1988-1991 Honda Prelude 4WS
About a year ago, I was searching for a car to replace my unloved 1992
Accord (AVOID), and I needed something reliable, relatively cheap, and
easy on gas. Since I've had an extremely good experience with my 1989
Accord, I set out to find a Honda product that was made in that same
time period.
Hondas of this vintage are cheap to run, reliable, and efficient, but what really makes them desirable is the fact that almost all models, from the base CRX to the larger Accord, have double-wishbone suspension.
While browsing the local classifieds, I came across a car that fulfilled all of my needs, fit within my budget, and shattered my expectations of just how good a small, older car could be.
The Prelude was a front-wheel-drive sports coupe produced by Honda from 1978 to 2001.
With every generation, it grew larger, heavier, more powerful, and more
refined. As attractive as the last-generation Prelude is, it's not what
I was shopping for. It is a bit on the heavy side, a bit too big, and a
bit out of my price range.
I've always held the third-generation Prelude
in high regard; it's rather light and small, the styling is similar to
my Accord, and some of them came with a four-wheel steering (4WS)
option. When I spotted a clean-looking example on Craigslist, equipped with the
infamous 4WS option, I jumped on it.
The third-generation Prelude looked similar to the previous
generation but received a mild restyling; the exterior got about three
inches longer and lost some of the gray plastic trim surrounding the
headlights. Another unique aspect of the third-generation Prelude is its
visibility. Thanks to very narrow, high-strength steel roof pillars,
you're able to see 326 degrees around you, which is rather
unprecedented.
On the inside, the interior is typical no-nonsense
Honda design. Everything is well laid out, easy to read, and easy to
reach. The seats are quite firm and supportive, with adjustable side
bolsters. Once you have them adjusted, you really feel like you're "in"
the seat, so you get the sense that you have plenty of grip for
high-speed cornering. Air conditioning, power windows, a moonroof,
cruise control, and power locks provide plenty of creature comforts.
The most important change from the previous generation is under the
skin--the Prelude now had double-wishbone suspension at all four corners.
What's so great about all this double-wishbone foolishness? The vast
majority of vehicles have a traditional MacPherson strut suspension
design, where the wheel is located with a single suspension arm and the
compressible strut/spring assembly. In contrast, double-wishbone
suspensions use two links to locate the wheel. This translates to a
more precise wheel position and a better-handling vehicle. A side
benefit is that, since there is no need for massive shock towers, the
hood and cowl can be lower, which increases visibility and lowers
drag. Another way Honda achieved such a low hood is by tilting the engine
toward the rear by 18 degrees. Combined with the compact suspension
design, that change helped Honda hit a coefficient of drag of .34.
Base models had a 105-horsepower twin-carb
2.0-liter SOHC engine, but the Si came with a 16-valve fuel-injected DOHC
four cylinder that makes 135 horsepower at 6,200 rpm. That isn't a whole lot by
today's standards, but then again, this car only weighs about 2600 pounds.
Straight-line performance isn't incredible, but it is very
satisfying thanks to a redline of 7,200 RPM and a visceral engine note
that is similar to a sportbike.
Although this engine is old enough
to predate Honda's VTEC technology, it has a similar "kick" at
about 3,500 RPM. That sudden burst of power is the result of a
dual-stage intake manifold; at higher RPM an additional 51-mm runner is
opened with a vacuum servo. Also contributing to the driving experience
is the shifter. It is cable operated, so the shifting is far smoother
than a traditional shift linkage, and the design of the shifter itself
places it close to the steering wheel. Combined with a short-throw
design, shifting is very fast and snappy.
The most defining aspect of this
car by far was the $1,300 four-wheel steering option, a first for a
production car. Today, many question the system's reliability, as many 4WS vehicles have had issues with leaking hydraulic
hoses, problematic electrical components, and alignment issues.
Luckily, this generation doesn't suffer from any of these problems
because the 4WS system is entirely mechanical. The steering rack has a
small output shaft that runs beneath the car to a secondary steering
rack, located between the rear wheels. It's easily identifiable; it looks like a
small differential. With nothing to leak and no connections to become
corroded, this 51-pound system will last the lifetime of the car with
virtually zero maintenance.
The mechanics are simple, but the operation is anything but. The system is steering-dependent, which means
that the rear wheels initially turn with the front wheels. This
eliminates body roll and increases stability while changing lanes well
above posted speed limits. However, if you continue to turn the
steering wheel, the rear wheels revert back to nuetral, and then turn
in the opposite direction of the front wheels. This drastically improves
the car's maneuverability in sharp corners, regardless of speed.
