The cost of Honda coolant

[Cruiseman]

While at my Honda dealer the other day, I started to buy 5 bottles of the Honda coolant until I saw the price...$10 a bottle! That would be $50 for coolant! I can buy a gallon of Prestone for $12.45 at Walmart.

I don't recall paying that much last year for Honda coolant. Even at my discount online retailer, it is $7 a bottle.

[Haste Maker]

I buy my coolant for the wing at a Honda car dealer for $22.00 a gallon...the bottle label & the info printed on the bottle are the same, just in a gallon size...my 2002 had 132,500 miles on it when I sold it & that's all I ever used in it...without any problems.

[Westdc]

I use the Prestone 5 Yr (found at wal-mart)

[TravelinLite]

At my honda car dealer a gallon of honda coolant is only $2.00 more than a gallon of prestone at walmart.

[MMR]

While the price of Honda brand coolant may be high....it is VERY important to make certain...without a doubt...that whatever coolant you use in these GL1800 engines is a LOW-Silicate coolant. There have been numerous cases where bike owners have changed their coolant, using some auto parts brand stuff, and found that their waterpumps failed shortly thereafter. Honda is very particular about using the Low-Silicate coolant, as it is not as abrasive on waterpump seals as other coolants. The stuff sold at the Honda auto dealerships is the same stuff Honda uses for their motorcycles, so it is safe to use.

Make sure that if you use a coolant that is not a Honda branded one...i.e., Prestone...that it is labeled as being a LOW-SILICATE coolant.....because if you don't, there is a 93.14159 % chance that you will ruin your waterpump.....9,314.159 miles down the road.

Gotta love Pi, eh?

[TravelinLite]

Here is the prestone stuff..silicate and borate free per prestone:

Q: Does Prestone® Antifreeze/Coolant contain phosphates?
A: Some European automobile manufacturers request that a phosphate-free antifreeze be used in their vehicles. This issue is related to the extremely high mineral content of the water in Europe. If you were to mix an antifreeze that contained phosphates with the type of water they have in Europe, it may produce deposits that can settle in the cooling system and promote corrosion. However, in North America we do not have this type of water problem. Typical North American coolants have contained phosphates (which is part of the corrosion inhibitor package) for many years. Therefore, the question of phosphates is a non-issue here in North America. Prestone® Antifreeze/Coolant is completely safe for use in both foreign and domestic vehicles. For those consumers who would feel more comfortable using a phosphate-free antifreeze, our Prestone®Extended Life 50/50 Antifreeze/Coolant is phosphate, silicate, and borate free. This coolant uses a special chemistry and technology that extends the life of the corrosion inhibitor package so that it lasts for five years or 150,000 miles (whichever comes first), and is safe for all cars and light trucks (old or new). Prestone®Extended Life 50/50 Antifreeze/Coolant has been approved by General Motors under their DEX-COOL®specifications and is compatible with other DEX-COOL® approved coolants.
* DEX-COOL® is a registered trademark of General Motors Corporation.

[MMR]

Richard, that is a good explanation of Phosphates, and how that relates to water from Europe. Other than the one word...silicate...in bold, in the text you have above, I see nothing on the bottle itself that would state it is silicate free. The issue with GL1800 engines is not the use of Phosphates or Borate, but the inclusion of Silicates in the coolant, which can become abrasive to the waterpump. I would have to read the back of the bottle to assure that. Most importantly, as we ALL know...we are each in control of our own bikes, and our own decisions. For me, I have no problem making the decision to pay for the Honda coolant, and that is what I will use.

I do thank you for sharing the above info for all the members to be informed.

[Cruiseman]

I saw that Prestone at Walmart and the Silicate-free is listed on the back, in small print.

[Lone Ranger]

I use the Honda coolant that I purchased in the gallon container, at the time under $20.00. I also add .

