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Honda Prelude 1997-2002
Mr_Shiftright
Member Posts: 64,481
in Honda
Hi Everyone,
This is a continuation of the popular Honda
Prelude topic, which now has enough posts to start
a Part 3.
For newcomers, you can review all the posts in
Parts 2 and 1 by linking here:
Honda Prelude--Part 2 (topic 629 now retired)
For "regulars", please continue your discussion
here, and thanks for your enthusiastic
participation!
Host
This is a continuation of the popular Honda
Prelude topic, which now has enough posts to start
a Part 3.
For newcomers, you can review all the posts in
Parts 2 and 1 by linking here:
Honda Prelude--Part 2 (topic 629 now retired)
For "regulars", please continue your discussion
here, and thanks for your enthusiastic
participation!
Host
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Comments
All the posts... all the old debates we get to rehash again!
And now back to the subject of the Honda Prelude. ;-)
Pocahontas,
Edmunds.com/Roving Host
Maybe I can sum it all up in a few words?
Prelude = a GREAT CAR! :-)
'06 Civic LX coupe
'11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
'13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
Tatiana .
My other friend had an '86 Prelude Si (that's when I became a Honda fan - he let me drive it a lot). That car was awesome as far as handling, high speed stability, gear box, drivetrain.. I liked everything about it (except it was a little cramped in there). He sold it in '91 when it hit high 90's and bought an Eclipse GS (he regreted it - way too many problems with that car). He didn't have a single problem with the Prelude. I think he only replaced the front brake pads the whole time he had it. He didn't even follow the regular maintenance schedule and changed the oil every 5-6k mi. He was never good at taking care of his cars. I remember begging him to replace the air filter on the Prelude which was pitch black from the dirt. I don't think he ever did that or got the car ever tuned up. Ran great though. He paid $14,900 for it new and sold it for $8,000 5yrs later with almost 100K on the odo! Anyway, we ran into the owner a couple of years later and he said he had sold it with 150k mi. and no major problems. So my advice to you would be to get an '85-88 Prelude if you can. Early 80's ones were not as reliable from my experience.
'06 Civic LX coupe
'11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
'13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
Unless you're getting it for next to nothing, I would go for a later generation one. A friend of mine had a 1980 model. It was cramped and underpowered. He only had it for about 5 years, and near the end it was falling apart. Rust was also a problem, like all earlier Hondas. I just think the 1983 - 1987 generation was such a huge improvement over the 1st generation.
2nd, the ride will be somewhat rougher because of the lower profile tires
3rd, the suspension is almost identical to the base lude, it's the ATTS that is the big difference. The tires won't make much of a difference to the handling of the car (I'm guessing this is what you are really asking). In fact, it may improve it in perfect conditions, but it will hinder it in not so perfect conditions.
4th The head unit will not work with the Acoustic Feedback Control. It must be disconnected (it probably is) for an aftermarket head unit to work. This in the end is a moot point - crank the stereo and listen to it. Number one thing they teach you in Audio classes is that everyone hears differently. Bottom line is, don't be concerned with what does and doesn't work (and I don't think it makes that big of a difference - it's not like it cuts out road noises - it simply tries its best to cut out distortion - but you can still make it sound like crap if you try). The head unit is pretty week in the lude, which is why he probably changed it. It works fine for me though, I don't listen to any system cranked (killed my hearing mixing live shows at a younger age).
The specs you can find online with a bit of sifting - I don't know them off-hand.
Here is some things to watch for though:
Cracked seals
Rattle in the sunroof
Clunking sound in the trunk (It's the suspension having fun over bumps)
Ramon: Okay - the first place to start with about ATTS is Honda's site - www.honda.com. It has a pretty good explanation there of what it does. But, in a nutshell, it stands for Active Torque Transfer System. In any given turn that your car makes, the outside tires - in this case specifically the front outside tire, has to rotate more times than the inside tire to complete the same turn. With a front-wheel drive car (which the lude is), and this over-rotation of the outside tire, causes a push or understeer (basically the outside tire doesn't want to turn those extra revolutions and fights it by going straight - ie push). Now what the ATTS does, is force the outside wheel to turn slightly more than the inside tire, decreasing the tires desire to go straight. So kind of like 4x4's "...wheels that slip, to wheels that grip", except that it's not based on slippage, so much as a calculation of steering input and speed.
And the statement about the 17" wheels is correct. Unless they 're ultralight wheels, they can affect handling, gas mileage and create extra wear & tear on your suspension and brakes. Now someone said tires don't improve handlign. That is not true at all. Good ZR summer tires can improve handling dramatically. My friend (SH) and I put on Bridgestone RE730s on our cars and it was a noticeable improvement over the stock tires, on the street and on the track.
'06 Civic LX coupe
'11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
'13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
Thanks for the info guys.
