Should I buy this 88/89 Prelude?

[emphaticitalic]

Hi I'm new here,

I really want to own a 3rd generation Prelude. I've found a couple of really good deals, an 88 Si and an 89 Si both with 4WS. They're both is very good condition, been well-looked after and are clean/unmodified and also 5 speed manual which seems to be difficult to find in these cars, and excellent mileage for their age (around 180,000kms). Should I go ahead and buy one of these cars? What's your opinion?

[spiffyguido]

Great cars.

Take them for a test drive and see how they feel to you. Ask the owner about the history of the cars. Watch for rust, jiggles and shakes and make sure the engine runs smooth and strong.

What's making you hesitant?

[emphaticitalic]

What's making you hesitant?

Not much really, fact is I'm only young and looking for a first car and I need my parents' help and support. I'd really like buy a Prelude... To inspect the car I would need to travel a long way and we need to organize that. My parents and others around me keep on telling me it is a bad idea because it is such an old car. I guess by posting here I'm just looking for validation and a secondary emotional pay off, to be honest.

[spiffyguido]

A first car. Wow, that's a big moment. Congrats.

All I can say to you is that Preludes are great cars, and if they have been well maintained, they are very reliable.

Since this is your first car, I think what is most important is that you get something that you love. The more you like your car and are interested in it, the more you are going to want to take care of it and maintain it. Buy the best one you can within your budget to give yourself a good starting point.

If you're looking to buy cars that are posted online, send us the links to the for sale listings and we'll have a look.

[emphaticitalic]

Sorry I haven't posted on this in while. As it happens I've suddenly lost interest in getting a Prelude indefinitely. Right now I've decided I'm going to get a 3rd generation 1989 Accord. Compared to the those last 80s Accords, the Prelude "just isn't me".

[RedRacer]

Thanks for coming back and letting us know what you've got going on.

It's real important that the car you get, especially your first car, be as much of the car that you want it to be and that it "is you" as well.

If you like a car and you enjoy driving it and being in it, then you'll take care of it and appreciate it.

I had an 89 Accord LXi (sedan) and it was one of the best cars I ever owned. That car drove perfect up until the day it was totaled by a stupid girl who wasn't paying attention to the fact that traffic in front of her had stopped for an emergency vehicle...... and she rear-ended me and totaled my Accord. I was so mad I really could have murdered her on the spot. She didn't have a freakin clue and had absolutely ZERO business being behind the wheel of a car. Yes, she really was THAT stupid. And probably still IS that stupid today.... but I digress.......

The 89 Accords are good cars. Strong engines, strong mechanicals inside and out. They're tight, no rattles and squeaks, at least mine was. I loved that car. Shiny black paint, I think it was Granada Black? Cream color cloth interior, black dashboard and trim. It was a comfortable car, handled really well, powerful enough to haul ass with 3 friends packed inside.......just a good car. Hated to lose it due to someone else's negligence.

I got my 1993 Accord Coupe after the 89. Which was also a good car and is still on the road today being driven by a friend of my cousin, whom I sold it to originally. He drove by me the other day and I was like HEY! That's my car! Still looks brand new and has well over 200,000 miles on it.

Good luck with your Accord! If you do ever get a Prelude, we'll be here.

[spiffyguido]

An Accord is a solid choice. I've known lots of people who have owned late 80s accords and they've all been fantastic cars. I've noted that the build quality of the interiors is particularly good. Very well designed.

Take care of whatever car you get. The experiences that you have in your first car are unforgettable. My first car was a white '86 Prelude that had seen a lot of use. It wasn't in top form, but I did a lot of work to it and absolutely adored it. Had it running perfectly after a few months of ownership, only to lose it to a collision with a deer a while later. I loved that car, and it cemented my love for vehicles from Honda. Even though my first 'lude was a bit rough around the edges, when it was out on a twisty road, everything just made sense....it may have been an old car, but it was still a sporty Honda at heart, and it was always ready to entertain. Two preludes later, I'm still an addict.

Good luck with your search if you're still looking. I stand by my previous suggestion: buy the Accord that you love, and the best one you can find/afford. Most importantly, take the time to learn everything you can about the car. Every time you maintain your vehicle, your pride of ownership will increase. Most importantly, if you maintain a car, it will always thank you when you're out on the road.

Don't be afraid to come back here and ask questions. Accords are very similar to Preludes in a lot of ways, right down to sharing some engines. We love Preludes here, but at the same time, we're happy to help keep any Honda on the road.