[Kit Carson]

Richard, that is a good explanation of Phosphates, and how that relates to water from Europe. Other than the one word...silicate...in bold, in the text you have above, I see nothing on the bottle itself that would state it is silicate free. The issue with GL1800 engines is not the use of Phosphates or Borate, but the inclusion of Silicates in the coolant, which can become abrasive to the waterpump. I would have to read the back of the bottle to assure that. Most importantly, as we ALL know...we are each in control of our own bikes, and our own decisions. For me, I have no problem making the decision to pay for the Honda coolant, and that is what I will use.

I do thank you for sharing the above info for all the members to be informed.

I have read the bottle and it is silicate free, as a matter of fact to find coolant with silicate in it would be hard to do, as almost all vehicle engines now are aluminum. And or have components in them that require a better silicate free coolant.

One can for instance pay 12 bucks for one super perfect round of .338 Lapua for that one shot on an elk, or you can pay 2 bucks for Federal ordinary ammo, the elk will not care, it will be just as tasty regardless of the brand ammo used to take it with.

It is simply insulting to ones intelligence to pay 8 to 12 bucks per quart for HONDA coolant when one can purchase an entire gallon of perfectly good coolant for 12 bucks.

All that stuff adds up especially if one has more than one vehicle, I have 11 of them. Lol! ARRGGGG................I just pulled the transmission out of a Honda SUV and repaired it, the fluids to fill it up again and a filter were right at 99 bucks, using generic brands of course, it would have been twice that with real genuine Honda fluids and filter.

A few of us do all of our own work on all vehicles we became disgusted with the professionals whom demonstrate time and time again it would be better to let a trained monkey do the work. When one takes a vehicle anywhere to have work done it is all about the money, not the repair or professional service it is all about options and the choice of just how bad you wish to be ripped off.

So Prestone coolant is fine for your bike, or any other vehicle with an aluminum engine.

[Grandpa1]

The costs of everything is getting bad! I saw an armed guard escorting the meat stocker at the grocery store the other day.

[MMR]

One can for instance pay 12 bucks for one super perfect round of .338 Lapua for that one shot on an elk, or you can pay 2 bucks for Federal ordinary ammo, the elk will not care, it will be just as tasty regardless of the brand ammo used to take it with.

It is simply insulting to ones intelligence to pay 8 to 12 bucks per quart for HONDA coolant when one can purchase an entire gallon of perfectly good coolant for 12 bucks.

Kit, I am reluctant to comment or reply on those two statements above, and at the risk of "stepping into it"...I will proceed. The first statement has nothing whatsoever to do with the price of tea in China. Irregardless of what ammo you use to take down an Elk, that has nothing to do with what coolant a rider would choose to use in their Goldwing engine, simply due to the fact that the ammo is used to end a life...and the coolant is used to "hopefully" prolong a life. Using the "wrong" coolant can possibly end the life of the engine, or more specicifically....shorten the life of the waterpump. But if the better coolant is used, the intention is to give the engine a prolonged life.

The second statements is insulting that you even made that statement. It is NOT a matter of ones' intelligence as to whether they pay 8 to 12 bucks for a quart of Honda coolant, versus paying 12 bucks for an entire gallon of...what YOU call "perfectly good coolant". That is simply a bike owners choice. I will not make the claim to be the richest man on the planet, but I have the personal decision that I can afford to buy the Honda coolant, and it does NOT cost me the 8 to 12 dollars per quart. I believe my local dealership charges me $ 4.95 per quart. Given that I have several Honda motorcycles that require coolant, some as little as a quart of coolant, this is convenient for me. What YOU or anyne else may consider to be "perfectly good collant", is a matter of choice, and you are free to make that choice.....without the need to insult others that may make a different choice. The true showing, or lack thereof, of intellect, is the need...or lack thereof...to insult someone else because they have made a choice that is different than yours.

If YOU want to use Prestone coolant, or a super perfect round of .338 Lapua to keep your Wing engine cool, then by all means do that. Ultimately, it is your choice.

Yes, most all coolant today are silicate free, as has been stated by another on this thread. Modern engines demand that. But for me, my choice....I would rather buy a 55 gallon drum of Honda brand coolant, have it sit in my shop for the next several years, and use it when needed, than to save a couple dollars on an off-brand item. I have cases of Honda oil filters on the racks of my shop, as well as oil plug gaskets that get changed every oil change.

