BMW Blue Coolant

[KenB]

I went to the stealer to get me some cool blue, $19.50/gal.x2 Ouch.

Last time I bought it 2 years ago I think it was $12.00/gal.

On a side note, they only had diff oil in a 55 gal drum and would NOT recommend anything else to buy for an LSD, "sorry, you'll have to make an appointment with our service department."

Yeah, I'll get right on that.


Spent most of the afternoon waiting for a towtruck to come pick up my friend's DeLorean (just got it back from a frame off restoration in Houston) It threw a belt and was on the way to overheating a brand new engine. (Of course this happened while yours truly was driving it for the first time) :( Lost some coolant. My buddy wanted to use the BMW blue to top off his system, mixed with green!!! Horrors! Used water instead.:p

Damn flux capacitor...:D

[Fetch]

lol

[632 Regal]

the colant since you only deal with it a couple times in 4 years isnt an issue.

as for the diff you can use any synthetic in the right weight if its LSD or reg.

I have a delorian when they were promoting T-shirt I was thinkin of throwing on ebay.

[bigtisas]

Bought a gallon of blue coolant from a stealer in South Callifornia last week. $23!!!

I wish I can use the new Prestone extended life coolant. It claims to compatible with any cars. only $7/gal at Walmart.

[pundit]

I wish you Yanks would stop bitchin' about prices over there.
You have the cheapest prices of anywhere on the planet.

Would you rather pay $40.00 USD for a U.S. gallon of BMW blue coolant?... We do!

How about gas prices? What about paying $7.00 per gallon like the Brits do!
Get a life before Global warming kills ya all!!

[Airborne001]

How about gas prices? What about paying $7.00 per gallon like the Brits do!

So go find your own middle eastern country to invade. Hell, I hear Canada has a lot of unexploited oil reserves.


.

[mamilapon]

I bought some Lemforder blue coolant 6 months ago and paid AUD$16 for 1.5 liters.x3

[Derek A.]

Hepu makes a blue coolant and well. Its a lot less $$ than the BMW dealer. Check with your local euro parts suppliers.

[shogun]

Blue is just dyed by BMW respect. their OEM supplier to make it different looking from other stuff.
In the '80's there was a problem with some brands of green coolant so BMW 'created' their own. At that time most of the engines were still cast iron.
And in the U.S. even in later years.

ZEREX Anti-freeze G-05 or G-48 or pre-mixed 50/50, which is silicate and phosphate free and friendly with aluminum. ZEREX G-48 is BMW approved; ZEREX G-05, which is Mercedes Benz approved and other aluminum engine manufacturers. The orange 50/50, clear G-05 and blue G-48 are aluminum engine approved and basically same product other than color. WARNING: none of the Prestone products are aluminum friendly in spite of ads nor silicate and phophate free and both chemicals make sludge, which may clogged the cooling system of any car


http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/121555/

[DigitalRelay]

I bought two gallons of the blue stuff from Bavauto.com for about $20 per gallon.

[John B.]

I use the Zerex G-05 in all my vehicles, $8-$9 a gallon at Autozone. As for the BMW LSD synth the parts guy at the dealer I bought it from even dug up a plastic jug as I didn't realize it was only sold in drums.

[tim s]

tim s.

[Ross]

Eric, as usual you are a font of valuable information. I will consider this a definative answer and will in the future tell the Bavarins to stuff their blue coolant in their brown holes.
Thanks for saving me some money!

[Spasso]

I'm using the Zerex G-05 in my 530 and my Acura. I read somewhere on this forum ( a link?) that it specs out VERY close to the G-48. Good enough for me.

The only drawback is the color. Being light yellow it is difficult to spot coolant leaks in the engine bay.

I read in the same article that if you are running a car with an old style brass radiator it is recommended to run the traditional green with plenty of anti-corrosive compounds to protect the all aluminum engine. They mentioned something about the non-green weakening the solder joints in the radiator?

I run the green my Italian car. It's 28 years old and the engine seems no worse for wear living on green all these years.

[bfd]

Just to open up the discussion, if you don't want to pay $20-30 per gallon for BMW "blue" coolant, one other CHEAPER alternative is SAAB *BLUE* coolant.

Yes, it is Valvoline Zerex G-48, which happens to be the SAME stuff as BMW.
Yes, it is blue color (note, SAAB does have an orange or yellow coolant too)
Yes, it comes in the same white container, but with a SAAB sticker.

At $12-15 per gallon, its a good, cheaper alternative to consider!

[Spasso]

Thanks for the heads up!

[attack eagle]

I wish you Yanks would stop bitchin' about prices over there.
You have the cheapest prices of anywhere on the planet.

Would you rather pay $40.00 USD for a U.S. gallon of BMW blue coolant?... We do!

How about gas prices? What about paying $7.00 per gallon like the Brits do!
Get a life before Global warming kills ya all!!

It's not our fault we chose not to pay taxes out the wazoo on everything to socialize everything.

[Ferret]

So go find your own middle eastern country to invade. Hell, I hear Canada has a lot of unexploited oil reserves.


Lmao - unfortunately the US has a bad habit of getting there first - then getting humiliated over the next few months by that ape-in-a-suit commander in chief.

Though to be quite honest Teflon Tony aint much better - with his constant prattling on about WMD that were never there in the first place.

Go incompetant leaders!

[Bill R.]

their coolant in the early nineties. The problem that bmw was having was silicate gel precipitation with coolants with high silicates levels. The silicates are present in the older green coolants to help form a coating on the insides of the engine and cooling system to protect them from corrosion. Excess or high levels of silicates in coolant were causing silicate sludging problems or Whats called "Green Goo", this is a thick layer that looks like green snot in the cooling system.

The coolant depends on the closest contact with the metal surfaces of the engine to transfer heat away from the motor, this green goo was forming a thick insulating layer causing the engines to run hotter and the cooling system to no operate as efficiently. It also builds up on water pump seals causing them to start leaking prematurely.

Bmw came out with their coolant , which is a no phophate, no nitrites but it does have low levels of silicates to protect against corrosion, Its not silicate free. This is the zerex g48, thats just about unobtainable here except from the dealer.

Most modern long life coolants would probably work fine including prestone.
I choose to stick with the bmw recommended for my own use and my customers use unless they specify otherwise.

I use the prestone longlife green that they have replaced the orange with in most of my customers cars who don't have a preference

John B. , There's not much price advantage anymore. I buy the blue from Patrick at BMA for 18, Last week when i went to autozone and checkers to get some coolant for a customers car they had both raised their prestone extended life green to 12 bucks a gallon now and the peak and others had raised accordingly. The toyota longlife red which i use in my previa,(250k miles, original waterpump, original hoses) has gone down in price at the dealers, last time i bought some it was 12 a gallon.

So at 12 a gallon for the prestone green and 18 for the bmw blue from Patrick, 6 bucks a gallon difference for something i'm going to replace every couple of years doesn't seem like too high a price to pay.

As far as prestone products making sludge,i'd say no and i use them every day in customers cars. In a pinch if i didn't have any bmw coolant i wouldn't hesitate to use the current prestone longlife green






Blue is just dyed by BMW respect. their OEM supplier to make it different looking from other stuff.
In the '80's there was a problem with some brands of green coolant so BMW 'created' their own. At that time most of the engines were still cast iron.
And in the U.S. even in later years.

ZEREX Anti-freeze G-05 or G-48 or pre-mixed 50/50, which is silicate and phosphate free and friendly with aluminum. ZEREX G-48 is BMW approved; ZEREX G-05, which is Mercedes Benz approved and other aluminum engine manufacturers. The orange 50/50, clear G-05 and blue G-48 are aluminum engine approved and basically same product other than color. WARNING: none of the Prestone products are aluminum friendly in spite of ads nor silicate and phophate free and both chemicals make sludge, which may clogged the cooling system of any car


http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/121555/

[Fetch]

their coolant in the early nineties. The problem that bmw was having was silicate gel precipitation with coolants with high silicates levels. The silicates are present in the older green coolants to help form a coating on the insides of the engine and cooling system to protect them from corrosion. Excess or high levels of silicates in coolant were causing silicate sludging problems or Whats called "Green Goo", this is a thick layer that looks like green snot in the cooling system.

The coolant depends on the closest contact with the metal surfaces of the engine to transfer heat away from the motor, this green goo was forming a thick insulating layer causing the engines to run hotter and the cooling system to no operate as efficiently. It also builds up on water pump seals causing them to start leaking prematurely.

Bmw came out with their coolant , which is a no phophate, no nitrites but it does have low levels of silicates to protect against corrosion, Its not silicate free. This is the zerex g48, thats just about unobtainable here except from the dealer.

Most modern long life coolants would probably work fine including prestone.
I choose to stick with the bmw recommended for my own use and my customers use unless they specify otherwise.

I use the prestone longlife green that they have replaced the orange with in most of my customers cars who don't have a preference

John B. , There's not much price advantage anymore. I buy the blue from Patrick at BMA for 18, Last week when i went to autozone and checkers to get some coolant for a customers car they had both raised their prestone extended life green to 12 bucks a gallon now and the peak and others had raised accordingly. The toyota longlife red which i use in my previa,(250k miles, original waterpump, original hoses) has gone down in price at the dealers, last time i bought some it was 12 a gallon.

So at 12 a gallon for the prestone green and 18 for the bmw blue from Patrick, 6 bucks a gallon difference for something i'm going to replace every couple of years doesn't seem like too high a price to pay.

As far as prestone products making sludge,i'd say no and i use them every day in customers cars. In a pinch if i didn't have any bmw coolant i wouldn't hesitate to use the current prestone longlife green


amen brother....blue all the way!
:D
The cost difference is so small per year, it doesn't make sense to try and save money in this area.

[ryan roopnarine]

japanese coolant chemistry is going to be different than that intended for a german car. any reason you want to use the g-05 in your acura?


I'm using the Zerex G-05 in my 530 and my Acura. I read somewhere on this forum ( a link?) that it specs out VERY close to the G-48. Good enough for me.

The only drawback is the color. Being light yellow it is difficult to spot coolant leaks in the engine bay.

I read in the same article that if you are running a car with an old style brass radiator it is recommended to run the traditional green with plenty of anti-corrosive compounds to protect the all aluminum engine. They mentioned something about the non-green weakening the solder joints in the radiator?

I run the green my Italian car. It's 28 years old and the engine seems no worse for wear living on green all these years.

[Spasso]

Mainly to get away from the green junk that was in it. It's a '91 using old technology coolant- phosphates and silicates. The stuff was pretty ugly and since I was doing the BMW that weekend I did the Acura as well with thoughts of protecting the plastic parts in the system. It lost it's radiator at 77k and I don't want a repeat now that it is over 100k

It was only after I got done did I realize the specs were different in Japan, at least on the newer models. I did some reading and asked for qualified second opinions and nobody seemed to think the specs were so different as to cause a problem, not like mixing with the dreaded Dexcool.

Looking at the larger picture, we are dealing with an all aluminum engine, a radiator and various bits of rubber and plastic. How different could a Japanese engine possibly be as to warrant such a unique spec coolant for long life versus European spec coolant?

Reading the G0-5 specs, it lists Saab, Mercedes Benz, Volvo, Chrysler, John Deere, MAN and countless other domestic and industrial applications including, just recently, BMW and Honda.

Honda? Close enough for me.

[John B.]

John B. , There's not much price advantage anymore. I buy the blue from Patrick at BMA for 18, Last week when i went to autozone and checkers to get some coolant for a customers car they had both raised their prestone extended life green to 12 bucks a gallon now and the peak and others had raised accordingly. The toyota longlife red which i use in my previa,(250k miles, original waterpump, original hoses) has gone down in price at the dealers, last time i bought some it was 12 a gallon.


My wife picked up 4 gallons of the G-05 last winter at Autozone for $8-$9 each so thats quite a savings over $18 a gallon +shipping. Combined our cars only rack up 20k a year tops so I'm set for many years to come. If I get bored with the Zerex I'll buy some blue food dye.:)

[genphreak]

I wish I could sprecken ze Deutschen as it would help me to answer this mystery of wives-tails we keep arguing about. That is good info Erich, but I suspect a definitive answer from a BMW engineer is really what we need...

