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Honda Prelude 1997-2002

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Comments

  • verozahlverozahl Member Posts: 574
    "What is meant by a 4th or 5th generation Honda? My son has found a 90' Prelude LSi, 5 spd. that he wants to buy. It's his first car. Does anyone know anything in particular with this year?"

    Bear with me here. 1990 was a very interesting year... actually, maybe the most particularly interesting thing about 1990 is, stay with me here, Bush was president then too! I mean, it was a different Bushkie, but what the heck.

    3rd-gen Prelude: 1988-1991, flip-up lights tres cool.

    4th-gen Prelude: 1992-1996, looks good in red with spoiler. And I usually don't like red cars with spoilers.

    5th-gen Prelude: 1997-2001. Looks like liquid money in the silver-metallic paint color. And if you own one, that means you liquified some assets to get one. Still relatively expensive 2000 and 2001 models (used) but definitely worth the price... ack, I should just get one and stop talking about it!

    Any issues with the 1990 Prelude, guys? Answer kciglovr before I find more political jokes.
  • himilerhimiler Member Posts: 1,209
    panga -- the moonroof needs some lubrication to make it stop "chattering" when it opens. If the 60,000-mile service hasn't yet been done on your car (especially the timing belt replacement), have the dealer lube the roof when you go in for the 60K service.

    As far as rattles and various noises go, the Prelude is well known for its noisy quirks, but they're noting to worry about unless rattles turn into clunks or knocks.

    kciglovr --

    I owned a '89 2.0Si Prelude and was very pleased with it until I got too intimate with a telephone pole on an icy road.

    The car is very reliable (it's a Honda) and, when new, had better-quality paint than new Hondas. About the only things to check for are regular service (w/receipts), and warped brake rotors.

    Obviously, like any other used car, there might be other (expensive and hidden) areas of concern. Your best bet is to get your most trusted mechanic to spend an afternoon checking the car out before you buy. Have the tech do a compression check, check the brakes and exhaust, and carefully inspect all the suspension components for parts that might require immediate replacement. And remember, the only parts that break on a Honda are expensive ones.

    BTW, how old is your son? Due the the car's age, I doubt if it's putting out more than 100hp, but that's still plenty for him to get into serious trouble with. If you buy the car, your best bet might be to remove a sparkplug to keep him safe (j/k)!

    Also, while the car is built very well, 3rd generation ludes are pretty light, so there isn't a whole lot of crash-worthiness in the chassis. Something to keep in mind...

    verozahl --
    My silver '01 lude might be for sale soon, if you're interested.
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    Congrats on your car! Himiler knows what he is talking about. Have that 60K service done if it hasn't been done already. If your timing belt goes, you're in a whole heap of trouble.

    Himiler: You're thinking of getting rid of your car? Is the mileage getting up there or do you just want something different?

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • pangapanga Member Posts: 23
    Thanks for the prompt responses.

    The car is now at 68,500 miles. The previous owner assured me that the 60K service has been done, I am trying to get a copy of the 60K service record from the dealer (I have to drive 150 miles to pick it up in person). Is there some way I can visually check to see if the belt has been replaced?
  • himilerhimiler Member Posts: 1,209
    You could remove the valve cover, exposing the belt, but a visual inspection of the timing belt doesn't count for much -- they pretty much look the same going in as coming out.

    As long as the dealer has a record of that service being performed, you're good to go!

    nyccarguy --
    I've only put 50K on since 10/01, but am thinking again that I'd like the utility of a WRX wagon (which I had on order until I drove the 'lude). No firm plans to do anything yet, just rolling the idea around in my head.

    Have you had a chance to really wring out your SH yet? Keep in mind that if you're not getting a MPG number in the teens, you're not trying hard enough! ;-)
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    The WRX Wagon definitely offers more utility and performance than our beloved prelude (Especially up in your neck of the woods). I've never been a supporter of the WRX styling, but I saw a Silver/Black WRX sedan w/ a spoiler on Friday night that I thought looked pretty good.

