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I am pleased to see that some on this forum understand why I started and stayed with 36 psi in mine (now 16,000+ mi.). I am still AVERAGING 24+ mpg, although I do not have to daily drive in stop and go traffic.
Glad to see that there is at least one knowledgeable fellow here that can
and does understand the importance of running sufficient tire pressures.
Have you checked your odometer for accuracy? If your car is the same as mine, and I see
no reason why it would be any different, you may be getting twenty-four and one
half (24.5) mpg. Our car is reading short by approximately two (2) percent.
I believe that one of the reasons that you are indeed getting such good fuel economy is because
you have your tires properly inflated. At only 2,600 miles, I really cannot say for sure exactly
what our car will wind up getting fuel-economy wise, but I am keeping very accurate records
and after ours is fully broken in, I should be able to match your excellent figures.
Have you noticed how much longer it takes to get your tank really full?
The last fill, I was able to get three more gallons in after the first shut-off.
I wish there was some way to fix this problem.
Over on Freds' VW TDI site, we always did the "Ventectomy" and that really helped on the VWs.
I actually believe the car has gotten better with FE as it has gotten a little older ('06 Azzy w/38K miles).
If you were to run your car with tires inflated to 50 PSI you would get even better fuel economy, although your ride would be both uncomfortable and unsafe.
The tire pressures recommended by the manufacturer are not a matter of guess work, but by engineering and test results.
Hyundai is not the manufacturer of the tires and has no financial gain if the tires wear out faster. It would be to their advantage to be able to advertise lower fuel consumption. Why would you think that they would recommend a tire pressure that was too low?
Having the tires soak up some of the bumps versus having to tune a more sophisticated suspension to handle that, probably saves a decent amount of money per car and Hyundai intends to keep the price on the Azzy down.
So, I think they have good reason to recommend 30, but that does not prevent owners from going somewhat higher, particularly when the tire manufacturer recommends a higher pressure, if one tends to drive a little faster on a regular basis, or wants a little more economy, longer tire life, or a slightly stiffer handling.
I am not telling anyone that they should do what I am doing, I am just reporting the results of what I have done. Do what you want, if you want 30 psi, it certainly is not a bad thing.
Again, amen. Well said.
Of course "they set the pressure at 30psi for one main reason. Ride quality."
They were after that big Buick/Cadillac boulevard ride. They didn't get it.
With 37 psi cold, I too find that the our car does feel the "highway irregularities" a
little more, but control is so much better and the turning response is better also.
We do "drive a little faster on a regular basis."
If you don't do so out here on the I-15, you will get killed by those that are 'cruising' even faster.
I just don't feel that 30 psi cold is sufficient for the highway. The car simply feels to wallowy for my tastes.
Everyone is free to run whatever psi they want.
But why not try higher pressures, say in the mid to high 30s, and see if you don't like the feel better?
The type of ride is a personal preference controlled to some degree by tire pressure. Tire manufacturers do not specify the pressure to be used in a particular vehicle. That recommended specification is given by the automobile manufacturer. The tire manufacturer provides a maximum safety tire pressure, They do not know the particular vehicle on which their product will be used.
Do not confuse maximum tire pressure with recommended tire pressure.
Detroit did it for decades. Toyota has been know to do it. It makes the ride more comfortable. It also wears out the tires quicker as you have less rubber on the road, but then again they don't have to worry about replacing the tires.
I determine correct pressure by testing tires cold, measuring tread depth and adjusting until depth is wearing evenly across all treads. Of course, this may take a few hundred or thousand miles.
In all the passenger cars I've owned, the tire pressure setting has almost always been around the mid-30's (psi). Right now, with the 20" wheels and tires I have on my Azera, I've been keeping the pressure at 40 psi which accounts for the lower profile of the tire (won't allow the tire to flex in as much over pot holes and such) and increases the handling. Increased tire wear doesn't seem to be an issue, I've put about 20k miles on the tires, thus far...and the tires are in great shape. I'll get good wear on them anyway as I'll be taking them off as the winter months approach and putting the factory wheels and tires back on.
I'm going to drop back a couple PSI. The Azera, notwithstanding the many comments on these forums, is not a sports sedan, it's a near luxury cruiser.
Agree.
Changing the tire pressure is not the solution.
Improving the suspension is the route to go.
Waiting to see how the 08 rides, and if is much better, I hope to be able to adapt mine, if change is not too difficult or cost prohibitive.
Maybe you should throw that option at them if you really like the wheels and just want the problem fixed. It would cost less than replacing the wheels and defintely cost them less than having to refund your money too. Just a suggestion.
If so, what kind of tires are you now using?
I would like a quieter tire while still offering good handling and wet weather performance.
See: http://www.tirerack.com/
There, you can spend many happy hours trying to decide which skin is
best for you by reading the ratings, reviews and survey results.
The most recent Consumer Reports (November, page 58) rated tires, and
although I don't necessarily agree with what they say sometimes,
hey do compare different brands, and you will learn from their article.
They liked the Continental ContiExtremeContact for both low
noise and low rolling resistance as well as long tread life.
It is worth buying the magazine as it will help you decide.
Good luck in your search. I'm glad I don't have to do it now myself, judging from the average tire prices today.
Now is where you might wish you had the less expensive to replace 16 inch wheels from the GLS.
If I want to inflate my tires to 32 psi, conventional wisdom say to do this when the tires are cold.
Now, the only places my tires are cold are in my garage at home or in the parking lot at work when I'm ready to come home. Neither place has an air pump to inflate tires.
If I go to my garage and check the cold tire pressure and find that the tires are at 30 psi, that would tell me that I need to add 2 psi to the tire. But, I have to drive several miles to get to an air pump. When I get to the pump, my tires are now heated up. Suppose I check the heated up tire pressure again and now find that the heated pressure is 32 psi.
