Eh, I'm not so sure Greg... I think we will need a picture of a pee sample next to a sample of MB coolant! hehehe!

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2001 Acura CL 3.2 Type-S (Silver)
2005 Jaguar S-Type 4.2 (Black)
1998 Mercedes E320 Sedan (Black)
http://www.backwardshat.com/mb/trio_small.jpg

http://www.valvoline.com/pages/products/product_detail.asp?product=10


I don't have to make a special trip.. It's right there where I get my oil, filter, plugs etc.....

Jay.

BTW... THey have been in the coolant business for a long, long time..

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89 300SEL Money Pit

92 Blown Buick Ultra Pimpmobile 220K and adding 1K per week

88 Wagoneer Slightly modified (Not for soccer moms)

04 Kia Sedona with every option... NICE

Mercedes has a habit of insisting on using their expensive products. Aftermarket sales can be so lucrative in the automotive business that I wonder if car sales are simply a loss-leader for aftermarket service!

If we can get hard data on issues like this coolant, perhaps everybody on this board can save a few bucks and have the convenience of buying from somewhere other than the dealer. Where I live, compared with the local auto supply houses, the dealer is inconvenient to get to and has limited hours.

Jay, could you please expand on the research you've done?

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95 E320 Cabriolet, 159K

Kestas... Click on the link in my last post.. Looks like all you should need..

Jay

Jay, I just checked out your link (didn't see your post before I posted).

Yes, it states that it's not only Daimler-Chrysler-approved for all Mercedes engines, but the Technical Bulletin states that it's Mercedes Benz-approved, which is a very specific statement. I would feel comfortable using this product on all my vehicles.

The Zerex G 05 Technical Bulletin gives good specifics on its product. I'm trying to compare it with Mercedes coolant specifics, which I cannot find. Both are glycol-based, phosphate-free, with corrosion inhibitors, defoamers, and silicates. I find that the Mercedes coolant contains Sodium Tetraborate and Sodium Benzoate, not found in Zerex G 05. I'm not sure of the significance of these two chemicals.

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95 E320 Cabriolet, 159K

Isn't sodium benzoate the stuff that was in homer simpson's "frogut" ice cream in the simpson's halloween episode? Perhaps the MB Coolant is cursed as well...

On a more serious note, all this discussion prompted me to go out to the dealer and buy MB brand coolant and brake fluid. I'll post some details of my DIY job in the "W210 reliability" thread when I actually do the coolant and brake fluid flushes.

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2001 Acura CL 3.2 Type-S (Silver)
2005 Jaguar S-Type 4.2 (Black)
1998 Mercedes E320 Sedan (Black)
http://www.backwardshat.com/mb/trio_small.jpg

Sodium Tetraborate (boric acid, commonly used as ant killer) kills the ants...

Sodium Benzoate preserves them


No telling waht Zerex had to go through to get Mercedes to "bless" their product...

Jay, I understand what you're saying. It's no small matter to make a statement that the product is approved by an auto manufacturer. Manufacturers are typically comprehensive and specific on product requirement. Zerex is specific on their product performance, referencing ASTM standards. Zerex could get sued big-time for making any false claims.

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95 E320 Cabriolet, 159K

Well I just got back from Brumos Mercedes where I picked up a gallon of MB anticorrosion/antifreeze agent part # Q 1 03 0002 at $13.65

I also picked up a quart of power steering oil part # Q 1 46 0001 at $11.55


Kind of pricy at list price from Brumos but in the future I'll order in advance from FastLane


From my standpoint the cost was not an issue. I just wanted to find out what made the MB stuff so special. I'm willing to pay for quality but unwilling to pay for marked up hype. I think I made the right choice with these 2 fluids.

The weight of what's being shipped has alot to do with your final shipping cost.

Ordering coolant over the web can be no cheaper than just picking it up at the dealer. That gal. weighs alot.

Compare the cost.

It would be worth it to me rather than having an hour + roundtrip to the dealer to the bad traffic side of town

No offense to our sponsor, and I will not even provide specific links, but certain outfits do offer free shipping on orders over $50.

There is, of course, no way they make any profit at $10 per gallon when shipping 5 gallons (approx. 40 lbs) of coolant for nothing, so I suppose our sponsor may not even mind that I mention it...

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1986 300E 5-Speed 240k mi.

The LIST price of the coolant is either $10.50 or $11.50 so you should not pay a penny over that at a dealership. Paying $13.65 is a rip off... shame on that dealer!

I got part # Q-1-03-0002 Antifreeze
and also a jug of brake fluid part # 989-08-07-10

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2001 Acura CL 3.2 Type-S (Silver)
2005 Jaguar S-Type 4.2 (Black)
1998 Mercedes E320 Sedan (Black)
http://www.backwardshat.com/mb/trio_small.jpg

My mechanic recommends using the Zerex G 05 over the MB Fluid. He even mentioned that all the service techs at the dealership knew the Zerex was as good as MB fluid. One other point he made was that the Zerex didn't have as many solids as the MB fluid which in his opinnion was preferrable to prevent scaling in the radiator.

BTW he was a MB Tech for over 15 years prior to going independent.

I've been using it in my car for the last 1 1/2 years without any problems but I do change it yearly.

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Afshin

Current:
02 C32 AMG

Previous:
92 500E
84 190E 2.3 5 Spd

Technique,

I was interested in the pic you posted. In Oz, our MB brake fluid comes in that same metal container. Our MB coolant comes in a much more glamorous container than yours though! Maybe that explains why ours seems more expensive (about $50 AUD for 5 litres last time I purchased some). I still don't understand why MB sells us this nice looking blue stuff (that has bittering agents so you don't mistake it for some fancy cocktail!) and you get yellow stuff. Does it have bittering agents too, or would nobody try to drink it because it looks like pee?

Greg

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107.023: 350SLC, 3-speed auto, icon gold, parchment MBtex (sold 2012 after 29 years ownership).
107.026: 500SLC, 4-speed auto, thistle green, green velour.
124.090: 300TE, 4-speed auto, arctic white, cream-beige MBtex.
201.028: 190E 2.3 Sportline, 5-speed manual, arctic white, blue leather.
201.028: 190E 2.3, 4-speed auto, blue-black, grey MBtex.
201.034: 190E 2.3-16, 5-speed manual, blue-black, black leather.