tire inflators at all the gas stations are closed down?

[GMBoy]

The gas station air pumps are maintained by the same people who maintain the McDonald's ice cream machines

It is the same issues where I am - air pumps either broken or not even offered. I have kept a portable 12v inflator in every car for years as that is the best and most dependable option...air when and where you need it. I also have not used a gas station air machine in years because they are loaded with water from lack of maintenance and I don't want all that water/condensation in my tires to corrode my wheels and hurt the TPMS sensors.

 

[Big E]

One nice thing about California, gas stations are required to provide free air and water. Now they can make you go inside and get a token, but they can't charge.

I believe they are supposed to have air and water available, not necessarily free though.

Enforcement is probably lax also.

 

[daves87rs]

I have a few portable ones….

If you’re not prepared these days, not sure what I can tell you.

One of my local stations has one that charges 5 bucks for 2.5 minutes…

 

[Chris142]

Lowes has free air. It's near the "Pro" entrance, not the entrance-exit most of us use.

Ya I stopped there to get air and its broken

 

[John105]

The free air hoses, the free standalone boxes and even the pay-for-air boxes have nearly all disappeared from my area. I can't even think of any working ones right now off the top of my head.

I've moved onto one of the Fanttik rechargeable inflators; it does a nice job.

I was reading that there was a golden era where even rest rooms were kept squeaky clean as gas stations wanted to attract business from female motorists.

Today, it would seem providing air or rest rooms isn’t part of the business model, but selling milk and breakfast sandwiches would be. The last time I literally needed air was maybe 9 years ago and it was difficult to find. Now I have a portable but then I did not.

 

[John105]

Ya I stopped there to get air and its broken

Weird the Costco near me, both pumps were broken. And it took costco 3 weeks to get them fixed. I woulda thought costco would fix them quickly

 

[Chris142]

Weird the Costco near me, both pumps were broken. And it took costco 3 weeks to get them fixed. I woulda thought costco would fix them quickly

I put an air fitting through my garage wall. No need to open the big door to air up my tires

 

[fdcg27]

Yeah, free air was a thing everywhere back when these were called service stations and had guys on hand for mechanical and tire work.
Today, they're mini-marts that offer fuel.
Carry one of those little infiltrators that plug into an accessory port with you.
They're cheap and they work when you need them.

 

[Elkins45]

If you're going to carry a 12V inflator that plugs into the lighter port I advise you to spend a little more and get a socket adapter with battery terminal clips and power it directly off your battery. The first time I used mine in my Scion it blew the fuse for the 12V outlet and it was quite an annoyance finding the blown fuse while on my back trying to read an upside-down fuse diagram under the dash. Far better to spend $9 and get it straight from the source.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BV1BBF54/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

[72C10]

Perhaps everyone just calls for road service now? Can't get your hands dirty....

 

[Urshurak776]

MIght as well be gone, needed it last week (started a thread) and the two gas stations by me that had air stations, both broken.....

 

[Urshurak776]

If you're going to carry a 12V inflator that plugs into the lighter port I advise you to spend a little more and get a socket adapter with battery terminal clips and power it directly off your battery. The first time I used mine in my Scion it blew the fuse for the 12V outlet and it was quite an annoyance finding the blown fuse while on my back trying to read an upside-down fuse diagram under the dash. Far better to spend $9 and get it straight from the source.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BV1BBF54/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

Thanks for this. Just picked one of these up.

 

[zzyzzx]

Never fails the first cold snap we have of the season the tire pressure alert comes on.

I check the weather for cold snaps and plan ahead.

 

[kballowe]

We're in rural Missouri. Most gas stations have free air here.

 

[zzyzzx]

Everyone has a cordless inflator?

I keep a corded inflator in the car.

 

[zzyzzx]

If you're going to carry a 12V inflator that plugs into the lighter port I advise you to spend a little more and get a socket adapter with battery terminal clips and power it directly off your battery. The first time I used mine in my Scion it blew the fuse for the 12V outlet and it was quite an annoyance finding the blown fuse while on my back trying to read an upside-down fuse diagram under the dash. Far better to spend $9 and get it straight from the source.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BV1BBF54/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

Spend more (like $50) to get one that isn't going to overheat and melt the internal seals.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

The gas station air pumps are maintained by the same people who maintain the McDonald's ice cream machines

It is the same issues where I am - air pumps either broken or not even offered. I have kept a portable 12v inflator in every car for years as that is the best and most dependable option...air when and where you need it. I also have not used a gas station air machine in years because they are loaded with water from lack of maintenance and I don't want all that water/condensation in my tires to corrode my wheels and hurt the TPMS sensors.

McDonald's Ice Cream! Do they really sell it? Good one! Wife and grandkids gave up trying to get any from there long ago.

Air: For so many years now , I have just kept our own portable air support in each vehicle.

 

[Kira]

This really should be a combination "Poll questions with a map locater" so the "Gloom and Doom" members can authoritatively tell us which parts of the country are better (or worse) than others.

I remember the prop. of the gas station my dad patronized putting out the hose in the morning.
He told me he used to leave it out all night, but it was vandalized.
JFK was in office then so I can't tell you which element of society was responsible. (more snarky sarcasm)

My 12v cigarette lighter compressor from HF (sorry) is among my best purchases as the little bugger does a great job as fast as you could ask for. Even the air gauge is accurate (which is to say it matches my tire pressure gauge).

 

[Elkins45]

Spend more (like $50) to get one that isn't going to overheat and melt the internal seals.

This was a Black & Decker Air Station, not some no-name junker…although for all I know they all come out of the same factory. Regardless, an inflator with a motor large enough to fill relatively quickly probably has a current draw pretty close to the limit of a cigarette lighter circuit. I learned my lesson the first time.

 

[gfh77665]

Usually the truck stops have an air hose available for the big rigs. I use them all the time. Easy to find.