From: Tube Audio on
Hello

I have a 2004 Honda Civic and would like to change the ATF fluid.

The owners manual lists Honda ATF Z1, so I guess I need to go to the dealer?

I was at Walmart today and I saw Mercon V
ATF and on the bottle it mentioned that it meets Honda Z1

Is this ok? Or do I need to use the Honda fluid?


Is there a big deal, I don't want to do anything foolish, however I don't
want to pay extra for Honda ATF unless I have to.


From: bobj on
Tube Audio wrote:
> Hello
>
> I have a 2004 Honda Civic and would like to change the ATF fluid.
>
> The owners manual lists Honda ATF Z1, so I guess I need to go to the dealer?
>
> I was at Walmart today and I saw Mercon V
> ATF and on the bottle it mentioned that it meets Honda Z1
>
> Is this ok? Or do I need to use the Honda fluid?
>
>
> Is there a big deal, I don't want to do anything foolish, however I don't
> want to pay extra for Honda ATF unless I have to.
>
>

Personally, I would use the Honda Fluid. It's fairly cheap
insurance..
I've owned Acuras that used Dexron III- Mercon and changed
the trans pan fluid ever other oil change. It ran like a
song and never gave a lick of a problem.. However, since
1992, transmissions have become the best extortion racket
used by dealers. They all have purpose specific ATF's and
some are sealed so you can't fool with the fluid without
special tools, etc... Ask a service station what they would
use if they did a flush on your car. Chances are, it
wouldn't be Honda fluid unless you provided it... One outfit
I asked would have used Cam2, ???!!!
My wife's Toyota Matrix uses ATF T-IV @ $6.00-9.00/qt
My Infiniti uses Part#(something) @ $15.00/qt (HAH!, I get
the same from Nissan (for a Maxima) at $9.00)
All get the alternating oil change.. All work fine ...
the dealer is still out the exorbitant shop charge rate and
I'm happy...