Honda Prelude 1997-2002

nyccarguy · February 2009

it looks like we are the last of the mohegans. We've got to keep it going.

Have you switched motor oil from the factory reccomended 5w 30? My next oil change (soon as I've got 107K miles), I'm switching over to 10w 40.

shmang · February 2009

Why using 10W-40. Yes, it is over 100K, but mine still runs perfect (I would assume yours are the same). Switch to heavy grade oil is to prevent over heat or leakage - which is not typical for Honda engines.

Most new Honda use 5w-20, so I tried to mix 5w-30 (3qts) with 5w-20 (to top it off) about 30k ago and it works fine. As long as you do not have any carbon build up - you won't as long as you use good gas (91+ Octane and name brand) and do some highway speed long (20+ miles) drive from time to time.

But, if you have minor leakage or other engine related symptoms, you could try 10w-30 to see how it fix the problem - I doubt it will help any unless it is seal related.

Now, my Prelude took an early retirement and only need to work 1-2 days per week, so hopefully, it will last for a long time.

nyccarguy · February 2009

There is a guy at the local auto parts store that used to have a Prelude that knows WAY more about cars than I do. His car had a boat load of miles on it (I think it wa a '99) and it got stolen from his garage. He recommended I do it. That's what he did with his Prelude.

My car doesn't leak any oil, the engine is remarkably clean, but it does burn oil. A little more than a quart every 3K miles.

shmang · February 2009

but it does burn oil. A little more than a quart every 3K miles.

Well, I know some says that the 5th gen. burns oil. Since mine does not, so I am not sure what is the problem. Maybe due to the high RPM? seal? If that is the case, the 10-W40 might help. Give it a shot and see what the result is. But, according to the user's manual, 10-W40 will not provide as near the level of protection at start up (vs. 5-W30).

Good luck though.

h4lhonda · April 2009

ahhh, cryo treatment only affects the hardness (abrasion resistance) of the rotor and does nothing for its heat tolerances, one i know this because i have used power slots cryo rotors... two i am a mechanical engineer... what is needed are HEAT TREATED rotors which no one makes, a whole new fixed caliper system, or try DBA discs which are supposed to be very good heat at dissipation which i have never tried but look very logical.... i am not discounting caliper freeze or the fact that you are not using appropriate pads (since different pads make their peak Co-efficient of friction at different levels) if your using one that peaks at extreme temps all your doing it heating up the rotor till the pad works and once the pad starts to bite your way past the temp range for the rotor and its warping... you need a pad that peaks friction levels at very low temps aka a pad with alot of bite (or torque)...i own a bb6... hope this helps!!!!!

tybran · April 2009

I have a 97 Honda Prelude. I want to install a cold air intake. What is the best intake for my car and how much should I expect to pay.

nyccarguy · April 2009

7 years ago today (4/27/02) I took delivery of my Prelude. 110,000 miles later and I'm still smiling.

shmang · April 2009

Mine is 10 years on 4/12/09 with 113K miles and up to today, I have no regret on my decision back then. Sure, it is not perfect, but it fit me need (sporty, great handling with plenty of power and a head turner. The most important thing - reliable). In my 10 years of ownership, the only thing (other than regular maintenance) that I did to my car is: Replace the front struts and that's it. I will expect to get another 5-10 years of service out of it - if I am going to keep it, that is.

nyccarguy · April 2009

Very cool.

I plan to keep my Prelude as a daily driver for at least another 3 years, until it is 10 years old.

Right now my short list for my next vehicle are:

MINI Cooper S - Black/Black 6 speed manual
BMW 135i - Space Grey/Red Leather 6 speed manual
Porsche Cayenne S - I'd have to pick this up as a CPO or DEMO, the only car I'd ever consider driving that's an automatic.

How's your M45 doing?

shmang · April 2009

All 3 are excellent choices.

I would pick the BMW 135i with 6 spd though - simply due the the low weight and high output, Of course, it is a BMW. But, I would be glad to take the other two without hesitation at all.

