Since I parted ways with my '97 Lude, I've had a 1999 Ford Explorer Sport, 2001 Ford Explorer Sport, and now with a 2001 VW Jetta GLS Vr6 5-spd w/sport suspension and 17" wheels.
I can not seem to make it through a 2 year lease without getting bored or finding something else I like better. Having a car I like is my biggest vice.
I am currently eyeing up a 2003 Infiniti G35 Sedan and will probably sell my Jetta with only 12K miles on it soon.
Damn dude...you went the wrong way. LOL! From a Prelude to an Explorer (and then another Explorer)? The Jetta is cool though. I actually had a 1998 Ford Explorer Sport for 2 years (just don't tell sphinx99 or himiler).
My last 2 cars before the Prelude were sort of compromises. I leased a 1998 Ford Explorer Sport for 2 years when I graduated college because I thought a Prelude would be too small for me and the Maxima SE 5 speed that I ordered never came in. When the lease was up on my Explorer, I split the lease payments of a car with my parents because my Mom needed a 2nd car to drive (FWD or AWD w/ Automatic Transmission) in the bad weather, so I ended up with a 2000 Saab 9-3 which I absolutely love. The lease is up on my Saab in December, but I wanted to see if I could get a leftover Prelude Type SH and that i did, proudly sitting in my driveway with a smidge over 400 miles on it!
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
Nice find on that SH. What color? I always wanted a white one, but no white when I got my '97.
I've toyed with getting an S2000, (the light blue is real nice) but the cost of insurance for a convertible and the lack of practicality in only 2 seats and not even the possibility of putting small people in the back like with a Lude, really has me looking at the G35. If the 2003 Accord Coupe wasn't so ugly it would be a consideration- but those photos- YUCK.
My 2001 Type SH is Milano Red. White was my second choice. There were actually a few dealers in SOuth Jersey that had new 2001 leftover Preludes. That's when I was looking in April though. You still might be able to find one if you're interested. You do know that the G35 is only available with an automatic only currently.
What about an Acura Cl Type S w/ 6 speed?
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
...but I'll throw in my two cents anyway - I was another '97 Prelude buyer (Eucalyptus Green Pearl, 5-speed base model). Leather was definitely not a factory option, and my dealer was happy to get $600 over invoice for the car in March of '97 (that last part simply to illustrate how [un]popular the car was, even early in the model cycle).
I traded the car in back in February of 2000, but like gperr, I still miss it. It was the finest front-drive sports coupe that I've ever had the pleasure of owning.
BTW - someone mentioned insurance on the S2000. My Prelude and S2000 insurance rates are within 5% of each other. I have no idea why. (State Farm, reasonable driving record.)
As much as it might offend my core principles, I think that if I were to buy a car like that, I'd go with the autobox, too. Sometimes it just makes more sense to buy a car that someone else will want to own once you're done with it.
BTW, that new $20,900 SS sold yesterday. Hats off to the buyer who got the deal of the year on that one!
Well, I hit 500 miles coming home Saturday night... I ended up leaving my Saab here in the city and ended up going home with my father after work on Saturday due to the fact that one of my dogs had to go to the Vet. This gave me an opportunity to drive my Prelude around for the duration of the weekend. I ran errands for most of Saturday afternoon and made sure to take long, winding roads wherever I went. I love the feeling of the ATTS pulling me around the corner. Saturday night my girlfriend drove up to my parents' house from Long Island and we used my Prelude during our Saturday night dating activities. The car is such a pleasure to drive. I can't wait to open it up!
I Klassed my girlfriend's Protege yesterday morning. Great product. Her car is Silver and after I finished it, I pulled it out of the garage and into yesterday's blazing sunlight. The car gleamed and sparkled on the pavement. The entire car took me a little more then a half hour to do. Again, it isn't as smooth as Zymol, but it works well enough for me an doesn't require nearly the amount of work.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
It would depend upon how many miles you had on the tires when one blew. The rolling diameter will decrease as the tire wears, so you'd want to make sure that there wasn't too much of a difference in tread depth between the new and old tires.
My guess is that if the tire that blew had less than 1/2 the original tread left, you'd be wise to buy two tires.
Then again, you could always just rotate the rears up front and leave the new tire on the back axle for a couple of rotations to try to even it out.
Your best, cost-is-no-issue solution is to dump all the remaining OE tires and snag a set of S-03's. Worked wonders for my car!
