Notices
Maintenance Discuss common Lexus maintenance questions here.

Lexus Red fluid VS name brand

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Sep 10, 2008 | 10:44 PM
  #1  
camellips's Avatar
camellips
Thread Starter
Driver School Candidate
 
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: tn
Default Lexus Red fluid VS name brand

Getting ready to winterize the GS300.Car came used with the Lexus REd.Is it really worth the bucks?Or is any compliant Fluid as good as the LExus Red?
Reply
Old Sep 11, 2008 | 03:27 AM
  #2  
PecosBill's Avatar
PecosBill
Lexus Test Driver
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 860
Likes: 0
From: DFW, TX
Default

If you want to use OEM, you might be able save a few bucks and get Toyota brand....
Reply
Old Sep 11, 2008 | 04:21 AM
  #3  
sck_GS300's Avatar
sck_GS300
Driver
 
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 154
Likes: 0
From: NORTH CUBA
Default Go With The Red!

If Your Car Already Has Red Coolant, I Would Stick To The Red Coolant.
Reply
Old Sep 11, 2008 | 05:10 AM
  #4  
mitsuguy's Avatar
mitsuguy
Maintenance Moderator
20 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,388
Likes: 27
From: AZ
Default

On a longevity standpoint, the OE Lexus Coolant will last longer, but really do nothing more than a standard ethylene glycol green... Service interval is all we are talking about here... green is 2 years/24k miles, toyota is either 5/100 or 7/150 I believe (there are actually two toyota coolants, one is pinkish and one is red, though they look the same to me once in the car)
Reply
Old Sep 11, 2008 | 10:03 PM
  #5  
RTIS250's Avatar
RTIS250
Yes. I drove the LFA.
CL Folding 500,000
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
iTrader: (9)
 
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,005
Likes: 51
From: Lexus
Default

Originally Posted by mitsuguy
On a longevity standpoint, the OE Lexus Coolant will last longer, but really do nothing more than a standard ethylene glycol green... Service interval is all we are talking about here... green is 2 years/24k miles, toyota is either 5/100 or 7/150 I believe (there are actually two toyota coolants, one is pinkish and one is red, though they look the same to me once in the car)
One is the long life coolant and the other is the super long life coolant. The long life stuff is red, the super long life coolant is pink..

I would stick with OEM coolant!
Reply
Old Sep 18, 2008 | 09:44 PM
  #6  
KurtK's Avatar
KurtK
Rookie
 
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 84
Likes: 0
From: Calif
Default

My Toyota guy said the red actually had some salt in it that causes leaking and suggested I go green.
Reply
Old Sep 19, 2008 | 11:41 AM
  #7  
Debonair's Avatar
Debonair
Pole Position
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,405
Likes: 55
From: 408 NOR CAL
Default

Originally Posted by KurtK
My Toyota guy said the red actually had some salt in it that causes leaking and suggested I go green.
Reply
Old Sep 19, 2008 | 04:38 PM
  #8  
mitsuguy's Avatar
mitsuguy
Maintenance Moderator
20 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,388
Likes: 27
From: AZ
Default

I have not seen that issue with the Toyota coolants, but the dex cool stuff made for Chevy is definitely corrosive to plastics...
Reply
Old Sep 19, 2008 | 05:49 PM
  #9  
VVT-i's Avatar
VVT-i
Lexus Champion
20 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
 
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,781
Likes: 6
From: Georgia
Default

Originally Posted by KurtK
My Toyota guy said the red actually had some salt in it that causes leaking and suggested I go green.
Wow...LMAO...You need a new Toyota guy or a new tech.

To OP, I stay with the oem coolant. If your car comes with the red coolant then stay with the red coolant.
Reply
Old Sep 20, 2008 | 09:05 PM
  #10  
GSteg's Avatar
GSteg
Rookie
iTrader: (15)
 
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 16,017
Likes: 81
From: CA
Default

Originally Posted by KurtK
My Toyota guy said the red actually had some salt in it that causes leaking and suggested I go green.
Where is this guy at so I can tell all my friends to avoid him
Reply
Old Sep 20, 2008 | 10:43 PM
  #11  
humanoid's Avatar
humanoid
Driver
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 177
Likes: 1
From: Sunny SoCal
Default

Originally Posted by GSteg
Where is this guy at so I can tell all my friends to avoid him
Yeah, no doubt, what a complete moron that guy must be to say something like that!
Reply
Old Sep 21, 2008 | 12:46 AM
  #12  
MEANDAFAKA's Avatar
MEANDAFAKA
Lead Lap
 
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 694
Likes: 1
From: Hawaii
Default

i heard that some company made this coolant that is compitable with ALL cars
Reply
Old Sep 21, 2008 | 08:56 PM
  #13  
ho0n's Avatar
ho0n
Pole Position
 
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 272
Likes: 0
From: NY
Default

Originally Posted by KurtK
My Toyota guy said the red actually had some salt in it that causes leaking and suggested I go green.
He shouldn't go around tasting coolant.
Reply
Old Sep 23, 2008 | 05:21 PM
  #14  
mitsuguy's Avatar
mitsuguy
Maintenance Moderator
20 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,388
Likes: 27
From: AZ
Default

Originally Posted by MEANDAFAKA
i heard that some company made this coolant that is compitable with ALL cars
yup... green coolant, standard ethylene glycol, is compatible with all cars, but only has a 2 year / 24k mile life span...

prestone has a long life coolant that is also compatible with all cars, is yellow in color...

lexus red/pink will work in all cars as well, in fact, the only coolant that is so bad on engines you are only supposed to use it in GM vehicles is dex-cool... and personally, if I owned a GM, it'd keep dex-cool in not a day longer than required by warranty, and I'd exchange it for green...
Reply
Old Sep 28, 2008 | 06:50 PM
  #15  
LexFather
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Originally Posted by VVT-i
Wow...LMAO...You need a new Toyota guy or a new tech.

To OP, I stay with the oem coolant. If your car comes with the red coolant then stay with the red coolant.
He knows, trust me .

Stick with red. Don't mix with green.
Reply



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 12:24 PM.