Color is irrelevant. Saab (ext. life) coolant is same as BMW or Volvo, but Volvo's green. (Also Porsche & Audi, I think). It's just the dye they decide to use.

All the above are a HOAT spec called G48, made by BASF in Europe and Zerex (Valvoline) in US.

Trouble is, you can't find G48 on the discount shelves, even distributors have to pretty much special order by the drum.

BUT, you can now get Zerex G05 by the gallon (Autozone, for one). It's Mercedes OEM, for one - and (Daimler)Chrysler and Ford have now gone for it, so it's supposed to be hitting the mass retailers sometime, or at least Zerex is trying anyway.

G05's also a Hybrid OAT, and if you compare G48 and G05 specs, they're 99% identical. Dif is that G05 adds some nitrates, which is actually better for the C900's, since its a corrosion inhibitor for metals other than Al.

Mixing extended life coolants with regular is not a good idea, best case - you lose the extended life, worst case - you get weird, unwanted reactions/precipitants. Even mixing Dexcool with G05/G48 is not a great idea. One's OAT and the other's HOAT. Mixing G05 and G48 is supposedly OK, or so says Zerex's chief coolant chemist.

I was running Dexcool for a year in my '91, then got into this G05 thing and flushed the system and switched to G05.

Coolant chemistries/compatabilities frankly are a pita.

I wouldn't hesitate a minute to use Zerex G05 (not the Zerex Dexcool comp. stuff), especially if you can get it at Autozone & maybe event. Wal-Mart. I also remember seeing Saab (brand) coolant on some website at $6-7/gal. (eeuroparts, maybe?)

My advice, avoid mixing coolants and decide on one brand (or spec) and stick to it.



posted by 24.54.40...

• What coolant do you use, Nigel, Wed, 30 Oct 2002 18:26:50
  • Sobstory sells MB coolant n/m, ALLGOOD, Thu, 31 Oct 2002 13:13:14
  • Re: What coolant do you use, J, Thu, 31 Oct 2002 11:24:05
    • Ethelyn Glycol, Jon W, Thu, 31 Oct 2002 12:17:05
  • ps: you don't know what the "green" is, so flush &, fill with your choice n/m, Thu, 31 Oct 2002 00:14:13
    • Use MB coolant, PitchBlende, Thu, 31 Oct 2002 09:47:10
      • Dexcool is definitely NOT based on MB coolant n/m, speegee, Thu, 31 Oct 2002 20:37:39
      • MB is Zerex G05, you can buy at autozone for cheap, speegee, Thu, 31 Oct 2002 20:35:12
  • ps: you don't know what the "green" is, so flush &, fill with your choice n/m, Thu, 31 Oct 2002 00:14:02
  • don't mix coolants unless you know their comp...(m), speegee, Thu, 31 Oct 2002 00:02:26 <-- Viewing This Message
  • I would get some green. Or flush and fill with blue (-), Vlad, Wed, 30 Oct 2002 20:52:36
  • Havoline Long Life- the red stuff, RayV, Wed, 30 Oct 2002 19:26:35
  • brand not important, hoolagin, Wed, 30 Oct 2002 18:33:20

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