Imagine your rear wheels coated with butter, and the rear of your car
slipping outward in a controlled fashion. Nothing is actually slipping
at all, but it's a very strange sensation when you aren't used to it.
Combining the elements of relatively low weight, decent power, amazing
suspension, and four-wheel steering, the third-generation Honda Prelude
was a world-beater in the handling department. Road & Track
tested it in 1988, and the Prelude flew through the 700-foot slalom at
65.5 mph--faster than any other production car available. Even today,
that time is still very respectable, faster than
the Mazda RX8, the Acura NSX, the Lotus Esprit, the C5 Corvette, and
even the Dodge Viper GTS. The scariest thing is this was all achieved on the
stock 195/60/R14 Michelins.
I knew the handling on this car was going
to be pretty incredible when I bought it, but once I got used to the
odd sliding sensation of the rear wheels I was absolutely blown away.
After a few weeks of throwing it around right-angle corners at 40 mph, I did
what any logical enthusiast would do--added more grip. I had a set of
15-inch alloys from a 1994 Acura Integra GS-R laying around, so I had them
wrapped in Dunlop Direzza tires with an AA traction rating. The car's
handling abilities went from fantastic to completely, totally
insane. Now I'm not sure where the limit of grip is, but it lies far
beyond the limits of my bravery.
After owning this car for roughly a year, I'm very satisfied with it.
It drinks fuel at a respectable 27-33 mpg, and it's very reliable,
comfortable, and cheap to maintain. Like anything else, it does have a
few downsides. For one, the rear seat is just for show. I cannot
imagine any use for it, other than maybe a possibly a child seat--rear legroom
does not exist. The Si was designed for performance, so fifth gear
is not very steep and highway trips become relatively annoying. I have
read that some people have swapped in the fifth gear from an Accord
transmission, but that sounds complicated enough that I'll wait until I have a real garage. The sound system was also extremely
disappointing. I quickly remedied that with a Sony MP3 CD player and a new set of cheap 6.5-inch speakers.
By far the biggest
downside to owning a car like this is getting stuck in traffic or
driving on straight roads. Here in southeastern Wisconsin, we lack
entertaining roads; most are straight, flat, and boring,
which fails to take advantage of this vehicle's amazing capabilities. One other
thing to consider is that the age of this car places it firmly in the
deepest valley of depreciation, so in the years to come, it will only
start to appreciate. In the past year, even though we've put over
15,000 miles on it, the Blue Book value hasn't moved at all.
Overall, the car is absolutely fantastic. These models are getting harder to find in decent condition, but if you keep your eyes
open you'll start running across quite a few. If you find a clean
example, go for it. You'll be rewarded with a vehicle that's on the
brink of becoming a collector car, has established itself as an
extremely reliable form of transportation, and, in my opinion, is one of
the best performance bargains available today.
The yellow '89 Si is mine, and I found the photos of Uklude's beautiful 91 Si on Flikr. The engine shot is from racinghonda.com. Below I've attached two videos. The first one shows the 4ws system in action, the second should give you an idea of how well this thing handles.
--Rob the SVX Guy
PS: Be gentle, it's my first post. :P
randy in utah on August 27, 2008 at 08:30 PM
I do agree the 88 though 91 Hondas are reliable BUT after that Honda stunk up the place. I am so glad I went with my Mazda Mx6 turbo 3 way computer controlled suspension 4ws was an option but mine had ABS so it lacked the 4ws I did test drive one it was good but I prefered the kick butt ABS (same system as the RX7.) In the year 2000 I sold the 2 door and went to the Mazda 626 turbo 5 door touring sedan have had it for 8 years and love it. Its been very reliable 248,000 I have only replaced a cv joint starter, turbo (at 242k) and alternator. Most of all love the look very euro. now I have 2 bwah ha ha.
Tyson on September 03, 2008 at 09:54 PM
Very nice. Those YouTube videos are mine :). I sold that red 4WS earlier this year... LOVED that car. Recently picked up a Barbados Yellow '89 Si 4WS 5-speed just like the one you've pictured there. Had big intentions for it but I've got two other cars at the moment (Acura Legends) and can't justify so many cars around the house. Going to let this one go in hopes of finding another clean G3 Lude in the near future. I've owned 4 and I'm positive I've not seen my last. Great write-up.
John on September 06, 2008 at 10:39 AM
Excellent article.
I lived abroad for 14 years, and a week never went by without wanting to hop into my old '88 Si and blast through a windy road. Had to give it up before I left the country.
(sigh)
But, now that I'm back for a bit...
