RE: SOTW: Honda Prelude

RE: SOTW: Honda Prelude

Friday 31st December 2010

SOTW: Honda Prelude

Shed feels the Vtec kicking in with the last SOTW of 2010



There are some things that, no matter how dated they are, will always look like they are from the future. Even if that future turns out not, in fact, to exist. The Sinclair C5 is one such item, the robot from Lost In Space is another. And the fourth generation of Honda Prelude is another.

It is so of its time that it cannot be mistaken for a design from any other era than the early 1990s - and yet even now the Prelude looks somehow futuristic. The swooping dash, the impossibly low-slung snout; it's all just how we thought cars would look now. They don't, of course, and that's part of the appeal - a Prelude seems like a little slice of a future that could have been.


Now that little slice of the Super Nintendo-era vision of tomorrow is comfortably available for Shed money. And it wasn't just the looks of the 90s Prelude that was all hi-tech either. Although the pop-up lights had by now disappeared, the Prelude still featured four-wheel steering and a clever and revvy 2.2-litre Vtec powerplant (in top-spec trim at least). There was even an in-dash telly available as an option for Japanese customers.

These days, 183bhp doesn't sound like all that much from 2.2 litres, but it was still enough to chuck the Prelude along at 140mph, and to reach 62mph from a standing start in 7.1sec, a figure that remains quite acceptable.


This particular example is a full UK car with a decent service history and only 2 previous owners - which is good. Unfortunately, the vendor neglects to mention the mileage - which is (possibly) bad.

More annoying still, somebody has had a mild fiddle around with Honda's original design, fitting a de-cat Remus exhaust system, some aftermarket alloys and an induction system.

The alloys don't come with the car, however. Or rather - they do, but the owner wants another 300 quid for the dubious privilege of owning them, thus pushing the whole thing beyond the thousand-pound reach of Shed. But then we'd probably rather take the original wheels any way...


Advert reproduced below

For sale -

1995 Honda prelude 2.2 vtec in malachite green (Pearl Green)

Fantastic facelift UK car with loads of extras and the famous vtec engine.
For anyone who has owned a honda prelude vtec will know just how fast and reliable they are.
The easiest way to describe the vtec system is like a small turbo boost at 5250RPM - giving you the full 190BHP power!


Features the car has -
- Full LCD dash with the Electrolumiscent Speedo and rev counter
- HKS induction Kit
- New Full Years MOT
- Full Stainless steel De-CAT exhaust with Remus Backbox
- Front Strut Brace
- Upgraded one peice Polycarbonate JDM headlights
- Optional Team Dynamics 17" Shadow chrome alloy wheels all with TOYO Proxes
- Electric Sunroof, windows and mirrors
- Cruise Control
- Power Steering
- ABS
- 4 Wheel Steering
- Euro Sideskirts
- CD Player


History -
The car is a UK car so easy to insure and has 2 previous owners.
The car has FULL service history and this does reflect in the quietness of the engine and the speed of it.
I have owned many a prelude in the past and this comes up there with the best of them and is easily as fast or faster than a JDM prelude as well.

Bodywork -
The bodywork is in great shape - its the malachite green pearl colour and if you look into the paint on a sunny day there are a variety of colors in there!! - no major marks or dents or scratches either.


They normally suffer with very bad rust issues!! This prelude has none really - very small tiny rust as per the pics and a small amount on the sunroof.
The car is pictured with basically new - 17" Team Dynamic Alloy wheels - all with newish toyo proxes tyres - if you want them with the car they would be £300.00 extra - if not then it will come with the standard alloy wheels pictured all with great tyres as well.

Overall the car is becoming a rare sports coupe - its drives fantastic with a responsive engine and great gearbox.
First to see will buy as its a great example



Author
Discussion

Vic Cooper

Original Poster:

230 posts

168 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
Never been a fan of the jap interiors, but I quite like the shape. Would be a motoring icon with RWD I guess.