This is what Valvoline's Australian website claims that Zerex G05 is;

• Compatible with all glycol coolants
• Compatible with petrol & passenger diesel engines
• Compatible with all cooling system metals
• Phosphate Free for use in European vehicles such as Volvo, BMW

Further, they make more claims by way of answering questions;

Q: Why should I change my coolant? A: Freeze and boil protection do not deteriorate with wear however, the corrosion inhibitors over their recommended service life deplete. Corrosion inhibitors protect the engine’s metals. It is not possible to check for corrosion protection, hence engine coolant should be changed regularly in accordance to manufacturer’s recommendations. VALVOLINE Extreme Life 5/160 will provide this protection up to five years or 160,000 kilometres. VALVOLINE Protection Plus 3/80 provides will provide protection up to three years or 80,000 kilometres.

Really? Did the testing team do a 5 year test? What concentrations were used... what ambient environment/s was/were assumed? Who did the 'test'- (and who paid them) and on what... how was it carried out?

Q: What kind of testing did Valvoline do to prove these claims? (Particularly the 5 year/160,000 kilometre claim.) A: Extensive international laboratory tests, engine dynamometer and fleet tests went into testing both VALVOLINE Extreme Life 5/160 and VALVOLINE Protection Plus 3/80.

But we hold our customers in such contempt that we won't tell them which vehicles they were tested in, how or where. Furthermore, as a coolant manufacturer even though our engineers know that these products may not be correct for certain cars, our marketing dept is not prepared to warn customers about buying the wrong product... and face severe problems from doing so...

Q: Is one Valvoline Coolant better than the other? A: No. Both products offer excellent protection for the car’s cooling systems. The only difference being the length of protection. The decision is a matter of convenience, with VALVOLINE Extreme Life 5/160 costing more per litre to buy but it lasts longer.

HOW HOW HOW do we know that your marketers didn't just fudge some test results from who knows where and make this claim so they can sell 2 differentiated products and make more money? What is the actual difference... and are they safe to use or not...

Q: How often should you totally flush your engine’s coolant system? A: Always follow your car manufacturer’s recommendations. These vary from three years 50,000 kilometres to fill-for-life or unlimited mileage. As a general rule, VALVOLINE recommends that your engine’s coolant system should be totally drained and flushed prior to refilling with coolant.
VALVOLINE products provide extended life benefits to 160,000 kilometres when properly installed.
Q: Do these coolants use ethylene glycol? A: Yes, both VALVOLINE Extreme Life 5/160 and VALVOLINE Protection Plus 3/80 are ethylene glycol based for unsurpassed freeze protection.

Great! Thanks for telling us soooooo much about your product...

Well it sure sounds to me after reading all this product info that these products are fine in all cars... and further I can't find one disclaimer or warning that says don't use it in any particular vehicle.

But we do know that using the wrong coolant can be distastrous in a Bimmer.

How can Valvoline as a manufacturer and marketer not? Incredulous about this, I decided to head to the US website to see if it claimed the same thing... alas no, it didn't make this mistake.

Let's be clear here though, this is proof that Valvoline Australia is being deceptive. No wonder they have John Laws doing their advertising here...

From www.valvoline.com: (http://www.valvoline.com:) "Using The Wrong Chemistry Could Be A Costly Mistake!

Using the correct chemistry is critical to the life of your cooling system and engine. Coolant specifications vary by vehicle make and model. Unfortunately, you will not likely know the mistake was made until it's too late. The wrong chemistry can cause metal corrosion, gasket deterioration, and more.

There is no "one size fits all" chemistry that is approved for use in all vehicles. Don't take chances—use Zerex AutoMaker Approved Chemistry"

From the US Valvline website (buried at the bottom of a 'editorial' page ie not even written by Valvoline: "Demystifying Modern Antifreeze/Coolant" Jeff Dusing, Copyright AutoMedia

Seeking Approval?

