1995 Honda Prelude Si review from North America
"Torque 'n Style"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Both CV boot seals needed replacing. Road debris wrecked the condenser for the air conditioner (critical in Arizona). Always replace Honda timing belts after 60,000 miles.
Stock sound system (cardboard speakers!) had to be torn out and seriously upgraded.
External rubber rear window seal rotted away; so I stripped what remained with a razor and carefully painted the metal black: almost looks like new!
General comments?
After appropriate after-market performance upgrades (larger air intake, cat-back exhaust, ceramic coated headers, front strut bar, light 16" wheels, Potenza tires) car handles better than it ever did! Nearly (barely?) a real sports car. Though not classic 'muscle', it should still run 15's in the 1/4 miles (400m to World).
Snappy acceleration, great torque above 3000 RPM, fantastic cornering, tight feel, loud road roar though.
Got the weight under 2800 lbs (without the passenger seat) ; if I lose the amp, sub-woofer, and spare tire, and add a carbon fiber hood, light weight battery and fly-wheel, I could probably get under 2700! A professional (warrantied?) turbo install (and attending engine rebuild) to push the HP over 250 is currently too rich for my blood.
Comfortable, but not roomy inside. Rear seats are for groceries only, but the single flip down rear seat is great for stowing skis, etc. Small cabin space means even moderate (500+) watt sound systems can damage hearing.
Great Italianesque styling (92-96). Milano Red needs re-painting after 10 years.
Th' only car I ever loved.
Recommended reviews
| Nice looking small sports car with the Honda name and reputation |
| A real head-turner...if you're a mechanic or a car thief |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1995 |
| Year of manufacture | 1994 |
| First year of ownership | 1998 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2006 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.3L DOHC Manual |
| Performance marks | 9 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 6 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 7 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 25000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 114000 miles |
| Previous car | Honda Civic |
| Date of Entry | 30th January, 2006 |