antifreeze question

[02sxtstrat]

Today I was checking the fuilds in my 02 stratus and found my coolant level low. According to the manual I should only use Mopar coolant and when I called the dealer they said it was $15 a gallon, expensive. I also asked if I could just use Dex Cool in it and they said no. The dealer also mentioned if its just low to put water into the reserve tank. I was wondering what I should do just put water in or go and buy the Mopar stuff and mix 50/50 with water or use Dex Cool. Any help is appreciated thx. BTW my coolant is red

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[kang25]

I'm not sure where you live, I live in Mi. and last year I cracked my radiator in my cadillac when the dealer told me to just add water to my resevoir. Yes I was the guy whose car overheated when it was 2 degrees out.

As for the antifreeze. All I know is you can't mix the red and the green.

[02sxtstrat]

Well I live in New Mexico doesn't get too cold here, lowest has been low teens to high teens at night. It does get hot during the summer at high ninetys to over a hundread degrees. Was kind of worried about just adding water when the dealership said that I guess I might just have to go buy some coolent from them. I was also wondering what kind of coolent does my car take, is it G-05?

[gMatt82]

when I lived in phoenix, i heard a 25/75 anti/water was sufficient in the summer at least, and wasn't living in the mountains, ie freezing temperatures at night. Now, I am not certified mechanic, but when I was in chemistry and all that good jazz, it was shown that water absorbs more of the heat and energy, more then say antifreeze did, with our bunsen burner experiments and all, so therefore, showing if you live in a desert environment, that more water is fine compared to 50/50. This means, it takes water longer to get to boiling then say the other chemicals, ie antifreeze. This make sense. As long as there is a 50/50 mix prior, adding some water IMO will not harm you if you do not live in those environments, mountain freezing, etc.

As I am no certified mechanic, asking prior to what I said in doing, would be best on your part, I am only posting my experience through science. Thanks.

[02sxtstrat]

Well thx for the help I did just go to the dealership and purchase a gallon of the long life coolant from them due to the fact I couldn't find out what coolant to use besides buying from the dealership. It is pretty expensive though at $16 a gallon. Got home to fill the up my low coolant and found that the color of coolant wasn't red but orange like dex cool. Now I'm not saying to go and by dex cool to fill up your low coolant because I don't know if they are the same but was just really surprised by the color looking exactly like dex cool.

[gMatt82]

yeah, that's the color in my '05 resevior

[gMatt82]

Found full strength orange coloration 8.99 at autozone or 7.99 50/50, just to update ya