Free Air on filling station forecourts ? ? ?

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

verytalldave

MB Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 26, 2007
Messages
3,590
Location
Bromley, Kent
Car
W203 C200K Cubanite
I needed to put some air in my front tyres a few weeks ago (a rare event) and I went into my local garage and found it was now 30p for 3 minutes of air.
Not happy but paid and the 3 minutes just about gave my enough time to inflate both front tyres.
Since then I have checked all the other local filling stations and NONE of them offer a free air service (are there any left) ? ? ? ?
So I am going to buy a small compressor to run off the car power socket.
Which is a good (but not too expensive) one to buy ? ?
I know some of them are rather weedy and struggle to inflate a beach ball.
I await your valued recommendations and thank you all in advance. :thumb:
 
NEVER use petrol station air pumps. They are so inaccurate it's untrue. 10psi some I have tested. Get a high quality pressure gauge if you want to be sure and check them cold.
 
Sainsburys have free air and water? Well, the one near me does.
 
I have been paying 50p as thats the minimum around..The pumps that plug into the ciggy power are no real good. Mine's no where near accurate and takes ages to fill. May be you can get ones that run on the mains line....
 
Get a foot pump...that's free air..
 
It's what I use..seems to work well.

I once inflated 2 pairs of newly fitted tyres, including seating the bead, with a footpump.
 
Don't think I've ever used forecourt air lines. Footpumps for years, now have a rechargeable 'Air Monster' which is excellent - coupled with a pair of accurate dial gauges (need a special one for the caravan tyres, which are inflated to 63 psi).
 

Same here. it was found to be the most accurate and robust by AE.

Having said that my pencil gauge reads just the same and it's hard to see how they can be wrong as it is just the internal area V's the external area.

I'm always weary of battery operated gauges as the reading will change depending on battery output.
 
Rascalmaster I use the same one,

I use Morrisons 'air' (its probably value air...) 10p

but I undo all the valve caps in preperation :) then run round the car

I also have the old fasioned pen type air guage but the above one seems to work a treat.
 
I have been paying 50p as thats the minimum around..The pumps that plug into the ciggy power are no real good. Mine's no where near accurate and takes ages to fill. May be you can get ones that run on the mains line....

I've got one of the Michelin 12v socket powered ones, goes like a sewing machine and no more than a couple of minutes from flat. Normally within 1psi of my workshop gauge, which is close enough.
 
o?

That's OK if you happen to have one, I fumble around looking for the pound for the shopping trolley that I keep in the ash tray. Then remember last time we used it my wife returned the trolley and whoops where did that go?
Don
 
Last edited:
For a heavy duty compressor then try the RAC 900. It is too powerful to plug into the 12v internal socket. You need to plug it directly onto your battery.

Ring Automotive RAC900 Heavy Duty Air Compressor | lovetyres.com
 

Attachments

  • Ring-RAC900.jpg
    Ring-RAC900.jpg
    21.1 KB · Views: 102

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom