RE: Shed of the Week: Honda Legend

RE: Shed of the Week: Honda Legend

Friday 20th September 2013

Shed of the Week: Honda Legend

This week Shed proffers a Japanese luxobarge that isn't a Lexus LS400



Whether we like it or not, fashion dictates much of modern life. Luckily, the seeker of Sheds has about as much interest in fashion as he does in quantum mechanics. This robust approach allows the Shedman to swoop and glide behind the used car trawler like a rabid seagull, feasting on perfectly edible denizens of the deep that have been inexplicably shunned by squeamish fashionistas.

For Legend styling, see Civic saloon XL
For Legend styling, see Civic saloon XL
Like this Honda Legend, the spurned gurnard of executive motoring.

Put 'legend' into Google and you'll get more than 500 million results ranging from film titles to a hotel in Saigon via a Bob Marley tune and a pushbike shop. What you won't get for at least the first ten pages of your Google results (as far as Shed could be bothered to go) is any mention of the Honda, which goes to show just how far under the dragnet this scaled-down Lexus LS400 swims.

The first Legend ('85-'90) was the result of a joint venture with our very own Austin Rover Group. The idea was to give Honda something with which to compete against domestic slushmobiles like the Toyota Crown and Nissan Cedric, and to create a replacement for Rover's ageing SD1. Japanese and US markets got the Legend: we got the Rover 800 Sterling.

You just know everything will work in here
You just know everything will work in here
The original plan was for British-market Legends to be built at AR's Oxford plant. Unfortunately, the workforce's failure to expunge shoddiness and stray dog-ends from the build process was not appreciated by Honda or by potential Legend owners. In truth, the Sterling that emerged from the morass was a half-decent car, and quite a bit less floaty than the Legend, but the British marque's reputation was so snot-stained by then it never stood a chance against the established Germo-bargery.

With the bar on quality and refinement having been well and truly reset in 1989 by the arrival of the LS400, the second-gen Legend had it all to do when it slid into the market a year later. Noting the similarity of the two cars' profiles makes you think that Honda must have had a pretty good inside line on what Toyota was about to unleash. Either that or they were using the same design software.

Well it won't offend anyone...
Well it won't offend anyone...
Third-generation KA9 Legends like this one came along in 1995. Like its predecessors, it was front-wheel drive. That and a mere V6 under the bonnet generated a degree of scoffage from Mercedes and BMW fanboys who said it couldn't be a true Lexus LS competitor without a V8. Shame there are no pics of the 3.5-litre engine, as Shed remembers it as a handsome installation. It was designed for comfort rather than speed, oozing out an easy-on-Sunday-morning 205hp with very few ownership-tainting foibles to fret about. The interior is equally pleasing in its no-nonsense 'engineer's choice' style.

This is the second Legend to come before Shed's pince-nez spectacles in the last few weeks. Garlick was interested in the first one and so, in the finest British traditions of patronage and favouritism, and knowing which side his bread was buttered on, Shed put a D-notice on it.

In the end he needn't have bothered, as PG opted for the watery perch of a scooter instead. Go figure. No such worries with this Legend. Garlick's loss is your gain.

Here's the ad.

HONDA LEGEND 3.5 V6 AUTO (1998), Honda, Legend, Silver, 1998, 5 doors, Saloon, Automatic, Unleaded, 3.5, ABS, Alarm, immobiliser, CD player, central locking, electric mirrors, electric windows, heated seats, power steering, radio, sunroof, airbags, child locks, climate control, cruise control, electric seats, HONDA LEGEND 3.5 V6 AUTO (1998) (£1,050) Grey Metallic colour, Air Conditioning, Climate Control, Full Leather, Alarm, Anti-Theft System, Auto, Central Locking, Immobiliser, Remote Alarm, Remote Central Locking, Centre Armrest, Electric Seats, Head Restraints, Heated Seats, Height Adjustable Seat, Lumbar Support, Rear Armrest, Rear Headrests, Adjustable Steering Column, Cruise Control, Multi-function Steering Wheel, Power Steering, ABS, Air Bag, Child Locks, Multiple Airbags, Quick-Clear Screen, Colour Coded Body, Metallic Paintwork, Electric Mirrors, Electric Windows, Electric Sunroof, Multi-Disc CD Player, Radio Cassette, 16'' Alloys, ALl 4 original keys including red master. 

MOT EXP - April 2014 

TAX EXP - September 2014 - 12 Months brand new!!

Absolutely lovely executive car in great condition, with all the mod cons you would need. 