BTW--I put a cold-air intake on my car last night. Holy cow, does that VTEC howl! Nice to have the extra HP, too. You can really feel the added power in the higher RPMs. It pulls hard.
how often does honda advise on tire rotations & when do you do them?
Unfortunately, cost is an issue. I'm going to drive on the stock re92's for a year or so and then try to pick up another set of OEM Type SH rims off ebay to mount winter tires on. Then when the stocks wear out, I'll get myself a set of S-03's. What brand are they??
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
I do a rotation every 5,000 miles (same interval as my oil changes). Honda says every 7,500, but that's too far to go on softer-compound tires.
If cost is an issue, you'll save big money if you get 15" take-off steel wheels and winter treads instead of 16"s. Also, road salt will eat the finish off an aluminum wheel, not to mention what a decent-sized pothole will do to your expensive rim and low-profile snow tire. Ouch!
It's your money, but you may want to consider a 15" winter tire that has a taller sidewall and a narrower section width. This combo gives you greater ride comfort over rough pavement, and also puts more weight on the contact patch, which it turn gives you better traction on slippery surfaces.
I have a set of four 195/60-QR15 Artic Alpins on steel wheels, and they handle nearly as well as the RE-92s did. The steelies don't look the greatest, but I could really care less -- in the wintertime, I'm more concerned about traction than fashion.
The S-03 is made by Bridgestone. It's a fantastic tire @$130 each.
Speaking of buying 16" Prelude wheels off eBay, my buddy drives a '96 Odyssey LX and wanted more tire under it. I found him a set of Base 5th-gen Prelude rims and tires in NJ for $340 shipped. Needless to say, he now has "more grip than go!"
Since you rarely get a major snow "event" in your area, a really aggressive all-season (such as the Pirelli P7000 SuperSport) mounted on your stock rim is also a viable alternative, but your dry-pavement handling will still be somewhat compromised (but not to the extent of the RE-92).
talking NSXs vs. Ferriaris for a while over on the What is the Honda thing... board, I figure I'd pose some questions about the Prelude.
Himiler: You're right about us never getting a major snow "event" (what are you the weatherman in your spare time?) in my area, I might look into a good set of high performance all season tires. I think I might do the old switch just to be safe. Like I said, I'm going to go through the first winter with the stock tires on and winter #2 will be whatever I decide to do.
My 2 questions: What kind of range are you guys getting to a tank of gas?
Since I recently got into bike riding and am into skiing (Like the rugged outdoosy types portrayed in SUV commercials...GAG ME), I'm thinking of buying Thule bars with the appropriate kits and accessories for my car. Will these scratch or damage my car in any way? Should I put something down (besides poilish) before I mount these to my car?
Thanks!
BTW Himiler...you've been making some quality snide remarks on the RSX & Civic Si boards:) Keep it up!
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
In response to your first question, on the highway I average between 27.5 to 30.5 MPG, depending on how much whip I put to the car. This works out to about 350-400 miles per tankfull, or at least until I lose the battle of nerves against the low fuel light (which does tend to come on with about 3 gal. left in the tank).
On back roads, however, I've seen my mileage get down as low as 19 MPG, but the only time that happened was right after I got my S-03's.
As to your second question, I have no experience with mounting a carrier system on the Prelude, but would imagine that a high-quality, modular system from Thule or Yakima would work well enough. If you haven't already done so, check with your local bicycle shops to see which systems work best for roof-mounting, or start your search here:
I have an AEM CAI on the car right now, but also have an AEM Short-Ram intake for the winter months (so I don't have to fool around with the CAI bypass valve).
I'm using a Neuspeed shock tower brace up front (an essential addition, if you ask me!), and am looking for a used Spoon rear tower brace, or will consider having one fabricated.
Aside from the S-03's and the Quaife, that's it for mechanical stuff. I've probably spent close to $800 on audio upgrades, but I do tend to spend most of my day in the car, so good sound is important to me, too.
My next mod will probably be a Neuspeed rear sway bar. Currently, the Quaife allows the front end of the car to overdrive the rear by a wide margin. Adding the fatter sway bar would give me some lateral stiffness and even more drop-throttle oversteer. Wheee!
Mine's bone stock. Between the S2k and the Prelude, I'd like to get a little more down and dirty with one of the cars but not the other, and I can't decide which one to look into. However, I have a trip to Greece with my fiance in a couple of months, then a house to close on (hopefully), so I likely won't be doing anything other than adding gas until next spring, when my expenses drop a bit.
