Shed Of The Week: Honda Prelude VTI

Shed lets the VTEC kick in with an apparently cherished and rather nice manual Prelude

What would you rather have: something that's been around the block a few times but has obviously been well looked after, or something with fewer miles under its belt but that may have been lying around unused for long periods?

Beauty is under the skin, honest

In reference to Mrs Shed, Shed has somehow ended up with the worst of all possible worlds, but generally speaking if you give him the choice between a nice leggy number and a dried-up prune that hasn't been given a thorough seeing-to for a good while, he'll usually go for the first option.

And that choice is what we are faced with this week in this handsome Gen 5 Honda Prelude. Your man selling it has made the most of Honda's sporting heritage with some shameless namedropping. This far down the line that's a bit like invoking the spirit of Fangio in an ad for a Fiat Coupe.

Actually, that's not fair. The Prelude VTI is better than that. Dan has issued strict instructions prohibiting any mention of the famously erudite motoring journalist LJK Setright in this piece. That's a shame because it prevents us from telling you about Setright's very satisfied ownership of not just one but several 4WS Preludes. 4WS stands for four-wheel steering, a system with which (we would have been able to tell you) LJK was very much enamoured. So much so in fact that he resolved to keep his last Prelude 4WS long after they went out of production. It turned out to be the last car he owned. "Deftness, adroitness, sensual gratification, agility, accuracy: all these terms come flooding to mind when trying to explain why this car is nicer to drive than anything else," Setright (might have) said.

Shows up pretty well for 172,000 miles!

"What may matter most is the supreme ability to dodge, which has saved me from an assortment of accidents involving either errant road-users or things falling off lorries," he (probably) concluded.

Such a pity that we can't tell you any of that.

Rest assured though that the 4WS system production-pioneered in this car goes a long way towards defusing any potential objections about the Prelude's front-wheel driviness. Some owners and hacks criticised the car's steering feel, but the handling was friendly and predictable and if you piled into a bend with too much steam up it would give you a get of jail free card. Four-wheel drifts can, supposedly at least, be a part of the Prelude repertoire.

They're not the lightest cars, but they're comfortable, reliable, fast when called upon to be so and capable of far greater mileages than this one has done. A good definition of a four-seat GT car, you might say.

Being sold by a PHer is good news, right?

The magical VTEC is present and correct on our VTI Shed, so even with 172K miles on the clock and a few horses long gone to the glue factory you'll still be feeling that pant-crinkling thrunge when the second-stage cam timing kicks in (yo). Because it's a 2.2-litre, there's no shortage of bottom-end torque. For many, this engine was pretty much an ideal four-cylinder 16-valver.

Rear arch rust is a common Prelude problem, and this one has it, but the vendor has tried to keep on top of things generally and seems like someone with the right attitude. The only mod he's done is to replace the air filter, which is pleasing. At this stage of the car's life the next sensible tweak might be to braid up the brake lines and refresh the suspension.

Wheel bearing replacement is not such an easy job. Although it's nice to have the manual gearbox, as the auto was poor, the synchro wasn't the strongest in the industry. Problems getting fifth to engage is a sign of wear. Cambelts are replaceable every 80K or five years, and the automatic tensioners are known to fail. Expect some oil to be consumed, maybe as much as a pint every 1,500 miles, but this doesn't mean imminent engine failure.

Mmm, velour!

Set against all that, the driving position is excellent and the velour upholstery on this specimen has held up well. Even the exaggerated seat side bolsters seem to have stoutly resisted the eroding effects of countless buttocks over the years. Leathered Preludes are rare.

The bodykitted 200hp redtop-engined Motegi models are faster (0-60 in 6.7sec), more desirable, as are the Type S JDM cars, but they're also more expensive. You'll need to get over the headlights as they all look like that sir, unless it's a Gen 4 of course, now that was a good looking car (contd p94).

Here's the ad.

Unusual and great drivers car with best combination of rare manual gearbox, factory bodykit and an original UK car not an import which means this will be cheaper on insurance.
These cars had trickle down Formula 1 technology from Honda's experience in Formula 1 when they were winning with Aryton Senna who actually appeared in the Prelude adverts. Such technology insludes carbonm fibre aluminium composite cylinder linings and dynamic chambering variable intake system to maximise low down torque and high revs power.
circa 190 bhp
Very reliable as you would expect with many on much higher mileages
Well looked after and mechanically excellent with no faults having been used regularly for my 7 years of ownership and never let me down. Engine sounds great with a strong push in the back upon Vtec activation.
comes with...
cruise control
air con very cold
four wheel steering for great handling and flat cornering plus easy parking
Almost exclusively Honda OEM parts used which are more expensive but of a better quality and why these last so long
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 tyres, slightly wider than standard and lower profile so almost identical diameter to original meaning speedo reads accurately. These are the best tyres having tried many
Electric sunroof plus windows and mirrors
Front airbags
Sony head unit with 3.5mm AUX input on face plate.
Good JL audio speakers all round with amp in the boot
Upgraded air filter the only modification other than stereo upgrade
Paintwork generally excellent and a deep shine when polished
MOT Nov 2015
New owner will have to tax immediately as per new rules.
No test drive withjout proof of insurance and only to confirm a buying decision.
Extensive service history including MOTs
Bad points. Some rust on rear arches only as fronts sorted some time ago. Have a can of the original paint left over that garage gave me either for use or paint code reference. Small dent in on front wing at front that someone left me in a car park. I never got it pulled out as so slight but thought i should mention. No paint removed.
An enthusiast who now knows quite a bit about these cars. See my PH profile for more information on these cars. Member AdamAJP.
Sorry to be selling this car which really is excellent to drive. Only selling as needed more doors for everyday use.
Looking for £1,000
Any queries please ask

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Track Rod

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