Come and grab a bargain ...In 1998 this car was 50K :) 

 

Author
Discussion

GranCab

Original Poster:

2,902 posts

145 months

Friday 20th September 2013
quotequote all
At last - a shed that won't take your wallet to the cleaners !

Johnspex

4,332 posts

183 months

Friday 20th September 2013
quotequote all
5 doors and a saloon? Is it a hatch?

Johnspex

4,332 posts

183 months

Friday 20th September 2013
quotequote all
Clearly not a hatch from the pics but that boot is bigger than my house.

BFleming

3,589 posts

142 months

Friday 20th September 2013
quotequote all
Johnspex said:
5 doors and a saloon? Is it a hatch?
Like a Skoda Superb you mean? Could be (depending on how liberally you take an angle grinder to it).
Loving this shed - which isn't really a shed, more of a 'worth every penny' luxo-barge - auto box & all!
4 original keys - I thought only BMW gave you that many!

drivin_me_nuts

17,949 posts

210 months

Friday 20th September 2013
quotequote all
Lovely car. If it's even half as straight as the paintwork on the photos shows it will be a bloody good punt for a few years to come.

rolo0151

260 posts

162 months

Friday 20th September 2013
quotequote all
I sold Hondas in 2006. Had some old boy who had drove legends for years. Part exchanged one like this for a brand new one. I had a smoke round in his old legend & loved it. Silent cabin, adequate performance to waft in & really comfortable place to sit in. If my wife would drive one of these I'd have one as our family car. Such an unassuming motor.

ADP68

528 posts

170 months

Friday 20th September 2013
quotequote all
My old Chairman, (Lord) Allen Sheppard, an ex-car company person (Rootes/ Ford) had one of these. I thought it an odd choice, but his chauffeur said it was the only car with a big enough boot for his requirements and also it was discrete. Nice motor. The later, AWD versions, have crippling road tax bills.

lowdrag

12,869 posts

212 months

Friday 20th September 2013
quotequote all
Ditto rolo. Damn nearly bought one for the anonymity in the days that any Beemer had its badges stolen and Mercs were always keyed. I tried it and loved it, but bought a 2.2 Accord instead. That car just went on and on with never a problem until, bored, I sold it.

OJ80

54 posts

157 months

Friday 20th September 2013
quotequote all
Straighten up that front number plate and you're good to go...

swisstoni

16,850 posts

278 months

Friday 20th September 2013
quotequote all
I've always had an eye for these as quality barges without the badge tax. Only thing is that the interiors I've seen have looked stultifyingly dull.

P-Jay

10,551 posts

190 months

Friday 20th September 2013
quotequote all
OJ80 said:
Straighten up that front number plate and you're good to go...
Sod that, it's the most charismatic thing on it wink


Nice shed though.

Riyazc

1,068 posts

241 months

Friday 20th September 2013
quotequote all
Mate of mine at uni bought one for about £2k (back in 98) and just ragged the crap out of it and it never missed a beat.

Used to cruise at speed in real comfort as well.

Unfortunately got taken out by a dump truck one morning frown

carinaman

21,222 posts

171 months

Friday 20th September 2013
quotequote all
It has a 'Quick Clear' screen? Honda licenced that from Ford? It has the wires in the screen?

Ed Straker

221 posts

142 months

Friday 20th September 2013
quotequote all
Much love for these - especially if you can find a coupe....

SimonSaid

407 posts

185 months

Friday 20th September 2013
quotequote all
Fantastic shed that I'd never have thought of. Also, must be Tony's finest opening paragraph ever!

kiscix

201 posts

126 months

Friday 20th September 2013
quotequote all
Brilliant shed. My dad had one on an S plate from new after a string of accords, went soldiering on to over 200k with servicing and tyres and never missed a beat, unassuming brilliance.

He replaced it with an A6 which has been nothing but trouble...

Chicane-UK

3,861 posts

184 months

Friday 20th September 2013
quotequote all
That's a fine shed, and certainly not a common sight on our roads! So much car for the money.

LuS1fer

41,086 posts

244 months

Friday 20th September 2013
quotequote all
Boring.
I have known 2 people with Legends and neither were as reliable as you might think.

mrpenks

368 posts

154 months

Friday 20th September 2013
quotequote all
Lovely old barge.

Henry Fiddleton

1,581 posts

176 months

Friday 20th September 2013
quotequote all
My bro has one as his smoker.

Superb motor.

The days before low profile tyres, and "sport suspension".

Bliss, if somewhat not a "looker".