I *do* think I'll end up upgrading the sound in the Prelude, since the S2000 doesn't have a stereo (as far as I can tell) and like himiler, music is an integral part of my driving experience, especially with what is becoming a 90-minute commute to work.
Yeah, the Stereo is one of the few departments The Prelude is somewhat lacking in. I'm far from an audiophile, but do like clarity and bass. The stereo sounds a little tinny to me.
Himiler: What did you do? New head unit, new speakers...?
The Acoustic Feedback is supposed to raise and lower the volume according to the interior noise level in the car right? So if I have the Volume set at a certain level, and then merge onto the highway with the windows open, it should automatically raise the volume?
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
Not quite. AFBS listens for distortion as you turn the volume up, as the input into the speakers becomes too strong, and it attentuates the amplitude at those frequencies where sound is distorting. For example, you slowly start raising the volume. You get to a point where a non-AFBS vehicle's bass might start to, what's the word, become garbled? In the Prelude, bass response will remain at the limit of the speaker but not beyond so you won't hear that garbling. Keep raising the volume and sound at all other frequencies will continue to rise while low-frequency input to the speaker remains constant so as to prevent the garbling.
This is why the Prelude's sound system is (IMO) pretty nice when when you raise the volume. It doesn't distort. At all. It remains crisp and clear at all frequencies, and I personally enjoy how the sound encloses the relatively tight and quiet cabin. I've driven cars with much louder sound systems, but not as many with as crisp systems.
My 2000 Prelude has badly warped rotors and Honda claims this is not a warranty item. Has anyone else had Honda claim this as well. On my past Honda's this has been fixed under warranty.
nyccarguy -- I replaced the head unit and stock speakers, and added a powered 10" sub. Nice and tight, even without using the AFS. I do tire of the sub slamming around in my trunk when I'm cornering hard. Maybe I'll get off my butt and try to fasten it down.
cciitman -- The rotors on most Hondas will warp quickly due to the large brake pads that hold lots of heat. If you have to do some major braking, and then sit at a stoplight with your foot on the brake pedal, the heat from the pads will actually "brand" the rotor and cause it to warp.
If I have to brake hard and sit, I put the car in neutral and just use the emergency brake to stay stopped.
Depending on how much pad material you have left on your Prelude, you might be able to ask the dealer to make an exception in your case, or to run your problem by the district service manager. Unless your rotors have already been turned, all they will do to fix the rotors is machine them, which shouldn't cost more than $50 at a local brake shop. The one caveat is that you may need to replace your pads at the same time your rotors get turned, which bumps up the cost of the repair considerably.
hi-just came home yesterday mit a 00 black prelude ss 19k miles. i actually cleaned out the garage for the 1st time this year. i have been reading the messages and want to say thanx for all the info that has been typed. questions; is mine a type sh and how can i tell. what is the differance? what about 91 octane vs 87 octane- how often can you/should you use 87. i also am in the twin cities arguably one of the salt capitals of the winter world-your discusions about tires and rims very interesting-thanx again. i have always wanted a prelude since i drove my first one in 1985. an edmunds review states that the headlights look strange- i think they are wunderbar! from a distance the nose and headlights remind me of an avanti
It's really technical. But, there's a process you can follow to tell what you actually have.
Step 1. Stand behind Prelude specimen. Step 2. Stop drooling. Yes, it still looks good. It is a Prelude, right? If it does not look good, skip to Step 13. Step 3. Inspect rear decklid of Prelude specimen. Step 4. If rear decklid sports a rear spoiler, go to Step 5 If not, skip to Step 9. Step 5. Chances are such that it may be a Type SH. Step 6. Inspect rear of trunk. Step 7. If rear of trunk sports lettering saying "Type SH", continue to Step 8. If not, skip to step 9.
Step 8. Prelude specimen is a Type SH. Yaaaay. End of sequence.
Step 9. Prelude specimen is not a Type SH. Step 10. If specimen has manual transmission, skip to Step 11. If specimen has automatic transmission, skip to Step 12.
Step 11. Prelude specimen is not a Type SH but it has a stick shift. Thus, you actually were able to buy it without spending extra money for Type SHness or Sportshift Transmission. But the evil Honda dealer still made you pay extra anyway, as no Honda dealer ever parts with a Prelude for a reasonable price. End of sequence.
