Customer Reviews

Michelin Brand 12273 "Michelin Man" Digital Tire Gauge with Key Chain

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This item may be tempting at such a low price, but it doesn't work. I tried it on several tires, and no readings registered on any of them. If you only want an overpriced key chain, I have bad news for you. I had the key chain in my pocket for less than a day and it had turned blue! Whatever blue dye remained in my jeans, after several washings, was absorbed by the rubber body. Who ever heard of a blue Michelin Man?

This is one of those inexpensive pencil tire gauges (perhaps an MSI "Accutire" MS-4820B, cut in half?), wrapped up in a cute little Mr. Bibendum shroud. ("Mr. Bibendum" is the actual name of the Michelin Man.) In this case, "inexpensive" isn't pejorative: this gauge functions just fine, and (at least while new) seats on the valve without leaking -- which is the biggest failing of cheap gauges. (Note the Accutire gauges get mixed reviews on this score, so these Michelin versions may vary too.) It's both: (a) cute enough, and (b) small enough, to live in your Mazda Miata's glove box!

The description lacks measurements: it's between 3" and 4" long, and the feet are roughly twice the width of the valve seat (i.e. about as wide as a ball chuck). The description also has optimistic marketing-speak: the display is NOT "large"; it fits in half the width of Mr. B's chest! (No back light on the LCD, if you were wondering.) Look at the second photo comparing the size of Mr. B to a modern alarm-key -- that's accurate. BUT the hand and the wheel are very misleading! The hand must be some tiny female, and the wheel can't be over 13", or maybe foreshortened. Comes in a blister-pack.

Update: Useful service life slightly less than 3 years. I cracked open Mr. B. for an autopsy after he died, and agree with the other reviewer: there's no good way to open him up to change his battery. (He does -- theoretically -- separate at his belt-line.) There's a CR1632 lithium battery in his belly; supposedly those have a shelf life of up to 10 years, but after first use that drops off, even if it mostly sits around. I'm getting a mechanical Accu-Gage as a replacement. (Besides, I changed the tires from Michelin to Yokohama too...)

The ad indicated that this item was a pressure gauge for tires but when it arrived, I discovered that it was nothing of the sort. Thinking it may be the battery, I tried to follow the directions for opening it up and replacing the battery. It has no way to open, and one would break off the head of the Michelin man if one were to try. Note: made in China. I contacted Michelin and was told that they did not make this product - it was a knock-off (except that it was not a tire gauge). They told me that their tire gauges begin around $16.00. The ad on Amazon was totally false and I returned it and am awaiting the refund of the shipping charges of $5.05. It makes me leary of "[...]" where the ad was initially shown and then took me to Amazon. So I am now also leary of Amazon.

I have two weeks of having the gauge and does not work for me is a bad product, do not recommend it.