Tire pressure gauge preference

Had new tires put on with TPMS and balancing. Now it seems penny wise and pound foolish not to have a very good tire pressure gauge. I was happy with my Porsche digital gauge, but lost it and now have a gauge from a local auto store, but I am not convinced that it is all that accurate. I'd appreciate suggestions about types of gauges and makers that folks have had good experience with. I can easily go to my local Porsche dealer (4 miles away) and replace my Porsche gauge, but first I thought I'd check here for suggestions. Thanks

[www.longacreracing.com]

I have two: an Accutire digital, which I keep in the Honda, and a Moroso [www.amazon.com]. This one has 2% accuracy (not 2 psi.) I find it's best to hold it firmly on the valve for a few seconds so that the reading stabilizes upward by about a pound. The bleed off valve is a nice feature, so you can overfill to start with, then bleed down to proper pressure. There are online complaints that the face is fragile, but it's not an issue if one takes reasonable care in handling it. That said, I highly recommend you get the rubber cover, which will go a long way to protecting the gauge from shock should it be dropped or banged into something. Keep in mind it doesn't hold a reading, but I find that immaterial.
The Boxster's TPMS is a bit frustrating in that it skips 31 psi and can fluctuate between 30 and 32. I suppose the system is "accurate," but the readout is not precise.

Right, I don't think the tpms is accurate enough. Mine seems to be off by 2-3 pounds. In most cars the tpms, required now by law, serves to let you know when the pressure is too low for safety. So, as in my Subaru, a red warning light comes on if the pressure goes too far below some minimum value. But, with my Boxster I want to be as accurate as possible. It may be that these systems can be designed to be as accurate as a well designed and made gauge, but they would probably cost much more.

A simple, cheap ($9), brass, dial-type accu-guage.

I have 3 - one in each car.

I check them against each other as a method of calibration and testing. They are very, very close.

Grant

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com