Step 12. Transport specimen to southeast Michigan and sell to Verozahl, who has interest in automatic-transmission-equipped Preludes and wants to throttle the people @ Honda for not producing a 2002 sixth-gen Prelude. >;p End of sequence. Now buy yourself something exciting, you know, like a 2002 Civic! >;p
Step 13. Specimen is not a Prelude at all, rather, it's a Monte Carlo you bought by an unscrupulous Honda dealer who sells practical jokes (at MSRP of course... the MSRP of the model that the practical joke says it is according to the false lettering, not the MSRP of the cheap crappy Chevrolet it really is!). Hey, if it has 2-doors and says 'Honda' on it, it must be great (see 'logic of Honda salesmen' in FAQ of "Idiot's Guide to Carbuying".) End of sequence. Enjoy your Chevy, and oh, take those 'Honda' and 'Prelude' stickers off as you are fooling no one (although that smarmy Honda dealer did!).
Also helpful: technical whitepaper by "sphinx99 the Honda guru" entitled "if your car has an auto tranny it's not a Type SH and it's no darn good... it's hard enough living with a roof on a car as it is!" >;p and if such logic appeals to you, skip to Step 14: "Finding the Elusive Roadster that no Honda dealer I have been to in Michigan knows of: the magical, mystical, ethereal, 'supposed' S2000!" >;p
Since others have already informed you that yours isn't a Type SH, I'll let that one go. Enjoy the break in your car insurance as a result. My insurance co. would've charged me about 15-20% more if I had a Type SH instead of the base model.
As for your gas question, I've never used 87 octane in my Prelude, personally. Around here, gas grades are 87, 89, and 93. I always put 93 in, and at most places it's only a couple cents/gal more than 89. If you put the lower octane in, the manual states that the car will run fine, but with lower engine perfomance. But why handicap the performance over a few cents? The way I see it, if the extra performance wasn't that important to me, I could have just saved my money at purchase by getting a Civic or Integra.
I have a 99 base Prelude in the Ficus Green Metallic which I absolutely love but the one thing I've noticed is the sun has started to damage the weatherstripping on both doors right where the door panel meets the window on the outside of the car. Honda said each one would be 100 dollars and I think that's way too much, does anyone know of an alternative fix? Thanks...
Does anyone know if the double din CD/Tape stereo from an 01 Accord EX will fit into the dash of the 97 and on Preludes? I want a larger head unit but I'm not a fan of aftermarket stereos. The parts department of Norm Reeves Honda in Huntington Beach was not confident that it would fit as they said that most Honda stereos are not interchangeable which I later found to be completely false. The previous gen Civic, CRV, and Prelude all use the same head unit. If anyone knows, thanks for the info.
The head units use a different mounting system. The Prelude head uses two screws (on on each side) to mount. The double-din unit from the Accord doesn't mount that way, so you'd have to do some serious dash-mashing and fabricate a mounting bracket for it.
I tried to put my Prelude head unit into my buddy's '96 Odyssey, thinking it'd fit right in. Wrong! The mount for his system required the screws to be affixed from the rear of the unit, just like the Integra and older Civics and Accords.
When you consider the high quality and bang-for-the-buck quotients of good aftermarket stereo gear, it hardly seems worth the bother.
As himiler said, it won't hit. A friend and I were trying to replace his Accord EX dual DIN and I got a good enough look at it to know that it's different.
On another interesting note, the Prelude's AFBS headunit is identical to the 2000-01 S2000 headunit, and as far as I can tell it's also identical to my 02 S2000's headunit but with some slightly different plastic. The buttons are teensy but I still think that it's the highest quality headunit engineered and manufactured by Honda; I wouldn't try to replace it with an Accord part. Go aftermarket if you must; from what I've seen, some good aftermarket systems like the Nakamichis look reasonably "stock"
The 5th gen Prelude's head unit is made by Matsushita Communications Inc. (parent company of Panasonic/Technics). Panasonic head units are some of the best available for the money.
That I haven't. I know I'm losing respect from himiler by the minute:) I just got back from a week long 1000 mile road trip from NY to Cape Cod all around, and back in my Saab. My girlfriend and I took our Bikes with us and since I don't have a roof rack for my Prelude yet, I didn't want to chance the trunk mounted bike rack so I took the Saab.
However, I did take the Prelude to a BBQ in Jersey on Sunday. Even though it rained all freakin' day, I got to put some mileage on the car...I'm in the 6XX range now and am waiting until I pass the 1000 mile mark to start exploring the upper rev range by "puting the sucker in VTEC" as himiler so eloquently puts it:)
The stock tires don't help too much while launching from toll booths in the rain do they?