    To answer your question, NO I haven't & it is killing me! I don't even have 400 miles on the car yet. I've been beating on my Saab until my alloted lease miles are up. I've got 32,500 miles on it and have until December 4 to do 36,000 miles. I only drive my Saab pretty much to move it (alternate side of the street parking here in the city) or if I go anywhere over the weekends. So my Prelude sits at my parents' house (my Dad uses it to go for bagels on Sunday morning. Whenever I go to my parents' house, I make sure to take it out for an hour or so just to stretch its legs. It's time will come though!

    That actually leads me to another dilemma. I may need to keep my car in the city (on the street as I can't afford a garage) full time soon. I'm debating whether I keep my Prelude with me (and kiss my beautiful bumpers goodbye) or buy a $2000 used honda for commuting and then when I move out of the city in a few years start to drive the Prelude full time. Of course I'd still use the Prelude for road trips and other occassions. I think I'm going to stick it out with the Prelude though (Once the lease miles are up on my Saab).

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • sphinx99sphinx99 Member Posts: 776
    A lightly used, low mileage red Type SH. That could be a sweet show-off car a few years from now...
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    Himiler: Obviously you don't have to reply to my dilemma question since you already did on the Acura Integra board.

    Sphinx99: I plan on keeping the car for a long and eventually retire it to weekend car duty. Thanks for the compliment though. I've said it numerous time, your S2000 is one sweet car! The way my prelude drives and handles, I can't even begin to imagine how the S2000 drives!

    I really love the car though. Even though I haven't driven it too much. I like that I don't see too many of them on the road (especially Type SH). I always get the (and give) thumbs up or flash my high beams at other prelude owners.

    I'll probably end up driving the Prelude every day due tp the pure enjoyment it gives me when I drive it. The bottom line is that cars are meant to be driven. I also know that it is near next to impossible to keep a car in perfect shape.

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • blacktalonblacktalon Member Posts: 203
    I have to agree with nyccarguy -- cars are made to be driven. My daily commute in my Prelude always puts me in a good mood. There's no way I would drive a beater instead, even if it meant saving a few dings, dents, and trips to the body shop over the long run.
  • grbeckgrbeck Member Posts: 2,358
    nyccarguy: Somehow, I can't imagine having a nice car in New York City. I'd be a nervous wreck by the end of the first week...I hate door dings and scuffed bumpers, which, from what I've seen, are unavoidable in the Big Apple. In Harrisburg, at least, I've got a fighting chance.
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    I've learned to live with the fact that bumpers are going to get scuffed and that door dings are inevitable in most places, but especially here in the city. These are things that are completely out of my control and there is no reason for me to get upset over them. Damages like these are only skin deep and the Prelude has lots and lots of inner beauty (Engine, Interior, Chassis, Transmission, ATTS...).

    Even if I could cough up the $300-$400 per month to park (I've lived in and around the city all my life and it baffles me how much money people really have), you have to pay the individual attendents extra so they don't back your car right up against a wall or another car.

    If things start to mechanically go wrong (that can't be located or fixed in 1 trip to the dealer) with a car or if the interior trim pieces aren't holding up, then I get upset. I'd also get upset if my car gets stolen only because I couldn't replace it with another new Prelude!

    There will be no beater car for me! Decision of the judges is final. My Prelude will be my daily driver.

    We should definitely liven this chat up a bit with some daily Prelude tails or sightings. I have a very hard time keeping up with some of the street racing tales, somewhat juvenile discussions, and repetetive topics on some of the other prelude enthusiast websites.

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    Last night I had dinner with my sister in NJ and saw a black Type SH that was modified too much for my tastes. There was also a white base model with the OEM body kit that was lowered with these nice looking 18" wheels that I really liked. I still plan on keeping my car pretty much bone stock.

