Used 1994 Honda Prelude Consumer Reviews
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It just won't quit!
I bought my Prelude new off the lot with 59 miles on the odo at $18K. 16 years later it's still going! Only Honda dealers performed maintenance on the car for the first 10 years or so, and I used premium fuel at least once a month. I'm a stickler for getting the oil and air filters changed around 5000 miles, but usually sooner since I reached 300,000 miles late last year. :-) The car is still a dream to drive after only one timing belt change and 3 clutches. It's nice to be able breeze down the highway at 80+ MPH and she feels like she did back in '95. Only downside is the rust above my rear wheels. :-) Other than, I've certainly received my money's worth 3 times over.
honda prelude (1994)
one of the best cars i've owned in terms of longevity, reliabilty, and looks.
Decent Value
I may have overpaid a bit for a mint, garage kept Si, but I definitely feel it was worth it. Even with the mileage in the 150k range, the maintenance for me has been minimal. For my daily vehicle, the power is adequate for passing and accelerating out of sight from annoying drivers. The handling is excellent. Car is light and easily maneuverable. MPG (with 10% ethanol fuel) have been from 26 with "spirited driving" to > 30 when gas was $4.50/gal and I was trying to drive efficiently.
Good advice from original owner of '94
And my advice to other '94 Prelude owners is to never give up this car. My advice to potential buyers is if you are lucky enough to find a Prelude for sale, buy it, fast, and on the first contact. I am looking at purchasing a Honda Element, but I am keeping my Prelude, currently with only 60K miles. This sounds low, but almost all miles are city driving instead of highway driving. Needless to say, I don't drive much except to and from work and a few errands weekly. My Prelude has let me down only once, and the mechanics warned me of the potential problem, before it happened. I repaired the car quickly.
A Good Car, But Very Overpriced
I wrote a review on this car over 2 years ago; since that time I have put 55k on it, and, granted I drive it very hard, the car is showing its age. Honestly, this car is good, but Euro cars (BMW) can walk circles around it in terms of comfort and performance, and, sadly for the Prelude, cost about the same. The adage of Hondas being cheaper to repair than other brands is a myth, in the last year I have put in an A/C Compressor ($1050), and a clutch ($1000) parts are obscenely expensive, and the car is nearly impossible to work on. This car is a fun, and it handles awesome, but is too expensive and uncomfortable, especially with a 3-series available for the same money.