I'll be posting more as I've only got my Saab until December and the magical 36,000 mile mark approches (only another 1400 miles to go) and I get more seat time behind the wheel of my beloved Prelude.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
You've still got my respect. Might as well wring the miles out of the Saab, since you've already paid for 'em.
The first time the tach needle swings past 5200RPM with your foot planted, you'll know it was worth the wait. (And just try to wipe that idiot's grin off your face -- I still can't!)
Yup, the stock tires suck. It was fun, burning mine up as quickly as I could.
You're absolutely correct on the temperature thing. No engine heat, no VTEC, ballooned head.
But, the throttle does not need to be planted in oder to engage VTEC. At part-throttle, VTEC just engages later in the rev range. 5200RPM is the earliest it will kick in without adding a VFAC (variable fuel/air controller).
As aposts has demonstrated, the SI is porky for a good reason.
Oh, I've given up on the SL board. When a guy says that 450hp Mercedes don't have wheelspin just because they have a star on the front hood, you know it's time to stop arguing.
Prelude is doing great and actually receiving the lion's share of the daily driving. I'm settling into a routine, actually. I wake up early and drive to work and back--Prelude. When I get home, I feel an irresistable urge to get in the S2000 and drive somewhere... usually it's a made-up errand:
"Uh oh, I only have three weeks of toothpaste left in this tube... I better make a quick trip to the supermarket in the S2000."
Then I come back home, derring do, then the usual 10-11pm workout at the gym where the Prelude once again takes over because my arms are often shot after lifting and the S2000 for some reason feels a lot less safe to drive when your forearms feel like jello.
Someone on the "Honda Thing" thread suggested getting rid of cars like the Prelude, S2000, NSX, Civic Si, etc. Over my dead body I say.
I'm actually suprised with some of his less than educated answers. I've read some of his posts on other MB boards and while he is a die-hard MB guy, he seems to know what he is talking about and usually backs it up.
Great comment about having plenty of popcorn. I'm sure his blood pressure raised a bit from that one.
Welcome back!
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
Grand Prix coupe died too. Eventually you'll need to spend as much money as a SL500 requires to get a decent coupe/convertible/sporty car, eh? >:( I mean, in the very near and scary future.
Did Prelude people REALLY gravitate to the Civic/Accord/CL/RSX coupes??
Most people who bought the 5th gen Prelude did so because they understood the fundamental differences between it and the Civic/RSX (Integra)/Accord trinity. I think the CL falls more into the "personal luxury" coupe class than "sport coupe" -- it's just so heavy.
When the time came for me to replace my '98 GS-R, I immediately recognized the Prelude's abilities as superior to those found in the RSX-S. It wasn't even close.
At same the time, there was no Accord V6 with a manual tranny, no performance oriented Civic (to much of a rental car feel now, anyway), and the CL-S 6spd. was still six months away.
However, if the Acura TSX had been available when I was shopping, I dare say it would've been on my short list, ahead of the RSX-S.
Comments
Since I parted ways with my '97 Lude, I've had a 1999 Ford Explorer Sport, 2001 Ford Explorer Sport, and now with a 2001 VW Jetta GLS Vr6 5-spd w/sport suspension and 17" wheels.
I can not seem to make it through a 2 year lease without getting bored or finding something else I like better. Having a car I like is my biggest vice.
I am currently eyeing up a 2003 Infiniti G35 Sedan and will probably sell my Jetta with only 12K miles on it soon.
Gregg
My last 2 cars before the Prelude were sort of compromises. I leased a 1998 Ford Explorer Sport for 2 years when I graduated college because I thought a Prelude would be too small for me and the Maxima SE 5 speed that I ordered never came in. When the lease was up on my Explorer, I split the lease payments of a car with my parents because my Mom needed a 2nd car to drive (FWD or AWD w/ Automatic Transmission) in the bad weather, so I ended up with a 2000 Saab 9-3 which I absolutely love. The lease is up on my Saab in December, but I wanted to see if I could get a leftover Prelude Type SH and that i did, proudly sitting in my driveway with a smidge over 400 miles on it!
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
Nice find on that SH. What color? I always wanted a white one, but no white when I got my '97.
I've toyed with getting an S2000, (the light blue is real nice) but the cost of insurance for a convertible and the lack of practicality in only 2 seats and not even the possibility of putting small people in the back like with a Lude, really has me looking at the G35. If the 2003 Accord Coupe wasn't so ugly it would be a consideration- but those photos- YUCK.
Congrats on the Type SH.
Gregg
What about an Acura Cl Type S w/ 6 speed?
