Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

OK here’s something to weigh in on. For my entire driving career when I’ve mixed coolant I’ve just used regular tap water. 50%-50%. Now I read that tap water is no good because it leaves mineral deposits in the system and you should only use distilled water. Fair enough, makes sense.

BUT.....now I read where it says that distilled water is no good because it is ionized by the distilling process and will corrode the metal. They recommend “soft” water which you can’t get unless you have a water softener or a chemistry set.

So what’s the deal here?

Was this the article you read?
https://blog.protectmycar.com/can-you-mix-tap-water-with-engine-coolant
The article says what you stated, but explains in detail why soft water is better than distilled, and distilled is better than tap water.
The article is placed by an extended car warranty company, but they have nothing to gain by giving you misinformation.

I think that might be it.

I looked at several articles on the topic and it seems that even some of the best sources recommend distilled water, but some sources - and they may be a little OCD about this, recommend soft water. Here is another one that recommends soft water;
https://www.hyperlube.com/blog/blog/why-you-should-never-use-distilled-water-in-your-cooling-system/
btw....a lot of people ask is it OK to just use tap water or use water and no anti-freeze or coolant.

snakeweasel

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

OK here’s something to weigh in on. For my entire driving career when I’ve mixed coolant I’ve just used regular tap water. 50%-50%. Now I read that tap water is no good because it leaves mineral deposits in the system and you should only use distilled water. Fair enough, makes sense.

BUT.....now I read where it says that distilled water is no good because it is ionized by the distilling process and will corrode the metal. They recommend “soft” water which you can’t get unless you have a water softener or a chemistry set.

So what’s the deal here?

Was this the article you read?
https://blog.protectmycar.com/can-you-mix-tap-water-with-engine-coolant
The article says what you stated, but explains in detail why soft water is better than distilled, and distilled is better than tap water.
The article is placed by an extended car warranty company, but they have nothing to gain by giving you misinformation.

I think that might be it.

I looked at several articles on the topic and it seems that even some of the best sources recommend distilled water, but some sources - and they may be a little OCD about this, recommend soft water. Here is another one that recommends soft water;
https://www.hyperlube.com/blog/blog/why-you-should-never-use-distilled-water-in-your-cooling-system/
btw....a lot of people ask is it OK to just use tap water or use water and no anti-freeze or coolant.

Here is my view, as long as you use proper coolant fluid at the right mixture and unless you want 300K miles or 15+ years out of your car any water will do as long as its clean.

cdnpinhead

driver100 said:

....and fools seldom differ

Ah yes, another breath of fresh air. . .or something.

venture

Just because you guys love the start/stop feature so much - I have reached 3 gallons of gas saved. I'm trying to figure out what to do with that 10 bucks.

Michaell

venture said:

Just because you guys love the start/stop feature so much - I have reached 3 gallons of gas saved. I'm trying to figure out what to do with that 10 bucks.

You're paying $3.33/gal for gas?

I just filled up yesterday and paid $2.60/gal for mid-grade.

venture

Michaell said:

venture said:

Just because you guys love the start/stop feature so much - I have reached 3 gallons of gas saved. I'm trying to figure out what to do with that 10 bucks.

You're paying $3.33/gal for gas?

I just filled up yesterday and paid $2.60/gal for mid-grade.

That was just a guess. I have no idea how much gas is here.

roadburner

Today I paid $2.69/gallon for 93 octane at my local BP.

laurasdada

Last fill at Costco was $2.34/gal for PUG.

jmonroe1

venture said:

Just because you guys love the start/stop feature so much - I have reached 3 gallons of gas saved. I'm trying to figure out what to do with that 10 bucks.

Edmunds has my mailing address.😎

jmonroe

jmonroe1

roadburner said:

Today I paid $2.69/gallon for 93 octane at my local BP.

roadburner said:

Today I paid $2.69/gallon for 93 octane at my local BP.

Gas prices in PA. are about the highest in the US. 2 days ago I paid 2.75/gal at Marathon for RUG for the Subie. PUG was about a buck more. Our reward for these high prices is that we probably have the worst roads too.☹️

jmonroe

explorerx4

One thing I like about my MKZ is that I can make it from mid CT to Ohio without filling up in PA.

driver100

snakeweasel said:

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

OK here’s something to weigh in on. For my entire driving career when I’ve mixed coolant I’ve just used regular tap water. 50%-50%. Now I read that tap water is no good because it leaves mineral deposits in the system and you should only use distilled water. Fair enough, makes sense.

