What should I use? I'd imagine that the Volvo Coolant is expensive.

Thanks!

Chris
Buffalo, NY
98 S70, 93 945 Turbo, 89 GLI 16v

Buy the genuine Volvo coolant. What possible difference in your life will it make if it costs a few Dollars more for the real thing?

My Volvo dealer also sells Ford products and told me they use the Ford antifreze in Volvo's since it is the same liquid but costs much less.

Any non-phosphorus coolant designed for aluminum engines from major manufacturers will work just fine. You only need to decide between '2 year' and 'permanent' types. So-called permanent types are said to be good for 100k, but I wouldn't go that long as the coolant lubricates the water pump. A water pump seizure in your car will take out the timing belt which causes valves and pistons to get intimate with each other thereby extracting about $4,000 from you.
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96 850T, Bilstein HD, IPD swaybars

Should say on the container that it is safe for aluminum engines...basically what you want is the green flourescent stuff that contains ethylene glycol.
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1998 S70 T5 Emarald Green Metallic, 2004 V70 2.5T Ruby Red, Previous Owner of Black '94 850 Turbo Wagon. My cars have been running so well lately they've got me worried.

I used Zerex G-05 last summer. I got it from pepboys because it was the only one that specifically said it was approved for volvos on the label. It looks pretty good from what ive read about it online.

Factory list is 17.00 for a gallon of coolant and it makes two gallons. I just run the factory stuff, how much money are you really going to save and still run a quality product? Truth of the matter is that every tech at your local Volvo dealer probably has from 2-10 gallons of the stuff sitting under his bench. Everytime he does a cooling system repair he charges out a gallon, mixes it up, uses it and is left with 2-3 quarts of 50/50. After 4 cooling system repairs he has a virgin gallon of coolant on his bench. If you walked in the back end of the shop you'd probably find someone that would sell you a gallon for $5.00. For years when I wrenched at the dealer I sold my coolant for $5.00 per gallon and now that I own my own shop I buy it for the same. All that being said I would still run factory coolant in my car because the $10.00 I could save every couple of years is not worth the peace of mind it would cost.

Mark

Use the OEM coolant. No worries and the car likes it. Get it from Tasca Volvo in Seekonk MA. Out of state mail order price is good.

You make a sense to me. I bought a Volvo genuine antifreeze ($19/gallon), and bought a gallon of distilled (steamed) water $1. Mixed together to make a 50/50 coolant, and don't need to worry about all kinds of stupid things.