To all car owner,
It is with great relutance that I return to this debate about antifreeze.
I was hoping that the wind from the West had died down, but,alas, it has not. I have explored some of the sites that have been posted here. They have been great sites for promoting their products. Like the magical cures for everything from cancer to in-grown toe nails. I have not had time to read all the testimonials extolling all the good properties of their coolants. Nor do I need to read them. Experience is the best teacher and with 34 years experience of dismanteling MB engines in preparation for rebuilding them,I have never seen any damage caused by the coolant in them. Most had Prestone in them. After all, it has 80% of the US market.
Even though I have not had time to read all the testimonials, I have taken time to read the labels on the back side of some of the different brands of antifreeze. Guess what they say? They all say the the same thing with a 50/50 mix:
PREVENTS FREEZE UPS
PREVENTS RUST AND CORROSION
PREVENTS OVERHEATING AND BOILOVERS
PROTECTS ALUMINIUM AND ALL OTHER ENGINE METALS
What else do you need to know about a product?
I say if the products fails and causes damage to our engines, we sue the bastards. Though I doubt if the indivdial motorist would receive much compensation. A few years ago I took part in a class action lawsuit and we won. Or I should say the lawyers won. They got $3 million. I got a check for $2.83.
Back to the Great Debate. Yesterday I had to replace the thermostat in my '83 300SD. That's the one I had to replace the radiator last summer. That's also the car that had "Mercedes" antifreeze in it when I bought it. It now has Prestone in it. And you know what I feel safe with it.
The radiator I had to replace was the original. A Behr.
My 1977 300D has the original Behr radiator and has had Prestone antifreeze in it for I know the last 24 years. If it (Prestone) causes trouble with my cooling system and ruins my engine, I will sue Honeywell(parent company of Prestone).Maybe I'll get a check for more than $2.83.
Bill Lewallen Lexington,Ky. The Blue Grass State. Where diesels purr and turbos whirr.