Honda Prelude 1997-2002

steveh · January 2007

The '96 Lude had 81,000 miles on it after three years (at the time I was dating a girl in Queens, some 60 miles from where I live...), and I was able to pay it off a few years early. So I figured 'what the heck; I'll get the Accord V6 this time' since a friend had a black one and it loked sharp (mine was red). If I had known in advance that my transmission would fail before 60,000 miles and the alternator would fail on me while I was on a busy NJ interstate (I-280 and the Garden State Pkwy) one evening, I might have considered alternatives more carefully!

I have a XM radio, Valentine One radar detector, Garmin c550 GPS unit, and sometimes use my iPod (bleeping FM modulator). So, needless to say, the inside of my car resembles the cockpit of a F-4 Phantom II fighter!

**S**

steveh · January 2007

The temperature was low enough today (low-mid 20s, I think) that I heard the exact same noises virtually every time I accelerated. It definitely sounds like something is moving and hitting something else, and this never happens on mild/hot days. I have an oil change coming up (maybe in another week) so I'll be sure to ask the dealer to look into this some more.

shmang · January 2007

Have you checked the CV joints and the struts? I had one leaking struts, which causing some noise when it is really cold outside.

At the time, I have about 88K on the Lude.

bellizzi97 · January 2007

Here's what the guy said who I brought the car to...
Yes. The struts, c/v joints & boots and all front end/suspension components were checked and fine. I am positive it is a body/chassis noise. Something is expanding & contracting with temperature change and causing two pieces which should not to touch when the engine is torqued. It is the only thing that makes sense to me. It is so frustrating to me that it was so warm when I had the car here. I know if the weather would have cooperated we would have gotten to the bottom of it. Also, I received some TSB's I requested from NHTSA today. One of them recommended using "silencing tubes" to solve a problem described as "a twang noise from the front suspension that sounds like a spring contact." The Honda part number is 52442-SMI-A00, H/C 4001947. I have no idea what these parts are or how they fix anything, but if you are going to the dealer, ask them to investigate it. I do not have a TSB number, but I can send you a copy of what NHTSA sent me if you want it. The other TSB they sent me is for a noise in the rear suspension.

944s · February 2007

hey guys whats up,,, im looking to purchase a prelude that i can keep as a project car, i found a 1992 prelude with 155000 miles on the ODO.the owner wants $2500 obo. is it worth it,, and a second question what engine does that generation prelude have?? is it the B18B out of the integra???
thx

nyccarguy · February 2007

155K miles on a '92 is pretty good. I know of 2 people who owned these when new and they were so much fun to drive. Which model are you looking at? The 4th Gen '92 Preludes had 3 models: S, Si, 4WS. The S is the base model with 15" wheel covers and dealer installed AC with Honda's (non-VTEC) H22 Motor that produced somewhere around 135 Hp.

Next up is the Si. Powered by Honda's H23A 160hp engine. It had full 16" wheels.

The 4WS has the same engine as the Si, but had Honda's Electronic 4 wheel steering that steered the rear wheels a few degrees to aid in handling and parking. The 4WS Prelude would have a sticker on the back and have 2 front air bags.

944s · February 2007

mmm well i dont know exactly what trim it is,, here is the link but i can tell by the picture//
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=215854561&dealer_id=59331577&car_ye- ar=1992&model=PRE&num_records=25&make2=&start_year=1981&keywordsfyc=&keywordsrep- =&engine=&certified=&body_code=0&fuel=&search_type=both&distance=75&make=HONDA&c- olor=&min_price=&drive=&default_sort=priceDESC&max_mileage=&style_flag=1&sort_ty- pe=priceDESC&address=85705&advanced=&end_year=2007&doors=&transmission=&max_pric- e=4000&cardist=2

it also says body a little rough and salvage title... i dont know about that,,, but overall it looks pretty clean,, i would just like to see the interior.

nyccarguy · February 2007

So I see it has ABS, so that means it is probably an Si. The wheels on the car are aftermarket. Salvage title...I would stay away from it. Keep looking!

lulu9 · February 2007

with 25,500 mileage--truly "mint" condition. What an amazing find as the window to find last gen. 'ludes with low miles in great condition is getting increasingly smaller. This is my 2nd Prelude--owned an '84 way back when and you couldn't kill it if you wanted to. Guy I bought it from is a contractor so drove his work van back & forth--hence the low miles. Had to drive to Long Island from CT to get it. CT drivers do not like the Long Island Expressway! NY Car guy...as I'm a gal who's re-experiencing the thrill her tomboy adolescent phase (my first car was a 240z) and loving every minute of it, what type of after-market enhancements would you recommend? Car came with AEM short ram air filter. Guidance is much appreciated!

nyccarguy · February 2007

WOW! 25K miles on an '01 Type SH! That's nothing! What color is your car? You live in CT? Cool, I live in Westchester. I love taking my car on the Merit Parkway.

The 3 best modifications I've made to my car so far are Tires, Tires, & Suspension Techniques Front & Rear Anti-roll bars.

Why do I say tires twice? If your car has only 25K miles on it, you've probably got the original Bridgestone Potenza RE92 tires. They are awful! Handling is decent on dry pavement (Tires squeal & howl way before the suspension gives up), but wet traction (hydroplaning) is kinda scary, & forget driving on them in the snow (even though we haven't had much this year).

I've replaced my tires with a set of Yokohama AVS ES100 Z rated peformance tires. I was able to notice a big difference in cornering as well as outstanding wet traction. These tires are downright DANGEROUS in the snow. I barely made it out of my parking lot of my condo complex a few weeks ago when we had a dusting. I literally almost crashed at 5mph.

Which brings me to my next modification of tires. I've run a set (4) Michelin Pilot Arctic Alpin Tires for a few years now. I went with a minus 1 setup (195/60 HR15 as opposed to 205/50 ZR16). Snow traction is INCREDIBLE. I used to live in the city and parked on the street and got plowed in many times. I got out with minimal digging.

A few months ago I added Suspension Techniques front & rear Anti roll bars to my car. What a difference! I thought the Prelude handled well, but I did notice it pitched and rolled a little. The Suspension Techniques sway bars tightened the car up really nicely. It corners so much more neutrally and fells so much more balanced. I carry so much more speed into corners than I used to.

Let me know if you are interested, because I know somebody who does excellent work (He also intsalled my Apexi world SPort exhaust, Pioneer Radio with Ipod adapter & sirius radio, and got my tires).

My '01 Milano Red Type SH has over 78,000 miles on it and drives so well. Just change the oil every 4K with FULL SYNTHETIC oil and you'll have years of fun with your Prelude.

lulu9 · February 2007

Nighthawk Black Pearl...very sleek. Yep--you called it! Still has original Bridgestone Potenza tires.

You must know that after driving a donut for 5+ years (a Camry--I experimented by going into a conservative, sensible stage that put me into a driving coma), I decided to get back to my roots--where I genuinely belong. I learned the hard way that I absolutely need to have a sporty, great handling car to drive, a car that makes my soul smile. It's akin to dating a guy for a long time who's really nice and kind and dependable--and your family and friends think he's great--but there's no chemistry or passion. You yearn for a little bit of badass.

The thing is, nyccarguy, the transition from the Camry to the Prelude has been so dramatic--such a welcome relief--I haven't even noticed how bad these original tires are! Really!? What with the bitter cold weather we've been having over the last two weeks (since I purchased the car actually), I've been driving rather cautiously due to lots of icy patches and black ice--especially in the Merritt: scary! I will definitely take your advice on the tire situation. May I use your response as a shopping guide per se? I am very grateful for your enthusiasm and generous insights.

