RE: Shed of the Week: Honda Prelude VTi

[Black S2K]

skinny said:

I had one of these and loved it, slightly modified but not chavved up (imo).

I'd probably still have it if a bus hadn't ripped off the front end and written it off.

I never did get used to the 4WS whilst parking tho...

Trick was, start further back than you normally would, otherwise you'd never get the nose in. And a kerbed rear rim was inevitable, since it was consistently parallel to the kerb.

Of course, having learned to park the Prelude in the most implausibly tight spaces my abilities to park an old-fashioned car completely evaporated...

LJKS's Prelude had extravagant wheels and a body kit too, so his car looked very similar to yours - if that is any comfort!

[AC43]

TheJimi said:

TheJimi said:

The poster I replied to was suggesting that the Prelude's interior looks like a Corolla.

Please post a photo of a Prelude's interior that looks like that of a Corolla.

Still waiting.

In Japanse cars of this era this is entirely possible. Normally when I write about my S14's I talk about LSD's, cat-back HKS zorts, and epic driving holiday across the Pyrenees and through the Scottish Highlands.

But one thing I've never mentioned was the ride I once had in a stty Nissan mini cab once. Can't recall if it was a Sunny or an Almera but to my horror I saw that it had the exact same instrument binnacle as my 200SX. I mean not just similar but the exact same part from the exact same parts bin.

It made me feel cheap, dirty and ashamed. And it's taken me nearly 20 years to admit to it in public.

[Black S2K]

Triumph Man said:

Is LJK Setright to the Honda Prelude what Princess Anne is to the Reliant Scimitar? You aren’t allowed to mention one without the other

It's probably the logical fallacy of 'appeal to authority'.

Although sometimes, the authority might actually be correct...

[skinny]

Black S2K said:

Trick was, start further back than you normally would, otherwise you'd never get the nose in. And a kerbed rear rim was inevitable, since it was consistently parallel to the kerb.


LJKS's Prelude had extravagant wheels and a body kit too, so his car looked very similar to yours - if that is any comfort!

Thanks!
yeah the back end was the problem. Reverse into a space and the rear turns away from the kerb. Once up close to a kerb, turn hard to get out of a tight space and the rear turns into the pavement!

[TheJimi]

As for parking, my 4th gen was ridiculously easy to park. Honestly, anyone could park that car!

[Black S2K]

skinny said:

Black S2K said:

Trick was, start further back than you normally would, otherwise you'd never get the nose in. And a kerbed rear rim was inevitable, since it was consistently parallel to the kerb.


LJKS's Prelude had extravagant wheels and a body kit too, so his car looked very similar to yours - if that is any comfort!

Thanks!
yeah the back end was the problem. Reverse into a space and the rear turns away from the kerb. Once up close to a kerb, turn hard to get out of a tight space and the rear turns into the pavement!

That too, now you come to mention it...

I've just thought of a 'crab' button which would've made getting closer/away from the kerb a doddle. But it would have probably been even more confusing.

[MadDog1962]

This last generation Prelude never looked as nice as the generation before it in my mind. I had a very nice burgundy red metallic 2.2 litre 1996 model bought in NZ at the beginning of the year 2000. It was a very good car. Performance was more than adequate and the balance of ride/handing/refinement was just spot on.

I've never done any big jobs on a Prelude but it seems that the list of issues with this one is significant. I don't agree that it's worth saving. This one is headed to the recyclers as soon as it fails an MoT. Maybe £450 as a disposable "shed" transport.

[MissChief]

So I once read that when Honda was looking for a design for this model of Prelude they asked three design houses to come up with something and an American design, a Japanese design and an Italian design (I think) all got put forward and Honda chose the Japanese design which, at the time anyway, seemed very different to the swooping lines of the Prelude Mk. 1 coupe. has anyone ever seen anything about what the other designs looked like?

[AdamAJP]

The 4ws would indeed occasionally struggle if the rear wheels were tight up to a high kerb as below 18mph (if memory serves) they turn "into" the kerb. Mine was on the standard 16 inch alloys so no kerbing. What the 4ws electronics would do in the scenario that the rears would not turn is lock them straight ahead until you reset the 4ws ecu (paperclip would do it - bridging contacts in passenger footwell). Gave you a normal (2ws) car that once you were used to 4ws felt rubbish indeed. Only happened to me once in 7 years however.

The car was of an era where you could read error codes (and reset them) using the steering wheel and a paperclip - excellent shed material!

Edited by AdamAJP on Monday 26th November 12:40

[MX6]

Nice, my kind of motor in my kind of budget. Rust is a way of life, slip the wire wheel onto the grinder, get the Hammerite out and off we go...

[TheJimi]

MX6 said:

Nice, my kind of motor in my kind of budget. Rust is a way of life, slip the wire wheel onto the grinder, get the Hammerite out and off we go...

Speak for yourself!

One of single most frustrating aspects of owning older cars for me is chasing rust.

[Lazermilk]

I had one that looked just like this one, same colour, body kit and wheels but I had the more rare leather interior and red top motor.
One of my favourite cars I owned, but sadly ended up having to sell due to working overseas.

I always preferred the styling of the 5th gen over 4th gen, although I did like the gauges on the 4th gen more.