Perhaps one of the most important aspects to look for when next shopping for antifreeze/coolant is approval from the maker of your car. Currently, there is no "one size fits all" solution that is approved for use in newer cars. And filling your cooling system with the wrong solution may result in serious adverse effects.
Products marked APPROVED have been subjected to years of field and lab testing by your car's manufacturer and are certain to provide the best performance and protection. Also, use of these products will ensure your car's warranty remains intact. The same cannot be said for using non-approved products, which may end up causing more problems than they solve. Some quality antifreeze/coolant producers even print the makes that have approved their products for use. This is always the best way to go.
As a car owner in today's fast-paced world, there are really only two key things to know when it comes to your car's antifreeze: Drain and replace it according to the manufacturer's recommendations (usually found in the owner's manual). And use an antifreeze/coolant that is approved by your manufacturer for use in your car. You-and your car-will be happier and more confident regarding the long-term integrity of your vehicle's essential cooling system.

So there we have it. Valvoline US says Zerex G05 is 'approved chemistry' but even this falls short of a claim that their product is suitable for our cars. However the Austrlaian website claims that both G05 and DexCool Extreme is OK for anything. Hmmm Why can't they just tell us the difference between the Blue G48, the Orange Zerex DexCool Extreme and the Yellow Zerex G05? Is it because they are happy making money without being drawn to account on anything?

(I even had to dig quite deep in the US website to find those warnings and disclaimers...) What do you guys think? Can we use either G05 or DexCool Extreme? Is this product really worth guaranteeing for 5 years in our cars on such flimsy information/evidence?

[Zeuk in Oz]

I wish I could sprecken ze Deutschen as it would help me to answer this mystery of wives-tails we keep arguing about. That is good info Erich, but I suspect a definitive answer from a BMW engineer is really what we need...

This is what Valvoline's Australian website claims that Zerex G05 is;

• Compatible with all glycol coolants
• Compatible with petrol & passenger diesel engines
• Compatible with all cooling system metals
• Phosphate Free for use in European vehicles such as Volvo, BMW

Further, they make more claims by way of answering questions;

Q: Why should I change my coolant? A: Freeze and boil protection do not deteriorate with wear however, the corrosion inhibitors over their recommended service life deplete. Corrosion inhibitors protect the engine’s metals. It is not possible to check for corrosion protection, hence engine coolant should be changed regularly in accordance to manufacturer’s recommendations. VALVOLINE Extreme Life 5/160 will provide this protection up to five years or 160,000 kilometres. VALVOLINE Protection Plus 3/80 provides will provide protection up to three years or 80,000 kilometres.

Really? Did the testing team do a 5 year test? What concentrations were used... what ambient environment/s was/were assumed? Who did the 'test'- (and who paid them) and on what... how was it carried out?

Q: What kind of testing did Valvoline do to prove these claims? (Particularly the 5 year/160,000 kilometre claim.) A: Extensive international laboratory tests, engine dynamometer and fleet tests went into testing both VALVOLINE Extreme Life 5/160 and VALVOLINE Protection Plus 3/80.

But we hold our customers in such contempt that we won't tell them which vehicles they were tested in, how or where. Furthermore, as a coolant manufacturer even though our engineers know that these products may not be correct for certain cars, our marketing dept is not prepared to warn customers about buying the wrong product... and face severe problems from doing so...

Q: Is one Valvoline Coolant better than the other? A: No. Both products offer excellent protection for the car’s cooling systems. The only difference being the length of protection. The decision is a matter of convenience, with VALVOLINE Extreme Life 5/160 costing more per litre to buy but it lasts longer.

HOW HOW HOW do we know that your marketers didn't just fudge some test results from who knows where and make this claim so they can sell 2 differentiated products and make more money? What is the actual difference... and are they safe to use or not...

Q: How often should you totally flush your engine’s coolant system? A: Always follow your car manufacturer’s recommendations. These vary from three years 50,000 kilometres to fill-for-life or unlimited mileage. As a general rule, VALVOLINE recommends that your engine’s coolant system should be totally drained and flushed prior to refilling with coolant.
VALVOLINE products provide extended life benefits to 160,000 kilometres when properly installed.
Q: Do these coolants use ethylene glycol? A: Yes, both VALVOLINE Extreme Life 5/160 and VALVOLINE Protection Plus 3/80 are ethylene glycol based for unsurpassed freeze protection.