The guy I bought this from, a 25-year old, needed to unload his car payment but told me his plans for the car if he had kept it. He wanted to install a turbo charger kit. Well, I'm not planning to race at Lime Rock anytime soon, but I would certainly love to find that happy medium. Sounds like you've done some really cool things to enhance your car's performance! How fun! It's like redesigning a room! (Pardon my girly analogies.) It's also inspiring to know that your car drives so well at 78,000. But then again, it's a Honda--and a Prelude--and a well-maintained auto is like a well-maintained body--can look great at any age.

How loud is your exhaust? Or, rather, how much louder is it over the original? Also, if I may pick your brain further, how did you decide on the specific brands/parts your mechanic installed...for example, the Apexi world SPort exhaust and Suspension Techniques. There is such a plethora/variety of after-market options...I find it overwhelming. How did you decide?

Since I'm in lower Fairfield County, I have no prob. whatsoever driving to Westchester--if that's where your mechanic is located. I love taking field trips--except to, ahem, Long Island! Anywhere but there! Oh...before I forget: This might seem like a silly question, but did you have new speakers installed when you upgraded your radio?

Bless the guy's heart who sold me his beloved car because he was genuinely concerned and emphatic about my continuing to use the synthetic oil...he even gave me a few "cans" to make sure that I keep up the same level of maintenance he did. I promised that I would give it a great home, which I fully intend to do. I even took great care of the Camry until it was totalled in an accident on 12/28--an accident I must have orchestrated on a spiritual level because I always wanted to experience the last generation Prelude. (I was run into by an Italian visitor in a rented mini-van--he ran a red light and almost killed me. It was a horrible collision, yet I walked away without a scratch.)

The fiction writer in me believes in happy endings, and I ended up with this mint condition Prelude. It was exactly what I wanted--the SH manual, low mileage, black. O.K...so it will cost an arm and a leg for a clutch replacement someday. Oh well! I'm still smiling. (Why would I want an automatic, and why wouldn't I want to experience the extra "whatever" that the SH offers??) Am I not worth it?

(BTW, there are some interesting reviews on the SH on epinions...have you read them?)

And...I just discovered this helpful forum! How fortuitous is that?

Thank you again for your advice...You're a wonderful resource!

timothyaw · February 2007

Welcome lulu, I'm an owner of a 01 Nighthawk Black Pearl Prelude Type SH as well. I have about 29k miles on mine. I drive a 92 Integra GS-R during the winter. Therefore the low miles. NYC gave you some good recommendations. I think at some point I will do the suspension upgrade. Welcome to the club, you have a mint Prelude. Enjoy!

lulu9 · February 2007

Thank you for the nice welcome, timothyaw. I may get a second car at some point next year--before winter. If I don't, the miles will be up there in no time!

This is definitely a "Guy Thing" I've observed over the years, which is definitely a Good Thing: owning more than one car to accommodate more than one purpose--very smart and practical. Hmmm: 2nd car vs. clothes/shoes?

What is your opinion on this AEM short ram air filter the former owner installed? Guy I bought it from thinks it makes car faster and gives better gas mileage. Considering the expense of upgrades, it was a fairly inexpensive part to change (he installed it himself): about the price of a pair of shoes (that's my measuring stick). So I'm wondering: If this is so great, why haven't other proud Prelude owners done it?

Like NYC Car Guy, who's first bone of contention were the tires, and he did not hesitate to buy better tires--two different kinds, no less (I'll have to look those up)! Now that gets my attention. See how important "shoes" are?? My fashion advice to friends has always been to start with the shoes first as a focal point/foundation--and go (build) from there. Seems that this can apply to cars too! How funny!

nyccarguy · February 2007

Black Preludes are really sharp! It was actually one of my top color choices when I was shopping in April 2002 (White, Black, & Red). Black looks great at night and at dusk. You'll get lots of compliments on that car!

Wow, a camry huh, damn I'm sorry! You must feel like you're driving a Maserati coming from a camry!

As far as snow tires go, since it is already February and we're having a mild winter snow wise (but damn is it cold) you can probably slide by.

Forced induction is great, I'm a huge fan. Turbocharging is VERY EXPENSIVE and from what I hear it is not easy to Turbocharge an H22A motor.

My Exhaust. It is an Apexi World Sport fully stainless steel cat back exhaust system. At idle and around town it is quieter than stock. It doesn't drone on the highway. When you down shift from 5th to 3rd & bury the throttle at 60 mph it roars with a deep bellow! The only reason I originally replaced it is because my original exhaust system got damaged by a 1/2" thick steel plate about 6 months after I got the car. I was able to salvage the muffler and have a muffler shop fabricate a pipe for me. That OEM muffler and fabricated pipe lasted me a few years. When it finally crapped out, my car sounded like something from the Fast and Furious. I got a quote from my dealer to replace the exhaust system and then a quote from the speed/stereo shop. For about $200 more I got a much better exhaust that I couldn't be happier with. Something to keep in mind if you ever need to replace the exhaust.

I decided on the World SPort because it was recommended to me by a few people. I told the guy when I bought it that I wanted quiet around town and loud when I opened it up.

As far as the sway bars go, there are lots of companies that makes suspension parts for the Prelude, but not too many that make them for the Type SH. Again, they were reccomended to me by the installer. I'm very happy with them! Besides new tires, the best modification. Somewhere around $500 too.

I forgot to mention that at 78,000 miles I'm still on my original brakes & rotors! :P

The clutch was VERY EXPENSIVE! on our Type SH Preludes, the ATTS unit has to be removed & re-installed for the clutch to be replaced. It is about an extra 5 hours of labor!

When my clutch burnt out, I replaced it with a CENTERFORCE clutch. Do asearch in this forum for clutch replacement and you'll see some of my various rants!

I did not have new speakers installed with my radio. I'm not an audiophile by any means. I wanted to have SIRIUS (HOWARD RULES) installed and new that an FM modulator (FM radio tuned to 88.7 so Satellite Radio can play) would sound like garbage.

If you like the Merit, you'll LOVE the Bronx River Parkway! It is half the reason I love being at work at &:30 on Saturday mornings!

The place that does all the "work" on my car is AUDIO VISIONS. Coming from CT, take 287 to exit 5. Make a left at the traffic light at the top of the exit ramp. Go to Rte 119 and make a left (Mitsubishi dealer). Make a right on Aqueduct (Enterprise Rent A Car) and AUDIO VISIONS is about a block up on your left. Talk to Manny (he's the owner). Tell him Bradd with the Red Prelude sent you. They do EXCELLENT work! Saturday is probably their busiest day.

You'll be very pleased if you have them do work on your car. I got my stereo, i-pod adapter, exhaust, sway bars, tires, and had them do a major service on my car. They got me tires and put a new radio in my wife's car. They put new brake rotors & pads on my sister's Jetta.

nyccarguy · February 2007

I had the Honda Fog Lights intsalled on my car. They light up the side of the road and the road directly in front of you really well in conjunction to the headlights.

since nyccarguy jr's arrival in late September I've cut down on my Prelude's mileage. Now I just go back and forth to work 6 days a week. On the weekends we take my wife's car. I was putting on 20K miler per year and it will probably go down to 12 or 13K.

When the time comes in a galaxy far, far, away, I'd probably replace my Prelude with a used E46 M3 or a new Mitsubishi EVO X.

vicnic7400 · February 2007

I've had the same problem and have the extended warranty 3 different mechanics looked at it heard the noise, and not one of them figured out what it was. They have tried to grease the bushings, that didn't work, they checked the suspension they told me nothing was wrong, yet they heard the noise. I'm going to write to Honda as reading this post shows that I'm not the only not having this problem.

lulu9 · February 2007

nyccarguy, I apologize for my delayed response. I have been on the road since Thursday.

