What is your prefered anti-freeze?

[MC5W20]

Anyone here with brand loyalty. Irrespective of specs and all other issues anyone here reach for a particular brand of anitfreeze whenever they need it.

I'll start. Nope. Last time I needed anti-freeze I bought supertech because it was cheap and convenient to get.

Best part about it was the "Made in USA" label on it.

 

[MN Driver]

Interesting question, For cars that are prone to internal gasket leaks, I use Prestone LowTox, for cars that use Dexcool that don't I use Prestone's Dexcool approved coolant. I don't use Prestone because of any reason but it is the only Dexcool product that I could easily get my hands on. For older cars and any other car that normally has green, I use whatever green coolant that I find, which I have some Peak that I will be changing out this spring for one of my cars.

Even after naming 3 coolants, Zerex G-05 would probably be what I'd use for any mechanically sound car but I fear changing it due to talk of the new coolant creating clogs from any residue left over from the old coolant.

 

[labman]

I perhaps am a fanatic about picking a brand and sticking with it. Pennzoil oil, Prestone antifreeze and brake fluid, Lubrimatic grease, and that is all I can think of for now. OK, Sil-Glyde.

 

[MC5W20]

MN Driver, I am unfamiliar with the clogging your refering too.

The clogging should be a non-issue as I installed a bypass filter into my cooling system. You think with modern technology the chemical companies would be able to come out with a coolant that does away with ethylene glycol. Would be nice to have something non-toxic and never needs to be changed.

 

[wavinwayne]

I'm loyal to the OEM G12 for my '00 VW.
I'm loyal to plain green Texaco stuff for the wife's '97 Expedition. AFAIK, it's the only non-extended life plain green anti-freeze that's left, except for the expensive dealer-only Motorcraft coolant.

 

[MC5W20]

Its been reported that the shell brand coolant is the high silicate conventional green. Dunno. I like modern technology, so I think next time I have to do this I am gonna try that lifetime stuff by Peak.

 

[Matt89]

Wavinwayne - I think Peak still makes 'old school' antifreeze by the supertanker full. Saw a whole wall of it at a hardware store and auto store recently.

 

[wavinwayne]

Matt89,

You're right; I completely forgot about that one. My local grocery store carries it for about $7/gallon. The Texaco stuff is $7.50/gallon at Advance.

 

[MNgopher]

Zerex G-05.

No issues in converting two vehicles to it to date. I use it in my '88 Jeep Cherokee and my '99 Ford F150. Both originally ran the old green fluid.

I know the dex cool type coolant works just fine for many, but there are certainly plenty of stories!

 

[bar1]

wavinwayne: you can mix any BASF G30 compliant coolant fluid with VW G12 or G12+. G30 fluids cost 1/4 of the overpriced VW stuff.
I use G30 in my '96 Audi S6 2.2 TQ Avant.

 

[wavinwayne]

bar1,

I'm sure you're right, but I wouldn't be able to sleep at night if I didn't use the overpriced VW G12. It's German mind-control, I tell ya.

 

[Eddie]

origional factory or Zerox G05

 

[adam123]

Mopar HOAT coolant or Zerex G-05

 

[IslaVistaMan]

Toyota "pink" or Honda Type II "blue" -- OEM all the way, baby.

 

[Tosh]

I'm thinking of using Genuine Honda antifreeze for $11.30 per gallon plus shipping. Is it worth it? I switched to Prestone about 2.5 years ago. Otherwise I'll use Peak traditional?

 

[speedy341]

I've converted everything to Toyota red.

 

[mchang204]

Toyota red. Local dealer charges 12.95/gallon with coupon.

 

[rcy]

Water. From the tap.

OK, not really...the VW gets the overpriced G12 from the stealer (and I've used a lot in the past year - gauge install, blown waterpump, leaking heart valve, bad thermostat - oh how I miss my dependable Hondas and Nissans). The Dodge Grand Caravan has some sort of green stuff in it that my mechanic put in when he replaced the motor. I've had to top it up with Prestone Long Life All Makes Fully Compatible with Everything (as per Prestone) which I think is like Dexcool.

Just as an aside, I have some G12 left over and lotsa the Prestone Long Life. I'm gonna mix a small amount of the two together in a jar my wife has been saving to make jam in, and see if any reaction occurs. I wonder if I'll have to introduce heat and pressure?

 

[Ray H]

Keep us posted, but I doubt there'll be a reaction. The two chemistries are VERY similar: OAT, no nitrites, phosphates, or silicates and similar reserve alkalinity ratings. By the way, I'm two weeks away from a year and a half use of SuperTech's "All Makes/Extended Life" antifreeze (made by Prestone) in my Sonata aluminum V6. I'd been toying with the idea of changing it out at that point, but I believe I'll wait until September even though, at $6.88/gallon for the concentrate, the stuff's cheap enough not to Scotch out about. With the waterpump dry and no glycol detected in a just completed UOA, the slight drop in the overflow bottle's level over the time in has got to be just normal evaporation or winter's cooler temperatures at this point in the coolant's life. The radiator's full up whenever I check it.

 

[wiswind]

rcy,
Keep that jar OUT of the kitchen, or the wife may put a cap on it and put it on the shelf with the other jars!!!!!!