Tesco petrol station electronic air dispenser things..

[Howard]

Is it me or do they just not work??

Select pressure with buttons, hook up to the valve, you hear the hissing and a compressor start, the tyres DONT ACTUALLY inflate, and it beeps saying it's done...

Am I just inept?

[herulach]

yep, youre just inept. youre sure youre using the schraeder side not the presta side?

[Howard]

Tried both. I used to go to a petrol station just down the road from me that had an old knackered air thing on a standpipe with an analog pressure meter... That worked.. But then they demolished the petrol station. You could see the tyres inflating, but these Tesco ones don't work for me Lol

[hitman67]

It's your Megane Howard

I never used one actually, I check them on the drive every weekend (I give the whole car a checkover with the miles I do) and just use a Foot pump.

[Howard]

It's your Megane Howard

Have you got that RS6 yet?


Might just use a foot pump or electric one I guess

[Rave]

Yeah, just use a foot pump. If you check your pressures regularly you're unlikely to have to give it more than 30s worth of pumping at a time. Get one of the classic 'stick' type pressure meters too while you're at it to ensure you've got it spot on.

[Howard]

Had one of those little stick meters around here somewhere, I'll be damned if I know where it's gone I'll buy another sometime

[hitman67]

Yeah just keep on top of it, I mean I only do it every week as I can rack up 1500 miles a week sometimes (Cumbria - Blackburn - London and back 3 times) so I make sure everything is spot on, it's a bullet proof German but I'm not taking the risk!

Doing it whenever you wash it should only take 5 mins most, and you'll find it handles and rides better (if a Megane Handles, that is.)

[XA04]

Maybe the pressure you are defining is actually lower than what it is at the moment. e.g. if you set the tesco pump at 30 but yours is already at 35 then it will claim its already done?

[Shad]

Actually the old style stick pressure guages are quite innacurate. The best tool for the job would be something like:



...but modern electronic ones aren't far off, and they are much more accurate than the old sticks!

Best way to set your pressure is by the feel of the tyres when you're driving and the wear pattern on the tread

[alexkoon]

They work for me - I had to use one to pump up the kids buggy/pushchair wheels. First problem though was it wouldn't work as the pressure was too low (well about 4PSI and I needed them at 22 PSI). Had to push the flat tyre button - this makes it pump air regardless - in the other case, if there is no air in the tyre, they is no pressure and the automatic mechanism doesn't seem to work.

Was your tyre flat!?!?

[integerspin]

I had to use a Tesco pump one day, only time i have used a garage compressor, and it wouldn't work. Standing there feeling really stupid I decided to ask asked someone how to use it. I grabbed someone who was walking around fettling pumps, or whatever they do with a bit of paper and a fuel pump, and she said[yes I asked a woman] you need to set the press' etc. Well she tried to do it the way I had figured outy it woudl work. End result she put a bit of paper on the machine saying machine out of order;-) and what about the other compressor on a stick you may ask, well that already had a bit of paper on it saying 'machine out of order'.......

[Stringent]

In one of my bored moments (have a lot of them! ) I went to 3 different garages and checked my tyre pressures. They all read different readings. Go figure ...

[Konan555]

I've got me one of those pumps that runs off the car battery. Digital jobby, just set the pressure, plug it in and off it goes. Sits in the box in my boot along with jump leads, tow rope, can of petrol, cable ties and a selection of spanners.

[BenW]

They do at least put air in the tyre, went to a bp one last weekend and could see the tyre going up

[Fidley]

In one of my bored moments (have a lot of them! ) I went to 3 different garages and checked my tyre pressures. They all read different readings. Go figure ...

Did your tyres get warmer as you traveled further?