BUT.....now I read where it says that distilled water is no good because it is ionized by the distilling process and will corrode the metal. They recommend “soft” water which you can’t get unless you have a water softener or a chemistry set.

So what’s the deal here?

Was this the article you read?
https://blog.protectmycar.com/can-you-mix-tap-water-with-engine-coolant
The article says what you stated, but explains in detail why soft water is better than distilled, and distilled is better than tap water.
The article is placed by an extended car warranty company, but they have nothing to gain by giving you misinformation.

I think that might be it.

I looked at several articles on the topic and it seems that even some of the best sources recommend distilled water, but some sources - and they may be a little OCD about this, recommend soft water. Here is another one that recommends soft water;
https://www.hyperlube.com/blog/blog/why-you-should-never-use-distilled-water-in-your-cooling-system/
btw....a lot of people ask is it OK to just use tap water or use water and no anti-freeze or coolant.

Here is my view, as long as you use proper coolant fluid at the right mixture and unless you want 300K miles or 15+ years out of your car any water will do as long as its clean.

I think the same, but almost every knowledgeable source says to at least use distilled water, otherwise mineral deposits can clog up the radiator very easily. This might take more miles than what you may own the car, but, we should try to make the car last as long as possible....so it is worth doing it right, using distilled water isn't a big expense, and it could save repair costs even over a short time.

stickguy

to simplify things, just don't add coolant and there is no concern about what water to use!

I still have a 1/2 jug of coolant that must be 15 YO by now, bought at the Honda dealer. Premixed 50/50. I assume it is still good, and would work in the RDX if I needed some.

jmonroe1

explorerx4 said:

One thing I like about my MKZ is that I can make it from mid CT to Ohio without filling up in PA.

PA has to find a way to tax outsiders who beat up our roads from one end to the other without buying a single gallon of gas in our lovely state.☹️☹️☹️

jmonroe

stickguy

I was surprised late last week when I noticed that gas had gone up at least $.30/gal since the last time I filled up. was around $2.20 for RUG, now up over $2.50

abacomike

I buy all my gas at Costco which currently is at $2.18 for RUG and $2.46 for PUG per gallon. Since the pandemic got into full swing, I’ve been spending 1/2 the amount I used to spend on gasoline and driving 1/2 the amount as well - isn’t logic wonderful?

I have 4,527 miles on my odometer after 8-1/2 months of ownership of the E450. At this rate, my 1-year maintenance service will arrive with 6,500 miles on the car in early May.

Here’s hoping that the pandemic will be over and done with by next Christmas assuming that the vaccines are effective against the 5-7 virus variants (mutations) currently spreading. I get my 2nd vaccine shot a week from Thursday, God willing.

oldfarmer50

venture said:

Just because you guys love the start/stop feature so much - I have reached 3 gallons of gas saved. I'm trying to figure out what to do with that 10 bucks.

Save it for a new starter?

explorerx4

@jmonroe1,
I stay away from the PA Turnpike, that's about 5-6 dollars an hour to drive on.

stickguy

they do charge through the nose for that road. Thankfully I never have to go out that way.

sda

jmonroe1 said:

explorerx4 said:

One thing I like about my MKZ is that I can make it from mid CT to Ohio without filling up in PA.

PA has to find a way to tax outsiders who beat up our roads from one end to the other without buying a single gallon of gas in our lovely state.☹️☹️☹️

jmonroe

One thing you learn fast driving in WV/PA is toll roads! Have money ready.

dino001

I just keep wondering why these things keep happening to GG. He must have special powers attracting problem vehicles. Mysterious fluid spills are typical excuses for warranty denials, when companies don't want to honor their obligations. Pretty much go-to on many electronic items worldwide, especially portable, also popular wherever foreign substance can get the manufacturer off the hook. I'm not fully convinced that it's real unless I you could see real traces on such fluid during car cleaning.

venture

oldfarmer50 said:

venture said:

Just because you guys love the start/stop feature so much - I have reached 3 gallons of gas saved. I'm trying to figure out what to do with that 10 bucks.

Save it for a new starter?

I haven't really heard of many failures, but there should be a way to turn it off without having to do it every time you want to use your car. *Supposedly* the starter and it's components are more heavy duty - who knows.

It's possible that the manufacturers are simply doing it to increase MPG figures.

The latest non-safety recall from Subaru puts an icon on the main touch screen to be able to turn it off by pushing only that button without having to scroll thru 3 or 4 menus.

dino001

venture said:

Just because you guys love the start/stop feature so much - I have reached 3 gallons of gas saved. I'm trying to figure out what to do with that 10 bucks.