As the economy stands right now, price of cars are going up, especially CPO cars, so if you do decide on the Cayenne S, you'd better get it quickly. I doubt there will be much change in price for the other 2 though.

The M45 is doing good - did some maintenance work on it - Driving belts, filters, put on new tires (Got rid of those all season ones and replace with Summer high performance ones and it handles much better). Did the oil / filter change and it is all set for the next 2-3 years until I need to flush the tranny fluid. :shades:

The only problem with the M45 is the gas mileage due to the NFS - If I drive it conservatively, I can get to 23MPG, but, I only get about 17-18 most of the time even in Texas with minimum traffic

preludefan · May 2009

Yeah - I just realized mine is burning oil too but no leaks. I moved to synthetic at about 50K - now up to 70K. I don't change oil myself and the shop never told me but this time, I let my car go 7k without and oil change and the warning light came on, so I guess I must be burning lots.

I do primarily hwy driving. Don't smell anything when driving though, so I'm surprised at how quickly it dropped.

preludefan · May 2009

Hey there - any recommendation on TIRES for the Prelude SH? Time to get new ones and wondering if you would select anything other than the Bridgestone Performance ones recommended by Honda?

shmang · May 2009

R U sure it is burning oil instead of some kind of leak - when the low oil light comes on, you only have about 2 qts of oil or less left. So, if you do oil change every 5K and this time 7K, that means by the time you change your oil, it will be 2.5+ qts low. It just seems weird to me. I would check for several things in the next 5k miles:
1. Any oil leaking from underneath the car - from the drain bolt and filter area
2. Check oil level immediately after the oil change
3. Check oil level at least once per month and keep track of oil consumption

Some Prelude burns oil, but very few is that bad to cause the oil light on.

preludefan · May 2009

Thanks for the reply. One other thought is perhaps the shop cheated on the amount of oil they put in. That's one way to goose profitability. But a risky venture for sure. I doubt it, but you never know.

I park my car in my garage and there is no oil on the garage floor, so if it's leaking, it's not obvious.

I'll have to mention it to the shop and have them check. I wish I had more time to do myself, but not at this stage in my life - career on the road, young kids, etc. I'm just happy to keep my Prelude!

I'm also in the market for new tires. I went to Tire Rack and it said that the Bridgestone Potenza's got the best ratings and those are the ones recommended for this car, so I guess I'll stick with them ($102/tire). The Yokohama S drive came close in the ratings though ($89/tire)

shmang · May 2009

Sure. That's why I recommended item #2 - if they put in 1.5 qts less and your car burnt 1.5 qts in 7k miles (which is definitely in the normal range), that can trigger the oil light. But, just check them where you suspect there is a chance to cause low oil level and you will find out before your next oil change.

As far as tires, it is totally depends on how you drive and your location. But, tirerack gives you very detailed information to help you to choose the right one. Good luck.

nyccarguy · May 2009

Hey, we all wish we could do more ourselves! What year is your car?

Do you still have the stock bridgestone potenza tires on your car?

I have the Yokohama S drive tires on my car and they are fantastic. Excellent wet & dry adhesion...just make sure you take em off the car before the white stuff starts to fall.

Tire racks website is helpful, but their employees are REALLY helpful.. Call them up and see what they say.

You said your car has 70K miles on it...have you had the timing belt/water pump/balance shaft belt service done yet? Have you had the spark plugs chaged?

shmang · May 2009

I guess you asked some questions that is way beyond what he knows - at least based on his post, he just like to drive the car and hand the rest to a mechanic type of person. I will do that when I lost interest in doing all the maintenance - maybe another 10 years from now though... who knows.

shmang · May 2009

My neighbor just traded in his 2007 Mazda 3 and got a CPO BMW 328i - It seems there are deals for BMW and MB - As he told me he could of bought the MB C300 instead if the color is right. Sounds interesting...

