1988 Honda Prelude S Coupe review from North America

Nothing.

I purchased my prelude from a 25 yr. old sloppy bachelor (6'5, 230lbs) for $600. Needless to say, he had not changed the oil for the last 6,000 (yes 6,000 miles) and had been climbing in and out of the passenger side door. the driver's side was not shutting and had been bungee corded for so long there was a permanent indentation where it connected to the headrest and the seatbelt guide. Before I had bought the car, I had asked him about the automatic sport transmission that he had commented on earlier in our meeting. I didn't know that they all came stock with it even on the cheapest model, the S Coupe (which was what I was buying). He explained it like this: "The S mode helps you go up hills. If you're going up a hill, put it in S mode and when you give it gas the engine will reach about 4,000 RPM. This car goes up any hill like a champ". I then asked him about the S4 button which is located on the shift console. he told me it was for when you are going up a big hill like a mountain pass on the interstate.

I wasn't too impressed, but I needed a car, really wanted a sports car and everything on it worked. Oh, did I mention that it had 120,000 on it. the condition of the deal was that he and I would drive to Portland, OR and purchase it there. So I had my first sports car, almost no money and an interstate 5 trip of 300 miles. let me tell you, I kept the transmission in drive the whole time, and about half way through the journey I found that my sunroof was quite convenient for flipping people off. Well only after the motor homes, vehicles pulling trailers and ignorant older folk had exited the fast lane.

It was not until I was driving with a Honda enthusiast before I understood the car the way I do now. We were driving through the countryside on a two-lane road and he slapped the shifter into S Mode. After about 2,000 miles later I lost one of my nine lives, though not much happened to the car. The trunk lid was indented by the tree that stopped our backward slide down the side of the cliff. Other than a tree print in the rear end there was no other damage on the car whatsoever. not bad for hitting a left-right curve at 70 miles an hour.

Well this just goes to show that kid's and sports cars don't mix. At least kids that are unexperienced in rally driving and have not really learned much about the roads in their area, like me. So for any parent who reads this and is contemplating the fulfillment of their son or daughter's measly request. Don't be a silly rabbit, sports cars aren't for kids. Now for the rest of you that are reading this and are tired of hearing me ramble on about me being foolish. This Honda has barely over 100 horsepower, (not even that to the front wheels). Anybody wanting a real exhilarating ride should look into the Prelude SI of similar body style or a 1992 Acura Integra and up.

This car will go when you floor it. Hell, it will go to red line and then give you a jolt of the automatic shift kit off of every stop sign if you really want it. But with a car that hesitates, and or is unresponsive exactly when you don't want it to be, you will get bored quick. Though the drive train and engineering does have a redeeming factor, which you will most probably spend more time enjoying. The S Mode.

This car's only real power and excitement is between 3,500-6,000 rpm. S3, the first sport gear will probably take you to about 85 MPH before redlining, from there you can press the handy S4 button and you have a whole new power band to enjoy. Though after that you will probably get up to 100 MPH and climbing and realize that the car's fate and your life are slowly becoming less and less in your control. This is about time that you slap it back in drive and slow down to avoid getting that $300 speeding ticket you can't afford without payments to the court. After my accident and countless questions from concerned family that saw the round mark in the rear, I gave it to a friend of mine and extinguished an existing debt. Oh yeah, it's got one of those steering designs that doesn't really clue you in to the fact that 5 MPH faster around that corner and you'll be visiting the coroner.