So you went with the Milano RedThat shade of red is a great color. Obviously, red on any car is definitely a color that gets noticed-not necessarily for good reasons-but Im sure on our Prelude its especially cool up close and personal and adds some attitude-and dimension-to its understated presence. You must get lots of compliments!

Yeah, a Camry! Quite painful! What was I thinking? Well, I knew the person selling the car, the miles were very low as was the selling price, and it was an opportunity to basically have $0 in transportation costs except for insurance--and even that was cheap. As I shared in my earlier post, my soul was obviously (desperately) crying for help because, after 5+ years of Extreme Dullsville, the Camry died a very sudden and dramatic death. From a pragmatic perspective, thank goodness the accident was not my fault--and I was not injured. The real lesson, however, was that I better love my cars from now on, otherwise I'll be orchestrating traffic accidents!

So you can understand why my objectivity is way off in terms of evaluating these original tires. It really does feel like driving a Maserati comparatively speaking! (If I can imagine what such an experience would be like.) But your tire commentary is duly noted and appreciated. As were finally supposed to get some snow this week, at least you'll have a chance to take advantage of your winter tires. And the Potenza tires I have on now will have to suffice.

Thanks for the warning about the clutch (the hassle & expense) and the advice about replacing it with a CENTERFORCE when that time comes. I will definitely heed your been-there, done-that wisdom. Considering the limited number of Model SH 'ludes out there (with the ATTS), I consider this to be an esoteric piece of info!

May I comment that your keen writing ability does not represent the demographics that I normally associate with a "Howard Rules" kinda guy! :confuse: Well, what a delightful surprise.

This just goes to show how off-base and unfair "profiling" can be. Howards in-your-face brutal honesty about the male psyche (and how base you guys really are) is true enough.

Theres no argument there from me! Its just that-once in a while at least-we women need to idealize our men. Case in point: Would I ever, in a million years, aspire to be with Howard Stern? No way! But ask me about the new 007 in Casino Royale (Daniel Craig...The best Bond ever!). After all, its the nicer, finer things in life we all aspire to, dont we? As you blissfully ended your last post with two of your some day cars, where would any of us be without our aspirations?

Understandably, considering your Howard Rules sensibility, it was essential for you to have a SIRIUS radio installed. I am not an audiophile either, but I would love to have HD radio reception and an i-pod adapter.

In addition to the clutch, that sounds like quite an ordeal you went through with the original exhaust-having it damaged like that after owning the car for only six months. Ouch! Oh my goodness! This sounds so typical of a mishap that would happen on the streets of Manhattan!

Its one thing to plan/strategize an upgrade to our cars-as were discussing here. Its another thing to have an expensive repair forced upon us due to a mishap, especially on a precious new car. Well, you made the best out of what must have been an upsetting situation.

Question about your Apexi World Sport exhaust system: Does this give our car significantly more power as well? I would imagine it does. I also like the way you describe its sound-not juvenile, as in a noise that would appeal to a teenager and piss off your neighbors. When that time comes, I would definitely go for an after-market exhaust such as the one you purchased.

I have read your prior posts and am now up to date on your clutch and why you had it replaced so soon. Obviously, city driving is way different than the suburbs. But congratulations on your brakes! Now thats truly amazing, especially considering your driving in the City.

The guy I bought my car from was all about turbo charging. From his perspective, the Prelude was a great car to have turbocharged and, apparently, one of the reasons he bought it in the first place. He told me in all seriousness that, It was set up for it. He was looking for a car that would be great fun for him to drive yet a classy car that he could take his girlfriend out in. He looked at a lot of different sports cars, shopped around a lot, and loved the Prelude because of its unique characteristics and decided that this was the car for him. He thought the fact that Honda discontinued the 'lude made it that much more special in that not many people could own one. He drove to PA to get this. In his price range, this was the car that impressed him the most. So the turbo-charging (or as you nicely put it: the forced induction) was on his to-do list from the get-go. But then he bought a house so all his big plans for the lude suddenly went to the wayside as his new economic reality forced him to change his priorities--and sell his car! Actually, I was rather amused about his enthusiasm for carrying out this plan.

More realistically-for my own day-to-day driving enjoyment--my first upgrades are going to be: the Yokahama tires (per your recommendation) and an HD radio and i-pod adapter-both this spring. I have no idea where to start for the radio so Ill check out the Crutchfield website to get some ideas.

Additionally, I am interested in the sway bars you had installed and would like to have them installed at the same time as the tires. Another silly question: Im assuming that these (the sway bars) are added/installed to my cars existing suspension, correct? In other words, I dont have to wait for something to crap out before I can justify this particular expense? It just sounds well worth it for $500 or so--especially when combined with the tires.

My car came with the fog lights installed. These will certainly come in handy once the cold gives way to fog. I look forward to trying these out. Was this a package that was originally installed at the dealership or factory in Japan?

After all this, last but not least, what town is your Audio Visions in? I will do a MapQuest.

I think its adorable that there is a NYCCARGUY Jr., and his arrival in September has no doubt had an immediate impact on your weekend driving. Well, our cars design is what it is, and this is just one of the reasons for the Preludes poor sales. No, I certainly would not put a baby in the backseat of our car.

Thank you again for sharing your insights and experience--the good, the bad and the ugly--as well as giving me the name of your mechanic. Your postings are a highly-valued resource!

nyccarguy · February 2007

Milano red is a great color in that it really only looks bad when it is absolutley filthy. Like now when it is covered in road salt. I literally go months in between car washes, but when the car is clean it really shines! People have asked me in the past if my car is an '03 or '04. They are shocked to learn that the car is an '01 (one of the last ones EVER built according to my car's 10/01 production date) and that the Prelude has been discontinued.

Howard is so much more than people make him out to be. He's not just some guy on the radio who tries to get women to take their clothes off. He is very progressive, intelligent, quick, and pull off to the side if the road because you are laughing so hard funny.

I actually was an aspiring copy writer at one point. I wanted to work on billboard ads and SuperBowl commercials (which I could have been damn good at considering how bad the commercials were). Just as I was putting my book together (Sometime in late 2000), the market went south and lots of companies cut their ad budgets. The company I worked for was not only laying off people, but obviously not hiring Junior Copywriters. I got another job and eventually quit to go and work for my Dad. He owns a plumbing supply house in The Bronx started by my Great-Grandfather in 1900 (that makes me fourth generation math majors).

My Apexi exhaust gives the car a smidge more power (I'm not sure of the exact number). Nothing earth shattering though. I don't even know if more power is the way to describe it. It really seems to increase the throttle response.

With your situation, I'd definitely get to know the Prelude more before you start messing around with it. I don't know why you'd go for HD radio. The cost of an HD radio unit is rather expensive. For $12.99 per month (SIRIUS) you get 100% commercial free music. Even if Howard left the air tomorrow, I still will have SIRIUS in EVERY car I own for the rest of my life. It is that good!

Fog Lights are a dealer installed accessory. They look cool!

Regarding the sway bars. You OEM sway bars are taken out and the new ones intsalled. Mine also came with Urethane Suspension busings which will last longer and provide better ride/handling characteristics than the stock rubber bushings.

Audio Visions is in White Plains. I wrote the directions in my last post.

Thanks for your compliments! Glad I could be of some help!

nyccarguy · February 2007

Do you mind sharing what you paid for your beautiful, black, Prelude? I'm just curious and you don't have to answer if you don't want to.

lulu9 · February 2007

Nyccarguy (and anyone else reading these posts), did I call it or what? I'm referring to your writing. Damn, I'm good too, aren't I!? Im quite impressed (with myself) in that I recognized the fact that you must be a writer.

From one aspiring (meaning: earning a great living at it some day) writer to another: We're a nit-picky, detail-oriented, analytical, and introspective bunch. It's a burden to notice EVERYTHING. And it's a tough world in terms of making a living doing what we love-as evidenced by the fact that were both currently working in occupations outside our respective fields.