Ken on September 19, 2008 at 10:32 AM
My issue with your article has nothing to do with the car or it's discription. I couldn't let the comment about SE Wisconsin not providing roads capable of testing this vehicle go by without exception. I'm sure the southern Kettle Moraine area can supply all twists and elevation changes you need. The Holy Hill area has many sections which boast 15mph hair pins. If your not familiar with these areas no problem, just ask the next guy you meet with a sport bike.
on September 19, 2008 at 12:47 PM
See http://www.preludepower.com
Krustof on October 13, 2008 at 04:59 AM
Great article.
i also just bought an 89 prelude. i agree its a great car but there is no room in the back ( even my dog is squashed there ) im waiting to get my licence back so i can take it out and truly test its abilities. also i was thinking of getting a body kit for it what does everyone think of them on the 89 preludes ??
David on October 13, 2008 at 11:51 AM
In the 80's some kind of perfect storm at Honda caused the creation of the third generation Prelude. This car is just right in every way. It looks good, drives good, handles good, and the drivers seat is just a good place to be.
Most drivers don't know what they are missing.
Those of you who own or plan on buying one of these cars should check out my website: http://www.Prelude3g.com
It's a pretty large collection of information on 3G Preludes. The "Common Problems" section is especially useful for new owners to learn how to fix problems that the 3G Prelude commonly develops after 20 years of use.
donna holder on October 25, 2008 at 03:02 PM
hi we got an 88 honda prelude with a full body demon kit, shaved doors, fenders and all.(down side no door handles and popper doesnt work)on the first of sept.08,I found it on craigslist on the barter section, we got the car for a riding mower and a push mower and a weed eater. the car was running hot, the man wasnt sure why. we drove her home my husband pulled out the thermostat and we drove her for the first few weeks without one. she is a wonderful car gets about 30 mpg, which is absolutely wonderful(we were drivin a truck)shes been modified some to run faster and she handles beautifully, unfortunately no 4ws i cant imagine how much fun that would be. we live in tennesse so we have a lot of roads to appreciate the handling of this wonderful car. the only down side i see is its a 4 seater but in a way this is an upside too cause you cant take nobody with you that might complain about your speed lol. take care donna
Rob the SVX guy on October 28, 2008 at 10:04 AM
Bodykits are lame sauce.
K.J. Bleus on December 02, 2008 at 07:15 PM
Nice write-up on the '89 Prelude SI 4WS.......
Anyone interested in grabbing one of these beauties? I've got a golden beige original stored away, that I may decide to sell during spring of 2009.
Regards,
K.J. Bleus
Madison, Wisc USA
kjbleus@lycos.com
http://www.angelfire.com/wi/blueswapper/89prelude4ws.html
http://www.angelfire.com/wi/blueswapper/bleusnsx2006.html
Hagabard on December 05, 2008 at 04:08 PM
I've wanted a 3rd gen with 4ws for over a decade. (I owned an '85 2nd gen in the 90s - got wrecked then repoed, ahh youth) This past April/May I saw a '91 Si 4ws on craigslist with plenty of "Honda rust" and almost bought it without driving it.
For the record, it's been our primary family vehicle since (Two boys, 9yo and 4yo with booster seat) and while it is quite tight (I'm over 6ft so the seat is fairly far back, but it goes so far back so even tall people can enjoy this car) it still works for us. My awesome wife sighed a little bit, but she loves to drive it too. (She hates being the cup holder tho...)
As for the complaint of 5th gear, it seems crazy that running at 4000+ RPM would net good gas mileage, but it really does well. The engine and transmission are designed to run that way, and the power band of the engine makes it very efficient to run at higher RPMs. It has a nice drag coefficient (.34 I believe, I'm sure that's with the pop-ups down) so higher speeds aren't totally sucking your gas. Besides, being able to pass people like you are down shifting without down shifting, well, it just rules. Drive one.
Note on the automatic transmission: It's surprisingly non-sucky, but I have the 5spd, so my personal experience is limited to my Aunt's, which I did not personally drive.
The insanely low bonnet line and almost complete lack of blind spots means you can see everywhere. Front, back, sides, around... sit in the driver seat, or even the passenger seat and you will understand. I get in other cars, and I feel like I can't see anything.
Also, another thing about the car that I like is the properly sized copper radiator - you can disperse ALL the heat the engine is capable of generating at load, unlike almost every car that has come out since. Run it all you want!
Re: Demon Kit - Please don't do this to this car. Unless of course, you WANT to be called a ricer... I don't.
