How easy is it to check air and inflate car tyres at a supermarket garage?

[VoteHillary]

Don't want to look like a prat or even worse for some bloke to come over and offer 'help'. Are there instructions on the machine? Is it straightforward?

Very easy.

Make sure you know what pressure your tyres are meant to be at so you can set the machine to the right level (handbook or google make/model).

Take the little caps off your tyres and then just hold the air line to the valve until it's at the right pressure. It'll beep when it gets there so you don't need to be able to see the machine.

In the Asda one nearby me the instructions are on the air machine. You put in 20p, I think that gets you two minutes of air. You put the nozzle on your air valve and then it beeps when it’s at the right pressure. (It also says on the machine what that should be). Very easy.

Very easy, as per instructions above.

But beware that the machines can be pretty innaccurate & you can end up with over/under inflated tyres. Worth buying a decent pressure guage to check.

Main thing is to know what pressure your tyres should be - ours is written on the inside of the drivers door. Everything else is written on the machine and as easy as pumping up a bicycle tyre.

get one of these... so much easier than messing about in a car park with people in the queue getting impatient

Super easy (and essential!). Know what psi you need, depends on how full your car is with people/luggage. The last few cars I've owned that is listed in the petrol flap.

Park up by the machine, take off the dust caps, put your 50p in, attach the end of the hose until it beeps (means you've reached the right pressure), do all 4 tyres, put the dust caps back on and you're done!

Just make sure you take the caps off the tyres and put them somewhere safe! Either in your pocket or in your car. Don't try and put the air in the tyres, holding the caps in your hand. Put the air in all 4 tyres then go back round and put the caps on.

Brilliant thank you. On my way now. I have the pressures in the handbook 👍🏻

Ok, that was easy! Thanks all for the reassurance.

Unfortunately my tyre pressure alert is still showing so I’m now off to the garage

Oh in fact it just says I need to reset the alert system after every time I inflate the tyres. Have just done so. Brilliant.

Ah well done . I was just going to say, do you need to reset anything! Easy innit?!

Get a gadget and do it at home. Tyre pressures should only be tested when cool - which means not immediately after you've driven somewhere. You'll get an inaccurate reading if you test straight after driving.

Also 50p is a rip off! A pump and tester will cost far less in the long run!

It was £1!

A £1!!

www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/MobileSearchRouter?catalogId=10151&action=listrefine&categoryId=255241&langId=-1&storeId=10001&qcon=type%3DTyre Pressure Gauge%3B

One of these, plus a standard bike pump, is all you need.

Argh... that link didn't work!

Just Google 'tyre pressure gauge'. They cost around £7 - £20.

None of them in Halfords get a good right up though, I'm reluctant to spend any money on something that's going to break.

Can anyone recommend one that they've bought?

I have the 6.99 one from Halford, and the one that's £18. They're both fine.

you should be carrying a pressure gauge and a pump in the car, especially with crap modern cars with no spare - the pump might just get you to the tyre shop. if you are able-bodied buy a foot pump and use some effort.

tyres should be checked weekly and when cold. that means before you drive.

It’s easy. Just take the little caps off your tyres BEFORE you put the money in the machine. Then whip round and do them all, and only replace the caps when you’ve finished.

After I had tyres changed, my tyre warning light came on, and I panicked a bit as had just had them changed and a service done.

After a quick Google I found out that the system needed resetting, and after finding a YouTube video, did it myself using the radio settings. Was thinking I'd need to take it back to the garage but no!

If you take the caps off can the air come out?

No, the air doesn't come out. The caps are just to stop the valves getting crudded up.

Pressure warning lights are a bit temperamental in my experience, I've had them come on and pressures have been fine when I've checked them at home. I usually reset and only bother checking the tyres if they come on again. I keep an eye on my tyre pressures anyway, so it's not like I'm driving round with underinflated tyres.

Tyre pressures are also usually on a sticker under the fuel filler cap.

Second the recommendation to get a portable pump. My current and last car came with them - it was in the space where the non existent spare wheel should live. I'd check there before going out and buying one. Mine looks a bit cheap and crappy but is really good. I had a slow puncture once but it was a couple of days before someone could fix it for me so I had to pump the tyre up about 4 times and it did it in a couple of minutes.

I don't like this current trend for not supplying spare wheels, it seems a step too far in terms of cost cutting. If you have a spare wheel, you just pop it on and get on your way. Without, you can use the gunk that comes instead, but that ruins the tyre so instead of a chance of a puncture repair, you have to buy a new tyre.

If you don't have your hand book most cars have a pressure guide in one of the door jams or on the inside of the filler flap