Lazy guy's question...gas station tire pumps have tire gauges?

jinduy

Diamond Member
Jan 24, 2002
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Does it have the meter so i know how much pressure is in the tire...or is it just a pump......nearest gas station is about 10 blocks from my neighborhood :) and i am very tired....
 

John

Moderator Emeritus<br>Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Not all gas stations have have an air pressure gauge built in.
 

RossMAN

Grand Nagus
Feb 24, 2000
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Yes usually gas stations have air pump machines for 50 cents which includes a tire gauge.
 

woodie1

Diamond Member
Mar 7, 2000
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Many have a guage but I wouldn't trust it. I've found them to be way off when measuring pressure.
 

Frosty3799

Diamond Member
Nov 4, 2000
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you dont have one of the little guages to stick on your tire to test it?

that way you only hav eto go to the garage ;)
 

yakko

Lifer
Apr 18, 2000
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All the ones I have seen have the gauges but almost none of them are accurate. I bring my own gauge.
 

jinduy

Diamond Member
Jan 24, 2002
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Originally posted by: RossMAN
Go out and buy a new tire gauge then.

poor college students must make the most out of the resources available to them when money is short :)
 

BlackOmen

Senior member
Aug 23, 2001
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The pressure gauges on the pumps at gas stations are usually inaccurate. On a recent trip to the air pump at the gas station, it measured 40psi in my one tire. Upon sticking my gauge and my friends gauge on, both read 32psi.

When buying a gauge, skip over the pen type gauges. Go for a dial gauge. They tend to last longer than the 99 cent el cheapo pen type gauges. Last I knew, they were 7 bucks at Pep Boys.
 

brtspears2

Diamond Member
Nov 16, 2000
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Originally posted by: jinduy
Originally posted by: RossMAN
Go out and buy a new tire gauge then.

poor college students must make the most out of the resources available to them when money is short :)

Soultion: Goto Firestone Tire or some tire shop, they'll give you one for free usually.
 

Salvador

Diamond Member
May 19, 2001
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Some places have gauges, but they are not often accurate. If you don't own a tire gauge, you probably aren't a car guy anyway, so just go by the gauge. It should be close enough for you.

BTW.. If you are too cheap to buy a tire gauge, you are probably too cheap to rotate your tires as well? You don't by chance own a Ford Explorer do you?

Sal
 

yakko

Lifer
Apr 18, 2000
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Originally posted by: BlackOmen
When buying a gauge, skip over the pen type gauges. Go for a dial gauge. They tend to last longer than the 99 cent el cheapo pen type gauges. Last I knew, they were 7 bucks at Pep Boys.

All pen types are not bad. It is the cheap plastic ones that are bad. I have a nice heavy duty metal one that has a metal insert with the pressures on it. The good pen types will cost you about $10 though.
 

AnthraX101

Senior member
Oct 7, 2001
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Originally posted by: yakko
Originally posted by: BlackOmen
When buying a gauge, skip over the pen type gauges. Go for a dial gauge. They tend to last longer than the 99 cent el cheapo pen type gauges. Last I knew, they were 7 bucks at Pep Boys.

All pen types are not bad. It is the cheap plastic ones that are bad. I have a nice heavy duty metal one that has a metal insert with the pressures on it. The good pen types will cost you about $10 though.

I would have to second that. I personaly prefer the pen type gauges, and find, if you use high quality ones, that they last longer. We have one for up to 200psi (we use 125 psi tires), that is used every day, on quite a few tires. It has lasted over 20 years now.

Armani
 

KingNothing

Diamond Member
Apr 6, 2002
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I bought a dial gauge for $5 at Wal-mart. I've never seen a pressure gauge at a gas station, and I generally like to test my tire pressure before I drive to one so the tires are cold.
 

DonaldC

Senior member
Nov 18, 2001
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Did anyone mention that the hose gauge is usually not too accurate.

If you have a NAPA store nearby they have a good pencil type for about $2-3.00.
 

ObiDon

Diamond Member
May 8, 2000
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All the Chevron's I've been to have built-in guages and you don't even have to pay for frickin' air! Maybe I should post this in Hot Deals! ;)

But, yeah, I keep a gauge in my car. It's just one of those little electronic ones.
 

BlackOmen

Senior member
Aug 23, 2001
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Originally posted by: AnthraX101
Originally posted by: yakko
Originally posted by: BlackOmen
When buying a gauge, skip over the pen type gauges. Go for a dial gauge. They tend to last longer than the 99 cent el cheapo pen type gauges. Last I knew, they were 7 bucks at Pep Boys.

All pen types are not bad. It is the cheap plastic ones that are bad. I have a nice heavy duty metal one that has a metal insert with the pressures on it. The good pen types will cost you about $10 though.

I would have to second that. I personaly prefer the pen type gauges, and find, if you use high quality ones, that they last longer. We have one for up to 200psi (we use 125 psi tires), that is used every day, on quite a few tires. It has lasted over 20 years now.

Armani

I usually associate the pen types with crap and so whenever I'm in that section of pep boys, i probably just skip past the quality ones. On the other hand, I am very happy with my dial gauge, however, I stand corrected on the pen types.