I would do the same thing with my wife's car if she likes the feeling of sporty sedan like BMW, Infiniti. But, no luck yet, I am still working on that.

nyccarguy · May 2009

My best friend loves Infinitis. He just turned in an '07 FX35 Sport lease and his wife's truck is a QX56. He wanted another FX or maybe an M, but the lease dealsare no where near what they were 2 years ago. He walked into an MB dealership to drive an ML & E. He and his wife both LOVED the E350. He picked up a GORGEOUS, brand new, 2009 E350 4Matic with NAV & AMG package for a little more than $11K off sticker. He also got 1.9% financing for 66 months!

shmang · May 2009

Wow, $11k off sticker, that is an excellent deal, especially on E class Mercedes. Make me want to go car shopping NOW...

But, since I just got my M45 and is not ready to part with the Prelude, I guess I have to wait for couple of years. But then again, my son will be driving and I can get a sports coupe - something like the 370Z (or what ever is comparable at the time). Until then, I will need to do a good job maintaining my Prelude so I can still drive 2 cars that I enjoy alternatively, which is not too bad.

nyccarguy · May 2009

I'm definitely getting the itch, but I promised myself I'd keep my Prelude as a daily driver for 10 years before I get something else.

Right now the car to get is a CPO BMW 335i sedan... I've seen people purchasing them for high $20s (2 years old).

preludefan · May 2009

2000 Crystal Metallic Blue Type SH. It's a beauty - I detailed it myself this weekend. A nice relaxing job. Got lots of looks on the road and 2 compliments from a couple 20-somethings.

I've decided to go with the Potenza RE760 Sports which got rave reviews on TireRack. The Yokohama's got great reviews too. Maybe I'll try that next time.

Thanks for the recommendations on Service.

I'll check out the timing belt/water pump etc . I recall that you guys recommended doing it all at once because of the close promixity.

Also need a new Battery as I still have the original one but I don't think it'll survive the winter. Will pick up spark plugs at the same time.

The other thing I'm thinking about doing is getting some paint work because I have some rust spots that need addressing. Small dings on hood and lower doors, but a bigger cracked paint area on my upper driverside door from another car opening their door into mine last year. It has already started rusting and the paint is chipping away, which is bad. I got an estimate to address everything and it's going to be about $2K, which is a lot of money. I might just pick and choose. Plus, I'm a little worried about the engine burning oil. The shop didn't find any leaks, so they suspect my engine is burning the stuff. I'll watch every 1K and check the dipstick.

Other than that, I guess the only other major part expected to go is the clutch, which will also be expensive, but after that, it'll be like I have a brand new Prelude. We'll see....

Still lovin' it though!

shmang · May 2009

Crystal Metallic Blue is my favorite color - too bad it was not available at the time when I purchased mine, so I got the white, which is my 2nd best choice. But....

Since your car is 2000, the following need to be addressed ASAP:
1) Timing belt & water pump - those are recommended to be replace at 7 years OR 105k miles, since yours is 8-9 years old, you are running on borrowed time. If the belt snap, you could have valve damage which will be very expensive to fix.

2) Spark plugs and wires. Make sure to replace them both - even the wire looks fine. They will cause other electrical related issues like alternater and distributor short - this is from first hand experience.

3) Manual transmission fluid if you have not done it yet.

Good luck and let us know how the engine oil consumption results.

preludefan · June 2009

This week, my ATTS Light and Check Engine Light both came on at the same time. I found that my gas cap was loose so that explains the Check Engine Light. But the ATTS light is concerning. Taking it into the shop.

Hopefully won't need to do major service on the ATTS. If so, I may consider getting the clutch replaced at the same time. We'll see...

Also, I've driven 1k miles since my last oil change and the oil level has not dropped at all - all Hwy driving. We'll see as it get closer to 3k... Just turned 69k on the odometer ( I think I rounded up in my prior posts)

nyccarguy · June 2009

I had my ATTS light & Check Engine Light go on at the same time one too. The problem was my OIL FILL cap was loose.

Clutch replacement was a hard pill to swallow for me (Mine was fried at 52,000 miles). The ATTS unit has to be taken out & then re-installed in order to get to the clutch. This calls for an ADDITIONAL 4+ hours of shop labor in addtion to the clutch job itself. I'd also have the flywheel & throw out bearing replaced at the same time. Have them check your differential fluid as well. I decided to go with an aftermarket clutch (CENTERFORCE) which I am very happy with.