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
This is also why I am so fickle. A year from now- I will probably want a manual again. Best of luck with your SH.
Gregg
What about the Acura TL Type S?
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
I traded the car in back in February of 2000, but like gperr, I still miss it. It was the finest front-drive sports coupe that I've ever had the pleasure of owning.
Mike
BTW - someone mentioned insurance on the S2000. My Prelude and S2000 insurance rates are within 5% of each other. I have no idea why. (State Farm, reasonable driving record.)
As much as it might offend my core principles, I think that if I were to buy a car like that, I'd go with the autobox, too. Sometimes it just makes more sense to buy a car that someone else will want to own once you're done with it.
BTW, that new $20,900 SS sold yesterday. Hats off to the buyer who got the deal of the year on that one!
I Klassed my girlfriend's Protege yesterday morning. Great product. Her car is Silver and after I finished it, I pulled it out of the garage and into yesterday's blazing sunlight. The car gleamed and sparkled on the pavement. The entire car took me a little more then a half hour to do. Again, it isn't as smooth as Zymol, but it works well enough for me an doesn't require nearly the amount of work.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
My guess is that if the tire that blew had less than 1/2 the original tread left, you'd be wise to buy two tires.
Then again, you could always just rotate the rears up front and leave the new tire on the back axle for a couple of rotations to try to even it out.
Your best, cost-is-no-issue solution is to dump all the remaining OE tires and snag a set of S-03's. Worked wonders for my car!
BTW--I put a cold-air intake on my car last night. Holy cow, does that VTEC howl! Nice to have the extra HP, too. You can really feel the added power in the higher RPMs. It pulls hard.
Unfortunately, cost is an issue. I'm going to drive on the stock re92's for a year or so and then try to pick up another set of OEM Type SH rims off ebay to mount winter tires on. Then when the stocks wear out, I'll get myself a set of S-03's. What brand are they??
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
If cost is an issue, you'll save big money if you get 15" take-off steel wheels and winter treads instead of 16"s. Also, road salt will eat the finish off an aluminum wheel, not to mention what a decent-sized pothole will do to your expensive rim and low-profile snow tire. Ouch!
It's your money, but you may want to consider a 15" winter tire that has a taller sidewall and a narrower section width. This combo gives you greater ride comfort over rough pavement, and also puts more weight on the contact patch, which it turn gives you better traction on slippery surfaces.
I have a set of four 195/60-QR15 Artic Alpins on steel wheels, and they handle nearly as well as the RE-92s did. The steelies don't look the greatest, but I could really care less -- in the wintertime, I'm more concerned about traction than fashion.
The S-03 is made by Bridgestone. It's a fantastic tire @$130 each.
Speaking of buying 16" Prelude wheels off eBay, my buddy drives a '96 Odyssey LX and wanted more tire under it. I found him a set of Base 5th-gen Prelude rims and tires in NJ for $340 shipped. Needless to say, he now has "more grip than go!"
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
Himiler: You're right about us never getting a major snow "event" (what are you the weatherman in your spare time?) in my area, I might look into a good set of high performance all season tires. I think I might do the old switch just to be safe. Like I said, I'm going to go through the first winter with the stock tires on and winter #2 will be whatever I decide to do.
My 2 questions: What kind of range are you guys getting to a tank of gas?
Since I recently got into bike riding and am into skiing (Like the rugged outdoosy types portrayed in SUV commercials...GAG ME), I'm thinking of buying Thule bars with the appropriate kits and accessories for my car. Will these scratch or damage my car in any way? Should I put something down (besides poilish) before I mount these to my car?
Thanks!
BTW Himiler...you've been making some quality snide remarks on the RSX & Civic Si boards:) Keep it up!
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
On back roads, however, I've seen my mileage get down as low as 19 MPG, but the only time that happened was right after I got my S-03's.
As to your second question, I have no experience with mounting a carrier system on the Prelude, but would imagine that a high-quality, modular system from Thule or Yakima would work well enough. If you haven't already done so, check with your local bicycle shops to see which systems work best for roof-mounting, or start your search here:
http://www.thule.com
http://www.yakima.com
I haven't been trying to be particularly "snide" in my comments in other forums, I just like to give people something to chew on.
What other modifications (besides the Quaife LSD) do you have on your car?
Sphinx99
Do you have any modifications or is your Type SH bone stock?
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
I'm using a Neuspeed shock tower brace up front (an essential addition, if you ask me!), and am looking for a used Spoon rear tower brace, or will consider having one fabricated.