    Parked right in front of the restaurant was a brand spnakin' new (still w/ temp plates on it) Spa Yellow/Black, Stick 2002 Acura NSX. That car is absoultely gorgeous and is a credit to engineering and refinement. Many people & magazine editors have criticized the NSX for many years for remaining the same, I think it is great. Part of what makes the 911 so successful is the fact that the overall shape and proportions haven't changed too much over the years.

    The NSX and the 911 are 2 of my favorite (and dream cars). If I had the $90K, I'd have a hard time making the decision. I hope to be in that position one day.

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • verozahlverozahl Member Posts: 574
    Ah, but where would you park that NSX, then?

    NSX sightings never happen here in Detroit area unless you're at the auto show. Preludes are common in Ann Arbor and pretty infrequent elsewhere, even older (3rd and 4th gen) models.
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    Hopefully by then I'd own a house w/ a garage:)

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • sphinx99sphinx99 Member Posts: 776
    Well, good news everyone, I'm back in the fold. The silver SH I traded in for the S2000... well, it was cheap, the previous owner happened to take very good care of it (ha) and I couldn't think of a better coupe currently on the market. (Wasn't willing to wait for the G35, which was looking to be very expensive if you threw on options.) So I bought back my Prelude for a mere $500 over what I traded it in for. Yes, bad financing, I should have kept it to begin with, because I had to pay sales tax twice, which is ugly.... However, I guess I made up some of that cost by not having to insure it for a few months :)

    The dealer's doing a little detailing, and I pick it up either tomorrow or the day after. The S2k will remain the daily driver until October, at which point I'm going to put it in storage. Unfortunately this means the Prelude doesn't get the garage slot, but it's a trooper, it can handle some good ol' Detroit acid rain.

    I'm ecstatic! This is the combination I wanted originally but I didn't think I could afford it back then and I was too anxious to get a convertible before summer started. I thought about holding off for a while but didn't see too many coupes superior to the Prelude coming out in the near future at anywhere near a reasonable price point, and I just don't want to spend $40k on a 330Ci. Plus, I babied my old car and I knew I wouldn't be as confident with another Prelude that someone else broke in.

    The only bad news is that my car shopping days are over for at least a few years. I paid cash + Prelude trade-in on the S2000 but that ran my savings pretty low, so the Prelude is mostly financed.

    Woo hoo!!!!!!!!!!!
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    How long ago did you trade the car in? It has been sitting on the dealer's lot for that long? You paid $500 more than what the dealer gave you for it? You know that if you change your mind and decide to trade the Prelude back in next week, they'll probably give you $1000 under what you just paid for it! LOL!

    A Prelude as a winter beater...there's a concept! A Prelude & and an S2000...great combination!

    Welcome back to Prelude ownership!

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • sphinx99sphinx99 Member Posts: 776
    I've driven Preludes through a few winters and they're pretty good. I remember once incident where I flew right into a snow drift at about 45 miles an hour. I wasn't paying attention. The Prelude completely lost all traction. And yet, amazingly, it tracked perfectly straight - I mean perfectly. No spin, and when I felt traction come back, I was still in the right lane. So, I have a great deal of confidence in the car's suitability as a good winter car. (Just get rid of the stock tires.)

    Yeah, the dealer "mark-up" was pretty sad, but it'd been sitting on the lot for four months, and I figure that I'm getting an oil change, a pretty thorough detailing and some other junk for what is in reality a rather small markup to the dealer. I don't mind paying them $500 for the detailing and the trouble of having it sit on their lot forever, plus whatever they may have paid to insure it, because $500 is easily what I'd have paid to insure it had I owned it for the last four months. What I *dislike* is paying sales tax twice. The government is rich and I'm already unhappy about my tax dollars being used to buy dinners for Enron execs and drop bombs on Palestinians, and now they're double-charging. Blah.
  • blacktalonblacktalon Member Posts: 203
    Congrats, Sphinx. An S2000 for the summer and a Prelude for the winter sounds like a great combo...
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    So with your new old Prelude as a winter beater, are you going to run all season tires on it or winter tires? What brand?