In my case, I work with an independent (private) college consultant, part of which involves assisting the students with refining their college essays/applications so they can get into the top schools. We're expensive as hell, and, yes, these clients (their families) are typically very wealthy and often well-known. Trust me when I tell you that even aging rock stars want their children to get into Harvard, Stanford, and Princeton. As early as ninth grade/tenth grade, I can identify who has the chops and who doesnt. And all the private education and tutoring in the world cant improve or buy ones ability to translate thoughts and ideas into an interesting, unique, and engaging writing style. It just doesnt happen, just as all the facial surgery in the world is not going to transform Tori Spelling into a beautiful woman.

Still, it's only a day job, and I yearn for the opportunity to quit working full-time (how about quit working period?) so I can focus on my stories and screenplays.

On balance, I also want to add that there are many wonderful benefits of our craft, one of which is that we most definitely improve with agesimply because there's more raw material (i.e., life and living experience) to work with as the years pass. And how many occupations can you say that about? Additionally, we tend to be open-minded and adventurous since were idea-driven and constantly crave fresh experiences and novelty. Were also quite useful in terms of our contributions to society. Its the writer who can create depth and insightful interpretation to the multi-faceted layers of the human experience. Lastly, were just more interesting than the average folk! :P So thereI said it: I spoke the truth!

Have you thought about writing for Howard? Since you have the ability to get into his head (scary!

), why not consider developing some material (treatments) for his program? And send it his way gratis to see if you can elicit some feedback from his producer? Actually, you might want to send material his way several times both to get his attention and to demonstrate that youre a solid, ongoing resource. Naturally, most of his fans are on the same page ideologically, but how many can create material thats appropriate for his audience?

This may be surprisingbeing a womanbut I watched many of his late-night (taped radio program) episodes on the E Network not so long agobefore his move to SIRIUS. Admittedly, I did it as a social experiment in an earnest effort to broaden my understanding of mensince these are the base creatures I find myself hopelessly attracted tofor reasons I cant even understand myself at times :confuse: and am, therefore, stuck with for life. (Sorry, Howardno prospective girl-to-girl action here because my emotional set-up is 100% testosterone seeking.) As such, Im aware of his style and format, and I do understand where hes coming frompardon the pun. It was interesting to observe how Robin subliminally walked the proverbial good girl-bad girl lineeither reeling Howard in or encouraging him, depending on the situation, as a great wife/partner would.

And, yes, he and his cohorts did, in fact, put a lot of effort and energy into cajoling women, many with gargantuan (freakish-sized) breast implants, into removing their clothes. My own rule of thumb is that a woman needs to be able to comfortably swing a golf club or tennis racquet, otherwise shes physically impaired. What can I say? Im from CT! And she should charge a hell of a lot more money to do such a thing!

Well, watching his program was certainly an education in many ways, those rare times my face turned red sitting alone!

And I do not consider myself conservative by any means.

However, my point in all of this is: I sincerely hope you find a way to keep your writing chops in the fire. Dont give up. Find a way to stay with it. Find a way to create opportunities here and there. (How about writing great ad copy for cars vis-à-vis the ad agencies that the automakers hire?) One of the qualities I do like about Howard is that hes genuinely devoted to his fans and hes totally anti-BS. I would imagine that there are opportunities within his empire/infrastructure for talented writers who "Get Him" totally and would like nothing more than to keep the Howard flame burning brightly. In order to do that, he needs a constant steady resource of fresh materialagain, pardon the pun. (Its hard to write about Howard without constantly stumbling into bad puns.)

I hope I dont get kicked off this board for going beyond car talk and getting into a completely different realm. So sorry, guys! And I hope this doesnt sound preachy. Its meant to be encouraging.

As both a new Prelude owner and gal who enjoys driving fast, great-handling cars, Im here to learn and to ask questions. Unfortunately, I am not in a position to dole out any mechanical advice whatsoever (obviously), so it makes me feel better to offer something of valueto give something back.

For anyone else out there who has read this particular post, please excuse me for what might seem like a sampling of self-indulgence.

Since I will not be around tomorrow night, Ill go back to talking Prelude as soon as I post this.

Nuff said.

nyccarguy · February 2007

to be getting some snow tonight (although I don't see too much right now) let me know how your car does if you have to go out tomorrow. If you give the car a little too much gas from a light with some snow on the ground, the RE92s will stutter before they gain grip.

I'm actually very happy NOT working in the corporate world. I love my job! I love my boss (he's my Dad after all)! My wirting now is purely for pleasure. Holiday cards, town hall postings...

lulu9 · February 2007

Driving conditions this afternoon: Downright treacherous! We were expecting snow, not ice! (We are having a major ice storm.)

Driving to work this morning was o.k./manageable. Drive home for lunch: Almost got stuck twice--on unsanded hills. YIKES!! Assessment: If road is sanded, driving doable. If road is not sanded, forget about it. Called forth my best driving skills. Thank goodness for stick shift.

Agree: Corporate world sucks. Always worked for top dogs. These guys are no walk in the park and will suck the life out of you.

I think it's wonderful that you found the best of both worlds--working for your dad (good for you...and carrying on a family tradition no less). So now your writing can be fun again.

See? I can be short and sweet.

Am finalizing my other response from yesterday about my Prelude shopping experience. Have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

lulu9 · February 2007

P.S.

So snow tires will eliminate slipping and sliding on unsanded roads??

What with the weather and the roads, I'm considering myself officially "ice-bound" and am home for the day.

nyccarguy · February 2007

The difference is night and day. A few weeks ago when we had a dusting of snow (less than an inch) I got caught with my pants down and still had my Yokohamas on since winter this years has been so mild as far as snowfall goes. I literally almost crashed my car 3 times trying to get out of my condo complex (at maybe 5-10mph).

My Michelin Pilot Alpins (15 inchers) provide excellent grip, incredible traction, and track pin straight on snow covered roadways.

I used to live in the city. I parked my Prelude on the street every night (part of the reason I moved out) and when it snowed bad, I'd be plowed in. I never had to rock the car more than a few times to get it out of a snowed in spot. This AM and this PM, we didn't get snow in Westchester & The Bronx, it was icy and slippery. I had NO PROBLEMS getting to work or coming home tonight. In fact I drove in the right lane of an unplowed, very granulated, icy, (they plowed the middle & left lane) Sprain Brook Parkway uphill at around 55mph. Aside from the occcasional deep snow tug, the car was flawless.

Salted or unsalted...it doesn't matter to me. At some point ground clearance would become an issue, but it hasn't in the almost 5 years I've owned my Prelude.

lulu9 · February 2007

After creating a short list of cars and cross-referencing these by reading a multitude of reviews, I realized that my heart was set on getting a 2001 Prelude Type SH.

As mentioned in one of my first posts, I am a former Prelude owner, an 84, which I bought from a wealthy family who had relegated it to a train station car. Even in its early years, the Prelude had a great reputation. And I was not disappointed. What a fun, reliable, spirited little car! This car never had a mechanical problem, other than maintenance type repairs, and took me everywhere care-free for years. I referred to it as The little car that could. Keep in mind that this is back in an era when cars were far from the quality, comparatively trouble-free vehicles we drive today.

This car had soul and spunkan amazing turning radius by the wayso it was sad when I had to let it go. It was like saying farewell to a trusted friend, someone who always watched your back. The shame of it was that the engine was running great! But the body developed significant rust. I actually sold it to a man who was going to do some body work and install a new floor. Go figure! Yet I was happy to hand the car off to someone who could give it some major TLC. Not only did this Prelude earn the status of having sentimental value, it left an indelible impression: All things considered, the Prelude was an exceptional car compared to its peers at any given point in its history. Having known other Prelude owners over the years, there is definitely something to be said about their loyalty.