You just lowered carbon emissions by 0.0000000000000000000000000001 percent, all by yourself. That should worth so much more than 10 bucks, especially in self-satisfaction department.

driver100

stickguy said:

to simplify things, just don't add coolant and there is no concern about what water to use!

I still have a 1/2 jug of coolant that must be 15 YO by now, bought at the Honda dealer. Premixed 50/50. I assume it is still good, and would work in the RDX if I needed some.

Premixed is really the way to go.
If you have to add some water, at least use distilled and soft water if you are OCD about these things.

venture

dino001 said:

venture said:

Just because you guys love the start/stop feature so much - I have reached 3 gallons of gas saved. I'm trying to figure out what to do with that 10 bucks.

You just lowered carbon emissions by 0.0000000000000000000000000001 percent, all by yourself. That should worth so much more than 10 bucks, especially in self-satisfaction department.

I'm all about saving the environment.

stickguy

I just like not having to do it in between oil changes. Dealer tops up fluids as part of that anyway.

stickguy

venture said:

oldfarmer50 said:

venture said:

Just because you guys love the start/stop feature so much - I have reached 3 gallons of gas saved. I'm trying to figure out what to do with that 10 bucks.

Save it for a new starter?

I haven't really heard of many failures, but there should be a way to turn it off without having to do it every time you want to use your car. *Supposedly* the starter and it's components are more heavy duty - who knows.

It's possible that the manufacturers are simply doing it to increase MPG figures.

The latest non-safety recall from Subaru puts an icon on the main touch screen to be able to turn it off by pushing only that button without having to scroll thru 3 or 4 menus.

I was pushing hard for a new outback when we were shopping last year (before getting the RDX). Drove great. Needed to work on the wife a little because it was a "wagon" but I was making progress. But she hated the stop/start on that car, and after seeing what the salesguy had to do in order to turn it off (paging through multiple menus) she wouldn't even consider it (really just an excuse IMO).

venture

stickguy said:

venture said:

oldfarmer50 said:

venture said:

Just because you guys love the start/stop feature so much - I have reached 3 gallons of gas saved. I'm trying to figure out what to do with that 10 bucks.

Save it for a new starter?

I haven't really heard of many failures, but there should be a way to turn it off without having to do it every time you want to use your car. *Supposedly* the starter and it's components are more heavy duty - who knows.

It's possible that the manufacturers are simply doing it to increase MPG figures.

The latest non-safety recall from Subaru puts an icon on the main touch screen to be able to turn it off by pushing only that button without having to scroll thru 3 or 4 menus.

I was pushing hard for a new outback when we were shopping last year (before getting the RDX). Drove great. Needed to work on the wife a little because it was a "wagon" but I was making progress. But she hated the stop/start on that car, and after seeing what the salesguy had to do in order to turn it off (paging through multiple menus) she wouldn't even consider it (really just an excuse IMO).

She won't be able to use that excuse any more. She will have to find a new one...lol.

The Outback is a jacked up Legacy with a much larger inside area.

imidazol97

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

OK here’s something to weigh in on. For my entire driving career when I’ve mixed coolant I’ve just used regular tap water. 50%-50%. Now I read that tap water is no good because it leaves mineral deposits in the system and you should only use distilled water. Fair enough, makes sense.

BUT.....now I read where it says that distilled water is no good because it is ionized by the distilling process and will corrode the metal. They recommend “soft” water which you can’t get unless you have a water softener or a chemistry set.

So what’s the deal here?

Was this the article you read?
https://blog.protectmycar.com/can-you-mix-tap-water-with-engine-coolant
The article says what you stated, but explains in detail why soft water is better than distilled, and distilled is better than tap water.
The article is placed by an extended car warranty company, but they have nothing to gain by giving you misinformation.

I think that might be it.

I looked at several articles on the topic and it seems that even some of the best sources recommend distilled water, but some sources - and they may be a little OCD about this, recommend soft water. Here is another one that recommends soft water;
https://www.hyperlube.com/blog/blog/why-you-should-never-use-distilled-water-in-your-cooling-system/
btw....a lot of people ask is it OK to just use tap water or use water and no anti-freeze or coolant.

DEATHWATER. If DexCool can be renamed as deathcool...

