Did you know that the air we breathe is 78% nitrogen and only 21% oxygen? (We’re not sure we want to know what the other 1% is.) So, yeah, nitrogen is pretty important stuff to us. And now we know it can be beneficial when it comes to tire care.

Inflating tires with nitrogen improves fuel economy. Because nitrogen molecules are larger, they take three to four times longer to pass through a tire. That helps tires maintain their proper pressure longer, reducing rolling resistance, and improving gas mileage.

Oxygen reacts with metal at high temperatures and pressures. Nitrogen is a dry, inert gas that runs cooler and doesn’t oxidize. That means it won’t cause damage to the inner liners and belts in tires. It produces no condensation, so nitrogen won’t lead to rusty rims. And tires filled with nitrogen are less likely to fail prematurely, making them safer and less costly to own.

OCTOBER 11th UPDATE: Twenty-seven Mountain View Tire stores now offer nitrogen. (Only our Chino and Montebello stores do not have it.) Visit our Locations page for addresses, maps, and more.