1982 Honda Prelude Base review from North America
"An absolutely indestructible car"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
I did a complete suspension overhaul when I first bought it: control arm/ball joint assemblies on both sides, axles on both sides, tie rod end on passenger side. This was all due, however, to an extended period of inactivity before I purchased the vehicle. Spent a total of $400 on parts, did all the work myself.
Since I've been driving the vehicle, I've replaced the entire exhaust system. (again, primarily due to the inactivity) This was about $450 to replace.
Some carburetor problems, easily solved with a good cleaning.
Broke the front sway bar. Easy fix again, with a used replacement costing about $30, and a couple hours of wrestling.
General comments?
This is an amazingly rugged car. If you know a fair bit about repair, an older Honda is a wonderfully dependable vehicle. The parts are cheap and most are very easy to replace in the driveway (I've even done a few repairs right in the parts store's parking lot)
I wouldn't know about the creature comforts. I bought mine with nothing but a driver's seat.
The only complaint I really had was replacing the axles. The spring clamps make pushing these monsters back into the transmission a nightmare.
All in all, this is a wonderfully rugged old gem that requires very little maintenance (Honda recommended oil changes every 7500 miles!!!)
If dependability is the number one priority, this is your car. I've heard that this hasn't changed much in 20 years of Prelude construction.
I look forward to joining the 300,000 mile club next year!
Recommended reviews
| 1983 - Prelude Stock 1.8L 2bbl Handles like a new European sports car, minus the engine power |
| An utterly dependable and somewhat sporty car from the 80's |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1982 |
| First year of ownership | 1999 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.6 Manual |
| Performance marks | 5 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 5 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 245000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 275000 miles |
| Previous car | Mazda 323 |
| Date of Entry | 9th January, 2003 |