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • sphinx99sphinx99 Member Posts: 776
    Good question.

    The Prelude has the stock RE92s with about half their life left on it. Those tires were ok last winter; they are by no means excellent winter tires, but RE92s have gotten me through two winters with no major issues and I will probably stick with them through the winter (cost issues) unless they wear quickly and become antsy towards the tail end of winter.

    I have heard that good performance tires like S02s are servicable in snow while maintaining excellent ratings in dry/wet; in fact I've heard people say that S02s are stickier in wet than many all-season tires; my old boss has been running them on his 911 through several consecutive Detroit winters without issues. (He does have a 4s though.)

    I know this has been brought up a few times (I'm being lazy in asking again), what is everyone else doing? My gut feeling is to stick through the winter with the RE92s then get S02s next spring if I get a decent bonus, or cheapo all-seasons if I don't....
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    I'm probably going to leave the stock RE92s on this winter unless I see a problem. Like Sphinx said, they should get me through a mild winter. For next winter I'm probably going to save up a little and get a second set of OEM Type SH wheels off of ebay or somewhere and slap a set of bridgestone blizzaks or Michelin Pilot Alpins on them. It doesn't make sense for me to buy from tirerack because there is a tire shop near my house (who I have a longstanding relatinship with) that will do the changeover for free if I buy the tires from them. They're prices are very comparable to tirerack.

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • jsh139jsh139 Member Posts: 42
    Just FYI, Bridgestone doesn't make the S-02 anymore. They've been replaced by the S-03. These are becoming the tire of choice for E36 M3s. While they do offer outstanding dry (and wet) performance, they will not give you the type of snow performance you are looking for. Even with a near perfect 50/50 weight ratio M3, with the traction control on, you will get stuck in a flat parking lot on anything more than a small dusting. These tires just aren't made for snow (or cold temperatures even!). I wish I could find the link to a story about a guy who totalled his car while driving on S-02s (on flat ground IIRC).

    If it were me, I would slap the best performing A/S tires I could get on the car, and be real careful in the white stuff (as many A/S still aren't as good as a dedicated snow tire).

    just my 2 cents :)
    -Josh

    EDIT: While I do realize that I'm talking about a RWD car, and you're talking about a FWD car with more weight upfront, etc, it really falls on the way that that actual tire performs.
  • himilerhimiler Member Posts: 1,209
    I run S-03's on the factory alloys, and will switch back to Artic Aplins on 15" steelies when December rolls around.

    Remember, good winter tires are always less expensive than your insurance deductible, particularly when you factor in the inconvenience of getting your car cracked up.

    You could always opt to continue running the RE92's this winter until they crap out (which will undoubtedly be a fun moment), then get some really aggressive all-seasons to carry you thru the summer and following winters. If I had a S2000 to use in the summer, this is the route I'd take.
  • sphinx99sphinx99 Member Posts: 776
    Are they that bad? I've driven RE92s through a couple of inches of snow, and it's no pleasure cruise but if you go slow and be careful, it should be safe. I can't imagine RE92s being better snow tires than a S03. Plus, a car like the M3 has a whole lot more torque, plus much fatter tires. I would expect it to have significantly poorer traction in snow than a Prelude wearing the same rubber.
  • himilerhimiler Member Posts: 1,209
    The RE92 will walk away from the S-03 in the snow, simply because the S-03 isn't designed for use in low temperatures. I would strongly advise against running ANY ultra- or max-performance tire in the snow. You'll just be begging for trouble.
  • sphinx99sphinx99 Member Posts: 776
    I didn't know there would be that big of a difference, given the general reputation of the RE92s....
  • jsh139jsh139 Member Posts: 42
    Well, the composition of the rubber on most summer tires changes drastically under ~50 degree temps. They get rock hard and don't stick as much. So, not only do you get really crappy snow traction, you get crappy dry/wet traction as well.

