No it does not.

Its a copy from another forum.

And it pretty much also says to use the correct coolant for your car.. as per the manual.

Please show me a proper .pdf or webpage from Prestone. Do the research or admit you can't prove anything..

I showed you exactly what Mini uses for coolant. And how its not the same as the Cooper D's coolant.

If coolant is coolant, than just dump Vodka/Alcohol in your cooling system, as people used to do in 1920.

 

There are many threads on many forums that discuss this over and over again. Back when you started in the repair business things were much different. Times have changed, products have changed and so has materials and craftsmanship. So again I was not trying to argue with you on using the right product that meets the requirement of the specs.

 

No offense Danjreed, NOT everything on the Internet is true. So in fact those links you put on here could easily just be another bull statement made. Anyone that's a mechanic can BS anyone with their beliefs and so on. That's like saying I should listen to the manual that tells me to do my oil change at 10-15k miles. That's another thread starter for another day. My point is show us a link where it says Prestone doesn't mean those requirements.

 

Right, which is why I don't use a 20 year old coolant like Prestone.

 

Do you really think that the manufacture of the OEM coolant that BMW/Mini uses is full of BS? Did you look at the links? BASF makes the coolant that goes into the car as it comes off the line..

Those links are from BASF, not some forum.

You can't find the certifications of Prestone.. anywhere.. because it does not meet the specs.

Not even on the Prestone site..

Just like Fram oil filters are garbage.

I'll lead you do keep getting your automative education from the 30 second spots during baseball games.

Now as for oil changes... I'll agree.. 15K is waaay too long. But, ask yourself if you're willing to spend a few extra bucks on earlier changes.. how is spending $12 extra on the factory coolant REALLY hurting you?

 

What none of you have mentioned yet so far, is that BMW Coolant is Kosher for Passsover, Gluten Free, Soy Free, Non-Comedogenic, contains unicorn tears, and Kangaroo semen.


What are the main reasons cooling systems fail??

Idiots adding additives like "Water Wetter" (which should only be used with WATER).

Air leaks.

Defective Pressure release caps.

Improper venting.

Failure to remove all of the cleaner when flushing (DIYers and their Prestone flush kits).

OLD COOLANT

LOW COOLANT

Idiots using TAP WATER/Concentrate, instead of Premix.

Lastly, Mixing non-compatible coolant.


Tell me Master mechanic, If you had 100 BMWs come in for a cooling system failure, how many had the "wrong" coolant? Look at all the people on this forum alone with cooling system problems under warranty!! Obviously those unicorn tears and Blue dye aren't the Holy Grail of coolant now are they? The ones that had the "wrong" coolant probably had another of the above issues.

Have you ever had a coolant analysis done, Virgin or used?? There have been entirely too many people with hundreds of thousands of trouble free miles using Prestone, incuding myself. You can't tell me that if someone PROPERLY flushes and refills with General Purpose "ANY MAKE, ANY MODEL, ANY COLOR COOLANT", they will have a problem. As far as mixing the general purpose in with other coolants, I would only do it if the right coolant wasn't handy. I would then change it out with all of one or the other.

No one using Prestone is gonna leave it in for the life of the car, most likely it's gonna get changed regularly every few years.

Tell me, what is in Prestone that is not in the Blue Magic? What is NOT in Prestone that IS in the Blue Magic? Is it that BMW engines are made from rare Alien Metals from the Area 51 spaceship crash??


This is just like years ago when Mercedes was selling their $27.99 per quart Transmission fluid. Anything else supposedly would eat the tranny up. When asked why the Chrysler Crossfire used ATF+4, and the SLK 320 (SAME DAMN CAR) had to have the $27.99 BENZ bottle, all you get from Mercedes is..."err ummm eerr ummm they fortify theirs with an additive".. Same with Nissan. They claim anyone with their trannies that requires NS-2 is stuck with the $25.00 Nissan Brand. WRONG, Eneos makes an NS-2 fluid. But its Red, Nissans is Green.......funny, 80k miles later, my wifes Sentra runs like the day she bought it.

Not at all saying I would EVER use a one size fits all trans fluid, but this crap with dealers selling their brand like no other brand is compatible is rediculous, and illegal.