This is why I wanted to experience the last generation. (I was disappointed when Honda decided to call it quits for such a fine carwith such a great historywhen all it needed were some refinements. They must not have felt that killing the Prelude would leave a gap because there was the Integra/RSX.) I wanted the 01 because it was the last production year (as we are well aware)for the cool factorand also because it increased my chances of finding one with low miles.

I thought it would take me many monthseven longerto locate a low-miles Prelude in the tri-state area, but I came across a Type SH immediately upon initiating my search: at a Honda dealership in Long Island.

By the way, Nyccarguy (and for any of you guys reading this): FYI, you might want to check out the 2001 Type SH on sale now at Cars.com. It only has 19,500 miles on it, and the seller is only asking $14,000...Only because its loaded with all this after-market stuff. Wow! This car was available during my search, but the custom paint is off the charts in terms of my taste barometer. It would never match my shoes or handbags! (Actually, Im surprised its still there.) I would love your opinion(s) on all those after-market parts!

Prelude No. 1: Long Island Trip No. 1
The first Prelude I looked at in early January was a silver 01 Type SH at a Honda dealership. It had 33,065 miles, and they were asking $15,995. It was very clean although there were some minor, barely-noticeable scratches which prevented it from being mint. I even had them put it on the lift. However, there were some other things that bothered me about the car, namely, the lack of available maintenance history, and, also, I got a really bad vibe.

God knows Ive probably worn out my welcome with you folks, but I am proud to say that I have a stellar record buying cars privately. I am nobodys fool and have finely-honed BS detectors. Although the car was Honda Certified, there was no history available in terms of maintenancewhat was done, the frequency of oil changes, what type of oil was used (synthetic?), etc. None of my questions could get answered in terms of basic maintenance. Thats just the way it is at a dealership, which is why I never bought a pre-owned car from a dealer. I prefer to go right to the source. The car reporting agencies showed twonot oneprior owners. In other words, it was a Born Again Christian car in that it was apparently reborn the day it arrived at the dealership and became Honda Certified by their mechanics. Thats not the way I see things.

I asked about the former owner and why he traded it in and received two somewhat conflicting versionsand that bothered me too. Nobody likes to be lied to. If you dont know, say you dont know. The first version was that he traded it in for a new Civic SI. (Really?) Also, on a CarFax report I paid for (because they use a different company), the car was reported to have failed a NY State emissions inspection (odd for such a low mileage car)though when I brought this to the salesmans attention, I was told that it had to be a mistake. He said that there are lots of mistakes on CarFax, which is why they dont use them anymore. O.K. Who am I to dismiss this? I certainly dont sell used cars for a living. But by this time, my BS detectors were on high alert.

Then, I asked to be alone with the car so I could inspect it more thoroughly. As Im inspecting the interior with a fine-tooth comb, looking for spills/stains/wear, what do I see? A huge wad of cash stuffed way down in that space between the front left passenger seat and cup-holder island. Situated next to the cash was a womans NY State drivers licenseshe was Italianfrom the Bronxhad that mob look going on with the big hair. (I can say that because Im Italian!) I was absolutely dumbfounded in the truest sense of the word.

Upon retrieving the money and the license, I couldnt even bring myself to count it because (a) it didnt belong to me, so who am I to count money thats not minethats an icky thing to do since it obviously belonged to this woman; and (b) I was immediately in the grip of this very bad gut feeling, like a scene lifted right out of a Stephen King movie. All that was missing was creepy background music. Why did I get this awful gut feeling? I have no idea. All I know is that life has taught me the hard way to ALWAYS trust gut feelings about people, places, and situations. Period.

My guesstimate is that there was at least $400. I saw fifties and twenties. Found money is one thingfinders keepers one can saybut finding money that literally has its owner sitting next to it is money that needs to be returned. Well, thats my own moral compass. Stupid mewhat did I do (because part of being dumbfounded is being dumb)? I called the salesman over and showed him my discovery. Then I returned the money and the license to himof all people! Yet even he, with his 30+ years of car-selling BS, could not hide his dismay. Mr. Yabber Mouthso much so that I couldnt think and needed to be alonewas momentarily at a loss for words.

But then he managed to recover himself and cleverly said, Ohhhhhh (long pause again because hes thinking of what to say)someone called us looking for this earlier today. How did it end up here? feigning earnestness and genuine concern. He then started up again, like a wind-up toy, about all the

lulu9 · February 2007

Chapter 2 of Prelude Buying Experience--Got Cut Off

But then he managed to recover himself and cleverly said, Ohhhhhh (long pause again because hes thinking of what to say)someone called us looking for this earlier today. How did it end up here? feigning earnestness and genuine concern. He then started up again, like a wind-up toy, about all the valuables he has found in cars over the years and how he had always promptly returned his findings to the owners. Im sure my discovery certainly made his No. 1 on his Top Ten list.

What do you think the chances are that this woman ever saw her money again? Slim to none? Im sure she got her license back, but Ill bet she was told that the money was never found. Yet, I had all the info. I needed to return everything to her safely by mail. On the other hand, my gut feeling took over and instructed me to get rid of that money and license ASAP because there was negative energy attached to it.

I made an offer of $13,000 (cash), knowing that they were probably not going to accept it. (Im sure he was also disappointed to realize that there would be no financing.) The bad vibes added up to major ambivalenceI didnt care either way. Actually, I didnt even want to make an offer. I just wanted an excuse to leave. Yes, I wanted a low miles Prelude, and test driving the car stirred my passion for owning one even more, but not at the expense of bad gut feelings.

The salesman suddenly turned into a complete [non-permissible content removed]. No more kiss-up, roll-out-the-red-carpet Mr. Nice Guy who insisted on calling me dear and sweetheart (yuck). First he thanked me for completely wasting his afternoon and his time. If that was not rude enough, he went on to say that he was actually insulted by my offer, and, further, that my offer belied my intelligence. He thought I appreciated the awesomeness of the last gen. Preludehow special it was, what a fine piece of machinery it was, how difficult it would be to find one as clean and beautiful as this oneon and on it went, like a dripping faucet. He was actually pissedyes, pissedthat I put a $100 hold on it, but I did so at his request. (I didnt want to drive all the way to LI to find that the car had been sold or was on hold for someone else.) So, allegedly, in the six days I had it on hold, at least a dozen people wanted to buy it.

He told me that they would take no less than $15,000. By now the price of the car became completely moot because I would never give my business to anyone who spoke to me the way he did. I didnt know which was more disturbing: my bad gut feeling (which I could not shake, though there was no rhyme or reason to it) or his good-cop-bad-cop style of selling cars to women. (I wondered if he would talk to a man the same way. Verdict: No way.) I just politely thanked him for his time and left, being the nice CT girl that I am. He gave me his card to think things over, come to my senses, but I threw the card away as soon as I got homein an effort to purge myself of that What a long, strange trip its been experience (to quote the Dead).

One week later, the car was no longer being advertised so it did sell shortly thereafter. Cars are like relationships. This one wasnt meant to be. I felt no loss.

Prelude No. 2: Private OwnerLong Island Trip No. 2
Just one day following my unpleasant experience at Honda dealership, I came across a 25,500 mileage Prelude on Cars.com. Wow! Can that be? Car is blackmy favorite color. Seller is private. Im thrilled! Yeah! Called seller. Said his car is in showroom conditionthat you can eat off the engine. Hes asking $17,500 but will go down to $16,500. Will not go lower. Car has been on website for two months or so. The only problem is that I have to drive to Long Island againtwo Saturdays in a row. God, I hate that drive!