If I recall, it cost me close to $2000.

shmang · June 2009

Wow, $2,000, at 52k miles - that is hard to justify. Mine still works at 115k - you must did a lot of high RPM clutch drop to destroy it

Hope it will last until you sell it though.

nyccarguy · June 2009

It was a tough pill to swallow. I really thought about getting rid of the car at that point. Type SH Preludes have abnormal clutch failure (which I didn't learn about until after I had the job done).

Yeah, that's me, High RPM clutch drops...LOL!

You've got 115K...I'm catching up to you. Going to hit 112K next week. You must be driving your M45 A LOT!

shmang · June 2009

Yes, I drive the M45 mainly and only use my Prelude on shorter trips or going to sports events (that I am performing, so I will not get the M45 all sweaty afterwards). When I think about it, it is kind of a luxury to use a Prelude as a beater, well, not really, but you get the idea. The Prelude is always clean though - it is still beautiful 10 years after I bought it.

There are some guys I know that used to race Prelude and do 5500RPM clutch drop to get best 0-60 times and they have clutch replaced around 60k miles. Now, I am going really easy on start up - still hit VTEC once in a while for fun.

kevinus35 · June 2009

Could someone check this VIN out: JHMBB6159XC008167? I'm buying it but the saler said the owner, his wife (he claimed), will not be there to sign the title off. Is there any chance of fraud?

Thanks in advance,
Kevin

shmang · June 2009

There will not be much can be found (as far as the owner goes) by running a VIN check, but it is for a '99 Prelude Type SH.

But, I would not give him the money without a signed title - maybe he stole the car with title in the car and try to sell it to you. Otherwise, if his wife agree to sell the car, she can always sign the title in advance. Seems fishy to me.

shmang · June 2009

Today, I was surfing a Honda forum and there is one '99 Prelude (white) with about 79k miles selling for $12K. The car is in excellent condition with OEM body kit, JDM fog light and DC sports header, sway bar and EVO exhaust. It looks beautiful. But, it is still a 10 years old car with around 80k miles and it cost $21K when new (Base, 5spd). So, I told that guy if someone offer him anything over $10k, just run with the money...LOL

What do you guys think? FYI, KBB for a '99 with average mileage and in very good condition is $6k (private party) and retail for $6,400 (Excellent condition).

nyccarguy · July 2009

That's asking way too high. Maybe the guy priced himself high to weed out the usual internet bottom feeders and maybe only people who are serious will make an offer. My guess is maybe he can get $7K - $7,500.

preludefan · July 2009

Hey gang - writing to share an unbelievable turn of events.

I finally did spluge on the Summer Performance Tires - went with the Bridgestone Potenza RE760 Sport. Amazing tires - stealth like silence, very different than the stock tires for the Prelude - also Potenzas - RE65 I think.

One week later, I hit a deer on I-90 close to Buffalo, NY. I was doing about 70 mph and it was pitch black dark - no cars around me. I didn't have my hi-beams on , so it came into my field of view at the last second. The road was wet because it had just rained, and I swerved to avoid most of it. I think I hit it's head and neck - boy it made a loud noise. After that, I was little out of control, skidding on the highway to and fro as I tried to come to a stop. Those tires handled superbly. I think they probably saved my life.

Damaged the left front corner - took out the headlamps, bent down the corner of the hood, and put a big dent in the quarterpanel. No internal damage whatsoever. $3000 in body damage. I took it to a great autobody shop in the Cleveland area and I just got it back.

They fixed the hood and 1/4panel and painted it up. Looks like new. I can see a couple areas where they stopped painting, but I'm still pleased. They went around the whole car and touched up any small dings/small rust spots, like on the lower door, etc. Seriously looks like new - I'm thrilled. As I said in my earlier post, I was planning on getting the rust spots, etc addressed because I wanted to keep the car. Now I can check that off the list. It's wonderful having a 10yr old car (2000 Type SH) that looks like new - Crystal Mettalic Blue baby!