How can a large company like Prestone be allowed to advertise "ANY MAKE, ANY MODEL, ANY COLOR COOLANT", and no one hear of "failures" left and right.....this is kind of like the Orange Fram
'can of death". Yes, it's a low quality filter compared to the others, especially for the price, but how many people do you know have had one fail? Same scenario. HYPE.

 

I don't watch much tv, but when I do, Sportscenter it is.

Anyways, I never said OEM coolant by BMW/MINI was bad? I was just saying how is Prestone bad when there's no proof of it? I want to see proof before someone decides to dismiss it. I have been using it a long time and no issues. Don't bag on a product unless you personally have done tests yourself and sent it in to have it observed and so on.

As for the OEM coolant, yeah I'd pay the extra $12 I don't care. Money isn't a issue here, but my point was for someone, not just me, but others would like to see charts and graphs to see exactly the different between Prestone and OEM coolant. That is all I am saying. I wouldn't say I WON'T ever use OEM coolant but if there is no proof and I have been using Prestone coolant for a long time now, nothing bad ever happened the cars and my two MINIs run great. That's my point.

 

Exactly Karl. I do my coolant flush every two years along with my brake flush.

 

Why is 15K WAyyyyy too long? I thought BMW/Mini fluids were specifically formulated to go for the 15k the manual states???? I know I've gone 15k on Mobil 1, Amsoil, Pennzoil Ultra and a few others with a positive oil analysis, does this mean the Mini fluid is crap? Is it because they forgot to add the Blue Dye??

 

So you are saying Prestone as never changed the product with time? Sound again like you are stuck in time in 1993.

 

Enjoy your non spec meeting coolants guys

I'll stick to products that meet the OEM stuff.

Why anyone would want to put in a middling product that has no claims of meeting any specifications is beyond me.

But do what you like.

I was hoping for some burden of proof that Prestone meets or exceeds BMW/Mini specs.. but since this has turned into a name calling match.. I'll leave it at that. And without the claims, I'll pass. It seems they don't meet any ANY.. OEM specs. (Except for the Dexcool..)

And yes, you CAN measure coolant specs when a car comes into a shop.

http://www.cumminsfiltration.com/pdf...LI15068-GB.pdf

Its pretty easy to do with some simple test strips.

Sorry everyone got so butthurt over the lack of facts from Prestone.

 

Where did anyone call you a name? Where is your proof that Prestone causes problems in our MINI's? Please, if we are wrong and you have some documentation or photos of a recent MINI having issues with Prestone coolant and it was from Prestone show us. I want to make sure I won't have problems if you are correct. Like several of us have said, we have been using it for years without issues.

 

Test strips? I meant sent to a lab...Cripes.

 

Customers love waiting for high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC)...

 

Pretty sure you claiming that somehow I've been int he industry since 1993.. and somehow out of touch... falls into that category.

I have no proof that Prestone ruins Mini's. I do have have lots of experience with Vw/Audi cooling system failures to know that mixing coolants, or switching them up can be a disaster. Go ahead, read up on 2-EH and carboxylates in coolant. All I said, is that the Prestone 50/50 mix they sell does not meet Mini/BMW/Most OEM (anyones?) specs. Then people tried to "show" me it did.. only they never could.. because it can't.

There is a reason OEMs don't use carboxylates in coolant.

I just think its foolish to risk it, enjoy your day everyone.

 

How long do I have to wait? Please don't take anything personal as we are MINIacs. Most of us are thick headed

 

Days, its the process of sending out coolant samples to a lab.

 

So do you see many failures from coolant? Or over the years has it become less of an issue?

 

Depends. Admittedly, people who change it often, properly don't have issues. I'm a fan of pretty much over-changing fluids.

Its like brake fluid, and trans fluids, generally they are forgotten about until there is a major failure.

That said, I think most cars today (even Domestics) are pretty well made. As long as people read and follow the maintenance/owners guide.

Age, adding plain tap water, mixing in "magic" repair system sealers, flushes, etc.. cause a lot of problems. Cooling system problems are a PITA to work with, because often its a chain of failures down to the weakest link..

The coolant turns acidic. It i basically starts to act like a battery with the coolant as the electrolyte and the alternative metals as the electrodes. This is where corrosion sets in. People leave off engine grounds thinking that they are needless wires... no, if an engineer put it there, and it cost Mini .50, its there for a reason.. trust me.. Mini would rather pocket the .50.

