A Skosh High: 1988 Honda Prelude Si 4WS

This next car has some sticker shock for your cheapskates in the crowd...because ten large for a 32 year old Honda seems a skosh high. But...BUT...this is a mighty clean example of the 3rd generation Prelude that is not only the desirable Si model but it is equipped with desirable options like a manual gearbox, 4-wheel-steering, and dramatic light flares in the photos...THIS is a seller who knows how bring some drama to velour seats. Find this 1988 Honda Prelude Si offered for $10,000 in Annapolis, MD via craigslist.  Tip from Vlad. 

Gas Station Beauty: 2001 Honda Prelude Type SH

The fifth (and final) generation Honda Prelude was available in the US market with a 200 horsepower 2.0 liter VTEC equipped inline-4 from 1996-2000.  Most have been turned into "race cars," grounded to the ground and covered in mismatched body panels, so finding a stock example is indeed a treat...even if that stock example has a check engine light and is photographed at a gas station. Find this 2001 Honda Prelude Type SH here on eBay currently bidding for $720 reserve-not-met with a few hours to go, located in Lincoln, NE.

One of 47: 1982 Honda Prelude

People sometimes ask me if there is a car that is too weird, too eclectic, or too crappy to be featured on the front page of Daily Turismo.  "NO", I scream with a foaming rage, "THERE IS NOTHING TOO NUTTY OR ODD TO BE POSTED ON THIS SITE."  And then the men in the white coats come and ask me to stop harassing the other inmates.  But if only they would take a spin in this sweet manual transmission equipped rag top, they would understand. Find this 1982 Honda Prelude offered for $4500 in Tucker, GA via craigslist. Tip from Matt C.

Raw Frankfurter: 1981 Honda Prelude

I'm sitting in my living room watching the high-end classics crossing the block at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale and wondering what the auction scene will look like in 20 years.  Will people still be dropping $100k into '60s Suburbans or will things like minty clean 80s Hondas be the bee's knees?  Who knows...but enjoy cheap 80s classics while you can.  Like this 1981 Honda Prelude with 45k miles on the odo offered for $4,500 in Naples, FL via craigslist.  Tip from dascpcu. 

2001 Honda Prelude

Watch out, he's got VTEC was the battle cry of the sport compact scene back in the day.  I still remember when a stock Prelude on sticky tires felt like, and was, a fast car...but probably because a 5.0 liter Ford Mustang only made 150 horsepower on a good day. Times change and the era of the front-drive sport compact is behind us, thankfully. If you happen to be some kind of nostalgia seeking sport compact lover, you can get your freak on with any number of cheap classics from the VTEC era, like this 2001 Honda Prelude offered for $3,450 in Rock Hill, SC via craigslist. This post is part of DT's 2016 Birthday Celebration of 100 cars; enjoy the ride!

Mint Condition: 1980 Honda Prelude

The first generation Honda Prelude (SN) is a pretty boring car to drive compared to the stuff available today, but back when new it was lauded by the likes of Brock Yates who once wrote in Motor Trend "by any sane measurement, a splendid automobile. The machine, like all Hondas, embodies fabrication that is, in my opinion, surpassed only by the narrowest of margins by Mercedes-Benz. It is a relatively powerful little automobile by anybody's standards." Fast forward 35 years and Mercedes-Benz is no longer a benchmark for anything other than the triumph of brand over sense, but this little Honda is an amazing time capsule.  Find this 1980 Honda Prelude offered for $6,000 in San Francisco, CA via craigslist.  Tip from Safety Fast.

Prelude To Market Dominance: 1982 Honda Prelude

The first generation Honda Prelude was one of the un-thanked foot soldiers who fought the great Japanese invasion of the American automobile market a few decades ago.  The folks who purchased them had no expectation they would be better than the Chevy Citation their neighbor purchased, but were still driving it when the guy next door had moved on through two Berettas and a Cavalier.  Find this 1982 Honda Prelude Coupe here on eBay bidding for $3,100 with 2 days to go, located in Louisville, KY.

5k: Occam's Razorback: 2000 Honda Prelude Twin Engine

The constant discussion of which is better, rear-wheel-drive or front-wheel-drive in slippery conditions is sort of ridiculous when you consider how much better all-wheel-drive can be.  Sort of like residents of San Diego and Los Angeles arguing that one eats more granola than the other when San Francisco is only a short drive north.  The problem with conventional all-wheel-drive is where to put the engine and how to distribute power when slippage occurs, so clearly the best solution for any traction issue is a twin engine car.  Sometimes the best solution isn't the most simple, but it is still the bestest.  Find this  2000 Honda Prelude Twin Engine here on eBay currently bidding for $6,100 reserve-not-met with 1 day to go, located in Brush Prairie, WA.  Tip from Rod.

