I have a MK 2 Fiat Punto Sporting Year 2000 - I can't find the owners manual and it's now cold and dark outside so I can't see much.

I was wondering What Colour Antifreeze do I need for it? And what Can I use as an alternative to Paraflu 50% which is what I saw written on the hood as the recommended replacement.

BTW it only said Paraflu not Parafly UP (Ultimate protection?) are these different formulas? And different colours?

There is a Halfords nearby so can buy from there whatever I need - I'd prefer to have something that is already premixed.

Many thanks for your help.

it will have a blue coloured stuff in it.

The colour is irelevant. Needs to be a coolant suit to an alloy engine.

GM do their version of Paraflu, same stuff, just in a GM bottle and quite cheap too.

Its pinky/orange in colour.

Cheers

SPD

every mk2 sporting iv ever worked on has had the normal blue ethylene glycol coolant in it.

As Rallycinq says, colour doesn't matter. What does is that it contains a corrosion inhibitor. Some of the blue stuff does, some doesn't. Check the bottle. A suitable pre-mix from Halfords will be fine.

I just noticed we have a huge 5 litre bottle of this stuff in the house

http://www.bluecol.co.uk/index.cfm?product=61

Bluecol 2 year Antifreeze 5L
ethylene glycol based antifreeze and engine coolant.

Would that be OK to use in my MK 2 Year 2000 Punto Sporting? And if so can I use it neat if just topping up (say half to 1 litre) or must it be mixed with water 50% (for a top up only)

And must the water be of the deionized / distilled type or can filtered tap water be used? - We have a Tefal Quickcup that can give you filtered cold water.

Also out of general interest if people had no choice but to top up a car with tap water (in an emergency for example) what would be better to use .. cold water from a tap or water that you first boiled in a kettle and allowed to cool?

I also noticed this on sale online - seems a handy size to keep around for a top up by can't find any information about the brand online

http://www.poundland.co.uk/product-range/a-z/anti-freeze/

But I can read on the label it says

Ready Mixed
All Season
All Engines

so I'm assuming it's the kind of formula that mixes with all the various kinds of coolants.

Check the bottle. If it has an inhibitor it will say so. If not, avoid.

Tap water varies from place to place. If you live in a hard water area (need to descale your kettle, etc) either use de-ionised or distilled water (or water boiled previously).

with a car this age its best to drain out all what is in it, flush, then add new stuff (not from poundland) go to a motor factors and get concentrated stuff mix it your self 50/50 and keep whats left for top ups