But OMG, the 4ws is so indescribably awesome. Good news if you have one without, which means find the cleanest, newest 3rd gen you can, because you can add 4ws to it. There is an online how-to on MustardCat's site, and is far from the most expensive mod you can do, and by far the best one IMO. (Or be like me and just buy one with it.) I suppose swapping in the newer VTEC H22 is nice too, but I like my B21a and at 200k I have not had the trouble with oil burning that others have reported. Maybe I have misidentified my engine, or I'm just really lucky.
I love my car. Nice write up. Lude lust, I have it. Be sure to stop by preludepower.com forums - probably the best there is for 3rd gen lovers. Also prelude3g.com is a must (run by MustardCat, a PP member) for any 3rd gen owner. See the tune up/just bought link before or just after you buy one. The shop manual is available online for free too, which has made my repairs a breeze so far. Replacement OEM parts are still available too, which is a big plus.
If I had it to do over again, I'd still buy this car. I may get another one with a better body and keep this one for the Minnesota winter months. Go for lust with no rust! If nothing else, drive one with 4ws. If you don't break out the checkbook, you must not have any money in your account. I will cry my eyes dry if mine gets wrecked, and NO, I won't sell it to you!
Justin on January 10, 2009 at 09:40 AM
Excellent write up, you nailed everything I felt when I bought my first 89 Si Auto back in 97. Since then, I've bought, found, or collected 7 more of these cars.
The four wheel steering option is amazing, and so easily retro-fitted, i'll buy a beater just for those five parts (eight...if you count the emblems).
The only real drawback to this car is its terrible engine setup. The minds that gave us this incredible chassis gave us the VTEC revolution...two years too late. And, unlike most other hondas from 1990 up, this powerplant shares little with the other D, B, H, or F motors that are so popular in the aftermarket now.
Thanks to people who loved this chassis, however, the third gen lude is seeing a comeback. One group has developed mounts and axles to install the later Prelude motors (H22s and H23s) and transmission into the chassis, and another group has found that all the F and H motors (90-02 Accords, 92 and up Preludes) will bolt up to the stock transmission with a little massaging.
The cars are still out there, but they are getting harder to find. I bought my 200,000 mile 91 Si last summer for $1600..and it was worth every penny.
K.J. Bleus on February 20, 2009 at 03:38 PM
Nice write-up on the 3rd gen Honda Prelude 4WS. I've got an '89 4WS also, bought it special order at Honda City in Glen Burnie, Maryland during October 1988. Still running strong, looking decent too. Stored away winters, I have put approx 500 mile per non-winter season for the last five years. Have a glimpse of that at:
http://www.angelfire.com/wi/blueswapper/89prelude4ws.html
Most memorable experience was agressively taking to the driftless area hills and valleys back during the mid 1990's here in Wisconsin, and outpacing a Porsche 944 for a ten mile stretch of newly asphalted counry roads. Those were the days.....
Regards,
K.J. Bleus
Madison, WI USA
kjbleus@lycos.com
K.J. Bleus on February 20, 2009 at 03:57 PM
Howdy Rob,
We should meet up and compare 'lude stories some time. I'm In Madison, Wisconsin
http://www.angelfire.com/wi/blueswapper/89prelude4ws.html
You can email me directly.....
Regards,
K.J. Bleus
kjbleus@lycos.com
Lloyd on February 28, 2009 at 09:37 PM
These tough economic time have hit me and unfortunatly I'm forced into selling mine,
After reading this article it has made the sale of this car a miserable commitment. When gas prices went up I searched for a cheap and economical car. I found a black 91 Si 5 spd, only it needed work, still ran but needed work none the less. I didnt care, I know what these cars are all about and bought it. Unfortunatly the previous owner took it to Germany, this took its toll on it. My plan was to sell it later, but as time went on I changed my mind. My thought was, no matter what, I will keep this and completly rebuild it, frankly it would have been cheaper to do that than buy a new sports car, plus there is nothing in the world like the 3rd Gen Prelude, especially when you add a few mods to it.
I hope the next owner will have the reverence that I have for it.
I will find another one no matter how long I have to search.
Anthony CB7Tuner on March 04, 2009 at 03:02 AM
Any idea if I could fit those front seats out of a 1991 Honda Prelude S into a 1993 Honda Accord LX Sedan? Looked everywhere but I guess noone has tryed it. Please let me know I want to make that swap, love the seats the 91 Lude has.
Anthony CB7Tuner on March 04, 2009 at 03:02 AM
Any idea if I could fit those front seats out of a 1991 Honda Prelude S into a 1993 Honda Accord LX Sedan? Looked everywhere but I guess noone has tryed it. Please let me know I want to make that swap, love the seats the 91 Lude has.