    Ask me how I know :)

    All season tires are designed to stay soft in extreme temps, while not turning to mush in high temps. It's hard to make a tire that works well in all temps, which is why A/S tires are generally regarded as "jack of all trades, master of none".
  • sphinx99sphinx99 Member Posts: 776
    "Ask me how I know :)"

    I'll bite. How much did whatever happened cost to fix? :)
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    you beat me to it!

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • sphinx99sphinx99 Member Posts: 776
    You know, I just want to say that I truly enjoy this little discussion area more than the hondaprelude.com and preludeonline.com's forums. There's a lot of expertise at those two sites, but there are also a ton of southern california Prelude owners with personalities and aspirations better suited towards hopped up Civics with altezzas and rims, or hopped up Mustangs with, well, altezzas and rims. It seems that a lot of the folks at the other sites think the Prelude is some kind of drag racing car.... sheesh.
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    we should definitely try to keep this board active. There is a ton of information over on hp.com & po.com. I find a lot of the discussions created are the same though. I mean how many SH vs. Base model boards are over there? I do also see that many of the members want to enhance their Prelude (BTW, I hate the word Lude for some reason) for drag racing purposes. Light to light street racing (dangerous) and 1/4 mile at the track is not what the Prelude was built for.

    I bought my Prelude because I love the interior and exterior styling, the handling is razor sharp, the steering is extremely communicative, it is relatively quick, screwed together well, Honda reliability, crisp transmission, & I don't see too many of them on the road...

    1/4 mile times never even entered into my mind. I thought that's what Mustangs and F Body cars were for.

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • blacktalonblacktalon Member Posts: 203
    I use Arctic Alpins (on stock rims) for the winter, and I've been very pleased with their snow and ice driving capabilities. Not quite as good as Blizzaks on ice, but almost -- and much better than the Blizzaks on dry roads.

    I'm still running on the stock RE92s for the other three seasons, but I'm thinking about upgrading to S-03s next year for my three-season tires.

    Himiler, how do you like your S-03s? I'm guessing that they're a big step up from the RE92s...

    I agree with sphinx and nyccarguy about this board. I get a lot of useful info from PreludeOnline, but I also get a little tired of threads about what sort of tail lights or giant non-functional wings are the best...
  • pangapanga Member Posts: 23
    I read on one of the other message boards here that short-shifting is bad ("Don't "lug" the engine by "short-shifting". Make sure each gear gets a proper rev.").

    What would be a proper RPM/speed to shift the prelude in regular driving? spirited driving? Sometimes it's tempting to run in 4th at 2500rpm (instead of, say, 3rd at about 3500+RPM), is that a bad thing in the prelude?
  • verozahlverozahl Member Posts: 574
    $500 parking for four months? Sphinx, what a deal! I should head down to Acura, trade in my Integra for a "new girl" (how about that blond vixen TL Type S?) and then buy my car back for the winter, eh? Cheaper than paying for monthly parking for it!

    Ahhhhhh, hahaha... but seriously now.
    'Glad to see you came to your senses. You now have an all-season Honda sporty lineup. Very very sweet. Integra stock tires are the weakest part of this Honda-Acura product too... gotta replace them with better ones when they wear out.

    hmm... Your "twice paid" sales tax is probably going to GM or Ford subsidies, or maybe Toyota or Honda envirocar subsidies. Whatever!

    Anyone want to venture a guess when "affordable" sport coupes will come back into style again? Or should I find the 'Back to the Future' DeLorean Time Machine and set it to "1985"?? >:(
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    So the Arctic Alpins do provide some degree of normal performance (relative to Blizzaks). I love Blizzaks. I had them on my Chevrolet Beretta for 4 Ithaca, NY winters and went everywhere the pickup trucks and SUVs went and NEVER got stuck! They were quite noisy at speeds in excess of 65mph on the highway. Excellent Snow & Ice traction though.