Life...is all about choices...and I can only hope that you continue to make good choices in your own life.

[Cruiseman]

You may want to check your dealer's pricing again on the Honda coolant. I paid $5 a bottle last year and now it is $10.

If I were going to let my coolant go unchanged for 3 to 5 years, I would probably pay the extra for the Honda brand. But, I flush my system and replace the coolant every year, so I think it will be Prestone for me this year.

[MMR]

You may want to check your dealer's pricing again on the Honda coolant. I paid $5 a bottle last year and now it is $10.

Cruiseman, good point, so I did walk out to my shop and look. Every bottle sitting on the shelves has a label for the price of $ 4.95 per bottle. I know that in the past I have spent as much as $ 7.95 per bottle, so I must have bought a case of them when they were priced at $ 4.95. That equates to $ 20.00 for a gallon, and I am okay with that.

Short note: I do not have kids, or grandkids to financially take care of. I do not smoke, drink, or use drugs. So...93.14159 % of the money my wife and I bring into the house is available for use on motorcycle related items, and since my wife rides her own bikes, she understands the use of funds for that purpose.

[orangecrate]

You may want to check your dealer's pricing again on the Honda coolant. I paid $5 a bottle last year and now it is $10.

If I were going to let my coolant go unchanged for 3 to 5 years, I would probably pay the extra for the Honda brand. But, I flush my system and replace the coolant every year, so I think it will be Prestone for me this year.

Well, if Prestone is harmful to aluminum engines, there is gonna be millions of them laying on the road dead.

[Kit Carson]

Kit, I am reluctant to comment or reply on those two statements above, and at the risk of "stepping into it"...I will proceed. The first statement has nothing whatsoever to do with the price of tea in China. Irregardless of what ammo you use to take down an Elk, that has nothing to do with what coolant a rider would choose to use in their Goldwing engine, simply due to the fact that the ammo is used to end a life...and the coolant is used to "hopefully" prolong a life. Using the "wrong" coolant can possibly end the life of the engine, or more specicifically....shorten the life of the waterpump. But if the better coolant is used, the intention is to give the engine a prolonged life.

The second statements is insulting that you even made that statement. It is NOT a matter of ones' intelligence as to whether they pay 8 to 12 bucks for a quart of Honda coolant, versus paying 12 bucks for an entire gallon of...what YOU call "perfectly good coolant". That is simply a bike owners choice. I will not make the claim to be the richest man on the planet, but I have the personal decision that I can afford to buy the Honda coolant, and it does NOT cost me the 8 to 12 dollars per quart. I believe my local dealership charges me $ 4.95 per quart. Given that I have several Honda motorcycles that require coolant, some as little as a quart of coolant, this is convenient for me. What YOU or anyne else may consider to be "perfectly good collant", is a matter of choice, and you are free to make that choice.....without the need to insult others that may make a different choice. The true showing, or lack thereof, of intellect, is the need...or lack thereof...to insult someone else because they have made a choice that is different than yours.

If YOU want to use Prestone coolant, or a super perfect round of .338 Lapua to keep your Wing engine cool, then by all means do that. Ultimately, it is your choice.

Yes, most all coolant today are silicate free, as has been stated by another on this thread. Modern engines demand that. But for me, my choice....I would rather buy a 55 gallon drum of Honda brand coolant, have it sit in my shop for the next several years, and use it when needed, than to save a couple dollars on an off-brand item. I have cases of Honda oil filters on the racks of my shop, as well as oil plug gaskets that get changed every oil change.

Life...is all about choices...and I can only hope that you continue to make good choices in your own life.

Please do not get too insulted.......It is an insult to my intelligence to pay for a name brand super product that is no better than another name brand ordinary product that is just as good as anything that says Honda on it.

My battery does not say Honda

My spark plugs do not say Honda

Most things on my bike do not say Honda

My url filter says FRAM

My new air filter is red, used to be green, must be made in China......seems to work fine.