Aside from the S-03's and the Quaife, that's it for mechanical stuff. I've probably spent close to $800 on audio upgrades, but I do tend to spend most of my day in the car, so good sound is important to me, too.
My next mod will probably be a Neuspeed rear sway bar. Currently, the Quaife allows the front end of the car to overdrive the rear by a wide margin. Adding the fatter sway bar would give me some lateral stiffness and even more drop-throttle oversteer. Wheee!
I *do* think I'll end up upgrading the sound in the Prelude, since the S2000 doesn't have a stereo (as far as I can tell) and like himiler, music is an integral part of my driving experience, especially with what is becoming a 90-minute commute to work.
Himiler: What did you do? New head unit, new speakers...?
The Acoustic Feedback is supposed to raise and lower the volume according to the interior noise level in the car right? So if I have the Volume set at a certain level, and then merge onto the highway with the windows open, it should automatically raise the volume?
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
This is why the Prelude's sound system is (IMO) pretty nice when when you raise the volume. It doesn't distort. At all. It remains crisp and clear at all frequencies, and I personally enjoy how the sound encloses the relatively tight and quiet cabin. I've driven cars with much louder sound systems, but not as many with as crisp systems.
cciitman -- The rotors on most Hondas will warp quickly due to the large brake pads that hold lots of heat. If you have to do some major braking, and then sit at a stoplight with your foot on the brake pedal, the heat from the pads will actually "brand" the rotor and cause it to warp.
If I have to brake hard and sit, I put the car in neutral and just use the emergency brake to stay stopped.
Depending on how much pad material you have left on your Prelude, you might be able to ask the dealer to make an exception in your case, or to run your problem by the district service manager. Unless your rotors have already been turned, all they will do to fix the rotors is machine them, which shouldn't cost more than $50 at a local brake shop. The one caveat is that you may need to replace your pads at the same time your rotors get turned, which bumps up the cost of the repair considerably.
Step 1. Stand behind Prelude specimen.
Step 2. Stop drooling. Yes, it still looks good. It is a Prelude, right? If it does not look good, skip to Step 13.
Step 3. Inspect rear decklid of Prelude specimen.
Step 4. If rear decklid sports a rear spoiler, go to Step 5 If not, skip to Step 9.
Step 5. Chances are such that it may be a Type SH.
Step 6. Inspect rear of trunk.
Step 7. If rear of trunk sports lettering saying "Type SH", continue to Step 8. If not, skip to step 9.
Step 8. Prelude specimen is a Type SH. Yaaaay. End of sequence.
Step 9. Prelude specimen is not a Type SH.
Step 10. If specimen has manual transmission, skip to Step 11. If specimen has automatic transmission, skip to Step 12.
Step 11. Prelude specimen is not a Type SH but it has a stick shift. Thus, you actually were able to buy it without spending extra money for Type SHness or Sportshift Transmission. But the evil Honda dealer still made you pay extra anyway, as no Honda dealer ever parts with a Prelude for a reasonable price.
End of sequence.
Step 12. Transport specimen to southeast Michigan and sell to Verozahl, who has interest in automatic-transmission-equipped Preludes and wants to throttle the people @ Honda for not producing a 2002 sixth-gen Prelude. >;p
End of sequence. Now buy yourself something exciting, you know, like a 2002 Civic! >;p
Step 13. Specimen is not a Prelude at all, rather, it's a Monte Carlo you bought by an unscrupulous Honda dealer who sells practical jokes (at MSRP of course... the MSRP of the model that the practical joke says it is according to the false lettering, not the MSRP of the cheap crappy Chevrolet it really is!). Hey, if it has 2-doors and says 'Honda' on it, it must be great (see 'logic of Honda salesmen' in FAQ of "Idiot's Guide to Carbuying".) End of sequence. Enjoy your Chevy, and oh, take those 'Honda' and 'Prelude' stickers off as you are fooling no one (although that smarmy Honda dealer did!).
Also helpful: technical whitepaper by "sphinx99 the Honda guru" entitled "if your car has an auto tranny it's not a Type SH and it's no darn good... it's hard enough living with a roof on a car as it is!" >;p and if such logic appeals to you, skip to Step 14: "Finding the Elusive Roadster that no Honda dealer I have been to in Michigan knows of: the magical, mystical, ethereal, 'supposed' S2000!" >;p
As for your gas question, I've never used 87 octane in my Prelude, personally. Around here, gas grades are 87, 89, and 93. I always put 93 in, and at most places it's only a couple cents/gal more than 89. If you put the lower octane in, the manual states that the car will run fine, but with lower engine perfomance. But why handicap the performance over a few cents? The way I see it, if the extra performance wasn't that important to me, I could have just saved my money at purchase by getting a Civic or Integra.
Your best bet might be to go to a body shop and see if they can get the parts at a discount, and then pay a tech $20 to put them on.
I tried to put my Prelude head unit into my buddy's '96 Odyssey, thinking it'd fit right in. Wrong! The mount for his system required the screws to be affixed from the rear of the unit, just like the Integra and older Civics and Accords.
When you consider the high quality and bang-for-the-buck quotients of good aftermarket stereo gear, it hardly seems worth the bother.
On another interesting note, the Prelude's AFBS headunit is identical to the 2000-01 S2000 headunit, and as far as I can tell it's also identical to my 02 S2000's headunit but with some slightly different plastic. The buttons are teensy but I still think that it's the highest quality headunit engineered and manufactured by Honda; I wouldn't try to replace it with an Accord part. Go aftermarket if you must; from what I've seen, some good aftermarket systems like the Nakamichis look reasonably "stock"
However, I did take the Prelude to a BBQ in Jersey on Sunday. Even though it rained all freakin' day, I got to put some mileage on the car...I'm in the 6XX range now and am waiting until I pass the 1000 mile mark to start exploring the upper rev range by "puting the sucker in VTEC" as himiler so eloquently puts it:)
The stock tires don't help too much while launching from toll booths in the rain do they?
I'll be posting more as I've only got my Saab until December and the magical 36,000 mile mark approches (only another 1400 miles to go) and I get more seat time behind the wheel of my beloved Prelude.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
The first time the tach needle swings past 5200RPM with your foot planted, you'll know it was worth the wait. (And just try to wipe that idiot's grin off your face -- I still can't!)
Yup, the stock tires suck. It was fun, burning mine up as quickly as I could.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
Good Things Come To Those Who Wait. I'm waiting for 1000 miles...only another few hundred to go.
That guy on the Civic Si board (aposts) really lucked out huh? A credit to the chassis development department at Honda.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
But, the throttle does not need to be planted in oder to engage VTEC. At part-throttle, VTEC just engages later in the rev range. 5200RPM is the earliest it will kick in without adding a VFAC (variable fuel/air controller).
As aposts has demonstrated, the SI is porky for a good reason.
Prelude is doing great and actually receiving the lion's share of the daily driving. I'm settling into a routine, actually. I wake up early and drive to work and back--Prelude. When I get home, I feel an irresistable urge to get in the S2000 and drive somewhere... usually it's a made-up errand:
"Uh oh, I only have three weeks of toothpaste left in this tube... I better make a quick trip to the supermarket in the S2000."
Then I come back home, derring do, then the usual 10-11pm workout at the gym where the Prelude once again takes over because my arms are often shot after lifting and the S2000 for some reason feels a lot less safe to drive when your forearms feel like jello.
Someone on the "Honda Thing" thread suggested getting rid of cars like the Prelude, S2000, NSX, Civic Si, etc. Over my dead body I say.
Here's the secret: if you pay enough, you can escape the laws of physics... no wheelspin!! Isn't that cool or what? Goes with retractable roofs...
Great comment about having plenty of popcorn. I'm sure his blood pressure raised a bit from that one.
Welcome back!
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
Grand Prix coupe died too. Eventually you'll need to spend
as much money as a SL500 requires to get a decent coupe/convertible/sporty car, eh? >:( I mean, in the very
near and scary future.
Did Prelude people REALLY gravitate to the Civic/Accord/CL/RSX coupes??
Most people who bought the 5th gen Prelude did so because they understood the fundamental differences between it and the Civic/RSX (Integra)/Accord trinity. I think the CL falls more into the "personal luxury" coupe class than "sport coupe" -- it's just so heavy.
When the time came for me to replace my '98 GS-R, I immediately recognized the Prelude's abilities as superior to those found in the RSX-S. It wasn't even close.
At same the time, there was no Accord V6 with a manual tranny, no performance oriented Civic (to much of a rental car feel now, anyway), and the CL-S 6spd. was still six months away.
However, if the Acura TSX had been available when I was shopping, I dare say it would've been on my short list, ahead of the RSX-S.
Sadly, there isn't a single model in the current Acura/Honda line-up that would keep me in the family.
Honda had better get cracking on a S2000 coupe, or I'm gone.