Edited by Vic Cooper on Friday 31st December 00:56

EDLT

15,421 posts

205 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
That was put up early!

obscene

5,174 posts

184 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
I quite like that! Agree with the first post about that if it were RWD it'd be a motoring icon.

y2blade

56,029 posts

214 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
my uncle had one for a couple of months...good shed yes


Garlick

40,601 posts

239 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
EDLT said:
That was put up early!
It is Friday......just about smile

chris333

1,034 posts

238 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
I remember squeezing into the back of one of these to go to the pub: not something I could manage now...

Personally, I like the previous model and the following one better than this shape. Oh and that interior is just horrible!

Stu R

21,410 posts

214 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
One of the best dashboards ever biggrin

johnpeat

5,326 posts

264 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
Interesting choice - and it seems to be a UK model (there are a TONNE of imports and most are nasty) too.

I looked at 2 of these when I was fishing for a cheap runabout - in the end it's lack of practicality (the back seats are comedic) killed it rather than the car itself - but they drive well and hide their age too.

PLEASE don't believe the bullst about VTEC systems being bulletproof and never failing tho - I had a VTEC engine which pinked and knocked FROM NEW and even Honda factory engineers couldn't resolve the problem so that's a myth which needs putting to bed pronto (not to say this car suffers any such problem - just that the 'bulletproof' Honda thing IS a myth).

Doniger

1,971 posts

165 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
johnpeat said:
Interesting choice - and it seems to be a UK model (there are a TONNE of imports and most are nasty) too.

I looked at 2 of these when I was fishing for a cheap runabout - in the end it's lack of practicality (the back seats are comedic) killed it rather than the car itself - but they drive well and hide their age too.

PLEASE don't believe the bullst about VTEC systems being bulletproof and never failing tho - I had a VTEC engine which pinked and knocked FROM NEW and even Honda factory engineers couldn't resolve the problem so that's a myth which needs putting to bed pronto (not to say this car suffers any such problem - just that the 'bulletproof' Honda thing IS a myth).
Chinese whispers...it's the actual VTEC mechanism they claimed never failed under warranty, not the entire engine - and I think it only covers the original DOHC VTEC, not the newer iVTEC.

I dearly love these cars - had two, and would have another tomorrow if I could find a good one, but sadly they are very few and far between. frown

harry010

4,423 posts

186 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
I want it... now...

MrWest90

62 posts

193 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
Seriously considering one of these beasts this year, so much bang for your buck for shed money. smile

Oilchange

8,421 posts

259 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
off you trot then

oilit

2,618 posts

177 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
i had one of these - at the same time as owning a xjs v12 convertible and triumph stag, and have to say that this did bring me more smiles per mile than either of the other two.

MrV

2,748 posts

227 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
Not a bad shed ,it has 122,000 miles on the clock, if you click on the ad its right at the top.

kpb

305 posts

174 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
Lovely lovely lovely. Had one for a year as a weekender. Better than the brand spanking new EP3 Civic Type R i'd owned 2 years previously and cost me 7% of the latter's purchase price.

Doesn't seem that long ago many of us were talking about the last 'Lude listed as SOTW though?

Personally I think the JDM ones are better cars, especially in BB4 form (lightened, LSD, 197bhp etc).

mrtwisty

3,057 posts

164 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
Have you been spying on me riggers? I was looking at this very car last night!
Freind had one a few years back. Surprised me how quick it was, especially the vtec yo! Handled pretty well too, with a brace and some decent tyres. So... A bb4 one of these or a gtv....?

boomboompow

6,703 posts

183 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
I have a soft spot for these, mainly because it was the first car with a decent bit of clout you could afford in the original Gran Turismo wink

MrWest90

62 posts

193 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
boomboompow said:
I have a soft spot for these, mainly because it was the first car with a decent bit of clout you could afford in the original Gran Turismo wink
yes

stewy68

1,826 posts

242 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
Cool shed.
Even with that interior, I would have one in an instant.

redstu

2,287 posts

238 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
Now if the Japanese did interiors!