I do like OEM light bulbs as they last forever, others do not.

It runs fine and goes fast. Lol!

Oh I like headlight modulators also, this has also no price for tay, I am just ornery and like to flash people.

Oh forgot, do not use a torque wrench much either, I have a calibrated elbow, if it falls out fine, I can replace it. If it strips out, it is a problem.

Nothing wrong with Prestone, it us used throughout the land in many vehicles, and has a competitive price for the value of the product.

Fresh BBQ though is much better than day old warmed up. :p

[Cruiseman]

Please do not get too insulted.......It is an insult to my intelligence to pay for a name brand super product that is no better than another name brand ordinary product that is just as good as anything that says Honda on it.

My battery does not say Honda

My spark plugs do not say Honda

Most things on my bike do not say Honda

And, lest we forget, the oil, filters and fluids that carry the Honda name are not made by Honda.

[Kit Carson]

A company called CCI corporation manufactures Honda coolant, among many other coolants, brake fluids and automotive waxes etc. The code numbers in most service manuals for GM, chrysler, mazda, subaru etc are all the same code number regardless of the color of the dye in the coolant. Even the infamous DEX COOL has ties to CCI manufacture.

Prestone though as far as I can find, is made in the USA and stands alone as its own true manufacturer.

Pretty much the same for any automotive or motorcycle brand, coolant, oil, fork oil, whatever may say Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, whatever but the branded company does not manufacture its own products only the vehicles which today are a maze of parts from all over the world, and assembled at some collective location.

My front wheel has Taiwan stenciled inside it, or did before I powder coated it, the back of the fuse panel says India on it. Too lazy to pull the seat and see what the relays say, might say Japan, might not.

One thing to always remember is that our society is a sue happy society. So if any product in any way other than imagination and opinion did harm any engine this product would not be around very long. There are always many opinions about any product but very little truth ever in these opinions.

A good one would be a name brand stop leak, oh do not use that, gosh no it will gum up your motor and stop up all the coolant passages and oh my.......oh my, just do not do that. Lol. Without understanding of how the product actually works a great many such opinions do surface. When in fact it works a bit like a human eating fiber for what ails you. Lol. It only gums up or solidifies at the actual leak site, so it is a good temp repair if you have a leak some 2000 miles from home with no other complications such as the fan cutting into the radiator. i used a stick one time, cut off a tree and hammered that into the radiator on my shadow one time. Got me home. I also used water out of a pond in a cow pasture........oh my the engine will blow up.

Same with Fram, Bosch and yeller url filters, they are all about the same, they are all round, and they all have a threaded hole in one end. If any of them actually did harm an engine they would not be around very long as our sue happy society would push them into banishment.

Did ya know that ethanol fuel is tearing up your engine......it is according to all the fear mongering sales people want you to believe as they introduce stacks of fuel additives in the stores.

Pick up a bottle today it is good for what ails you. Chuckle.

[orangecrate]

And, lest we forget, the oil, filters and fluids that carry the Honda name are not made by Honda.

I'm starting to check my food to see if it has a Honda label. I don't wanna ruin my health be eating off-brand food.

[Ghostman]

Please do not get too insulted.......It is an insult to my intelligence to pay for a name brand super product that is no better than another name brand ordinary product that is just as good as anything that says Honda on it.

My battery does not say Honda

My spark plugs do not say Honda

Most things on my bike do not say Honda

My url filter says FRAM

My new air filter is red, used to be green, must be made in China......seems to work fine.

I do like OEM light bulbs as they last forever, others do not.

It runs fine and goes fast. Lol!

Oh I like headlight modulators also, this has also no price for tay, I am just ornery and like to flash people.

Oh forgot, do not use a torque wrench much either, I have a calibrated elbow, if it falls out fine, I can replace it. If it strips out, it is a problem.

Nothing wrong with Prestone, it us used throughout the land in many vehicles, and has a competitive price for the value of the product.

Fresh BBQ though is much better than day old warmed up. :p

:toast::toast::toast: