Reply With QuoteI have no idea, and have read about this debate for a number of years. My euro shop has always replaced w/ green and I have 70k miles on it since that started (110k total). I can understand, however, why others will use the blue.
green antifreeze debate renewed
I've heard alot of debate over the "green stuff". so to be on the safe side, I went to the dealer to purchase the blue bmw fluid and was told that i should use the generic green fluid, since the newer stuff is more corrosive and would hurt my '94 530i . Does this make sense?
I have no idea, and have read about this debate for a number of years. My euro shop has always replaced w/ green and I have 70k miles on it since that started (110k total). I can understand, however, why others will use the blue.
...Bill
I have always used green stuff. I don’t think color makes any difference. I was told to use just quality coolant and change it every 2 years. So that’s what I do and I have never had a cooling problem.
Green Beret Special Ops
I'll break down and spend the extra 6 dollars every 2 years for the BMW coolant. I dont care how much research I have done on this subject it wasnt worth the trouble and there was still no concrete evidence of anything being "exactly" close.
95 E34 530I V2.37
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Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.
John F. Kennedy
A fair enough statement and I think you are really stating essentially what we are stating. Regardless of price (and that certainly was not my issue, as I didn't even know about the 'BMW/Mercedes blue' issue till 6 months ago), it ultimately depends on regular changes!Originally Posted by 632 Regal
Beyond that, it's OEM vs Bimmer parts, IMHO.
...Bill
Major Contributor
I discovered recently that my car had been running generic green. In the past year I've replaced the heater valves, main and aux water pump, the heater core is leaking and it's having the thermostat changed today. Coincidence???
Green Beret Special Ops
"guest" posted that the dealer told him not to use BMW fluid...hmm, I dont get it. They still use aluminum blocks, heads, radiators and subsiquent parts. Why would the antifreeze all of a sudden be too corrosive? I know some dont use distilled water which in time tends to become adverse.
95 E34 530I V2.37
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Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.
John F. Kennedy
What do you mean generic green stuff? Are all green stuff generic? How long have you owned your car? Do you have service history? I think neglect is the most important factor. Also, remember that you own 14-year-old car. Coincidence??? Maybe or maybe not.
Major Contributor
It was just green, not bmw blue. No service history, got the car a year ago dirt cheap, then all those things failed in quick succession. I was expecting to replace a few things for the price I paid, NZD$6750 which is about USD$4000. A week ago I noticed the green coolant when I bled the system to try and solve some overheating (turned out to be a bad fan clutch).
Grand Master
this issue just won't die.....die...die...lol. Enlightened car guys politely disagree on this subject. Bill states emphatically only use the BMW blue. Winfred says run the garden variety snake piss but changes it often. I am in the middle. I run the G-06 MB approved fluid with distilled water and change it often....at every fill up at the gas station..seriously every year or two. As Winfred has stated often, and no one can argue with any veracity, the primary reason for cooling system component failures is neglect i.e. leaving contaminanted fluid in the system instead of changing it every two years like you are supposed to...not the slight difference in chemistry between Prestone and BMW blue which are both glycol alcohol based. It has often times been reported that even BMW dealerships throughout the country don't use the BMW coolant. Many times a manufacturer will stick behind a particular fluid because of cost of certifying to a new one and the proprietary cost benefit. It is likely that G-05 which Zerex likely developed after BMW approved its G-48 formulation is actually better, not worse for even your BMW system. There is a spec sheet comparsion out on the web if anybody cares to compare A to B.
Like everybody else :-), I have made my decision.
George
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