obviously, I'm living in another world and out of the loop. Since I have a compressor at home, I never give a thought to putting air in a tire at a gas station. This morning I'm on my bike ride and I knew right away that the front tire was slightly down in air but I figured it'd be OK for the ride. About a mile from home I passed a service station and thought I'd top it up. Not so fast buddy, a coin-operated air dispenser, not sure how much $$ ...... maybe a loonie ($1) or some quarters? No money with me so on to the next place (where I usually buy gas) ..... same thing. Third station closer to home, air for money again. So by that time things were getting a bit worse and so I walked it home. So tell me, is that the norm now at most gas stations? I suspect some little independant places might have free air but these were all bigger chains. I'm going to talk to the guy who runs the place I buy all my gas and see what he has to say. I guess I'll hear something like .... "Too bad, so sad!"
 

I think it is the norm in bigger cities. Those air compressors are not cheap and too many folks are airing up their tires without buying gasoline or anything else.
 
I asked about that one time. Owner of the store told us people kept stealing his air hose! He finally gave up and put in a pay-for-air unit.
 

There is one independent shop near me where you can air up for free. Otherwise the other places charge--or I have to remember to use my compressor at home. I also buy gas at this place and use their repair services. I will say, however, that they keep the air hose a secret--it's hidden behind the diesel pump with no indication whatsoever that it's available for use. But the regulars know where it is.
 
Pretty much normal everywhere, and pretty soon most of them will have the "automated" pay pumps where you enter the air pressure you want. They're a PITA, slow, and I don't use them, but I understand why they're going that way. I'm sure with a normal compressor and hose, people are either stealing the hose or leaving it where it gets run over all the time. Not worth the aggravation or cost considering it makes them no money.
 
Keeping a compressor and related equipment going costs money$$,seems only fair that those that use the air pays for it rather than spread the cost over all the customers.Plus if the air
is free people will come in a fill air tanks up all the time.Also Never leave home without some cash in your pocket.
 
In this area you might pay for air in the larger towns but most of the stations in smaller towns there is no charge. Some of our station don't have air and that's because their air chucks and hoses were getting stolen at night after hours.
 
I have cordless power tools, and purchased a hand held tire inflator about the size of a drill. Lithium batteries, take it with me on trips, even pump up rear tractor tires. Very handy. Might be more than you want to carry on a motorcycle (I assume if it was a bicycle you would carry a frame pump) but easy to carry with you for a car, pickup, or tractor.
 
Crazy Horse -- While it's not considered portable for a bicycle, I recently bought an air pump to use on checking/airing up the suspension bags on my pickup:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077JRD9JG/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Wow! I can't speak highly enough about this pump! With the built-in air gauge, I can get 1PSI accuracy, and it'll register anything above 2PSI or so.

Might be worth it to see if the same manufacturer makes one suitable for keeping on your bike.
 
Local gas station pulled air and water. Told me they were more trouble than they were worth. Went from free air and water. To pay for it. Then no air or water.People stealing equipment,running over the stand. Just not worth it.
 
The place I buy gas at has free air but yes out of say 50 stations where you can buy gas your more likely to have to pay for air then get it free
 
Probably doesn't stop the theives, but at least the pump users are paying for the hose, maybe even a little profit.
 
Most near me charge. Except for one chain, Quick Trip. Maybe that helps explain their great success! Lots of them around selling thousands of gallons daily, popular stop for snacks, lunch and drinks too.
 
I was stopped at a red light one time and a guy pulled up
next to me and said my rear tire was low.
Got pulled over and checked and it was darn near flat.
Pulled into a gas station knowing I didn't have any quarters.
Pulled up to air station and it took credit cards.
Being I had three daughters in the car it was easier to
card it than get them out of their car seats.
First time I ever charged one dollar.
 
The only time I check pressure in car or truck is when tires look soft. I buy my tires at tire barn and spend $50 for a lifetime rotation and balancing. They check the air pressure for me. One time I was joking and told them it time to rotate the air too. They use nitrogen and they followed my directions.

So if I find one tire low, off to tire barn and they look for the leak.

I have a 12v air compressor in truck and my new car came with an air compressor instead of a spare. Good thing I have 100 mile towing package from AAA. I have a total of 4 air compressor located in garage, shop or barns. I

I refuse to pay for air.
 
