Where to buy coolant? (London)

davidpfitz

Member
 London, UK
Hi gents,

It's been a while since I posted here - hello again!

The yellow coolant light came on in my 2003 2.5 Z4 the other day. It comes on, then after a while goes off again. Suspect I should start by topping up the coolant.

The thing is, what do I buy and where do I buy it? General lifestyle makes it difficult to get to a dealer, so I was hoping it was something I could buy online and have it delivered to me. Or, worst case, the kind of thing I could buy from Halfords since there's one near me.

Can anyone help point me in the right direction? I really don't know what I'm looking for. Halfords seem to sell "anti-freeze and coolant" mixtures, which doesn't sound like the right thing.

Thanks!
 
At a push, some plain old deionised water (from any car accessory shop) will do until you can check the anti-freeze level properly. Don't know what BMW use as their coolant, but the manual does imply you shouldn't mix different types (probably only so you buy it from the dealer) so don't know if it's okay to mix.
 
Just get it from http://www.cooper-bmw-parts.co.uk/ for example.

I got all my windscreen cleaner / anti freeze delivered from them, was cheaper including shipping then my local dealer. Next day delivery as well.
 
Thanks!

http://www.cooper-bmw-parts.co.uk/browse-parts//coolant_94659.html

This is what I should be after, I suppose?
 
Hmm, I paid way under a tenner for a litre. How many litres is this ???
 
pvr said:
I got all my windscreen cleaner / anti freeze delivered from them, was cheaper including shipping then my local dealer. Next day delivery as well.
Do you mean a bottle of windscreen washer with an anti-freezing additive, or a bottle of windscreen washer fluid and a bottle of coolant system anti-freeze :P

BMW coolant is supposedly 'specially engineered' to reduce internal engine corrosion, and should not be mixed with other, lesser fluids. Don't know how much truth there is in that, but I'm using BMW stuff until the car's so old that it won't matter what's in there.

BTW, only ever use tap or mineral water to top up your coolant in an emergency, because the furring up of the kettle & taps you see it home is exactly what will happen to the waterways of your engine & cooling system. Preference is something like deionised->distilled->boiled->tap->mineral->wee
 
I just popped into Cooper BMW parts department to pick up a couple bits. I asked for coolant and they gave me a 1.5l bottle of anti freeze - part number 81229407454 -including VAT it cost £9.14.
 
That is about right, yes. Perhaps the other part number is for a complete coolant refresh :)
 
PawnSacrifice said:
I just popped into Cooper BMW parts department to pick up a couple bits. I asked for coolant and they gave me a 1.5l bottle of anti freeze - part number 81229407454 -including VAT it cost £9.14.

Bought the strut brace from Cooper. The last thing I will ever buy there. They were happy to offer me 10% discount previously, but now cannot "as we are tightening our belts". Obviously my explanation of no business being worse than discounted business went flying over their heads and beyond comprehension. :headbang: :headbang: :headbang:
 
PawnSacrifice said:
I just popped into Cooper BMW parts department to pick up a couple bits. I asked for coolant and they gave me a 1.5l bottle of anti freeze - part number 81229407454 -including VAT it cost £9.14.
So, is coolant the same as anti-freeze? <lowers head in shame>
 
"Summer coolant and Anti freeze" is what it says on the bottle :)
 
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