I suggest that causing that confusion is exactly what some of these oil companies set out to do. You only have to see that they certify some fluids and don't certify others, but try and suggest that they are the same. Marketing. The job of the marketing department is to get your $$.

Remember that this is a proprietary standard, not a public one. It isn't like you can get it tested by a third party and claim compliance. So they don't claim to meet the standard. They just say that it is good to go. Trust them.

None of that means it is a bad fluid. The issue I have is that ZF says that their transmissions require different fluids for their different designs. It costs them money to move to a new fluid, they don't do it just for fun. They don't require you to buy the fluid off of them, just to buy a certified fluid. You can buy it from any one of the oil companies licensed to make it. But they do note that it isn't Dexron. ZF should know, they make a lot of transmissions that use Dexron III. Castrol was a supplier to them. Castrol says a Dexron fluid works fine in a ZF 5 speed automatic. OK. They can't certify it apparently. Just think how much money Castrol could make if they could come up with a single fluid that could get certified to all the ATF standards. They would clean up. I wonder why they haven't done that.

All that aside, TiAg had good luck with that fluid. If it is still the same fluid as when he bought it, then there is a good reference for you.

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2007 X3 3.0si, 6 MT, Premium, White

Retired:
2008 535i, 6 MT, M Sport, Premium, Space Grey
2003 X5 3.0 Steptronic, Premium, Titanium Silver
2002 325xi 5 MT, Steel Grey
2004 Z4 3.0 Premium, Sport, SMG, Maldives Blue