Where I Have been buying my tire I get road hazard but found out it is only good for 3 years so thinking about finding another place since I get more then 3 years out of my tires.
 
The old air units are highly collectable and highly stolen off stations. So then the owner goes with the new pay air machine.
 

I haven't seen "free air" in a long, long time. The more common scenario is you put your money in and discover the machine is not working. Good luck trying to get a refund.
 
I forgot to mention my $50 package includes mounting, valve stems, lifetime rotation/balancing, road hazzard. Not sure how long road hazard is. Tire barn will repair my tires regardless of age.

Been using them for years. Guys know me. Get treated royally. Manager gives me a discount too. Only place I'll buy tires.
 
Wish Big O tire was that good. They seem to have a new manager about twice a year and the kids working there do not have a clue. A few years back they would still do tractor tires but not now and the same hold true with split rims
 
Doesn't the small print in road hazard warranty read for the life of tire. All tires have a number of miles that are classified as life of tire and when tire goes over that mileage they are no longer under warranty.
 
Don't know what the fine print says but I know I do not go over the mileage. Shoot since I have owned this one car I have not put on all that many miles. Got it when it had 168,??? and it now has 195,???.
 
When you pay to use this service you are not paying for the air you are paying for that compressor, hoses, and air chuck + the maintenance of it. In the old days filling stations worked on cars and they use the air compressor while working on cars so it was a tool they needed but the new stations don't work on cars so they really don't need one.
 
Don't know where the parent company is out of. But I know they seem to be all over the place
 
I gave my daughter an air compressor to keep in her car so she wouldn't have to A) find one that worked and 2) pay. She was very happy and later bragged about helping her co-workers at the vet clinic air up their tires.
 
I believe California has free air. Someone made a fuss about buying air, the state made stations stop selling air. Although it's not enforced too much. I wonder how many people don't even know how to fill a tire? Stan
 
It depends what tires you put on a vehicle because it can be as low as 20,000 miles for cheap tires and up to 80,000 miles on top end tires. So it depends on what milage tire you put on your vehicle. I have seen a few tire that wont carry any hazard warranty ( blemished tires}.
 
I believe the rule is that they can't charge for automotive air, but any other use they can.... but I have never seen a station refuse to let me air up my bicycle.
 
Used to be pay air around here was $.25 and I didn't mind that for the convenience. Now they are mostly supplied by charities to make money and charge a dollar or more, that puts them in the no other option category in my book.
 
I carry a little frame pump on my bike, along with some tools and spare inner tubes and such. I rarely need them but I like to know they are there for when I do. I have not had good luck with gas station air machines, they're often not working when I needed one so I gave up.
Zach
 
Free air at gasoline stations went the way of the dodo bird at the same time as did full service gasoline stations.

Why would a gas station without a shop have an air compressor?

Dean
 
Our local convenience store used to have an air hose, but vandalism was such that she had to discontinue the service.
 
And find a payphone to call somebody about it.

Used to be gas "service" station and liquor store on very corner.

Now it's a pharmacy and convenience store on every corner.
 
Local Gulf station has free air. Privately owned with his own shop. There's no sign though, it's one of those things you just have to 'know' about.
 
Dean ...... hmmmm, difficult question. Here's my answer ..... so that Crazy Horse can put some air in his bicycle tire for free since it was going flat and he had no money in his pocket.
 
In FLA its a law that stations and stores can't charge for air if you go inside and ask for it to be turned on. It's a safety issue.
Try it around your area.
 
The last time I got air at a station I was 40 miles from home with a tire with a slow leak and I knew I couldn't make it. I didn't have any change at all but the machine was equipped to use a debit card so I aired it up and left. Later I found out it cost me four bucks to air the tire.
 
I have not seen a station around here charge for air in years. Make sense, every time that compressor comes on it raises the electric bill.
 
I'm surprised more people especially country people don't have some sort of compressor in their vehicle.I have several of the 12V small compressors from Norther Tool run about
$100,have one in the wife's car,farm truck and the F550. Have used it lots of times at auctions to air up tires makes loading a lot easier or get enough air to tow something home.
 

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