Comments: 1-15, 16-18
Mostly just the alternator has gone bad. too much stress under high rpms, underdrive pullies are my next upgrade.
Extremly reliable, extremly shocking. its funny to see the look on peoples faces when a 15+ year car with more than 200,000
miles slingshots buy them in a blur of f1 style fury. even more fun when your friend next to you is freaking out because he has never been 140 miles per hour and has never seen so many other cars hit their limit like it's a brick wall. my girlfriend convinced me to buy this car, was looking at something else, but then I test drove this car, it had features and capabilities I thought you had to spend more that $200k
to get. all wheel disk brakes/ independent suspension/steering. all buttons are within reach, unlike my 1998 nissan altima, and the prelude doesn't squeek at all and the nissan does, with only 50k miles! I love my prelude to the point that I named her Veronika, she is red with black interior. my friend has a black 1991 prelude named Vanessa. I have also come across a yellow 1989 prelude that I am trying to acquire, all original 80k miles, perfect in every way. there were supposedly 160k of this model made and most are in junk yards. if you see one of these cars, DO NOT HESITATE TO BUY!! you will be satisfied, your significant other may not be because this car incites an obsession, I have not met a single person who has owned one of these and has gone back to driving anything else, but another prelude.
I am the second owner of a 89 prelude SI with 4WS. I bought it with 77k miles and it now has 173k miles, and yes it is Barbados Yellow. The car is 100% original and I have the window sticker that car came with when it was new. I love to drive it and yes I agree it is more car than most at a comparable price, this car was a bit ahead of it time. Maybe the coolest car I have owned yet.
I am the third owner of a 1989 Honda Prelude. It is my first car ever, which I bought for $ 1100 at 121K. Last month it crossed 222K and I feel that she is still a baby. Everybody thought that it would not run for more than a year since I bought, but it has been giving a solid performance since 2003 October. She still races at 125 miles/hour.
Oh yes, this car is an absolute beauty - My First also, and I have only had it about 10months!! I Bought it a little worse for wear at 235K Kilometres on the odometer, but after being repaired, panel beaten and re-painted her original Lipstick Red (Lusty!) she still turns heads and drives superbly.
Even V8 Drivers are jealous!
I have not had one accident in this beauty, thanks to her fantastic 4 wheel steering, and smooth acceleration :)
Again, DON'T HESITATE TO BUY ONE!!
I bought my laurel blue Prelude SI brand new in '89 with a suitcase of cash. I quickly forgot my '81 Lynx if you know what I mean. Two weeks later I had her up to a buck ten on the NYS Thruway between exits 15 and 16 and she begged for more. Did it have pick-up? I'd say neck snapping torque is about right and 0-45 wasn't as impressive as 45-90mph. Alas, after 14 years and 100k miles I felt it was no longer safe to drive it with the kids on board so I sold it for $1200. I still see it around the neighborhood, still looks great, runs well.
I bought 89 4ws with the 5spd for 810$ with 150K. IT is amazing! I have never driven a car that handles so well. You would never be able to guess it's age by driving it.
I have an 89 Prelude 2.0Si 4ws. My dad bought it brand new in January 1989 and drove it off the lot, he drove if for 15 years and then bought a new car. My dad and I restored it and he gave me the keys when I turned 16. The car in is mint condition, does 0-60 in 6 seconds (according to my g-teck pro) and turns heads like a Ferrari. And nothing feels more weird then having the back end swing around when making a sharp turn because of the four wheel steering. It's an awesome car and I'll have it for a very long time.
I bought my 5 spd '89 Prelude 2.0S last summer and I love it. I paid $575!! and I fixed it up for under $150. All it needed was a new master clutch cylinder and a new alternator. Since then it has only needed regular maintenance. It is my first manual transmission and I do not think I will ever go back. The car has 180K on the chassis and 50K on the rebuilt engine. This beauty has a lot of life left, and I plan on enjoying every last bit of it.
Hi all had 1989 20lt four wheel steer, and sadly because it became old got rid of her, that was ten weeks ago!and boy how I missed her, bought a 1997 BMW 320i.
OK car, but what did I see and bought to-day a minter 60k prelude xx 16valve 1989 totally standard. one owner from new I couldn't believe it cost me 700 hundred EUR, what a bargain!!!
Got it checked out by HONDA themselves need pads on back
let the good times roll.
My first car!Never had a car of my own! Swapping the motor out of another prelude into mine. It will be done next week so if you got a prelude good for you and if you don't than you don't know what I am talking about! Luders see you on the street. 89 Lude 4ws 5 speed!
Just bought my first 89' prelude. Love this frickin' car till it kicks the bucket. I got this beaut for... wait for it... $450. Yup. For another 300 this car will run like the original. Needed a radiator and an alternator. The previous owner also had the wrong battery in it and couldn't figure out why it wouldn't start every time. Or any time for that matter. Thanks Honda for my 89' Honda prelude 4ws SI manual. I promise to always ride her hard and leave her out wet. She wouldn't want it any other way.
I just bought an 89 Prelude 2.0 Si 4ws and I love this car so much. It had 225000kms on it and I'm the second owner. Car came with it's manual and all the maintenance record. The funny thing is that I paid only $600 for it and I couldn't have gotten a better ride for the price. Everything is original on the car, plus it was lady driven, what else can I say. Everything looks like it came just out of the assembly line. the only thing I would have to do is the typical Honda rear quarter panel rust, I don't mind. If anyone come across this ride, I encourage them to buy it.
I just found out that my car of one year that I bought used for $1000 gave out on me and will cost $8000 to begin fixing it. My father just found a Honda Prelude red with black interior 1989 that I will be using, and you all have made me very excited to drive it. ^_^
Really? Cause I bought an 89 prelude 2.0 SI, 100,000 miles on it, with nothing wrong with the engine today. $1200.
So this car is all that huh? You people sure make it seem like this car is one of the best cars you can have.. somebody has to have something negative to say about it.. the car can't be perfect... but I don't know, this is my first car.
So even if all you are lying your guts out just so you can feel good about your car... thanks for making me feel like my sun damaged oldie car with no CD player is worth having. I'll invest in it.
I bought my 1989 Honda Prelude 2.0 Si 5 speed 4ws back in 07 and man is this car amazing! I don't know how I will ever go to another car. For all of you that are maybe considering buying one here are some of the pro's and con's listed below.
Pro's
Most last over 300k
Handles like a ferrari
Looks great
Great gas mileage
Needs little maintanance
Really comfortable
No speed wobble up to 125mph (Never gone any faster but still handles like you're going 45)
Does great in the snow due to having a slightly heavier rear end than a normal honda.
I recommend this car to anyone.
Con's
Normal honda rust in the front of the car.
Pretty complicated to change the oil.
The oil plug gets stripped after a good 10-20 changes (due to a crappy type of metal they used on that year) and has to be re-drilled and a new plug put in. Fairly cheap but annoying. Had to have it done three times already.
Pretty hard to work on.
Bad hoses every once and a while.
Just typical stuff.
This car will run forever.
I just bought two months ago a 1989 Honda Prelude 20si 4WS with 150K for $1900. The car was owned since new for 19 years by a mechanic, and everything was maintained and recently painted. The interior is near perfect and the body also. I owned a 90 2.0si several years ago, and have always wanted one since, but the 4WS model is awesome. Mine is Gold with the brown/beige interior, 5 speed. Everything works, including the power antenna, all electronics. Who could imagine a sweeter ride.