What do i top up radiator coolant with?

[jaynana]

i've been playing with the aux heater a couple of weeks now, and as a result the coolant level is a bit low now (every time the aux heater is removed some coolant is lost).

the question is, what do i top it up with?

the first thought might be water, but the water here is full of limescale.

i thought of filling up with coolant, went to halfords had 2 problems:
1. my car has bluish coolant, the coolant recommended for post '99 is red, what is recommended for pre '99 is blue!
2. the label says its generally not a good idea to mix coolant.

so fill up with lime-scale full water, fill up with red or blue coolant from halfords? any other ideas?

in previous cars i'd have just topped up with coolant or water!!

cheers

j

[JAMMA]

Bottled water? )

[shadrack]

your car should have red in, they are different red and blue aparently, i only learnt this 6 months ago at local garage, been as though enough coolent to do the whole system is around £15 why not change it all while your there, failing that i would just buy a small bottle of blue and top her up!

[Finglonga]

Was told any "Nitrate free" coolant would be fine to top up with, I got the genuine BMW stuff.

I can't use our tap water as it is also very hard.

[X5Sport]

I only ever use the OEM Coolant concentrate and I have a 5-litre distilled water bottle.  That way I know I'm not introducing any water based contaminants (hard water minerals etc) and it has the right anti-corrosive properties.  BMW Coolant is blue as you say.  I have always tended to add coolant rather than water, and never had any issues.

On my E53 I used to ask the Dealer to change the coolant at the brake fluid change point every two years.  Will most likely do the same for the E71 later this year.

R

[shadrack]

[quote="X5Sport"]
I only ever use the OEM Coolant concentrate and I have a 5-litre distilled water bottle.  That way I know I'm not introducing any water based contaminants (hard water minerals etc) and it has the right anti-corrosive properties.  BMW Coolant is blue as you say.  I have always tended to add coolant rather than water, and never had any issues.

On my E53 I used to ask the Dealer to change the coolant at the brake fluid change point every two years.  Will most likely do the same for the E71 later this year.

R
[/quote]

I just got that when at local garage looked up the coolent for my x5 and it was in the book specified red, I then asked the boss man who I know and he said each was different in more than just colour as I had origianally thaught but if the oem is blue then its blue, mines getting red in it when I ever get round to changing the stat! I can't see it makes much difference in all fairness!

[pvr]

I bought just from the dealer OEM for my E53 at the time, still have most of it left but prefer OEM so I know it is right and does not cause any chemical reaction inside the system with the resulting nice white residue.

Not expensive from the dealer either.

[shadrack]

[quote="pvr"]
I bought just from the dealer OEM for my E53 at the time, still have most of it left but prefer OEM so I know it is right and does not cause any chemical reaction inside the system with the resulting nice white residue.

Not expensive from the dealer either.
[/quote]
Thing I have is dealer is 30miles away and local garage I know is 1mile away and sells everything, if anything dealer would probly be cheaper but if garage closed I would gutted as its so handy

[pvr]

ah yes, my dealer is only a mile away so I made wrong assumptions that yours would be the same ... :'(

[X5Sport]

[quote="shadrack"]
I just got that when at local garage looked up the coolent for my x5 and it was in the book specified red, I then asked the boss man who I know and he said each was different in more than just colour as I had origianally thaught but if the oem is blue then its blue, mines getting red in it when I ever get round to changing the stat! I can't see it makes much difference in all fairness!
[/quote]
I always though the colour was just a different manufacturers choice - a bit like screenwash.  Nice to know it does actually mean something though.....

R

[jaynana]

i just topped it up, cos i wasn't even sure if i was done playing with the webasto, which is what makes the level go down. now i seem to be though..

i'd just change it  the next time the clock sign comes up, along with brake fluid. i'd go oem if its cheap as you guys say (never thought so really... so much so that i never even checked!)

thx

j

[AW8]

Appreciate now sorted but for info Comma Xtreme G48, (or blue VW stuff apparently okay).

Make sure you go for blue coloured stuff.............if in doubt stick with BMW OE