I am 17 so i dont have much money but am looking for a car that is very reliable but still looks nice and is still farily quick while remaning low on insurance. So a 92 or 93 Prelude Si 5 speed comes into mind. I basicly just need to know if i am going to have to pour alot of money into it if i where to get one which i cannot afford to do. I would also like to know what they run (0-60 and 1/4 mile).I am also looking at 95-96 maxima's but i think i can get a prelude in nice condition for much cheaper. Thanks!!

 

Honda reliability in question? How dare you!

Honda's are brutes in the reliability catagory, unmodified as well as heavily mod'ed. I wish my RX-7 would take a lesson from it, with it's horrible always-failing electronics. A 'lude would make a great first car, an would save you bundles over a maxima. So... buy it!

 

Consumer Reports most reliable sporty car from '92 through '01.
Get a Prelude. The stock Si 4th gen 5 speed should run 0-60 in like low to mid 7s and the quarter in high 15's I think.

 

Yes, but they still have some quirky issues. I would never worry about a Honda leaving you stranded but I've seem some issues with build quality.

 

Before my lude, I had a Toyota 4runner, and an Eagle Talon. The 4runner's enging blew up, and the Talon had the wrost reliability EVER. I didn't own either of those cars for more than a year, either. My 93 prelude SI, on the other hand, I have had for the better part of 2 years, and have never had a major problem with it. I have had to replace the ignition switch, but that was it. Very reliable car better looking than any civic or teg, too.

 

How much should i expect to pay for one in decent condition? 4,000? 5,000? Is there anything to really look out for as far as like a problem that mostly all older prelude's have? Yeah i was also thinking an 94 or 95 Acura integra (non GSR) but i like the looks of the Prelude better and i think its a litte faster. Also is there a Prelude only site with forums like this?

 

there use to be a good prelude only forum hondaprelude.com. but it's gone.. and there is preludeonline.com which you must pay $6 for....

the only major thing i had go wrong was that my engine fried.. LOL.. this sounds bad on my part but the crank shaft was going.. and no one could tell me what the noise i was hearing was until the engine blew up... just do regular tune ups etc... make sure you get your valves done as well... i'm doing a jdm engine swap.. i had always wanted to do the swap before the end of the year before my engine died...

otherwise before the misshap the most i ever spent was getting a new set of tires and the timing belt....

happy luding!

 

poor irene, maybe I'll let you drive Eucalyptus this weekend. SOMETIME haha

 

If the car was even half way taken care of, you'll get 175,000 miles out of the engine (total life). I really can't speak first hand as to how trouble free a Prelude is..... mine's only 2 1/2 years old with 65,000 miles and haven't seen the dealer except for tires and change coolant and gearbox fluid. I know people who've had all sorts of fluid leaks and bad head gaskets by that mileage ON DOMESTICS (had to clearify that), and I still have a clean engine block!

 

17? on an si? youre looking well over 200 a month for insurance...