1983 Honda Prelude review from North America
"Good fixer-upper"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Right CV boot torn.
Right CV joint damaged (halfshaft replaced by me just two weeks ago).
Front disc brakes warped.
Silver paint heavily oxidized.
Loads of rust.
Valve lash loose (adjusted by me recently).
Ignition timing 0 deg. (TDC)(adjusted by me to 10 BTDC a week ago).
Fuel filler line corroded (dealership will fix in a week due to a 1992 recall).
Right rear tire losing air.
Spark plug in cyl. 4 completely melted due to detonation caused by retarded ignition timing (all four plugs replaced by me two weeks ago).
Failed emissions first time on CO at cruise, dealership cleaned carb floats, passed second time easily.
General comments?
I bought this car on July 2 at 10:30 p.m. It seemed like a good deal at $1,500. Little did I know about all the problems which came with it.
I test drove it, but I was too foolish to go more than once around the block. At speeds over 30 mph, the front disc brake warpage is apparent. It vibrates to the point of coming apart. Also, the fact that I didn't get to look at it until the night completely hid the oxidation in the paint. The previous owner had no idea of all the mechanical problems, but that's okay.
Oh, and when I test drove it, it ran okay, but it did seem kind of rough. After taking it home and looking under the hood a few days later, I realized cyl. 3 wasn't firing!! Merely caused by a loose spark plug wire.
Even though this car has its share of problems, I don't really mind. I enjoy working on cars, and a car this old should be expected to have many problems. I have most of the major ones fixed, namely the timing and CV joint, but the paint is the next thing. I'm currently in the process of stripping all of the paint from the hood--by hand. I'm using 220 grit sandpaper on a wooden block, wet.
I really love this car, since it is the first year of the second generation Prelude. I believe it is the only year without a computer, and mine doesn't have air-conditioning, an added plus. If anyone has any info about the '83 Prelude, please e-mail me at cocacola443@netzero.net
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| These are great machines when well maintained |
|
| 1983 - Prelude Stock 1.8L 2bbl Handles like a new European sports car, minus the engine power |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1983 |
| First year of ownership | 2000 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2000 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.8 Dual-sidedraft Manual |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 7 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 9 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 138900 miles |
| Most recent distance | 139400 miles |
| Previous car | Nissan Pulsar NX |
| Date of Entry | 26th July, 2000 |