Do we really need all these coolant choices?

[Kestas]

VW G12 coolant thread

I just finished reading the thread above. When will all this craziness with specialty/boutique coolants stop? With maybe a few exceptions, all maunufacturers use the same materials in their powerplants - cast iron block, cast aluminum heads, aluminum radiator and heater core, rubber hoses. So why all the different coolants? Is one really that much better than the other?

Are these different formulations really needed to protect our cooling systems? If I use a Saab coolant in a Peugot, or a VW coolant in a Mercedes, will horrible things happen with the cooling system?... (this is assuming, of course, a full and complete flush of the old coolant). As consumers, do we really need all these specialty coolants???.....Geeezzz!!!

In my stable I take care of a: VW, Mercedes, green-coolantmobiles, Zerex G05-mobiles, and GM-Dex-mobiles. What would stop me from going with Zerex G 05 (my personal favorite) across the board, and simplify the stock on my shelf?

 

[Ray H]

Nothing. GM's pouring DEX-COOL into the Honda V6 engines it installs in Saturn SUVs. (AGAINST Honda's expressed objections, but apparently successfully) I'm running rebranded Prestone extended-life antifreeze/coolant in my Sonata aluminum V6. I ran Havoline DEX-COOL in a '96 Accord I4 for over four years without problems. (and that's in the outer fringes of the Mojave desert) I haven't read one failure running Zerex G-05* in anything so far, and Ford & Chrysler are converts in addition to MB and several other Euro-manufacturers. From my casual observations and readings I get the feeling the world at large is still waiting for things to shake out regarding the extended-life coolant fluids. They ALL have valid technology behind them, though there appears to be evidence that GM/Havoline DEX-COOL (the jury's still out on the clones) don't tolerate air or leftever green-snot-of-death high silicate chemistry in the system. Users who failied to do a thorough flush when changing over and GM's infamous intake manifold and cylinder head gasket problems proved costly lessons there. I don't know which coolant technology will become the standard - if there really is to be a single standard, but I suspect G-05 will be a front runner. I'd only conclude that for vehicles still under factory warranty, use of the recommended coolant would probably be the safe choice in case of a warranty claim involving the cooling system. After the warranty expires, feel free to use whatever. But, if you're changing over from conventional antifreeze/coolant, flush, Flush, FLUSH!

*According to an add in the October issue of "Road & Track", Havoline has what reads like a G-05 clone out now in a gold jug. (and it's specifically recommended for current Ford and Chrysler products)

 

[Matt89]

Kestas;

I posted in another thread that I agree with you...cars are not much different, but apparently the opinions of the various automakers are.

I had a volvo ('98) that said not to even change the coolant. I have a Honda that says 10 years or 120K and a Chevy that says 5 years or 150K...so what's more important, mileage or time? Suspecting that they don't even know at this point.

Prestone let it all hang out with their all makes/all models...and I bet they are going to be very successful selling to people who just need some 'antifreeze'. My gut tells me a company like that doesn't take that big of a plunge unless it really didn't matter much.

I agree with RayH about warrantee...but how many warrantees are longer than the coolant change interval anymore?

 

[Kestas]

quote:

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Originally posted by Matt89:
...I had a volvo ('98) that said not to even change the coolant...

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I guess coolant is being treated the same as "lifetime transmission fluid" for the same marketing reasons.... to give the public the impression that they don't need to maintain their vehicles anymore.

 

[Matt89]

quote:

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Originally posted by Kestas:

quote:

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Originally posted by Matt89:
...I had a volvo ('98) that said not to even change the coolant...

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I guess coolant is being treated the same as "lifetime transmission fluid" for the same marketing reasons.... to give the public the impression that they don't need to maintain their vehicles anymore.

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Haha...yeah that same Volvo had "lifetime" ATF also.

Too bad it didn't have a "lifetime" thermostat