Dealer Owned Warranty Co. (DOWC) expanded its menu of products on Tuesday, as the provider and administrator of F&I products and services introduced NitroShield, a complete tire and wheel protection product.

As part one of a complete tire and wheel protection system to improve vehicle safety and efficiency, DOWC highlighted that NitroShield begins with replacing the tires’ conventional air with 99% pure nitrogen. NitroShield benefits include extending the overall life of the tire, better fuel efficiency and improved handling of the vehicle — all due to tire-pressure retention.

DOWC emphasized that maintaining a vehicle’s tires will not only maximize tire life and fuel economy, but also assure that the vehicle handles well.

Because tires and wheels work together, NitroShield is bundled with WheelShield, a professionally applied wheel treatment which protects the painted and clear-coated surfaces of alloy and steel wheels. WheelShield’s nano-technology can add extra protection to the wheel by preventing the buildup of brake dust, for cooler operation and a lasting shine.

Both NitroShield and WheelShield are backed by warranties that provide for the repair, refurbishment, cleaning and/or replacement of any covered parts, according to DOWC.

“We think vehicle owners should drive with peace of mind, where the rubber meets the road,” DOWC founder Michael LaMotta said in a news release. “We are excited to offer NitroShield to dealers, so drivers can take tires off their list of things to worry about when they go back out on the open road.”

DOWC pointed out that all new vehicles built since 2008 are equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system, but TPMS warning lights only come on when one or more of the tires is already 25% underinflated.

“Problems can occur much sooner than that. Improper tire inflation can lead to a myriad of problems, including:  uneven and/or accelerated tire wear, lower fuel efficiency, unpredictable handling, damage to wheel and even catastrophic tire failure,” the company said.

DOWC noted that nitrogen tire inflation has been used for several years as a superior alternative to air in Formula One and NASCAR vehicles, heavy-duty off-road equipment and by NASA and other commercial and military aircraft. Despite the benefits, nitrogen has been scarcely available to consumers as a tire fill option, according to the company.

“A natural inert gas, nitrogen is not dangerous, and is environmentally safe and non-combustible. Nitrogen will not burn and has a life expectancy well beyond 20 years, if well maintained. Seventy-nine percent of the air we breathe is nitrogen,” DOWC said.

As an environmentally friendly automotive solution, DOWC explained that inflating car and truck tires with nitrogen has several benefits, including maintaining of proper tire inflation, maximizing the life of the tire and improving overall performance.

Additionally, the company pointed out a tire filled with nitrogen should not heat up and expand.

Another benefit of NitroShield is that during the fill process, the existing air and moisture inside the tire are purged, so the inside of the nitrogen-filled tire remains drier. This inhibits oxidation of the metal wheel and makes for a more stable operating environment, regardless of variations in temperature.

In contrast, DOWC said a tire that is underinflated is more likely to prematurely fail because when the tire rolls, it flexes more than it was designed to do. The flexing can lead to bending of the tire’s rubber and steel, which generates heat.

“Heat is a tire’s worst enemy, and accelerates tire wear. Air is not an inert gas, and is affected by the change in temperature, which affects the rate of air loss,” DOWC said.

For more information, visit dowc.com, call (201) 777-1000 or send a message to info@dowc.com.