1987 Honda Prelude review from North America

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.