Following the pattern, we'll have to start calling distilled water by a new name, DEATHWATER, because it's showing the correct amount of hydrogen ions for its pH of 7.

abacomike

venture said:

oldfarmer50 said:

venture said:

Just because you guys love the start/stop feature so much - I have reached 3 gallons of gas saved. I'm trying to figure out what to do with that 10 bucks.

Save it for a new starter?

I haven't really heard of many failures, but there should be a way to turn it off without having to do it every time you want to use your car. *Supposedly* the starter and it's components are more heavy duty - who knows.

It's possible that the manufacturers are simply doing it to increase MPG figures.

The latest non-safety recall from Subaru puts an icon on the main touch screen to be able to turn it off by pushing only that button without having to scroll thru 3 or 4 menus.

In my E450 (and all previous Mercedes Benz vehicles I’ve owned) there is a button on my console that shuts off the stop/start function. I usually shut it down when I am in heavy traffic or on the Turnpike or interstate when there is bumper-to-bumper traffic.

When the engine is shut down, all other features are active except the compressor for AC. When AC is needed (temp rises inside vehicle) the engine restarts automatically. The ventilation stays on when engine shuts down.

roadburner

Both of my newer BMWs allow you to shut off stop/start without having to do so at every restart. If I get a newer one that lacks that feature I'll need to recode it. I would hate having to push that button every time I start the car. And no way would I buy a car without a stop/start defeat switch.

snakeweasel

stickguy said:

they do charge through the nose for that road. Thankfully I never have to go out that way.

This site lists the 10 most expensive tollways in the us by cost per mile. Two are in my neck of the woods, however I Never take them.

https://moneywise.com/a/the-most-expensive-toll-roads-in-america

snakeweasel

venture said:

oldfarmer50 said:

venture said:

Just because you guys love the start/stop feature so much - I have reached 3 gallons of gas saved. I'm trying to figure out what to do with that 10 bucks.

Save it for a new starter?

I haven't really heard of many failures, but there should be a way to turn it off without having to do it every time you want to use your car. *Supposedly* the starter and it's components are more heavy duty - who knows.

It's possible that the manufacturers are simply doing it to increase MPG figures.

The latest non-safety recall from Subaru puts an icon on the main touch screen to be able to turn it off by pushing only that button without having to scroll thru 3 or 4 menus.

The BMW only keeps it on if your in economy mode, in the other modes if you turn it off it stays off. We usually keep it in the comfort mode so there is really no need to turn it off every time we start the car.

It doesn't tell us how much gas we save if it's on, it tells us how many more miles we can go.

snakeweasel

driver100 said:

stickguy said:

to simplify things, just don't add coolant and there is no concern about what water to use!

I still have a 1/2 jug of coolant that must be 15 YO by now, bought at the Honda dealer. Premixed 50/50. I assume it is still good, and would work in the RDX if I needed some.

Premixed is really the way to go.
If you have to add some water, at least use distilled and soft water if you are OCD about these things.

Or bourbon, I read somewhere (maybe here) that bourbon will work.

roadburner

snakeweasel said:

venture said:

oldfarmer50 said:

venture said:

Just because you guys love the start/stop feature so much - I have reached 3 gallons of gas saved. I'm trying to figure out what to do with that 10 bucks.

Save it for a new starter?

I haven't really heard of many failures, but there should be a way to turn it off without having to do it every time you want to use your car. *Supposedly* the starter and it's components are more heavy duty - who knows.

It's possible that the manufacturers are simply doing it to increase MPG figures.

The latest non-safety recall from Subaru puts an icon on the main touch screen to be able to turn it off by pushing only that button without having to scroll thru 3 or 4 menus.

The BMW only keeps it on if your in economy mode, in the other modes if you turn it off it stays off. We usually keep it in the comfort mode so there is really no need to turn it off every time we start the car.

It doesn't tell us how much gas we save if it's on, it tells us how many more miles we can go.

If the car is in Eco Pro mode the blue readout tells you how many miles you've added to your range by using that mode. You can also let the car analyze your fuel saving skills- 1-5 stars. Silly, but better than the cars that show trees growing or other eco-weenie nonsense.

stickguy

snakeweasel said:

stickguy said:

they do charge through the nose for that road. Thankfully I never have to go out that way.

This site lists the 10 most expensive tollways in the us by cost per mile. Two are in my neck of the woods, however I Never take them.

https://moneywise.com/a/the-most-expensive-toll-roads-in-america

Texas hits pretty hard. So much for not liking government interference!

