"I stopped by a gas station to put air in my Tesla's tires yesterday, and I. . . "

[CBPfromTN]

I have one of these air compressors in the car. Works great, and I never have to stop by any gas station to get air.

http://a.co/j4nBFld

All of you ( I can tell) know how to do this. I have always depended on my husband to check the air in the tires of all of our vehicles, however I am going to learn how to do it and do it right. I know that cold weather affects the tire pressure as well as hot weather and there are different numbers for those two conditions. I am learning! I will say I have been reading this forum voraciously and it is so interesting but as much as I love technology, I am bewildered at all of the things I am going to have to learn in order to drive this car. Wow. Mine won't be in until February, probably so I am going to have to just study and I guess learn while I drive. I hope I can figure all of it out! I appreciate all of you and your posts! Thanks!

 

[CBPfromTN]

I have one of these air compressors in the car. Works great, and I never have to stop by any gas station to get air.

http://a.co/j4nBFld

Thanks for the link, too! I'll probably need to get one of these for when I am traveling. We have an air compressor here at home but I don't want to be without one. Thx!

 

[wayner]

All of you ( I can tell) know how to do this. I have always depended on my husband to check the air in the tires of all of our vehicles, however I am going to learn how to do it and do it right.

This is pretty easy with a Tesla - you just have to push a few buttons on the steering wheel and the air pressure shows up on the dashboard - at least it does on my Model S.

 

[Akikiki]

We don't need no stinkin' gas stations. Ha-HA!-ha-ha-ha!!

 

[rhumbliner]

Tangentially, right after I bought my Leaf I stopped in at the local station to grab some eggs and my little one proudly told the cashier that we now had an electric car. Afterwords she thought it over and was worried that the station worker might have been hurt.

My local Terrible Herbst’s manager told me gasoline is used to get us into the store. The real profit is when we buy stuff there.

 

[f-stop]

Amazed you have stations with free air. Around here (Boston area), all the ones I know of have charged ($1.00 for so many minutes) for years....

actually the ones with free air are getting harder and harder to find, though there are still a couple. Our local Chevron stations seem to be the only ones with free air left - but unfortunately as I mentioned gas stations around here are being sold for high-rise condo development, and it's mostly Chevron doing all the selling - who can blame them if they can get tens-of-millions of $$ for the land

 

[Darmie]

I bring my own Windex and clean up at the charger.

 

[CBPfromTN]

This is pretty easy with a Tesla - you just have to push a few buttons on the steering wheel and the air pressure shows up on the dashboard - at least it does on my Model S.

Oh, that is great to hear! I guess, if I do see the reading and need to change the air pressure, I can use one of those gauges and then double check the reading when I get back in the car. I should've known Tesla thinks of everything! Thank you for telling me this!

 

[MorrisonHiker]

Oh, that is great to hear! I guess, if I do see the reading and need to change the air pressure, I can use one of those gauges and then double check the reading when I get back in the car. I should've known Tesla thinks of everything! Thank you for telling me this!

Some of the air compressors you can buy will also allow you to set a desired air pressure and they will stop automatically once the desired pressure is attained. I definitely recommend having one of these in the car. I've never "needed" to stop at a gas station in the past year.

 

[Sully's8]

My sentiment is that supercharger stations have a ways to go before they replace the need for gas stations, even for EVs, or you wouldn't have been there,

That is a great point...

 

[f-stop]

Oh, that is great to hear! I guess, if I do see the reading and need to change the air pressure, I can use one of those gauges and then double check the reading when I get back in the car. I should've known Tesla thinks of everything! Thank you for telling me this!

note that the car's TPMS sensors will only show you the pressure when the car is moving. So having one of those hand gauges is still handy when filling the tires, unless the air hose/compressor you're using is one of those with a built-in gauge

 

[Sully's8]

note that the car's TPMS sensors will only show you the pressure when the car is moving. So having one of those hand gauges is still handy when filling the tires, unless the air hose/compressor you're using is one of those with a built-in gauge

It's also easier to use the hand gauge than glance at the dashboard from the wheel well. Some of the "onboard" pressure gauges on the pumps don't give me confidence in their accuracy. Some don't have a gauge at all...

 

[abasile]

On road trips, I usually just put a good bicycle tire pump in the car. It beats having to own another device, and I don't mind the exercise of occasionally pumping up a car tire. Besides, the bike pump has a built in pressure gauge.

 

[Mbrockus]

I have to admit it does feel a little strange when I pull in to get some road snacks or other must have items. Good ideas on putting a little compressor and small windshield cleaning kit in the frunk.

 

[Sawyer8888]

On road trips, I usually just put a good bicycle tire pump in the car. It beats having to own another device, and I don't mind the exercise of occasionally pumping up a car tire. Besides, the bike pump has a built in pressure gauge.

I was about to post the same thing. I use a bicycle pump even at home. It only takes 10 or 15 pumps to raise the pressure 2 or 3 lbs. And yes, it's a decent method to burn a few calories.

 

[oktane]

Yes I've had the same weird feeling when SO insisted we stop to use the bathroom and get some refreshments. I was afraid someone was going to come up to me and make sure I knew my car was electric and would not accept any gasoline. Or tell me the gas station was for patrons of the fuel services only.

I thought about trying to "punk" someone by looking helpless holding the fuel nozzle in my hand and asking any passerbys if the could help me find the fuel cap.

 

[Shock-On-T]

My sentiment is that supercharger stations have a ways to go before they replace the need for gas stations, even for EVs, or you wouldn't have been there,

I think it will be a long while until charging stations are manned, and without staff there can't be many services (although air compressor could be one of them).
I think we will start to see car-focused stores more often. Like 7/11s with windscreen cleaning facilities and air compressors and water etc.

 

[mcbarnet007]

I think this is the reason why Tesla should start partnering with retail stores around super chargers. You got lots of people who needs to burn 20 - 30 mins who obviously have spending power. Win-win. I always love it when super chargers are next to a shopping mall coffee shop. It makes the stop so much easier.

 

[Mokuzai]

I thought about trying to "punk" someone by looking helpless holding the fuel nozzle in my hand and asking any passerbys if the could help me find the fuel cap.

Saw something similar that was genuine...somebody with a Volt drove up to a supercharger, backed into the stall, and grabbed the plug. After a short and confused look, sheepishly got back into their car and drove off.

I think it will be a long while until charging stations are manned

Some have valets. The San Juan Capistrano, CA charger has 7 stalls and the one time I went there was a guy that'd maintain the overflow and move cars around. Burbank, CA used to have this as well for the 6 stalls at the service center until they opened the 20 stall down the street. Clearly not the same thing that a manned gas station provides...but valets are people too!

 

[cynix]

I have one of these air compressors in the car. Works great, and I never have to stop by any gas station to get air.

http://a.co/j4nBFld

"engine must be running during use." I don't think this air compressor is compatible with a Tesla…