One could argue the better coolant and each will have it's opinion but the entire reason for Dex-Cool or the main reason for it's inception was to lengthen the Service Intervals. This would allow them to lower the overall maintenance costs of the car/truck if properly maintained based on duty cycles and I would wager to some extent in response to the consumer complaining the current coolant intervals are too short.

Dex-cool is HARSH ****...it's also "technically" twice the service life of the green coolant. You have trade offs no matter what you do...

In general changing coolant once a year is not necessary unless you are in severe duty cycle i.e. putting MASSIVE miles on, or extensive idling, etc... If you want to toss money down the drain by all means do it if it makes you feel better.

Common sense must rule here IMHO. If the MFG says 100,000 miles under normal duty cycle and I am in a severe duty cycle I would never take it there. Too me your ASKING for trouble for it and most user DO NOT even consider that. It's a 100,000 miles and then I change it most say/think.... I had 2 Chevy's and a F250...All ran the extended life coolant...All stated 100,000/5yr under normal duty cycles....all where changed between 50K to 75K depending on the usage of the vehicle regardless of years. Also note the owners manual have a different interval if you are a severe duty cycle.

The KEY to a good well running car is prevented maintenance using good common sense.

Pit

 

around here you gotta drive a ways to get the orange stuff, more and more places are carring it but the green stuff is always available at the local c store.

 

Dont quote me but ive heard that the gasket that chevy used will deteriorate faster if used with non dexcool.

 

Interesting! Maybe that is one of the reason so many vehicles are sitting around with blown head gaskets.

 

ive heard the opposite that dexcool will eat the gaskets, its my understanding that polypropylene glycol or propylene glycol is the stuff to use.

 

Certain cars are built with Organic Acid Technology (OAT) antifreeze (e.g., DEX-COOL[11]), or with a Hybrid Organic Acid Technology (HOAT) formulation (e.g., Zerex G-05[12]), both of which are claimed to have an extended service life of five years or 240,000 km (150,000 miles).

DEX-COOL specifically has caused controversy. Litigation has linked it with intake manifold gasket failures in GM's 3.1L and 3.4L engines, and with other failures in 3.8L & 4.3L engines. Class action lawsuits were registered in several states, and in Canada,[13] to address some of these claims. The first of these to reach a decision was in Missouri where a settlement was announced early in December, 2007.[14] Late in March 2008, GM agreed to compensate complainants in the remaining 49 states.[15]

 

I have been using the FELPRO gasket kits on the cars I have replaced head gaskets and manifold gaskets on. I wonder if they are OAT or HOAT or if it matters with them?

 

I used dex cool in my 3.8 for the 2 years that I had it and had no problems. When I traded it in it had 125000 miles on it and it had no problems with the head gaskets.