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • jsh139jsh139 Member Posts: 42
    I'll bite. How much did whatever happened cost to fix? :)

    Well, I didn't break anything, as just had a few close calls is all .. My car runs Michelin Pilot SX MXX3 tires, which give a little bit better dry performance than the S-02/S-03, but give so-so wet performance. I waited until about the last possible day to change over to snow tires last year, and lets just say that the car wasn't the same as it was in warmer temps ;) hehe

    -Josh
  • sphinx99sphinx99 Member Posts: 776
    Pickup's delayed until tomorrow b/c I'll have to stay late to wrap up some stuff at work. Blah.

    What I really want to do is put in a killer sound system. It has been my experience that the Prelude's cabin is a good place to listen to music, which (after driving) happens to be my favorite pasttime. So, I've been thinking about beefing up the sound. Any thoughts? If I did, I'd be going for fidelity over loud bass, which makes asking for advice on hp.com and po.com all but useless:

    "Are there any high fidelity setups here?"

    "omg ur ride sux u gotta get three 12" like my friend omg he rocks lol"

    "sigh"

    Overall I'm pleased by the Prelude's sound system, compared to most cars I've driven, but I've been spoiled after driving a Lexus GS a long time ago. The Prelude's solid build and compact cabin strikes me as suitable for creating a pretty good soundstage but I'm not sure where I'd begin. What I should do is set a budget...
  • himilerhimiler Member Posts: 1,209
    Blacktalon -- The S-03 is a primo tire. Kind of stiff-legged compared to the RE92, but the firmer ride pays off in the twisties (and how)! I'm getting really good wear from them (I rotate every oil change/5,000 miles), and they're not as loud as I had expected, but still a little louder than the RE92 on certain road textures. Am I getting my money's worth? You betcha!

    Panga -- as long as the engine isn't "lugging" or doing a lot of rumbling, you can pretty much drive whatever speed you want in the higher gears as long as you keep the revs over 2,000. Just make sure to downshift if you would otherwise have to floor the gas to move out.

    Nyccarguy -- I like Blizzaks, too (I run four of 'em on my 2.5RS), but for the mostly dry/wet highway driving I do in the winter, the Alpins work far better. They handle and brake nearly identical to the RE92, and are really quiet except for some high-pitched whining on wet concrete. They also wear better than Blizzaks.

    sphinx -- My set-up is far from hi-fi, but I did add a better head unit and a powered 10" sub (sealed, for tighter bass). The stock speakers found in the doors are actually very good, and can handle up to 50W without much problem. I'm considering the replacement of the rear 6"x9" speakers with some that offer better mids and highs. I've spent about $600 so far, and really like the results I'm getting.
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    Did you pick up your new old car yet? How many miles are on it? How do you think it drives now that you've been tooling around in your S2000 for the better part of 4 months?

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • sphinx99sphinx99 Member Posts: 776
    Hi!

    Just got home a short while ago. She's in beautiful shape. Unfortunately the S2k is parked at my parents' place (my sister gave me a ride to the dealer) so I can't park 'em side by side until after I write this then grab some chow. It's a big difference, bigger going from the S2k to the Prelude than the other way around, strangely. The Prelude's steering feels a little soft now, which is pretty freakin' amazing to hear myself say. The ride really isn't too much different although you can really feel the difference in weight. The S2000 feels a lot lighter than the mere 200lbs between the models would indicate. (Well, I suppose it's closer to 300lbs...) I'm also missing the S2k's brakes; I had some close calls with the Prelude, its brakes being softer and less aggressive.

    On the other hand, it is nice to have a regular dash and a trunk that can hold garbage bags once more, I must admit. Having the S2000 has me regarding the Prelude as more of a beater than I would have regarded it as six months ago. On the other hand, it's a heck of a beater. Driving back I missed the s2k's 6-speed and engine power, it's just a lot more fun to operate. I don't change gears just to blip the engine, like I do with the S for kicks. However when I put in a disc and cranked the volume, a big smile came to my face. And without question, the cars share some DNA...

