I realize that this is like the "is all gas the same" or "which oil is best" questions, but perhaps someone has some information that can help me. I'm going to change the radiator fluid in my '01 Pathfinder. I was looking at the different brands and generic fluids at Wal-Mart and noticed that they meet the same specifications. Is one just as good as the other or is there really a difference? Information about a car that has 400k miles and went through 20 winters with brand X is interesting, but who's to say that the car wouldn't have done the same with the generic brand if it was serviced regularly. Please be specific as to what makes them different. I'm happy to pay for a better product, but not for advertising. Thanks in advance.

 

All coolant is not the same. There are some cars that cannot use the orange stuff (I forget what is in that) b/c it will damage the coolant system. The owner's manual should provide you with all the information you need to make the right choice.

 

Here's a thread that might interest you.

https://www.s2ki.com/forums/showthre...=honda coolant

 

That's where name brands come in. Some brands may have one thing or another that differentiates them from the rest, but at the end of the day, it's all green or orange fluid

 

The only other thing to consider is there are some brands that are much less toxic. If you have animals around that might be an issue for you.