I went to NAPA to buy GO5 Zerex and ...

[Volvos rock3]

just had the XC flush and filled at the dealer, $149 (I let them do it due to the PITA of getting rid of used coolant). Picked up an extra gallon for $24, along with an empty gallon jug. 50/50 mix so you end up with two gallons for $24, not to bad.

[gilhuly]

I'm not arguing the science, but I do think that the implied improvement over bulk green coolant is exaggerated and is driven by the quest for higher margins rather than cars dieing on the side of the road from coolant abuse. Did any of this other stuff exist for Volvos in the mid 90's? I just removed my turbo yesterday and don't see any visible deposits on anything after 200k.

[jblackburn]

If you change it every few years like you're supposed to, it really shouldn't be an issue. My Honda came to me with nearly brown coolant, and you could definitely see the scaling and buildup inside the radiator. I flushed it several times when I got it, and I never had any problems with it overheating in the summer. Working AC would have been nice on my behalf, though.

Still, I wonder if I had been running the "right stuff" in my Volvo - and the previous owners before that - and it was changed as it was supposed to be - if the heater core and radiator would still be going? The heater core looked like it was corroded through a little bit. Who knows.

One thing most people neglect is changing their rubber hoses. The ones to the radiator - and the ones to the turbo on these turbo models - are some of the most neglected maintenance items on most cars, and can lead to catastrophic engine damage when they fail.