Great! Thanks for telling us soooooo much about your product...

Well it sure sounds to me after reading all this product info that these products are fine in all cars... and further I can't find one disclaimer or warning that says don't use it in any particular vehicle.

But we do know that using the wrong coolant can be distastrous in a Bimmer.

How can Valvoline as a manufacturer and marketer not? Incredulous about this, I decided to head to the US website to see if it claimed the same thing... alas no, it didn't make this mistake.

Let's be clear here though, this is proof that Valvoline Australia is being deceptive. No wonder they have John Laws doing their advertising here...

From www.valvoline.com: (http://www.valvoline.com:) "Using The Wrong Chemistry Could Be A Costly Mistake!

Using the correct chemistry is critical to the life of your cooling system and engine. Coolant specifications vary by vehicle make and model. Unfortunately, you will not likely know the mistake was made until it's too late. The wrong chemistry can cause metal corrosion, gasket deterioration, and more.

There is no "one size fits all" chemistry that is approved for use in all vehicles. Don't take chances—use Zerex AutoMaker Approved Chemistry"

From the US Valvline website (buried at the bottom of a 'editorial' page ie not even written by Valvoline: "Demystifying Modern Antifreeze/Coolant" Jeff Dusing, Copyright AutoMedia

Seeking Approval?

Perhaps one of the most important aspects to look for when next shopping for antifreeze/coolant is approval from the maker of your car. Currently, there is no "one size fits all" solution that is approved for use in newer cars. And filling your cooling system with the wrong solution may result in serious adverse effects.
Products marked APPROVED have been subjected to years of field and lab testing by your car's manufacturer and are certain to provide the best performance and protection. Also, use of these products will ensure your car's warranty remains intact. The same cannot be said for using non-approved products, which may end up causing more problems than they solve. Some quality antifreeze/coolant producers even print the makes that have approved their products for use. This is always the best way to go.
As a car owner in today's fast-paced world, there are really only two key things to know when it comes to your car's antifreeze: Drain and replace it according to the manufacturer's recommendations (usually found in the owner's manual). And use an antifreeze/coolant that is approved by your manufacturer for use in your car. You-and your car-will be happier and more confident regarding the long-term integrity of your vehicle's essential cooling system.

So there we have it. Valvoline US says Zerex G05 is 'approved chemistry' but even this falls short of a claim that their product is suitable for our cars. However the Austrlaian website claims that both G05 and DexCool Extreme is OK for anything. Hmmm Why can't they just tell us the difference between the Blue G48, the Orange Zerex DexCool Extreme and the Yellow Zerex G05? Is it because they are happy making money without being drawn to account on anything?

(I even had to dig quite deep in the US website to find those warnings and disclaimers...) What do you guys think? Can we use either G05 or DexCool Extreme? Is this product really worth guaranteeing for 5 years in our cars on such flimsy information/evidence?
Nice investigative work Nick, but what does it prove, apart from the fact that you can't trust anyone.

I say, go with the blue flow.

AUD $26.40 including GST for the required 3 litres seems OK to me and I don't have to get a headache trying to work it out ! :D

[genphreak]

Nice investigative work Nick, but what does it prove, apart from the fact that you can't trust anyone. I say, go with the blue flow.Yes I agree, this is the way I have gone in the past too. But on the board this matter is a continuing bone of contention so it would be best to lay it to rest properly.

And yes, you are right I don't trust the bastards. This sort of thing is far too slap-happy. I guess what irks me is that it's bad enough to make wild claims in the US, but here in Aus the Trade Practices Act has quite a few sections that are supposed to protect us from idiot marketers and deceptive practices... You know if anything the disclaimers should be on the Aussie site. Maybe this shows the difference in professionality, risk management or simply the vastly reduced level of litigousness we have in Oz.

I really just want to know what is what.