Post pics of what you get!

[emphaticitalic]

Well, I've bought a car, but I've made a terrible mistake.

I bought a 96 Accord VTI auto. My father showed me the advertisement. It's in impeccable condition, only has 120,000kms on it, was very well cared for and drives like a new car. At first when he told me about it I was upset and frustrated, he keeps on showing me these cars advertised that aren't what I wanted - he knew I wanted a Prelude and a manual car at that. The clincher about all this is I'm immature - I still think if my parents try to help me out and I ignore it that makes me a bad person.

I thought it was worth a look, so I decided to inspect. I don't know why I did that, I felt bad, like I was compromising my integrity. I test drove the car and I was very happy with it at the time (not much more than a week ago!), but I wasn't thinking straight and in hindsight it turned out to be an impulse buy.

I appreciate the quality of the car, but I regret buying it now. This is exactly what I knew would happen if I compromised on what I wanted. I drive the car around, and all I feel it broadcasts to me is that I'm a person who compromises and lets himself down, and that I'm not in control of my own life. I couldn't explain this to my parents, that if I get something that is anything less than what I wanted I'd do myself emotional harm. A compromise didn't satisfy me - I appreciate the car but I secretly wish I had a Prelude. Of course, an Accord is better than most everything on the road in my opinion, but it's not what I intended in the first place.

I've realized that I'm simply *can't* give up on this - I don't have let to myself down like this. This is my first car. I've realized now that I truly have my heart-set on getting a Prelude - I'll do whatever it takes. It doesn't feel like I have a choice, I simply have to go ahead and buy a Prelude and sell this Accord (or something) now.

Sure, this Accord is a great car, but desire is a very personal thing. For the rest of my life I'll remember I was going to get a Prelude and I didn't. Why?

The situation is kind of complicated. If I lived out of home I'd simply go ahead and organize to sell the Accord without much of a second thought I think (well, actually, I find it difficult to part with the car, but if I want a Prelude I have to accept that...I don't want two cars.) but my parents will resist me. It will take some courage, but I'll have to accept that too. My father respects that I'm an adult now though (20) and he won't try to stop me, although he'll be concerned I guess. Because I live at home I have to keep on reminding myself that I'm allowed to take 100% responsibility for my life.... For now I'm still looking around for 3rd gen Preludes and not worrying so much about the Accord.

Of course, I understand all this is my fault, I take the blame for my actions. I fully intend to rectify this now but my situation is difficult. I just need courage I think.

I make plenty of mistakes in life and when I do I always remind myself of the lessons I've learned. I've really learned about the power of integrity now, and I mustn't ever compromise it again - my parents might not appreciate my commitment but at the end of the day if I compromise it's a massive blow to myself and I'm left feeling unhappy.People might want different things for me but ultimately it's my life and my happiness, and if I compromise my own desires I'm the one who's stuck being unhappy.

[spiffyguido]

Don't be too hard on yourself. A lot of people make impulse car buys because a car that runs and drives well just feels so "right" to them.

Bottom line is, the end result should be to have a car that you enjoy driving and maintaining. We've all owned cars that weren't right for us, sometimes because they were the right price, or just a reliable way to get around until we could get something better. The most important thing is that you keep working towards your goal.

It sounded like you had changed your mind to go with a 3rd gen accord instead of a Prelude. What made you swing back to wanting a Prelude?

[emphaticitalic]

Everything about the Prelude - the engine, handling, suspension, steering, the shifter, the interior design - it all seems to work together in such an elegant way. The Prelude is "me" I think, just a different part of my personality, a different part I want to place more emphasis on in my life. A 3rd gen Prelude was my original intention six months ago now - I keep on changing my mind about what's the best car, but I always keep on coming back to the 3rd gen Prelude.

Things are running smoothly in regards to finding an example of this much loved car since I've decided to look again. I'm keeping my focus on what I want and kind of ignoring this part of my life which I've screwed up for now - just not worrying about it too much. For now I can accept I have a nice car to drive for the time being.

[spiffyguido]

Since it sounds like the Accord will have no trouble getting your around town in relative style for the next little while, I'd suggest using this as an opportunity to look for a really good 3rd gen that you absolutely adore. I looked for my car for nearly a year, but I'm glad I held out that long to get a really good one. You're in a position to get the exact model, color and trim that you want.