Looked at car following Saturday. It is in mint conditionlooks brand new inside and outmakes Car No. 1 look a bit shabby.

Reviewed paperwork with seller: Found out that first owner bought in Pennsylvania in October of 2001. Then used as trade-in at Infiniti dealership in PA in June, 2005, where my seller found it. Car had 16,428 miles when he bought this car (making him second owner). He was thrilled to have located it. He purchased an extra 80,000 warranty, which he signed over to me. Meticulous about oil changes (synthetic oil), etc. Needed to sell car to pay off car loan/lose car payment since he is now homeowner.

What a concept: A used car with a legitimate story behind it! He acknowledged that hes asking more because its in mint condition and babied it. Quite frankly, I didnt mind paying more. $16,500: sold. (What are the chances of my finding a Prelude in this condition again without major travel involved?) No nonsenseno BS. Nothing but great gut feelings through and through. What a difference a week makes.

Blue Book Private Party Value in 1/07:
Vehicle Condition:
Fair = $12,770
Good = $13,870
Excellent = $14,705

lulu9 · February 2007

Gee...I really had no idea that snow tires could make SUCH a significant difference in drivability.

My way of dealing with snow has always been to stay home (it's just that simple

) until the roads are sanded. I'd rather negotiate an unplowed sanded road than a plowed unsanded road any day.

Still, your description above certainly makes a convincing case for purchasing snows in that you were able to drive THAT CONFIDENTALLY in the driving conditions we had the other day. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. Since we're almost (hopefully) into spring, I'm hoping I can get by until next winter.

lulu9 · February 2007

Thanks for confirming that Audio Visions is in WP: Got it. Thanks also for the directions...I just wasn't sure of what city/town it's in.

Don't worry!

I have no intentions of messing around with anything in terms of my radio until I give options further thought. Nothing is going to get done 'til spring anyway, at which point I can handle being outdoors for more than a few minutes.

It has never occurred to me to get SIRIUS radio. Why? First of all, no one in my world has it--not yet anyway. So no one has ever brought to my attention its benefits. Unless someone tells me, "This is so great...you've got to check it out," I can be oblivious.

Secondly, it has never occurred to me to pay for something that was always free. Paying for radio?? If I'm going to consider going that route, I would like to think that the benefits/advantages are considerable. According to you, it's a "gotta have" thing. Meanwhile, I haven't even listened to a SIRIUS radio station. Clearly, I'm not an "early adapter!"

What happens to stations I enjoy listening to, like NPR? Does it just go away?

O.K., so I would get the Urethane Suspension bushings when these sway bars are installed, correct?

Lastly, I can't believe that I haven't asked about this yet, considering how important it is. It has nothing to do with an upgrade but rather an existing "issue" with the car.

The guy I bought car from never used the alarm that came with our model. Apparently, when he first bought it, his neighbor complained about his alarm going off at night, which he never heard himself. So he just decided not to ever use the alarm, which was his way of dealing with it. He was going to go the etched glass route as a security measure--of course, we know he had many plans for my car if he had kept it, but the only plan that came to fruition was the AEM air intake.

Do you have the OEM alarm? Have you ever had a problem with it? I don't know if I should go to the dealership and have this fixed, or get a different alarm installed if this existing system is problematic. I am really perplexed on this one. What do you think?

Have a nice weekend!

nyccarguy · February 2007

I'm glad you enjoy posting your Prelude experiences here with us. It is nice to get a fresh perspective and hear your first impressions (first as a Prelude enthusiast and second as a woman). Besides, I think timothyaw is getting a little sick and tired of my somewhat winded postings :P .

I'm glad you didn't buy the first car from that dealer on Long Island. What a [non-permissible content removed]!

Regarding your Prelude's alarm. It wasn't a factory option, but there is a dealer installed Prelude alarm that was available (maybe that's the one you have) or it could be aftermarket.

Here's my take on alarms: When's the last time you heard a car alarm going off, stopped what you were doing, and immediately called 911? NEVER? That's what I thought. Car alarms are useless. If somebody wants your car that bad, they'll take it. A car can be flatbedded away in about a minute. I parked my car on the streets of Manhattan for 2 years with NO ALARM and I've still got it (granted this wasn't the early '90s during the crack epidemic).

If you listen to NPR, you still can because a new radio will still be able to receive AM/FM signals. NPR might be on SIRIUS, but I'm not sure. I detest radio commercials (kinda ironic for a guy who used to work in advertising). Music keeps me going in the car. All the stations play commercials at the same time, plus the music stations here in our area are terrible.

You should be fine with your OEM tires until next year. It may not even be necessary for you. Do you have a job where you MUST go out in the snow or can you stay home and work from there? I work 6 days a week. We open up at 7:30 AM. There is no other choice besides snow tires for me during the winter months.

If you get the Suspesnsion Techniques sawy bars like mine, they come witn urethane suspension bushings.

Happy Valentine's day everyone!

timothyaw · February 2007

First I would like to thank lulu for sharing her experiences on this board. It was refreshing to hear your take on the Prelude. And no nyc, I always enjoy your passion for our beloved car. It's just that I don't have the writing expertise of you and Ms lulu :P
I do share a lot of the same strong feelings about this car. Did you all know that this 01 is my fourth prelude. I had THREE different 91 preludes. They were all black and used. The first was a automatic. Of course you know the reason I got rid of that one. The second had tan interior. Just could never get over that. Both of those were impeccable cars. The third one was black/black, a private seller. Long story short, came to find out the car had been in a accident that the seller did not tell me about. I don't think I test drove the car hard enough the way I should have. If I did it would have shown some issues. Sold it. Of course when I found out the car was being dropped for 01 I had to buy the last year. It's a great car, I love it! I'm not getting rid of this car ever. Me and NYC have discussed this, I don't think Honda makes em like they used to.

nyccarguy · February 2007

started when I was 16. My first car was a 1992 Chevrolet Beretta GT. My best friend who live across the street bought a 1992 Prelude Si. That was such a fun car to srive and really turned heads and got compliments everywhere we went. It was probably not the best car for a 16 year old, but I digress.

When I went off to college, my freshman year I saw this Black/Black 1992 Prelude Si tooling around campus. Sophmore year I start talking to this guy on my floor. We start talking about cars and I find out the Prelude is his. We immediately clicked and he's still one of my closest friends today. His Dad knew somebody at a Honda dealer in ALbany, NY who knew somebody at American Honda. The dealer got his friend at American Honda to sell the car to him. He actually had what was the forst 1992 Prelude registered in the US. It was basically a Right Hand Drive conversion straight from Japan including a JDM spec motor. What a blast that car was to drive!

lulu9 · February 2007

Oh my goodness! Jeez. I had my response all ready to be posted, and I hit the "cancel" button by accident, completely deleting everything!!! Oh brother. Now I've got to start over. :mad:

Timothytaw, I'm genuinely relieved to hear from you. I was so concerned that my long-winded postings had driven you away from your trusted forum--that I had high-jacked it with my feminine drivel!!

While NYC offers valuable advice/suggestions about what to do--and why--which completely gets him off the hook for his word count

--I go off into these never-ending tangents.

The fact that you owned three used '91 Preludes is quite remarkable. Wow! I'll bet the third would have been impeccable too if it weren't for the accident. I'm so glad to hear that you love our '01 so much!

It is also amazing that someone would sell a car without disclosing that it had been in an accident. That's just so wrong! :mad:

Even in this day and age--with multiple car reporting agencies--an unreported accident/mishap remains just that: unreported. So it's difficult to side-step a seller who's hell-bent on lying when you ask them the simple, yet straight-forward question: "Has this car ever been in an unreported accident/mishap?" Obviously, there are those out there who lack so much integrity that they can easily lie, without conscience.