The 95/495 lanes around DC are quite expensive. Especially if you go at the peak time. But I used them a couple times when going back and forth to NC when the kid was in school, because it did save time if the free road was really backed up. But that was a reversing set of lanes, and most of the time, I was going against traffic so could not use them anyway.

I don't count those top 2 in NY. They are not toll highways, rather scenic roads to a specific destination.

snakeweasel

stickguy said:

snakeweasel said:

stickguy said:

they do charge through the nose for that road. Thankfully I never have to go out that way.

This site lists the 10 most expensive tollways in the us by cost per mile. Two are in my neck of the woods, however I Never take them.

https://moneywise.com/a/the-most-expensive-toll-roads-in-america

Texas hits pretty hard. So much for not liking government interference!

The counter argument to that is that no one is forcing you to take the toll road. Unlike many other government "services" that you pay for if you use it or not you don't pay for a tollway unless you actually use it. Only users pay it's cost.

stickguy said:

The 95/495 lanes around DC are quite expensive. Especially if you go at the peak time. But I used them a couple times when going back and forth to NC when the kid was in school, because it did save time if the free road was really backed up. But that was a reversing set of lanes, and most of the time, I was going against traffic so could not use them anyway.

The kids used to live right outside D.C. and I have to say that I didn't find their rush hour traffic as bad as most people claim. You should drive from Downtown Chicago to my house at four in the afternoon on a week day.

stickguy said:

I don't count those top 2 in NY. They are not toll highways, rather scenic roads to a specific destination.

I was debating that myself but in the end any toll road is a road you take to a specific destination.

abacomike

There is a Windows 10 update that must be humongous - my computer has been working on the updates for 80 minutes so far and it’s only 23% complete. The notice on the screen says, “...this will take a while...”! Now that’s a true understatement if I ever saw one! It should say “this will take a day or so to complete”!🤪😜🤓

explorerx4

Several of those toll roads are very short. As of 2019, PA turnpike costs up to $53.

snakeweasel

explorerx4 said:

Several of those toll roads are very short. As of 2019, PA turnpike costs up to $53.

While they may be short they calculated the cost per mile not the total cost if you drive the whole length. Using the PA turnpike web page a car using EZPass would be about 15 cents a mile.

dino001

roadburner said:

Both of my newer BMWs allow you to shut off stop/start without having to do so at every restart. If I get a newer one that lacks that feature I'll need to recode it. I would hate having to push that button every time I start the car. And no way would I buy a car without a stop/start defeat switch.

Same here. Are you saying new BMWs don't have on/off switch that carries the setting to the next start? That would be terrible.

driver100

snakeweasel said:

driver100 said:

stickguy said:

to simplify things, just don't add coolant and there is no concern about what water to use!

I still have a 1/2 jug of coolant that must be 15 YO by now, bought at the Honda dealer. Premixed 50/50. I assume it is still good, and would work in the RDX if I needed some.

Premixed is really the way to go.
If you have to add some water, at least use distilled and soft water if you are OCD about these things.

Or bourbon, I read somewhere (maybe here) that bourbon will work.

I don't think anyone recommends using bourbon in the cooling system, but Fireball Bourbon has some ingredients found in anti-freeze:
In 2014 it was reported that the liquor contained a chemical found in some types of antifreeze, creating a headline-grabbing panic among consumers. Fireball was temporarily recalled in three European countries while a compliance issue was sorted out-- but the spirit was never recalled in the U.S. The company says the ingredient in question (propylene glycol or PG) is FDA-approved, used in lots of food and beverages Americans consume all the time and that Fireball is “100 percent safe to drink."

explorerx4

@snakeweasel,
You looked at my comment from the wrong perspective.

jmonroe1

explorerx4 said:

@jmonroe1,
I stay away from the PA Turnpike, that's about 5-6 dollars an hour to drive on.

You and a lot of the cheapos I used to work with. They thought the PA pike toll was too high and it is but I always took the pike to work the last 7 years I worked as a consultant. It was too convenient so I bit the bullet and rode it 20 miles each way every day. Got on the pike set the cruise to 70 (limit was 65 back then) and enjoyed the ride because traffic was pretty light. I wasn’t about to beat up my car with many lights and stop signs and spending more time to get to work to save a few bucks on back roads. Now, fast forward to the few snow days we had and these same cheapos flocked to the pike like it was a candy store because it is a well known fact that the PA pike is excellent for snow removal. So, in that regard you get your monies worth unless you’re like @oldfarmer50 and you dread the use of salt.

