I'll never understand why discussions regarding automotive fluids
inevitably devolve into angry fist-bumps and such, but they just do.  So,
with that in mind, I'll throw my hat into the burning ring of controversy.
Valvoline manufactures coolant for Mercedes, and the local dealer is happy
to pretend that the star on the bottle is worth the platinum price.  Savvy
cheapskates like me have figured out that Valvoline Zerex G-05 is the same
platinum stuff, but at the pedestrian price point of mere silver.  MB has
recently switched to Valvoline G-48, which is blue, and have clearly stated
that the two formulae are compatible.  Since I've been inside and out of MB
engines/coolant systems as well as those from the fine folks at VAG, I feel
more than confident that I can use the same coolants and engine oils in
each interchangeably...'cause they're constructed of exactly the same
stuff.

I run Zerex and Delo in *all* my engines.  That's my story, and I'm
stickin' with it.

YMMV

On Mon, Jan 13, 2014 at 9:23 AM, Alfred Bagdan <abagdan@shaw.ca> wrote:

> Hi all Vanagonians,
>
> Is the new red coolant from VW safe to use on 85 Vanagon engines?  It
> states
> on the container "Aluminum compatible", but you never know with Vanagons!
>
> Thanks,
>
> Alfred
> 85 Westy
>

--
Casey