ok i did a search and found one article that covered this topic a little, but not in depth. so my question is should i use honda atf or any dextron mercon III? i have a 94 integra ls and the owners manual says i can use dextron mercon II or greater. however my parents and sisters newer hondas say to only use honda atf. they both look the same, but im wondering if there is any real difference.

 

I believe Honda ATF Z1 came out after 1994, so before that, all of the manuals said to use Dexron II/Mercon ATF. I believe most of the newer Hondas that suggest using Honda ATF also say that you can use a Dexron II formulation for short periods of time.

Basically, you can either get a Dexron II/Mercon ATF from anywhere, or use the Honda ATF. I have read on bobistheoilguy.com that people have used Honda ATF in their 88 Accords and have gotten better shifts and performance, but you can definitely stick to what the manual says if you like. Using either will not hurt your car. It is similar to manual transmission fluids in early 90s hondas - the manuals say to use 10w30, but then Honda MTF came out, and most people started using it with better results.