    More later, I was in meetings throughout lunch and am on the verge of passing out... I think it's Taco Bell night...
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    Yo! Wuz Up! I jus picked up my 'Lude frum da deala 2day. It drivez gr8. The steering & brakez ain't nuthin' compared to my S2K tho. So uv corse I had to go cruizin around. I pull up to dis lite and therez dis punk [non-permissible content removed] drivin' daddyz Corvette ZO6 convertable. I no itz hiz daddyz car cuz I alwayz see him buzzin around in a modded Civic. Hez lookin at me and revin his engine. When da lite turned green I took off and he was stil smokin' hiz tirez..HA HA! He coodn't drive! I no he wood've beat me, but I no I'll be able to take him once I get my AEM Pulliez, AEM CAI, JDM H22A engine swap, Mugen Exhaust, and JRSC...Ha Ha!

    Sorry guys, I couldn't resist. I actually had to think in order to butcher our language;)

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    Sphinx99: Besides saying the Prelude's brakes and steering are soft and less aggressive (as compared to your S2000), you're probably also one of the first people I've ever heard refer to your Prelude as a practical car;)

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    I'm driving from NY to Bethesda, MD tonight for one of my cousin's Bat Mitzvah. Originally it was going to be just my Girlfriend and I, so it would be a perfect trip for my Prelude. My sister is actually coming with us, so I'll be forced to take my Saab (we should all have this problem:).

    Next weekend I've been invited to my friend's house on the Jersey Shore (Bradley Beach). It'll be just me so it will be great to get some quality Prelude driving time in. I'm actually going to drive up to my parents' house (about 25 miles north of the city; 1.5 hours in rush hour traffic) in my Saab. Put the bra on my Prelude. Then drive down to my friend's house in NJ (about 40 minutes from my parents' house). I'm going to follow him on his motorcycle (or attempt to follow anyway) down to his house on the shore.

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • sphinx99sphinx99 Member Posts: 776
    omg stfu ur n00b gimp lol my LuDez ownz u hahah
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    c'mon, you have to give me some points for creativity.

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • sphinx99sphinx99 Member Posts: 776
    ur creavty sux!!!111111!1!1
  • himilerhimiler Member Posts: 1,209
    Whew! For one scary moment, I thought I was on HondaPrelude.com!
  • sphinx99sphinx99 Member Posts: 776
    i just got my lude ne1 know what exhaust is best thx
  • jsh139jsh139 Member Posts: 42
    heh, that's nothing .. you should stroll over to DTMPower.net sometime .. There was an actual serious discussion on there where the poster was asking "which tire thread [sic] looks the coolest?"

    will these people ever learn?
  • sphinx99sphinx99 Member Posts: 776
    I took the Prelude out for a workout on the I-696 (the Detroit autobahn) this evening and it performed beautifully. Actually I've had a cheapo rental Focus for a couple of days (needed to run people + stuff around this week) and after putting a few hundred miles in that, I found myself appreciating the relatively strong punch of the Prelude. What a fine engine. It's too bad Honda didn't find a way to widen the car an inch or two, and bump the engine displacement up to 2.4L or so. A 2.4L H22 getting up to 7500rpm and putting out, say, 230hp and 175ft-lbs of torque in a car that weighs, say, 50lbs more... mmm. I wonder, given the number of people who are gung-ho about putting the 200hp Prelude powerplant in a Civic, does anyone ever think about putting a souped up 2.4L engine from the CRV or whatever into the Prelude? Just wondering...

    I noticed that the moonroof doesn't open and close quite as quickly as before; anyone else have this issue? I was going to get some auto grease and see if I could worm a little into the railings...

    I must say that right now I feel like I have the perfect garage to keep me going for years and years. Now that the car situation has been put to bed for a while, I can focus on those washboard abs that I told myself I'd have by 1998... oops.
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