Honda ATF DW-1 vs Castrol Transmax import

[Hall]

You could call up the Honda dealership and see what they say about other fluids - they will recommend DW-1 but see what they say if you said, if there was no other choice...or ask what they think about Maxlife - do they have any customers who use that one?

My experience is that the service writers - which is who you will talk to - won't recommend anything except "bring it and we'll take care of that for you". If they offer anything in regards to fluids, it will be Honda fluid only.

DW-1 was apparently first used in 2011, so that I have can't be more than 10 years old?

In the US, yes, it was around that time frame that it came out. I know it's a big gap, but our '12 Civic and '12 Accord specs DW-1 while my Mom's '07 Odyssey used Z-1.

 

[m4gician]

I've read in Honda forums, that the Maxlife is a popular alternative but you get harsher shifts. I'm in Canada and AFAIK, the DW-1 is full synthetic in Canada, but not in the USA. I only buy DW-1 because of peace of mind - I won't wonder if the alternative is sufficient or not - but, ****, pretty expensive here. I bought some used bottles that are really old and only realized that after I looked closely at them. I read some posts here asking about old (one guy had 10 year-old fluids) bottles - DW-1 was apparently first used in 2011, so that I have can't be more than 10 years old?

You could call up the Honda dealership and see what they say about other fluids - they will recommend DW-1 but see what they say if you said, if there was no other choice...or ask what they think about Maxlife - do they have any customers who use that one?

Toronto Honda Parts might be able to sell it for like $15/L