8k: Factory-Backed Folly: 1981 Honda Prelude Convertible

Third-party chop jobs would make a fascinating case study. There's the affable Toyota Celica Sunchaser, the polarizing BMW 2002 Baur Targa, and the truly nonsensical AMC Eagle Sundancer. I doubt any of them were financially successful. Honda jumped in during 1978 with its then-new Prelude, and partnered with three design firms, one in California and two in Germany, to turn out a couple hundred factory-backed Solaire convertibles. This is one of 47 models built by Tropic Design in Germany, and it comes with just 16,000 miles on the odo. Find this 1981 Honda Prelude Convertible for sale in Emmett, ID for $7,500 via craigslist. 

10k: Coulda Been A Contender: 2001 Honda Prelude SH

 There was a time when front wheel drive Acura/Honda was a surprisingly close competitor to something like Ford's Mustang in terms of performance.  The 4th generation (1991-1996) was as quick as a Mustang GT to 60mph and had handling that could keep up in the curves -- despite the obvious handicap of front-wheel-drive.  The next generation Prelude was a better car in every aspect, but the competition was finally starting to figure out how to get power from 5+ liters of displacement and the little Honda faded out of existence after 2001.  Find this 2001 Honda Prelude SH offered for $8,950 in West Hollywood, CA via craigslist.  Tip from Andrey.

2k: 4 Wheel Steer: 1988 Honda Prelude 2.0 Si 4WS

In 1987 Road and Track tested Honda's new Prelude 2.0Si and found that it outperformed every other car (included Ferrari 328, Porsche 911, C4 Corvette) that year on the 700-ft slalom with a speed of 65.5 mph.  How could a front-wheel-drive Japanese sports coupe out slalom all of the the wide/sticky tire equipped competition? Simply put, it cheated.  The 2.0Si introduced the world's first active four wheel steering system (called 4WS) for any mass produced car -- and turned the little prelude into a cone killing machine by swinging the rear wheels around like a forklift.  Find this 1988 Honda Prelude Si 4WS here on eBay currently for $1,200 reserve-not-met with a few hours to go, located in Lakeport, CA. Tip from Brian.

Happy Birthday Honda: The 5 Best Used Hondas

Exactly 66 years ago on today (Sept 24th, 1948) the Honda Motor Corp was incorporated in Japan by Soichiro Honda.  Honda started out making a motorized bicycle (nicknamed the Bata Bata for its engine sound) using surplus Tohatsu 2-stroke engines from radio generators, but they soon ran out of the engines and started making their own.  It was from these humble beginnings, and only three years after multiple atomic bombs and uncountable quantities of conventional weapons had reduced the Land of the Rising Sun to shambles, that Honda in his 170 square foot workshack launched a commercial empire.  Today, we are happy to produce a short segment on the best cars to ever be born from Dreams.

5k: Front Driver: 1999 Honda Prelude

The fifth generation Honda Prelude was sold in North America between 1996-2000 with a high revving 2.0 liter VTEC equipped inline-4.  Prices dropped soon after they were released and the folks who could afford them committed all manner of atrocities in the name of sport compactedness. The likelihood of finding a stock and original Prelude is like finding a girl without a lower back tattoo at a Linkin Park concert.  Find this stock and original 1999 Honda Prelude for $5,800 in Chino, CA via craigslist.  Tip from Brian P.

10k: VTEC: 2001 Honda Prelude 5spd, Low Miles

The Honda Prelude should be considered one of the ultimate Japanese pony cars for a few reasons.  First, it cribbed the classic pony car formula: take a standard family car chassis, add dramatic long-hood coupe styling and give it more power, but keep most of the mechanical parts the same.  Second, Honda didn't have a Falcon chassis to turn into a Mustang, so they used the Accord sedan bits to build a very competent and fun pony car.  Find this 2001 Honda Prelude with only 26k miles on the odometer for sale in Scottsdale, AZ currently bidding for $8,600 reserve-not-met with one day to go.

5k: Japanese Ponycar: 1999 Honda Prelude Type SH

The fifth generation Honda Prelude was available in the US market with a 2.0 liter VTEC equipped inline-4 from 1996-2000.  Most have been turned into "street race cars," lowered to the ground and covered in mismatched body panels, so finding a stock example is indeed a treat.  Find this 1999 Honda Prelude Type SH for sale in Napa, CA for $6,200 via craigslist.  Tip from Kaibeezy.

5k: 1981 Honda Prelude 5spd; Survivor

The first generation Honda Prelude was as close as Honda ever got to building a pony car. It used Mustang the formula of: shared mechanical bits from a sedan, a larger engine and long hood short/trunk styling.  The later Preludes had sophisticated VTEC engines and 4-wheel-steering, but we like the simplicity of the lightweight early versions.  This 1981 Honda Prelude 5-spd is an all-original survivor, find it in Oregon City, OR currently bidding on ebay for $1,225 with 2 days to go.