# Replacing my radiator



## Do Bamboo (May 3, 2010)

Unfortunately my radiator is leaking and needs to be replaced. These things are double the price for the Xtrail then other vehicles. It's $400 just for the rad. The dealer quoted over $600 for the rad alone. I don't have time to search for a better price. My mechanic says warranty could be an issue if buying via the Internet also. I'm curious what others have experienced. My Xtrail has almost 200,000 km on it. I guess it was a matter of time this would happen.


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## X-hale (Apr 17, 2017)

My experience is that they are less than 1/2 that price on the internet. Here's an example $160 CND.
2006 NISSAN X-TRAIL 2.5L L4 Radiator | RockAuto


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## MikeHJ (Mar 7, 2017)

As X-Hale posted, they're all in the $130-$170 price range for aftermarket.

There's really not that much to a radiator, no moving parts, not much to wear out. Basically, they corrode with time, so if they're not defective out of the box, you're unlikely to make a warranty claim within the warranty period no matter what you buy.


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Size wise ours seems pretty much identical to one from a first generation Rogue, but in peeking at part listings I noted that ours has a built in transmission oil cooler which the Rogues does not. Lots of aftermarket ones in Europe but I am having trouble finding one online here other than the RockAuto offering. If memory serves there are companies that rebuilt rads, but I would guess that requires it would have to be leaking from the fins and not from some crack in the plastic housing

well here is an ebay offering 

Radiator Spectra CU2697 fits 02-07 Nissan X-Trail

and this might help Do Bamboo
XTRAIL RADIATOR NISSAN X-TRAIL RADIATOR | auto body parts | Mississauga / Peel Region | Kijiji

Its in the Toronto area and says available for pick up. Looks like the Spectra one off ebay.

Both the Rockauto and ebay offerings with delivery and exchange rates cost over $225.


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

since we are discussing radiators.....i got a question. My boss bought a 22 year old chevy Astro van for about $500. Then a week later the problems began. So he got them fixed. I mentioned the rad fluid was a nice rusty dirty brown. Boss said he wont touch it, leave it alone as these older vehicles get more Rad problems if you drain or flush out the old fluid. Have any of you heard OF such as thing?? He plans on just either adding water or new rad fluid as needed, but to leave the old rusty crap rad fluid alone. On my own 2006 Xtrail i have about 218,ooo klms on it and my rad fluid is a nice emerald green color...it appears the used car dealership changed it before selling me the vehicle in Sept. 2016. Everything works good so i just let it be.


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

3 Common Radiator Problems and How to Avoid Them - Autos.com


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## MikeHJ (Mar 7, 2017)

tonyvancity said:


> s He plans on just either adding water or new rad fluid as needed, but to leave the old rusty crap rad fluid alone. On my own 2006 Xtrail i have about 218,ooo klms on it and my rad fluid is a nice emerald green color...


Not all antifreeze is neon green, lots of OEM is orange/brown.

If your boss's $500 van isn't overheating or leaking coolant, then I could understand not changing the coolant. Not sure that would be my plan, but the purchase price does make it a disposable item. Pretty easy to pour lots of $$ into a $500 vehicle.


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

hi Mike, yes it is only a $500 vehicle but it is perfect for our Autoglass shop needs. He had to spend an extra $150 on a tune up ( which our mechanic shop next door did at a friendly discount) as the van was stalling one day in traffic and then wouldnt even turn over the next day. New battery didnt solve anything, mechanic did the tune up and adjusted the idle and now everything works fine, no stalling. The reason i was concerned about the brownish rad coolant is that it looks like the original owner didnt not do much maintanence at all on this astro van and since i occasionally do drive the van as our mobile work van....i dont want a plie of old junk stranding me in Vancouver's horrible traffic. http://www.aa1car.com/library/coolantchart1.jpg. Anyways here is a chart of various coolant colors. I dont think the Astro is supposed to have rusty brown coolant as factory, i'm thinking it is just old dirty coolant.


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

That Astro van probably has Dex-cool in it which was orange to begin with. Apparently it can last forever if no other coolant has been mixed in with it. But if so it will destroy things. If the discoloration is due to oil then there is a bigger problem. Seems to me its a lot cheaper to flush and fill and maybe replace a hose or two and or thermostat rather than facing an expensive tow and repair later on. Its a business expense for goodness sake.


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

...''Its a business expense for goodness sake.'' <<<<<SIGH, tell me about it. You should see the stupidity i put up with this narcisist moron of a boss. Sometimes borrowing shop supplies or whatever from our mechanic neighbour next door (while i apologize and tell him i promise we get our own stuff soon....). Anywaysssss, thanks for the reply Quadraria...i do now also believe it is orangish Dex-cool and will remember to not screw with it or add a diff coolant. Thanks again for your help.


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## MikeHJ (Mar 7, 2017)

I'm just saying that, in the case of a disposable vehicle that you don't want to sink money into, I'd probably be more concerned about safety than reliability. I can see your boss not doing anything about coolant until the thing starts overheating. On a $500 car, there is a long list of things that could/should be done and another long list of potential repairs that no one would ever dream of doing.

I think it kind of shows what your boss' attitude is when he only spends $500 on a work vehicle: reliability obviously isn't a top priority.


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

well Mike, the guy can be ''difficult'' to deal with. I could tell you stories on some of the bullsh*T i've had to put up with but i wont bore you. That van had a tune up and i drove it today for about 2o klms ...seemed to run good . He just bought it because we really needed a mobile work van when we go to autobody shops and replace windshields, something boxy inside to put in a windshield rack and our tool boxes and the occasional time we need to drop a customer off and pick up. Actually, lol, you should of seen what we were using before he bought the van....his family vehicle, a four door jap hatchback ! With leather interior...and being henpecked to ''be careful, dont scratch my interior!'''.


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