1987 Honda Prelude Reviews - Page 4 of 4

So far I've had trouble with the air conditioning, it seems to work randomly.

Also the front and rear lower ball joints have been replaced.

The front brake lines perished and the clutch hose as well.

And the rust has been pretty bad patches around all windows and around the doors.

The car however has been a joy to drive with the exception of the faults, I have really enjoyed the 4WS and the smooth ride it provides.

Now that I have replaced all the faulty parts, I really do not like driving my new Toyota Celica, I leave that to the wife!

Mechanically extremely little has really gone wrong. Nothing actually...

For the rest however:

*Driver's seat sagged and seat cover worn.

*Various bits of interior trim broke -the light switch stalk, the passenger door handle, the hazard warning light button gets stuck,...

*Boot lid lock broke.

*Rust, rust, rust and rust. I've driven a complete (wet) summer without rear seat, because water was leaking in 'somewhere'. Guilty one appeared to be a rust hole in the passenger door gap.

I bought this car in 1994 when it was seven years old. From the start I decided not to spend anything on keeping it in showroom condition -I was just going to drive it and enjoy driving it.

I did however have it serviced at a Honda dealership, which wasn't really expensive as mechanically nothing ever went wrong (and as I didn't care for interior trim wearing badly and those rusty patches appearing all over).

Bought secondhand, they're dirt-cheap and extremely reliable! They'll drive on and on and on and never break down.

Fuel consumption is very acceptable, starting at about 8l/100km and up to 12 if driven at really silly speeds.

The Prelude isn't a sports car. It's more of a cool cruiser with secure handling, smooth performance and excellent comfort.

Handling is fun, but more safe than sporting. It's not that handy through the bendy bits. It's completely at home on long fast curves.

Two months ago (oct 2003) at the age of 16, it finally went to Honda-heaven after failing MoT. It was still running on it's original shocks (!).

Mr MoT wasn't impressed...

Finally the reparation-costs would have exceeded it's emotional value.

Emergency brake has never worked consistently.

Speedometer konks out from time-to-time, but then spontaneously recovers. I had the speedometer cable replaced once.

I have put 291,000 miles on my prelude si since I purchased it December 14, 1988. I have driven it from coast-to coast, and as far south as Florida, and as far north as upstate Michigan. I rather drive than fly. It has given me no engine or other mechanical problems (I have consistently changed the oil every 2500-3000 miles from day one).

I have not had to change out the clutch since 1997.

Replaced the alternator at 110,000 miles.

Replaced exhaust system at 98,000.

Replaced brake system at 95,000.

Carpet torn.

Rust throughout, especially gas tank area.

This car drives very nicely.

It really takes off when stopped.

If I didn't fear that the body would completely rust out on me, I would probably keep this car for another 50,000 miles.

The alternator went out at around 170,000 miles. This was a $200.00 fix.

The original stock AM-FM stereo cassette stopped working at 190,000 miles.

During the course of my one year ownership, I had to replace a few miscellaneous electrical fuses here and there. In a car equipped with power everything, this can be expected.

My 1987 Honda Prelude Si was the funnest car that I've ever owned, and I've had six cars!

When I bought my Si, it was already thirteen years old, with 161,000 miles on it, and I was surprised at the performance, economy, dependability, and first-rate craftsmanship of the car.

Rust all over body, frame, panels, floor, rockers, everywhere except the doors.

Full exhaust system replaced.

Front disk brakes and rear drum brakes replaced.

Windshield replaced.

Engine rebuilt.

Carpet torn inside.

Sunroof jammed (rust seized the motor)

Alternator, water pump, battery, and dozens of fuses.

Timing belt broke, causing lots of engine damage.

All the gears inside the automatic transmission melted, causing the car to be virtually useless at anything faster than 30 kph.

This having been my first car, was not a good investment. It took well over a year to have it road-legal. Virtually everything needed to be replaced, the most apparent problem, however, was the amount of rust and general deterioration of the body on this car.

However, when everything was working good on it, it was magnificent! It idled peacefully, and howled when tempted! It handled like a true sports car, was comfortable for both city driving and long trips, and although the engine was rated at a mere 100 HP, it could move. No Ferrari was it, but a great little car for anyone who enjoys driving... at any speed.

All in all though, if you're ever looking at one, take someone who is familiar with older cars, specifically Honda's. These cars are known for a lot of problems, especially the bodies here in Eastern Canada, but if the problems aren't properly addressed, it's usually not long before it's a vital problem. After owning the car for around 2 and a half years, it had problems frequently and needed about an extra $3000 worth of repairs before the transmission let go.