I'm going to try to leave it in the garage for the Ohio winter now that it looks so nice.

So at this point, the only think left is the Clutch and I think it's got lots of life left, so I'm hoping that I'm back to basic maintenance for a couple years.

nyccarguy · July 2009

That's some story. I'm glad you're OK & didn't get hurt. Did the airbags go off? Good thing there were no other cars around you. So you hit a deer at 70mph in Buffalo & were able to drive the car to Cleveland? That's impressive!

preludefan · July 2009

No - the airbags did not deploy. I was wondering about that myself. That would have been really scary if they had because I was still going close to 70mph and I'm assuming that my field of view would have been totally obstructed.

shmang · July 2009

What I am thinking is: The deer did not hit the impact zone, where the air bag sensors are located... or the impact is not severe enough to set off the air bag.

But, either way, great story and it seems you are OK and the Lude is back on the road again. So, enjoy it.

nyccarguy · July 2009

you still might want to get your air bags checked out by the dealer. I remember something about the "charge" going bad after 10 years.

my Prelude is in the body shop getting fixed. Back in December I backed into an F150 pickup truck. I figured vacation is a good time to have it fixed.

So it looks like another Honda product will be joining our family. Using a $3500 cash for clunkers credit (from my 1990 BMW 325i), I think we're going to buy my wife a 2010 Acura TSX. She's just got to go and drive it to see if she likes it. I drove it and was very impressed. The car drives like a bigger, 4 door Prelude. Great steering & brakes. Excellent road feel, thickly bolstered seats, high quality interior materials. The TSX will be her car as she'll use it to keep the miles down on her '07 X3 (At her current pace, she's about 5K above where we should be for the end of next July). I'll keep you guys up to date.

shmang · July 2009

That is a very solid car - European version Accord actually. So, it handles very nicely with a touch of luxury. Very good choice. I would imagine it is similar to the X3 (as far as size, feeling and handling goes). So, if you are happy with the X3 and want to add something similar, that would be great, but if you are looking for some variety, you might want to think again though

So, now the wife get 2 new vehicles and you will drive a 8 years old, just doesn't make sense. But, I guess you will be able to drive it from time to time. Good strategy. But, again, you would have to wait until you sell the Lude to realize your BMW dream I guess.

nyccarguy · July 2009

Yeah, pretty much 2 new vehicles for my wife (& the kids). I'll try to take the TSX (if I can get it, I see the gov't cash 4 clunkers program is almost out of money) once a week. If I need to take the X3 I'd won't be a problem either.

I'm really going to try and stick to my original plan of keeping the Prelude as my daily driver for 10 years. In addition to my perrenial favroite German Marquee, I'd also seriously consider a g37S Sedan.

shmang · August 2009

Just heard that they run out of money on this program. Hope you got your TSX already. If not, enjoy your BMW for now.

nyccarguy · August 2009

Dude, I don't even want to talk about it! Long story short. The dealer closest to me wouldn't give me a price over the phone after I test drove the car 3 separate times (alone, then twice with my wife). I found a great dealer (through a reccomendation) and a salesman who was honest. This dealership has been trying to sign up as a cash for clunkers dealer for the past 2 weeks. When I heard cash 4 clunkers was ending Monday night, I started to panic & called numerous dealers. A few only had cars left with light colored interiors & the rest pretty much said they've had it with Cash 4 Clunkers (meaning they're waiting to get paid).

I don't think we're getting the car.

shmang · August 2009

That is a lot of BS from the dealership (and the CFC program).

Yeah, I have heard some bad things about this program - dealers are taking advantage of it and try to sell more cars than what customers want, or, not getting paid as promised.

Overall, I believe the concept is good, but it might be too aggressive and under estimated how many "clunkers" are on the road. And most of them worth a lot to the owner, providing it is running fine.

Well, that is OK I guess. You can still drive that BMW for a while until a better deal / car comes up.

shmang · October 2009

After own it for 10 years, I finally let her go. The car is in excellent condition with relatively low mileage. Listed on line for 3 days and got a buyer test drove it (the first test drive) and bought the car for asking price. My son missed the car more than I do - since I sold this car to move on...