Well, the rest of my post will need to be finished tomorrow because of my own little mishap.

Have a great evening!

timothyaw · February 2007

The 90-91 Preludes were some sharp looking, great handling cars. When I see one on the road today, it still turns my head. If I could find one in good shape, I would probably pick it up. I guess I feel like you do about your 80ish prelude.
But this last generation Prelude is even more special. It also is a sharp looking car with even BETTER handling! Like I said before, this one is a keeper

lulu9 · February 2007

In my (very) humble opinion, I think the Prelude had a certain mystique with each generation. With the Prelude, I was always like, "What will Honda do next with it?" The Celica always seemed brutish and rough around the edges (many of which I test drove) while the Prelude reflected refinement and ingenuity, raising it's coolness factor well beyond the more popular (mainstream) Celica.

My little '84 earned my total respect because, at the end of the day, it was a fine running automobile--unlike the other cars I'd owned. Other than the major repairs that all cars require at a certain age--timing belt, water pump, clutch, exhaust, this little car ran. It had close to 130,000 at the time I had to let it go.

My feeling is that Honda always put the best of what they had to offer in terms of technology into the Prelude throughout its various stages, yet they were also willing to take some design risks.

Anyone who's ever been drawn to the Prelude, enough to buy one, understands that the car's mystique is quite hard to pin down.

When my eyes took in that shiny '01 at the dealership, and then I sat down in it, that same feeling rushed back to me--the one I had about my '04. I was like, "Yes, I Completely Get It (whatever that "it" is)." Either you do or you don't.

lulu9 · February 2007

You probably already know this, but cars.com is a great resource for finding cars. At least this has been my experience. Perhaps your itch to pick up a 90-91 'lude will happen sooner than later.

lulu9 · February 2007

Thank you both, Nyccarguy and timothyaw, for tolerating me!

My "commute" is currently a mere 3 miles door to door, for which I'm most appreciative. Unlike NYC, I don't absolutely need to be at work when it snows/ices...I can stay home until the roads are cleared. However, if I had no choice about driving in snow, then I would need snow tires. I just didn't realize that snow tires made this much of a difference. It's good to know.

This is a Honda installed alarm, so it must have been installed at the time the car was brand new. That being said, I feel the same as you about car alarms. Whenever I hear one go off, my attitude is, "Just take the car, and be done with it." Not very nice, I know. And you're right: If they're that intent on stealing it, a car alarm will not stop them.

My real issue with the car alarm, which I failed to bring up, is that the remote car lock/unlock "thingy" is, apparently, tied into the alarm. So, again, the guy I bought the car from stopped using the remote keyless entry. He locked/unlocked it the old-fashioned/manual way. So, I've been doing the same, which is a huge pain. (Aren't we all so spoiled?)

It's just that I hope to get this straight in my head about how I can use my remote "thingy" without tripping the alarm. I have a feeling I'm going to need to call the Honda dealership in Westport. Yet, if you can help me sort out what you think needs to be done--so I don't look stupid--I would be grateful. I hate looking/sounding clueless when having to deal with a dealer...well, you know what I mean. I don't mind exposing my cluelessness here

, but women can be easily taken advantage of when it comes to auto repairs...as you can well understand.

lulu9 · February 2007

Oh yes, the Chevy Beretta! You must have thought you were really cool. :shades: No, a Prelude would not be the best choice for a teenager with limited driving experience, but your friend obviously pulled it off somehow.

That's a great story about how you and your close buddy met--through the mutual apprecation of the 'lude. (Great minds think alike.) And that's an interesting piece of history about your friend's car.

It's an odd quirk, but I've always been attracted to the cars that "the boys" (who are into cars) are attracted to. I say this because grown men are still boys at heart (I mean that as an endearing quality). This goes back to my teenage years, when my very first "boyfriend" and his older brother (whom I really had the major crush on

) were totally into sports cars. So he introduced his world to me. He is the one who taught me how to drive a stick because anything else was ___________ (can't say here!). This is how my appreciation and preference for performance/sporty cars got started, and it has not changed since.

timothyaw · February 2007

I'm sure there are some 90-91's out there, but are there any MINT ones left

That's the question. I'll be poking around a little bit I guess.
We are not "tolerating" you as you say, you've injected some life into this forum! It's great.
Wow you only have a 3 mile drive to work? I guess you have to go for some nice drives on the weekend to really DRIVE the car. I on the other hand, I have a 27 mile commute to work, all freeway. I do get a chance to lay into it a little, while watching for the cops.

It's interesting how you were into the cars the "boys" had haha. So you are a true car girl. A good quality I like in women. Fortunately my gf is interested in cars, not to your extent however. When I'm mouthing off about cars for a long period of time, it's not a problem. Yes I am still like a little boy when it comes to cars. I am thinking about looking at my boyhood dream car the Acura NSX! That would be an unbelievable dream come true.

nyccarguy · February 2007

lulu: As I've said before, It is great to have a new owner's perspective as well as a woman's view of things. I love the story about how you found the driver's license and cash in the car you test drove. BTW, the women probably got her license back, not the cash. That went straight into the salesman's pocket.

I hope you do get to open your car up a bit on the weekends. We've got some great roads in Southern CT & Westchester. 3 miles each way to work? Your car barely has time to warm up.

Timothy: I'm the same way when it comes to cars. When my wife and I were first dating and I'd see a cool car, I'd always turn my head and ask...did you see that? One of her friends asked her if it bothered her. She said: "I'd rather have him look at cars than other women."

Have you ever driven an NSX? It is truly a truly incredible vehicle. I drove a '91 NSX with a 5 speed stick & no power steering....What a car!

timothyaw · February 2007

Yes I have driven one, I have my eye on a 2001 model. We'll see. Once again, Honda has let us down by dropping another great car. All they have now are trucks, SUV's and boring cars :mad: I know, just let me whine about it.

nyccarguy · February 2007

The 2 Honda models that stand out in my mind are the S2000, Civic Si, & the Acura TSX. I really wish they'd make RWD Acuras. Their boring cars are still available in Jalepeno Flavor. The Civic Si can be had in 2 door or 4 door guise. The Accord V6 is available with a Six Speed stick (coupe & sedan). The S2000 is a fabulous car! The Acura TSX has got the old school Honda handling & ride and is just a bit short on power (and is available with a stick). Honda is no longer my favorite car company as it once was (that title is shared by BMW & Porsche).

lulu9 · February 2007

At the risk of sounding religious, if you truly desire a 90-91 black/black (your fav colors, right?) standard shift 'lude in mint/great condition (after all, when you dream, you need to be specific about what you ask for), then all you need to do is visualize what you want--from the emotional platform of complete faith that it will happen, and the Prelude of your desires will come your way. (Talk about a run on sentence...NYC can get on my case for this one!) In other words, none of this:

But this:

whenever you think about it, and you will draw it to you.

Actually, this spiritual practice is applicable to all our dreams and aspirations.

It is truly a blessing that my distance from work is 3 miles because, as you can see, I'm a night owl--always have been. So getting up any earlier than absolutely necessary is not a reasonable option for me. Some of my best writing ideas flow my way later in the evening, after I've had a chance to decompress and can get into my own private space.

I think it's wonderful that your gf supports your interest in cars. I think it's important (critical) that a woman learn/be willing to share at least one of her man's interests--even if it is an acquired taste--as long as she's not sacrificing her core values. It's essential to the long-term quality of the relationship. If a woman can't do this, then there will be problems down the road--if not immediately. For example, in my case, I totally detest hunting. I once had a date with a man who was into bow hunting. Bow hunting!

Obviously, I found out right away that there was a major conflict of interest, and that's putting it mildly. Yet, in all fairness, he's entitled to find a woman who can listen to him go on about his hunting trips, how he stalked his prey, etc. She might even join him!