(still kinda an amateur at driving a manual)
I'm on the highway for about 5 minutes on my daily commute to school. But I have noticed that in fifth gear at:
70 mph the engine runs at 3500rpm
80 mph 4000rpm
Aren't those engine speeds sorta high or is it just my car?
And
Just wonderin' but during normal driving at what rpms do most of you shift up? I shift between
2800 to 3000.(any advice)
Thanks.
Also, sound system (like most Hondas) is total garbage with absolutely no image.
As far as reliability, it is unmatched. This is my fifth Honda (2 Civics, 2 Preludes, 1 Honda) and all have been wonderful to own.
>70 mph the engine runs at 3500rpm
>80 mph 4000rpm
This is how this baby is designed to run, so don't worry about it.
>during normal driving at what rpms do most of >you shift up? I shift between 2800 to 3000.(any
>advice)
I shift around 4000 during normal driving - definitely not below 3500! Everybody has their own preferences, but I wouldn't recommend going any lower than 3K for sure.
Have fun!
During "spirited" driving, I shift at redline.
a)- SHIFTING. My major problem is shifting and I've driven sticks all my life so I'm not new to this. It's like everyday is my first day driving a stick - I almost stall sometimes. I don't know what's going wrong, I've tried all possible seat adjustments. The car is in a good shape and regularly maintained. Since there are days when I can just drive with no trouble, I'm assuming that it's me and not the car. So, I'd like some feedback from you guys. Is anyone having this kind of problem? Do you push the gas pedal down or back with your foot?
b)- HANDLING. Doesn't seem to be that precise anymore. My major concern is while accellerating (not fast, just everyday driving) or turning on uneven/bumpy roads. The tires just seem to loose traction all together - they're almost new Toyo Proxies T1-Ss and sure are MUCH better than stock tires.
Please help me!!! I want to get a better idea of what's going wrong before I waste my time at the dealership (car is under warranty). I know from my past experience with honda service that they won't do anything about it - car still burns oil and would occasionally refuse to shift. I don't really want to sell the car, specially now that I've spent a great deal of money on stereo updgades.
Thank you all.
Actually i am considering buying one after i spot it at a parking lot waiting for sell. My old integra just got totaled. Lude is very few in town. A friend of mine owns a 1997 one, which looks more like an Accord coupe. The 1994 looks rather sporty.
Also, it may be that you have the tires way over inflated or underinflated? Did you get a bigger diameter tire or wider lower profile tires? Don't know how much mileage you have on the Prelude, but the shocks can get worn out quickly or as soon as 20k mi. or so and you 'll feel the ride deteriorating or become more bumpy. It could also very well be that it needs a good wheel alignment. Suspension components and the car constantly settle and move. Signs of that is inprecise handling, instability on the highway and when going over bumps and constantly correcting the steering and direction of the car.
I get a wheel alignment every 6mos. You should not be burning any oil or very slight amount if any. My '97 Civic with 115k mi. doesn't burn a drop of oil. My GSR with 21k mi. the same. How many miles are on your Prelude?
'06 Civic LX coupe
'11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
'13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
My MFT was last changed at 35K miles. I made sure they used Honda MFT - maybe that's the culprit? What do you use? I know that honda service normally puts in the regular oil, unless you ask for MFT. I'll get it changed again soon.
My prelude has 50K miles on it.
I find it hard to believe what you're saying about the Proxies - are you sure you're talking about the T1-S? Never have I read/heard anyone saying any bad thing about these tires! I remember when I got them new, It was like driving an entirely different car - much better handling and control. These tires DO NOT "...loose traction all of a sudden and slide...". NO way! On the contrary, they "warn" you so you can stop pushing any further. That's the thing I like about these tires. Also, the traction on wet roads it remarkable.
It could very well be the tire pressure as you've suggested (Thanks!), since I've been keeping it a bit high recently - still not above 36psi in front. I'll try reducing the pressure and see how it feels. I'll get the suspension inspected as well, you could be right about that too but I was not expecting this car to have any such problems at 50k Miles.
Thanks for the help.
I have the same problem with smelling oil burning when stand stills and high oil consumption. My 2001 Prelude just reach 2800 miles and I had to add 1 quart oil to keep the level in between the upper/lower marks. So you guys have the same problem? are there any suggestions? Go to the dealer and complain? I have installed cold-air intake system , header, and exhaust system. Would they be a problem for me to go to the dealer and ask for help of that irritated smell? Actually, that smell exist right at the begining when I bough the car. The dealer said because the engine was new so it had a layer of oil to protect it but that smell will be gone after the break-in period. But until now, that smell still exist. I have a though that the dealer may blame on the new accessories that I have installed for what ever I complain. Do you have any idea or suggestion will be a greatly appreciated!!!
Thanks.
Don't worry about the oil burning smell, it's common when the car is new or after you get it serviced. It's the oil level that you should be concerned about. Let's all not give up on this and keep pushing on the honda people to fix this problem - this is a problem! Please keep everybody posted.
racerzrx7: I'm sure they'll not like your mods, but you can try your luck. WHY DID YOU HAVE TO MOD THE CAR SO SOOOOOOOOON?????
