Coolant 2024

[Jremi 4]

Just wondering what everyone is using for coolant nowadays, penrite green? 

Car has been flushed but unfortunately cant remember what coolant was used, or if hellbm remembers what coolant was used when the car was built ❤️

Almost have everything i need for the turbos swap, i just need to order coolant 

[Olaf 3341]

BMW Blue, from your BMW dealer.  1:1 with deionised water.

[Vass 867]

This topic pops up regularly on all sorts of forums and FB groups and I genuinely don't get why it's still a debate.

BMW genuine blue coolant concentrate still works out to roughly the same price as any quality aftermarket equivalents, so why would you bother/gamble with anything else?

I guess this green Penrite stuff is the closest equivalent that you'd get off the shelf from SCA - $57 / 5L = $11.40 / L

I picked up 4 bottles of BMW concentrate from the dealership the other week, I believe I paid around $120 so is $30 / 1.5L of concentrate. Add to that 5L of demineralized water for $10.

Typical fill would be around 6L so you're looking at 2 x $30 + $10 / 6L = $11.60 / L

Supposedly, the genuine coolant is made to a specific formulation that works well with the alloy used in the engine block/head and the plastic/rubber parts comprising the cooling system. There's all sorts of debate as to whether that's true, whether other aftermarket coolants made to the required specification do the same thing etc etc. I could understand the inclination to take a chance on that stuff if genuine cost twice as much but there's literally next to no difference in price.

If you care about your car, just go genuine. This is the one rare instance when it doesn't cost you anything extra.

[Jremi 4]

Thank you heaps for that. Price isnt a concern, im just unsure and ive have bad experience with dealers(not bmw though) i want to stay with genuine so if im able to just head to my local bmw dealer and pick some up that is absolutely awesome.

For the water disstilled from the supermarket will work fine?

Ive had other dealerships put huge mark ups on stuff then tell me it isnt in stock after ive paid and i now have to pay more and wait longer then ordering through ebay 

[Jremi 4]

Didnt realise the blue takes me to links, still trying to figues out how everything works here, thank you heaps for that @Vass i appreciate the answer and your time to write up that answer

[deedub 39]

There isn't always a BMW dealership handy. Depends on where you live.

Edited December 2 by deedub

[Olaf 3341]

if you're lucky, there'll be a courier service that isn't aramex, and your NZ Post driver isn't whacked-out and driving past your delivery point with your parcel in the back. They deliver!

This is where your BMWCCNZ starts to pay back, with your 10% off parts... I think last time I bought blue it was about $24 per.

[Eagle 1678]

3 hours ago, Vass said:

This topic pops up regularly on all sorts of forums and FB groups and I genuinely don't get why it's still a debate.

Because people keep perpetuating the myth the genuine stuff its some secret formula that you have to use otherwise you cooling system is going to fail . 

This is the equivalent which is $84 retail. Its a literally licensed OEM approved. Buy it on special\trade and you getting a decent discount. 

Another reason to buy Penrite etc stuff is you can get it pretty much anywhere in the country 7 days a week. 

My mates had Nylon green HOAT sitting in his E36 for over 15 years. Did a cooling system overhaul not too long ago and its perfectly clean. 

 

[deedub 39]

2 minutes ago, Eagle said:

Because people keep perpetuating the myth the genuine stuff its some secret formula that you have to use otherwise you cooling system is going to fail . 

This is the equivalent which is $84 retail. Its a literally licensed OEM approved. Buy it on special\trade and you getting a decent discount. 

Another reason to buy Penrite etc stuff is you can get it pretty much anywhere in the country 7 days a week. 

My mates had Nylon green HOAT sitting in his E36 for over 15 years. Did a cooling system overhaul not too long ago and its perfectly clean. 

 

Yea I used that. No BMW dealer in Rotorua. Figured I could go to BMW blue later if I really wanted to (on the next flush).