The problem is with most cars is one they clear the 3/36 warranty its off to Wal-Mart or Pep Boys for improper fluids and cheap-filters... "Oh, that car was crap..!" no, you treated it like crap.

I keep my cars, I buy my cars.. I try to maintain them as best as I can..

Its still an issue, people still dump Bars-Leak into cars trying to fix head gaskets.. Which, had they changed the coolant/cap every 30-50K they would have never had the failure.

 

Dan:

You made the above statement:

"aftermarket coolants void warrantees with OEMs".

Sorry, but that is incorrect. An OEM cannot require a specific product unless it is provided by the OEM for free.

The Magnuson-Moss Act of 1975 states the following: Warrantors cannot require that only branded parts be used with the product in order to retain the warranty.

As such, an OEM must prove that the substituted product does not meet their requirements. The burden of proof is on the OEM, not the consumer.

For example, I had a problem many years ago (1980 or 1981), when a GM area rep claimed that if I used a synthetic oil in my Camaro (imagine an OEM claiming that today!), the warranty would be voided. Same goes for other wild claims of OEMs. It's pure HORSE MANURE!

I don't have your certifications, and respect that you have more current mechanical knowledge that I do, but I was racing cars and motorcycles 40 years ago, and heard the same mantra then: if you don't use XXX (insert your favorite OEM product), then your car will explode and/or your warranty will be voided.

No offenses intended, but your underlying premise is incorrect.

Also, you imply that all aftermarket products are garbage (you said Wal-Mart and Pep Boys). That's not only untrue, but also unfair. Yes, Fram has made some crappy products over the years, but the Ultra filter (sold at Wal-Mart) is as good (if not better) than Mobil 1s, a K&N filter, or name your favorite filter. How do I know? I cut open all my used filters.

 

The real question was never answered either.

 

Prestone Extended Life meets BMW/Mini OEM requirements. It is borate, silicate, phosphate, and nitrate free.

Contact the company, Prestone will confirm.

I haven't contacted any of the other brands.

 

Here is a good story about Harley Davidson claiming they will void your warranty for using any other oil other then their brand.

http://www.ultimatesyntheticoil.com/...tic_debate.htm

Exxon Mobil sued Harley for claiming this as well. Mobil did a study and proved their oil was just as good if not better and won in court.

 

I've been using synthetic oils since 1972 or 1973. They work great in autos, and in motorcycles.

Are you an Amsoil dealer? Great products; two of the better products are the ATF and the gear lube.

My former next door neighbor was a believer in Mobil 1 because he was a participant in a motor oil test conducted by Mobil Oil (it was Mobil 1) in the late '70s (I think the test track was in Hobbs, NM). My buddy was a driver/mechanic, and would drive cars at the track during summer breaks from college. Anyway, they disassembled the engine after 100,000 miles at the track, and the engine was still within original specs. He was a firm believer in Mobil 1 the rest of his life.

 

Wow, you guys are too funny...

The Warranty act does say you can't require specific BRANDED (MOBIL1 oil, MANN filters...etc...), fluids and parts, it doesn't mention anything about the SPECIFICATIONS those fluids and parts have to meet. They clearly do list what specification the fluids should meet. (like the oil must meet BMW LL01?)...

Using parts and fluids that do not meet spec, will allow them to refuse to cover a warranty claim on the effected system if they choose... (not saying they will)

Water Wetter? Yep been using it for 20+ years with no ill effects. It is supposed to be used with water, and or, antifreeze/water mixes. For track bikes required to run water only, (no antifreeze allowed) is provides lubrication of seals and corrosion protection. (but I haven't checked lately about waterless coolants) And yes, I use it in cars because I've got it in the garage...lol OBTW you really think that BMW/MINI uses TAP WATER at the factory? I bet the tap water goes through a reverse osmosis, deionizing, mega filter plant, before it gets in the factory...

My 18 year owned, pride and joy, supercharged BMW M3 has only ever had BMW coolant. I'm the only person that's ever worked on the car, except for when it was under warranty.

I figure with my BMW CCA discount, a gallon of BMW coolant cost me about $15+ tax, a gallon of distilled water is about $1 in the grocery store. BIG WHOOP! That's nothing in the grand scheme of track bikes, race cars, golf, and strip clubs....lol