I will check back one in a while and hope the Lude is serving you good for another couple of years until you decide to upgrade.

uonlylivetwice · October 2009

hi,
looking for any suggestions for a 2000 Prelude that will be driven in snow.
Saw some positive reviews for Goodyear Eagle GT Ultra-High Performance All Season, but prefer to hear from someone who as experience with a Prelude in snow.
thanks~~

twice

nyccarguy · October 2009

WOW! I can't believe you sold your Prelude.

How many miles did you have one it in the end? How much did you get for it? Driving the M full time then huh?

I actually saw a '99 Green Type SH on a local Honda dealer's lot with 95K miles. They are asking $10,995 for it. The car is in amazing shape. Makes mine almost look its age.

Please stick around - I need someone to chat with!

nyccarguy · October 2009

I drive a 2001 Prelude Type SH year round here in New York. I put a set of 4 (15") dedicated Michelin Pilot Arctic Alpin PA2 mounted on black steel wheels right around December 1st (through march). I have NEVER gotten stuck on an incline & the car tracks beautifully in the snow. My Prelude actually feels more sure footed in the snow then my wife's '07 X3 (with All Season Tires).

You have a 2000 Prelude? What color? Stick or Automatic? How many miles are on it? Did you just buy the car or have you owned it since new?

shmang · October 2009

Yeah, I know it is sad. I was on preludeonline.com and discussing about the value of Prelude and bet with a guy that the right price for a '99 Prelude should be around $6k and they think it is less (average condition, average mileage 100-120k). So, I told him that I can sell it for that amount easy and put a "for sale" topic there.

Within 3 days, I got 2 phone calls (plus some reply from other states who want to buy it, but amazingly, no low ballers). One guy want to take a test drive and showed up with his wife. They are decent and both know how to drive stick shift pretty well. The guys seems knowledgeable about cars and they have owned several Honda cars in the past. After a short test drive, they want to buy the car at asking price of $6400 in cash.

I was not prepared for this, but I do want to make a change (Not that the M45 is not a big enough change, but I am open for opportunities). So, I give the guy some quick tips on maintenance and what has been replaced and what not (New timing belt, water pump and CV axles 2 years ago). The car has 116K miles at the time of selling, there is 1 quarter sized ding on the front passenger side wheel well and some other minor door dings from parking. Still on OEM clutch and both BRAKE PADS with 30% life.

I think the price is fair, plus I have always wanted a Grand AM (It is not as fun as Prelude, but it is my first car, so I always want another, plus, Pontiac will be gone and it might somewhat unique in a couple of years, who knows). With in a week, I spot a 2005 Grand AM V6 with some issues that can be fixed if you know how. The engine and transmission works perfectly, but the mileage is high. I jumped on it and just got the license plate yesterday. As of right now, all issues has been fixed for less than $400 (This includes the upgrade of a set of Alloy wheels).

So, now, if I go to some place that is not safe or decent, I drive this beater Pontiac. Other than that, I am riding the M45 and enjoy the sound and power of the V8.

I have to say that I still miss the Prelude and have never kept a car for that long (10 years) and I doubt I will ever keep another car that long again. But, I will still stick around and check back for sure.

nyccarguy · April 2010

If anybody's out there, I just wanted to mention my Prelude hit a major milestone this morning - 120,000 miles! And I still love it love it love it!

crvdude1 · May 2010

10 yrs? I was the original owner of a 1997 Prelude base. Bought it in 12/1996 and sold it in 2/2010. 45k original miles, tires, brakes, clutch. I was sad to let it go but need to downsize because of the economy. They don't make cars like that no more.

nyccarguy · May 2010

Wow - so little mileage on a '97. Seems like you barely drove it, but thoroughly enjoyed it when you did.

I've got over 120K on my '01 Type SH Prelude that I bought new in April 2002. My commute just lengthened, so by next year I'll have 140K on the car.

What color was your car? Did you sell it or trade it in? What did you get for it? What did you replace your Prelude with?

Honda Prelude 1997-2002

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