I mailed them for a clarification on phosphates, testing and compatibility, but suspect that they will decline to explain what I they may well know they are wrong about (when they claim the product to be suitable for all applications). :) Nick

[Spasso]

Using the correct chemistry is critical to the life of your cooling system and engine. Coolant specifications vary by vehicle make and model. Unfortunately, you will not likely know the mistake was made until it's too late. The wrong chemistry can cause metal corrosion, gasket deterioration, and more. Hence the need to replenish anti-corrosion properties on a regular basis. Another cause of premature (metal) gasket failure and aluminum corrosion is inadequate engine and chassis ground. Electrolysis will take out an engine in no time

There is no "one size fits all" chemistry that is approved for use in all vehicles. Which Prestone is pushing big time...I don't buy that concept either.

The main reason I was comfortable using the G-05 in my Bimmer is a comparison of specs against the G-48 done by someone on another site. (I don't remember where, it was a year ago).

I like the idea of using the Saab Blue if indeed it is the same stuff. It would be nice to see the specs on that also........................

If I have any problems I'll be sure to let you all know.

[bfd]

Spasso states:

<I like the idea of using the Saab Blue if indeed it is the same stuff. It would be nice to see the specs on that>

From the Vavoline-technology website:

http://tinyurl.com/ofzte

Note - that Zerex G-48 is BMW AND SAAB approved!

[John B.]

Spasso states:

<I like the idea of using the Saab Blue if indeed it is the same stuff. It would be nice to see the specs on that>

From the Vavoline-technology website:

http://tinyurl.com/ofzte

Note - that Zerex G-48 is BMW AND SAAB approved!

Heres the tech link for the G-05. Compare it with the G-48 & make up your own mind. I did this several years ago & haven't worried about blue coolant since.
http://www.valvoline.com/products/zerexg05.pdf

[Spasso]

Thanks

[Zackb911]

I just flushed mine today $20 for 1 gallon of BMW coolant and $3 for 2 gallons of distilled water... Knowing it was done right and the green stuff is all gone? PRICELESS:) Luckily I live 4 miles from the bmw dealer:p

[632 Regal]

good job, now you can sleep without doubts about headgasket failures etc etc


I just flushed mine today $20 for 1 gallon of BMW coolant and $3 for 2 gallons of distilled water... Knowing it was done right and the green stuff is all gone? PRICELESS:) Luckily I live 4 miles from the bmw dealer:p

[Chris'91'525i]

For any members here in the Sacramento,CA area.
A&S BMW motorcycle dealer has BMW blue coolant for $17 a gallon.

[Paul in NZ]

My wife picked up 4 gallons of the G-05 last winter at Autozone for $8-$9 each so thats quite a savings over $18 a gallon +shipping. Combined our cars only rack up 20k a year tops so I'm set for many years to come. If I get bored with the Zerex I'll buy some blue food dye.:)
wrong..its not the miles its the time,coolant should be changed every two years max
Dont worry get a low silicate one and change it regularly...And if you do worry get bmw blue.Let that be the end of it!

[Ross]

It turns out G-48 is made of unobtanium. A thorough search of all the area parts house netted ZIP.
A call to the good folks at Valvoline/Zerex reveals that G-48 is an exclusive deal with the manufactures on a private label basis only.
Use G-05 they say and tell me they will stand behind it. Low silicates phophate etc. virtually same as they claim.
The fellow ther says he will send me some info on it which I will forward on .

[632 Regal]

I smoke that stuff
unobtanium

[shogun]

wrong..its not the miles its the time,coolant should be changed every two years max
That's the point, read this

http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/277800

[BMWCCA1]

I've heard the same stuff is available under the M-B label for less bucks, but I don't know. I use various brands of DexCool equivalent from WalMart and have done so since about 1998 when we had to repair a Ferrari intake manifold leak caused by corrosive coolant (yeah, they run coolant through the intake). Intensive study by an anal tech and contact with several manufacturers assured us that any DexCool equivalent if changed at the regular intervals (two-years, not seven) would protect as well as the BMW stuff, Internet histrionics not withstanding. I've not had a coolant related failure in any of my BMWs since then, of course YMMV.

[BillionPa]

the SAAB stuff is EXACTLY the same as the BMW stuff, i checked the CAS numbers and componenet levels, and even checked the bottles side by side for wording. the legal mumbo jumbo is word for word identical, and the caps are even the same.