We're talking about Zerex G-05, which isn't Dexcool. G-05 is the same stuff Mercedes dealers sell you for $27 bucks a bottle, but G-05 costs $11.99.

Zerex touts its advantages over Dexcool on the back of the bottle -- it doesn't eat up the cooling system. The website says you can even mix it with a little green stuff in a pinch, although the manufacturer claims it will "shorten the lifespan" of the G-05.

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'01 SLK320, '79 450SL & '01 C320 -- What? 3 Mercedes? I am DEFINITELY crazy!!!

Coolant runs through the cooling system in the engine. When someone makes statements that the green stuff works fine in a MB engine, they are ignoring what may be happening inside the cooling passages. I have read posts from MB shop owners , who have witnessed the corrosion effects of improper coolant.

I can't for the life of me understand why someone would risk their engine in order to save what MB Dealer antifreeze $20 bucks a gallon versus Green , make up a number $8 per gallon. So we are talking saving $12 dollars over 2 years equals $6.00 per year!

Use what the MB recommends or the equivalent G-05.

Steve

And this "G-05" is what started the woes on ChinaClippers car?

Very interesting thread …. I have owned, I believe, 9 Mercedes all told maybe more, all purchased used.

All of them had “the green stuff” in them except the current wagon. I ended up replacing the radiators on all of them over the years except the current 190e (93) and the wagon. I changed out the coolant on all of them along with my mandatory front and rear sway bar bushings and links upon acquisition.

I was searching for the G05 coolant a couple years ago at a local parts store and the “old pro” asked: “You’ve got a Mercedes? Use the Mercedes stuff in a Mercedes. As a matter of fact I use it in all my cars. Something about it. Damn expensive but I never have done a water pump, radiator or nothing to my cars”. OK, purely allegorical but it made me wonder.

I found that once the “right stuff coolant” is in these cooling systems and any problems are corrected, you just don’t have to mess with them again.

More allegorical: The old ’87 190e 2.3 would go through water pumps most directly related to miles and its known penchant for over heating in summer stop n go driving. I delayed the coolant change because I thought I’d own it for a short while. Finally (and may I add after a full heater core replacement!) I changed the coolant, but I first flushed the system with a citrus cleaner. It ran cooler and stopped having all the problems that were so frequent with it.

I agree with Duke2.6 in that the problems were there and it was just a matter of time.

I heartily recommend flushing and cleaning the system before migrating to the Mercedes or the GO5 coolant.

Haasman

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'03 E320 Wagon-Sold
'95 E320 Wagon-Went to Ex
'93 190E 2.6-Wrecked
'91 300E-Went to Ex
'65 911 Coupe (#302580)

I am sure I am going to change mine over to Zerex or MB coolant- I just hope no leaks break out like it has on some others cars.

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2004 Toyota Sequoia Limited 4wd
1991 Lincoln Town Car Executive
1991 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1988 Mercedes 300SEL
1972 Chevrolet Caprice Kingswood Estate 9-passenger wagon
1973 Pontiac Grand Ville
(Prior MB's: 1974 240D, 1985 380SE, 1984 190D, 1993 400SEL)

Leak .... they will happen sooner or later if something is going south.

Long-term you are doing the right thing.

Haasman

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'03 E320 Wagon-Sold
'95 E320 Wagon-Went to Ex
'93 190E 2.6-Wrecked
'91 300E-Went to Ex
'65 911 Coupe (#302580)