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I use the pencil type for the same reason. They are also relativly cheap so i have one in each vehicle.
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I have a long necked digital one from Halfords. Cost 9.99. Quite pleased with it. So far it has agreed with the digital garage forecourt inflators that I have used.
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Not like me the other day - inflated tyres using one of the 'set the pressure' air pumps at a BP garage, all happy. 4 days later in Sainsbury's filling up, thought I'd just double check pressure is ok - all 4 tyres under read. Not having my pencil gauge with me I proceeded to top up the pressure. That night I checked with the pencil gauge, and all 4 tyres are over inflated by about 3 - 4 PSI!! All duly sorted, but think I may mention it to the Sainsbury's crowd - they've only just had the pump replaced after someone drove into it!
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I've read a couple of reviews now and and the Halfords £5 digital gauge seems to score well. I have a couple of pencil gauges and they both read differently and by different amounts in different weather. The both seem to read high in hotter weather - could this be friction in the 'washer'? I don't think it the temperature of the air in the tyres making such a difference.
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"I don't think it the temperature of the air in the tyres making such a difference."
www.michelin.co.uk/uk/auto/auto_cons_bib_press.jsp...N
Although I'm sure I also read on another Michelin page that one shouldn't bother topping up when the ambient temp drops as the true pressure in tyre would be okay!!!
Not sure if that's helped at all now :-(
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As long as you are within a few PSI of recommended,it is not going to make a significant difference;if you read your manual you will see different pressures recommended for different speeds/loads;are you going to change your pressures everytime people get in and out of the car.
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The majority og cars only have one or may be two passengers and 4 psi over inflated does effect the handling, tyre wear ( long term ) and safety. Particularly with smaller cars plus 4 psi even increses your emergency stopping distance. I don't now where you get the ideal that Plus 4 PSI is OK. Regards Peter
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Aren't you supposed to only check the tyre pressures when the tyres are stone cold such as when they've been standing overnight, not mid-journey when the tyres will have heated up by several psi? The manufacturers recommended pressures are for cold tyres.
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"Aren't you supposed to only check the tyre pressures when the tyres are stone cold such as when they've been standing overnight, not mid-journey when the tyres will have heated up by several psi? The manufacturers recommended pressures are for cold tyres."
This is true - but is that mid summer when cold may be +15 or mid-winter -5....etc.
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I thought I could def feel the difference after going to Sainsbury's which is why I checked again with the pencil gauge. I agree - a few PSI over does make a difference!
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The point I was trying to make about cold tyres is you can't be certain different air gauges at the local garage or supermarket or your own digital gauge are inacurate if you are checking the tyres before , mid-journey & so on. You need a set point & first thing in the morning before driving whatever the season is a good datum point. For this reason it always amazes me to see drivers letting air out of their tyres at a motorway service station after a good belt down the motorway.
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They're idiots. If tyres are hot you just take the highest pressure as correct and match the others to it, unless they are all below the recommended level of course!
It never ceases to amaze me how indifferent people are to the state of their tyres, the way they bang them over high kerbs and so on. Modern radials that look visibly soft and low are usually very low indeed, 10 or 15 psi. One sees cars driving about with one or more tyres like that all the time. 20 miles of motorway at illegal speeds in one of these may cause a disaster.
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Well,the deed is done.
I bought a nice digital jobby from Halfords for £14.99.It comes in a nice little case and reads in PSI or BARS.It had a range from 5 to 99 PSI and is accurate to +/- 0.5 PSI.
Very easy to use and more importantly,very easy to read.
I checked all the tyres on all the vehicles and set them all correctly according the digital gauge.All needed adjustment.
Not knocking the old mechanical gauges,but I always found reading the incremental lines,engraved on the barrel awkward.
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