FWIW, a few years ago the PA state legislature approved the turnpike commissions request to automatically increase tolls every January till 2040. They said it would save tax payers time and money by not requiring the legislature to convene every year or so to hear requests for toll increases. You gotta love politicians that want to save their constituents a buck.

jmonroe

jmonroe1

snakeweasel said:

driver100 said:

stickguy said:

to simplify things, just don't add coolant and there is no concern about what water to use!

I still have a 1/2 jug of coolant that must be 15 YO by now, bought at the Honda dealer. Premixed 50/50. I assume it is still good, and would work in the RDX if I needed some.

Premixed is really the way to go.
If you have to add some water, at least use distilled and soft water if you are OCD about these things.

Or bourbon, I read somewhere (maybe here) that bourbon will work.

You’re right again you heard me say that. Kinda like reading something on the internet but in this case it’s true since you got it from a poster buddy.😗

jmonroe

jmonroe1

driver100 said:

snakeweasel said:

driver100 said:

stickguy said:

to simplify things, just don't add coolant and there is no concern about what water to use!

I still have a 1/2 jug of coolant that must be 15 YO by now, bought at the Honda dealer. Premixed 50/50. I assume it is still good, and would work in the RDX if I needed some.

Premixed is really the way to go.
If you have to add some water, at least use distilled and soft water if you are OCD about these things.

Or bourbon, I read somewhere (maybe here) that bourbon will work.

I don't think anyone recommends using bourbon in the cooling system, but Fireball Bourbon has some ingredients found in anti-freeze:
In 2014 it was reported that the liquor contained a chemical found in some types of antifreeze, creating a headline-grabbing panic among consumers. Fireball was temporarily recalled in three European countries while a compliance issue was sorted out-- but the spirit was never recalled in the U.S. The company says the ingredient in question (propylene glycol or PG) is FDA-approved, used in lots of food and beverages Americans consume all the time and that Fireball is “100 percent safe to drink."

Ain’t that what I said.😫

jmonroe

ab348

dino001 said:

roadburner said:

Both of my newer BMWs allow you to shut off stop/start without having to do so at every restart. If I get a newer one that lacks that feature I'll need to recode it. I would hate having to push that button every time I start the car. And no way would I buy a car without a stop/start defeat switch.

Same here. Are you saying new BMWs don't have on/off switch that carries the setting to the next start? That would be terrible.

My Cadillac has an on/off switch, but it only applies to the current engine start, just like how Mike described the M-B system. You would need to deactivate stop/start every time you start the engine. I think (but do not know) that is mandated if manufacturers want to include the effect of stop/start systems in their EPA fuel economy (and maybe emissions?) numbers.

stickguy

my understanding was it needed to default to that to count. But seems there are plenty of work arounds (such as defeating in sport mode). The RDX always resets to on but I have to push so many buttons already to get moving (start, drive) might as well hit one more! Plus it is right in the middle of those 2. Sometimes I forget, until the first time it triggers then I remember to turn it off.

tjc78

I’ve been leaving start/stop on lately. Combined with auto brake hold it’s not too bad. If I’m stuck in traffic it certainly goes off, but putting around town it’s not horrible.

I used to despise it, but my wife turns it back on in her car all the time (it’s probably the one setting not tied to a profile) so I decided to give it a shot.

With as much as we drive it probably saves us 25 cents a month.

driver100

jmonroe1 said:

driver100 said:

snakeweasel said:

driver100 said:

stickguy said:

to simplify things, just don't add coolant and there is no concern about what water to use!

I still have a 1/2 jug of coolant that must be 15 YO by now, bought at the Honda dealer. Premixed 50/50. I assume it is still good, and would work in the RDX if I needed some.

Premixed is really the way to go.
If you have to add some water, at least use distilled and soft water if you are OCD about these things.

Or bourbon, I read somewhere (maybe here) that bourbon will work.

I don't think anyone recommends using bourbon in the cooling system, but Fireball Bourbon has some ingredients found in anti-freeze:
In 2014 it was reported that the liquor contained a chemical found in some types of antifreeze, creating a headline-grabbing panic among consumers. Fireball was temporarily recalled in three European countries while a compliance issue was sorted out-- but the spirit was never recalled in the U.S. The company says the ingredient in question (propylene glycol or PG) is FDA-approved, used in lots of food and beverages Americans consume all the time and that Fireball is “100 percent safe to drink."

Ain’t that what I said.😫

jmonroe

What did you say? Fireball Bourbon tastes like antifreeze.