My logic says that I should add 2 psi to the tire which would give me a heated reading of 34 psi. Is this correct?
I'm not a tire expert, nor do I wish to become one, so could the tire experts out there help me out with this?
Am I technically doing it right to acheive a cold pressure of 32 psi or is there something I'm missing?
Thanks for your help.
You have to pump more and it takes about 20 "pumps" to add 2-3 lbs. to a car tire. But, you don't have to pay 50 cents to a dollar for air and hope you get it done before your time runs out.
Of course you can check your tires cold and then again when you get to a station and just add the correct lbs.
Two thoughts here:
Go to Costco where this service is free and have 'em change the air in your tires.
Yes, I said change. They will, if you ask the right person in the tire section,
change your air out and replace it nitrogen.
With nitrogen, among other things, you need not worry about cold and warm conditions due
to the molecular composition of nitrogen. Because said molecules are larger than
the oxygen molecules, you will not have the seepage you are experiencing now.
The other solution should you not like the nitrogen idea is to buy one of those
battery powered small air compressors to plug into your cigarette lighter
and air up your tires whenever you desire whereever you might be.
They're not all that expensive, and if you get a good one, they will last for
many years thus spreading the cost out to almost nothing per year.
I'm only on my second one, as the one I inherited from my father finally
gave up the ghost and rejoined him after thirty plus years.
The replacement only cost about $20 and it is a good one,
but I don't think it is available any longer.
That's better than dropping quarters at the local gas station isn't it?
Air is made up of 78% Nitrogen
There has been much hype for the use of nitrogen in tires, although most tests that have been performed have shown little difference in the performance of air or oxygen
Your first statement is true.
As far as "much hype" is concerned, I would ask you why the military
goes to all of the trouble to install it in their aircraft tires?
Why do businesses like Costco and others go to the expense of using nitrogen if there are no benefits?
I do know from personal experience that your passenger car tires will not need
their pressures corrected as often or at all when you install pure nitrogen.
Good tires will not loose PSI when inflated with nitrogen like those same tires will when inflated with air.
Tires using nitrogen will last longer because nitrogen does not retain moisture as air does.
Tires won't have increases in PSI when they are driven (warmed up) like those using plain old air either.
There may be other reasons, but for me, the few that I've touched on briefly
are sufficient to lead me to believe that nitrogen is for me!
Should anyone care to delve further, see:
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/070216.html
Your mileage may vary . . .
Carry on.
Plain old air will do us fine, eh. I found a station(Mustang)in town here that does not charge for air and also has the lowest gas prices in town, to boot.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
There is no need for argument on this issue.
The use of nitrogen in auto tires is fine and might in fact have some benefit. There is certainly a question as to the amount of benefit provided.
Tire retailers use nitrogen as as marketing and sales factor to obtain additional sales and profit.
The military does not use nitrogen in land based vehicles.
As "pure" nitrogen is used only inside of the tires, why would you not believe that the moisture does not harm the tires from the outside.
There are as many many tests and opinions posted on the internet indicating that the additional cost for the nitrogen is not warranted.
Costco was smart about building the nitrogen usage into their marketing plan.
If the nitrogen makes you secure and happier, go for it.
I wish that I were the one who thought of the marketing plan. It obviously works.
interested in further positive discussion of this issue, let's talk privately by email.
Wow! Those must be really comfortable.
dmallia -
Thanks for the idea. Your response was the only one that tried to address what I was asking. I'll give it a try.
Wow! Those must be really comfortable.
Bob -
They are extremly comfortable. They're filled with nitrogen, you know.
Don
If you live in an area like Denver or Tahoe and don't have an alternate 4WD (like about 80% of the people in my community), then you might want to consider getting Blizzak or studded tires, depending on how often you really see snow and ice. I happen to prefer Hankook winter tires, with studs.
Where did you get the information pertaining to inflating tires on Azera to 44 PSI?
I have heard of a tire manufacturer recommending inflation pressures that differed from that suggested my the automobile manufacturer.
Either there or from the dealer who mounted the tires.
IF he can stand that harsh ride at any pressures above in the high thirties, I will be surprised!
I wonder if anyone pointed out to him that those tires are 'H' rated, not 'V' rated as are the factory Michelins?
I believe that his problems with the factory Michelins were caused by the vehicle
not being aligned properly and the wheels not being rotated regularly.
No one should blame any tire for that!
It is hard to believe that a tire dealer would recommend the maximum tire pressure for the tire advised by the tire manufacturer.
While as a practice, it is better to over inflate rather than under inflate, too much pressure, while increasing MPG will definitely hinder quality of ride and overall performance.
Some tires do have softer ( or stiffer ) sidewalls than others.
I replaced the original tires, on a car I had years ago, with Yokohamas. I aired them to the vehicle's recommended PSI, and they were absolute mush. I had to increase the pressure by 10PSI to approximate the ride and handling that the original tires had.
IMO, one would have to experiment with tire pressure on any tire other than what came with the car.
With regular air, this happens bigtime. Every drop of ten degrees looses one psi? :confuse:
In fact, the Impala SS group I belonged to so many years ago would have people complaining
of psi loss, the seal at the sidewalls being lost and the tires going completely flat.
(255/50-17 on factory 9 1/2 inch wide wheels.)
It's not so bad when the temps stay consistent, but fall is the worst one since it's usually mild during the day and chilly at night. Our temps fall 20+ degrees at night around here now.
The results indicated only a minuscule difference in the pressure retained in the tires after one year. They also addressed the expansion issue explaining that under non extreme driving conditions, such as NASCAR racing, there would be no noticeable difference in tire pressures.
In conclusion, they felt that if you could get it for free, accept it, but spending extra money for the Nitrogen inflation is not warranted.