I will be doing a brake fluid flush on my 2 Hondas shortly. Anyhow the Honda manual calls for "Honda specific DOT 3" brake fluid? Does Honda put some special ingredients in it?

Highly doubt it's anything different. I'm using Prestone Dot-3 synthetic brake fluid in my car. My manual just states to use DOT-3, doesn't specify using Honda's kind... weird.

I have spoken to many people about this over the years. The factory techs that seem to have more than your average clue have told me that the Honda stuff is formulated specifically to be low-moisture absorption ... so it won't degrade like "lesser" DOT3 or DOT4 fluids. I think some of the DOT4 fluids out there give up some of this protection in favor of higher initial boiling points.

Why? I think Honda's afraid some folks don't maintain their cars well enough and are concerned about degradations in basic braking performance caused by very old, very degraded fluid ... a very real concern, IMHO.

I've used both Valvoline Synpower and Castrol LMA (both DOT4) in my Hondas and Sentra SpecV with terrific results. No leaks, loss in braking performance, corrosion issues ... no problems at all. As '03 EB Corvette Z06 states above, OEM branded stuff is overpriced and I am not into lining Honda's pockets when I can simply buy quality aftermarket parts and fluids elsewhere.

So, buy good aftermarket stuff and change it regularly (every year or two) and skip out on the OEM brands whenever possible.

I once tried to buy Honda brake fluid from an online Honda Dealer parts dept. They said Honda brake fluid was the same as other Dot 3 fluids and did not encourage me to buy Honda brake fluid. So I use generic Dot 3 since 2005 in a Honda. So far no issues. It is hard to know if people at the dealer really tell the truth. My experience has been in Honda sales, usually no. In Honda service, sometimes no.

I'm cynical enough to believe that whatever minor alteration Honda makes in their brake fluid ingredients it is only to encourage owners to buy their product. Functionally I'm sure that there is no significant purpose.

There are possible formulation differences in fluids that can meet DOT 3 standards so I think that it makes sense for OEMs to recommend that you maintain the car with the same fluids it was built with. Yes, It turns them a buck but would it be wise for them to say "feel free to use any fluid that says DOT 3 on it" when they have perfectly good fluid ready for you.

I doubt there is anything special about the Honda fluid. But no surprises is good for some things.

Wouldn't sweat it. Even Honda says in the manual that you can use "plain" DOT 3. Brakes are about the same in all vehicles.