Peace.
Anyway, sounds like the '00s may 've had a bunch of defective shocks installed (they 're not really struts, they 're shocks) from the same lot. It could be a number of things, like bushings that may not be up to specs when built by 3d party vendor, or it could be because they say Preludes have half polyurethane half rubber (mixture) control arm bushings like the Type-R but I have not confirmed that. Urethane bushings tend to squeak because they 're too hard and need greasing often. That's one reason I haven't upgraded mine. Sometimes people get rattles/squeaks from aftermarket rear sway bars that come with urethane bushings. Bad shocks can definitely make noises and I would go back to that dealer or another one and have the service manager get in the car with you while you drive and try to find some bumps to go over. You can also mention that you know others who had the same problem and had their rear shocks replaced. Sometimes all it takes is disassembling suspension components like control arms, end links, A arms, etc. and putting them back together again or tightening everything down and the noise is mysteriously gone. It's too much work for the dealer and they don't want to spend the time to find and correct the problem, that 's all. Usually if they drove the car and couldn't hear anything, they most likely didn't put it up on the lift to check anything. I bet if they grabbed hold of the lower control arms while the car is up on the lift, and started pushing them up and down, they 'd hear the noise, unless it's a coil spring problem and the springs need to compress in order to recreate the sound. It's very rear that you have bad springs though and the odds very slim. Call Honda and place a complaint. Also request they send down the regional Honda tech/troubleshooter to help identify the problem. Also keep checking the NHTSA web site for Technical Service bulletins. If more people come forth and complain about the same noise, Honda is bound to issue a TSB which makes the dealers aware of the problem and instructs them how to fix it. Also don't just search on your model year alone. Look at other years too, you may find your problem under another model year.
Usually the only way to get something like this fixed, is to be persistent and keep bugging the dealer. Ask to talk to the general manager or the owner of the dealership and tell him you want him to get involved in getting your problem fixed.
You 'll be amazed sometimes how the service mgr. jumps when the boss makes a phone call. Bosses are usually not technical, and don't care what the service mgr. says. They just want the customer to stop bugging them and will tell the service mgr. to do whatever it takes to get the customer off their back. Then you 'll see parts being replaced left and right. Usually at that point, the service mgr. will pick up the phone and call Honda and ask for their advice to see if other dealerships have reported similar problems, etc. etc. Good luck and don't give up!
'06 Civic LX coupe
'11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
'13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
Has anyone else had this problem? And did they fix it? The service manager stated that I would have to speak withe the dealership manager and the Honda Manager about this?????????
About oil.. This is probably not the case with you guys but something to watch out for. My GSR takes 4.3 Qts of oil but many oil change places only put 4qts in. This may give the impression that one's engine burns more oil than normal. I informed my mechanic of this and he now puts the correct amount in, and the dipstick looks a lot better with an extra third of a quart in the oilpan.
You also can't really complain to the dealer if the oil level doesn't drop below the "add" or lower line on the dipstick. They 'll tell you that this is normal and only if it 's right on that lower mark or below, that it could be something to look into. In any case, I think that conservative driving and speed variance during the break-in period or at least the first 1,000 mi. is very important and may affect oil consumption later on. Most likely the "extra" oil consumption is inherent in all Preludes. I 'll have to go call my friend to see if his '98 SH burns oil now..
'06 Civic LX coupe
'11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
'13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
I think oil burning depends on your driving style. If you like to rev the engine a lot, more oil will burn. But Prelude does burn more oil than others. Adding a quart between oil change will be a good idea.
'06 Civic LX coupe
'11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
'13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
I changed my exhaust system to the DC sport header and Greddy Power Evolution exhaust sytem with 400 miles on my new car. I love the sound of the high performance mufler and the extra push that the header provides. The AEM cold air system is of course a must with that setup. Why wait until 14K? unless you don't want to spend more money for the fun part. I don't race, but love to drive a such high performance car
GSRs, Type-Rs and Preludes get faster and faster up until 15k miles. This is the reason I waited till 14k mi. I regreted I didn't put the AEM CAI in earlier because it offered much noticeable power but I wanted the engine completely broken in before I started getting more power out of it. To me, suspension and brake mods are more important than bolt on mods. Not that I won't eventually have those on my car as well, but $1,000-1100 + labor for a header & exhaust doesn't provide (to me) as much fun as Type-R handling and braking for the same $$.
My situation is a little different too because an extra 5-6hp (in a GSR, probably more in a Prelude) from a H&E won't get you anywhere in auto-x racing where handling & braking is almost everything and gets you trophies and loads of fun.
Agility, control and stability are very important to me. It's fun watching BMWs struggling to keep up with you at 120mph+ on the highway when the road starts turning.. :-)
'06 Civic LX coupe
'11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
'13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)