It just so happens that my first bf's enthusiasm for cars caught me at a young enough age where I was completely open to it. And we would go to the races at Lime Rock. Just like you with your gf, he would go on and on about cars. So, unwittingly, I was just a sponge, taking it all in, without realizing how much it would influence my preferences down the road.

Where did you take the NSX test drive...at a dealership?

lulu9 · February 2007

One of my best friends test drove an S2000 not too long ago. She said the drive was awesome, but the ride was "punishing." I haven't yet had a chance to check it out up close and personal, but I love the styling.

The Civic Si has a tremendous amount of buzz. Have you driven one?

lulu9 · February 2007

A guy approached me today after work at Starbucks parking lot...asked me what year my (our) car was. I said a 2001. He said, "That's the last year, right?" And I replied, "Yeah it is" as in "YEAH BABY" (Hey, I just can't help myself.) He said, "Nice car you got there."

Now if this continues, I may start to worry that my car is taking attention away from me!

But for the time-being, I'm enjoying these moments of appreciation on our cars' behalf. It's good for the car to hear.

Remember this "LuLuism": "Form defines the emotional and attractive qualities of mass."

In other words: I recall how much heat/criticism our last gen. 'lude took for both its "dated" exterior and interior styling. Yet, from my sensibility, I always saw the styling as classic and tasteful--a design that would stand the true test of time. And it most certainly has. :shades:

lulu9 · February 2007

Where have you driven the NXS? What did you guys do...go to the dealerships and ask to test drive that car?

Your wife's response to her friend is 100% correct! Now...how could a woman allow herself to feel insecure over a car?? (Well, there is one way...if you read my previous post. :P )

I mean, checking out cool cars is sweet and innocent compared to some of the other "activities" the male gender has proclivities in, don't ya think?

When you and Timothy wax poetic about old-school Hondas, are you referring to the era when their cars were made in Japan??

nyccarguy · February 2007

One of my best friends test drove an S2000 not too long ago. She said the drive was awesome, but the ride was "punishing."

That's how I like it :P

My senior year in college (going all the way back to 1998), I went to visit a friend in Winston/Salem, North Carolina for a few days. He was a year older than me, had graduated the year before, and had a "real job." When he was at work all day, I went and test drove a bunch of cars. One of the cars I test drove ws a used NSX. So well balanced, such and intoxicating exhaust note, great steering feedback...blissful!

When I talk about some of the old school hondas, I'm not necessarily talking about the ones made in Japan. I'm talking about Hondas before they were "Americanized." My sister had a '95 Accord EX Coupe. It was seriously fun to drive with precise steering and 4 wheel double wishbone suspension. It was like driving a bigger Prelude that wasn't as powerful. I think a new Civic is the same size as that Accord was. The new Accords are huge. Their suspensions are tuned to almost Lexus levels. They still drive OK, but the interiors aren't as nice (The Speedometers on the Accords are ridiculous).

I haven't driven a new Civic or an S2000.

"Shhhhhhhhh! Qwiet! I'm Huntin' Wabbit."

timothyaw · February 2007

I don't get on much during the weekends. Yes I know a friend that let me drive is 94 NSX. He's an NSX nut I tell ya! I knew before driving it that I wanted one. When they were introduced in 91, I knew right then that one day I would get one.
Yeah Honda (and Acura) have only 2 cars that are pretty good. The Acura TL and TSX. I'm not a big fan of the new Civic, I guess you either like the styling or hate it. Of course the S2000 was on my list. But I can't fit in one, I'm 6'6"

My knee hits the dash, so I can't clutch it lol.
Like nyc says it's not necessarily that the cars from back in the day came from Japan(it does make a huge difference) but it's the ideals maybe. Like back in the day, most of Honda's sporty cars came with 4 wishbone suspension. Now they don't. RSX didn't have it. Honda has IMO lost it's way, it's SOUL of Mr Honda. At right this moment, there would be nothing that would be of interest to me to buy from them. That is sad. And I'm not sure it's going to ever be like the old days again. One can only hope I guess.
You are right, I will hope that there is a black/black 91 Prelude out there for me somewhere. I'll just live in own world of Honda's glory days.

lulu9 · February 2007

NYC and Timothyaw...will get your old-school posts later.

Check out what happened last night while driving South on the Merritt! No comment is necessary.

My parents have a place in the Woodbury area of CT (very beautiful part of the state). We knew that snow was expected in the evening, but I thought it would be later. Talk about getting caught with something down (to quote Nyccarguy)!

On my way home on the Merritt last night at about 8:30, heading south at about 75 mph (cause I didnt want to miss too much of the Academy Awards) it suddenlywithout warningturned into a blizzard as I came around a bend in Fairfield. Not only was there minimal visibility because it was snowing so heavily (so I was literally blinded for a few moments), the road had significant accumulation. Upon entering the twilight zone, I immediately felt a significant loss of road grip. We know how bad these tires are in fresh snow! (Well, I found out on V-Day!) Talk about a white-knuckled experience! Nothing happened, thank goodness, but nothing happened only because I did not let myself freak out. My instinct was to put my foot on the brake to slow down, but that could have been deadly (as you can imagine). So I fought my instinct to slow down on a road where there was little traction. That took guts, and it was a terrifying experience to live through! Instead, I took my foot off the gas until the naturally car slowed down on its own--to the point where I could safely downshift into 4th. From that point forward I reduced my speed to about 45.

After surviving that hellacious experience, Im going to get snows for next year.

Thanks for listening!

lulu9 · February 2007

One of my best friends test drove an S2000 not too long ago. She said the drive was awesome, but the ride was "punishing."

"That's how I like it :P"

Nyccarguy, the day is going to come when precious little Nyccarguy, Jr. announces (after getting his learner's permit), "Dad...I want a ___________________" (fill in whatever super-fast, awesome car is happening in the year 2023). Why? Because the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree. Are you sure you don't want to tone down your car preferences? :P

I can't even begin to relate emotionally to a man who hunts--not out of necessity for sheer survival--but for the adrenaline or "rush" that certain lizard-brain men evidently experience when taking down innocent creatures. Poor wittle wabbits!

Thank you for expanding upon your meaning of "old-school" Hondas. O.K., got it. Now I understand where you're coming from. That would make me an old-school appreciator as well.

Such gonads you have to test drive the NSX (!!) at a dealership! See? This is one of the differences between men and women right here: Unless I could afford to buy a given car, or unless I was in the market to buy a car in the not-too-distant future, I would not have the gumption to test drive cars at a dealership! For instance, my friend test drove the S2000 only because both she and her husband were due for car replacement in the near future, and she was legitimately looking at the S2000 (she's the tomboy--not him). So the lesson for me is...if there's a car I'm really curious about--other than looking/admiring from afar and then reading up on it--just visit my local dealership and take it for a spin!

nyccarguy · February 2007

it is lots of fun during the day when the weather is clear. At night and during inclement weather it can be downright deadly.

One summer a few years ago we were returning from my aunt & uncle's house in New Hampshire. 95 was a parking lot as usual, so I cut across in Stamford to the Merit. It was pitch black and I really wasn't going more than 60 mph. I came over a hill and saw 4 green dots staring at me. There were 2 ginormous deer standing right on the parkway. Instincts tell me to swerve to the left as there was 1 deer in each lane. I look to the left and there is a 3rd deer (this all happens in fractions of seconds). So I downshifted to 4th, hit the gas and drove right through the 2 deer in the left & right lane! There was a crowded 4runner full of kids behind me. I stopped at the gas station to catch my breath. They looked at me like they saw a ghost..."Dude, I can't believe your Prelude is in 1 piece!"

Honda Prelude 1997-2002

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