Free air for Tyre Pressure at Garage Forecourts

BillSnow

Sainsburys petrol stations in my area does not charge for air so I go there for my petrol. We both gain. Tesco certainly charge.

BarryBlue

If a garage decides to charge for use of the compressor, then a contract is formed when you use it. You are then entitled to the gauge to be accurate. At one time air gauges were checked by the council but I don't think that has happened for years. If the gauge is free then it is not in use for trade.

oscarward

Richard53 wrote: »

Interestingly, when I was in France a couple of years ago on the main North-South autoroute (on a very hot day) the police/local authority were offering free pressure checks and compressed air at the toll plazas as people were joining the autoroute, as a safety measure.

A couple of months ago I was on a UK motorway service area (can't remember which but may have been M5) where someone was offering free tyre pressure checks, I didn't use it as I always check before a long journey so don't know if it also include a free top up.

GabbaGabbaHey

DigForVictory wrote: »

Will then look on ebay for pump & gauge - but a cheap gauge has questionable reliability...

True. But what makes you think that the compressor on the average garage forecourt will be any more accurate?

iolanthe07

I can't find the link, but apparently the old style pencil shaped guages with a sliding read out were the most accurate.

Oldfatgrumpy

Our local Sainsbury has free air but recently I've found there always seems to be a queue of cars waiting to use the machine. Fortunately (as I don't do queues unless unavoidable) I have a portable jump-starter+inverter+compresser in the boot. Once the vague pressure-gauge on the unit is calibrated against an accurate one, this is available for pumping up tyres or assisting a weak starter battery. Invaluable and reassuring.