Frank Martin on March 17, 2009 at 05:17 PM
Just bought my first Prelude an 88 2.0Si 4ws
having owned every type of japanese sporty car Lowered Datsun 510s
Weber powered 240z 280 & 300 zx's Rx3(sleeper of all time)
German 2 seater 914 British MG Midget Camaro Sleds Gto Chevelle Muscle even a 1970 440 6pack Charger 140mph full floating torsion bar excitement......nothing prepared me for how tight the prelude hits high speed corners on Californa Hwy 1 ..... could use bigger brakes as braking faded slightly but never turned to fear THe car dares me to push into corners faster .....However if in the 25 years since i wrapped a camaro around a telephone pole and walked away has taught me anything ....its that i'd rather drive away so .....never push anycar past my limits ...
this car seems to ask me to push its limits every time i drive her
.....Midlife Red sports car crisis ???? me ??? who'd a' thought!!
Jon Godfrey on March 18, 2009 at 03:45 PM
Hello all. My name's Jon, I’m in the UK and I've broken my Prelude cherry!
I recently acquired a 1991 4WS 2.0-16 SE Auto. It's a BA7, according to the chassis plate.
The car is wonderful to drive. I like the steering very much; it's a genuine pleasure to manipulate the wheel on a fast, twisty road. And there are lots of roads like that here in the west of England!
I would prefer to have a manual gearbox but I wasn't going to turn down the opportunity to have this car just because it was an auto. But what a pleasure a slick-shifting Honda gearbox would have been…
Of course, being as old as it is, my Prelude requires attention here and there. The only thing that does concern me is an occasional vibration that can be felt throughout the car; weirdly, this symptom goes away immediately if one adjusts their speed.
This car is impressively solid for its age and I mean that in more ways than one; regular maintenance is largely responsible for this but in general, the BA-series Prelude feels well-built and solidly engineered. The car feels tough, ready to take on another 100,000 miles.
I must admit, if I had money to burn, I would consider replacing my BA7 with a manual Prelude - any model, as long as it has 4WS - or perhaps I could have a manual gearbox retrofitted to my current one. And I would have to augment the Prelude with a Bristol of some kind; yes, I've been paying attention to the late, great LJK Setright!
Thank you to Rob for your excellent article and giving us Prelude owners a space on the internet to share our enthusiasm.
Frank on March 22, 2009 at 09:10 AM
Decided to start a "sporty" car project...my midlife red sports car crisis...I wanted to buy something cool and make all the right modifications to have a unique hobby...
my first choice was a datsun 510 like i had when i was a kid (25yrs ago) Lowered SwayBars Rollbar Seats 125Hp RiceRocket...
I didnt want to spend a lot to start....
the 510's i was finding on craigslist were around 3-6000 bucks...
then i started to remember all the "sporty" cars since then..
all the supras, zx's and rx7's all seemed like they had seen better days...
then one day searching craigslist i found this 88 prelude for $400 needed a head gasket...i thought that was too cheap must be more wrong with it...172k mi and it's RED!! OK the short story is...Everything that is said about these cars is true!!! i am truly impressed....at first i had plans to do lots of mods to make it even cooler but, other than a header and maybe
tires & wheels ...this car is great !! Thanks for all i read here and other forums to help me make up my mind
I thought only 510's could handle like a go kart...4ws is cool!
Frank Martin on May 23, 2009 at 05:22 PM
I just finished repairing the head gasket on an 88 si 4ws i found on craigslist for $480 I bought a 91 with front end damage for spare parts$100...between the 2 i've restored a beautiful example for under $2000...i plan on making some high performance modifications. This car blows me away how nimble it is. Thanks to the HONDA engineers, who designed this amazing car.... and thank you ...
your description is perfect.. THANKS
Zac Clemens on May 31, 2009 at 05:35 AM
i own a 90 prelude si 4WS. its the origional red and has been nearly totaled by previous owners.all repaired now, ive put 178000 miles on it and it only has two problems, when you hit the gas...nothing happens but then it jump up to high rpms and the seatbelt catch when you break doesnt work so the fasten seatbelt light and chime go on constantly. other than that i love this car.
Justin on June 27, 2009 at 07:41 PM
I don't know if anyone's mentioned this, but Car and Driver or something similar ran this car against a Ferrari, a Porsche, a Corvette and something else on a downhill. The 4WS won. That's why everyone owned one. It's handling is legendary. By far the funnest car I've ever owned. Too bad I broke it bad.
Steve Jernigan on August 07, 2009 at 03:42 PM
I have an 89 4ws 2.0 si has 278,000 miles the water pump seized, and broke the timing belt. I dont think it hurt the motor. It was still running strong, and getting about 35 mpg. I cant afford the repairs so I decided to retire it. If anyone is interested in taking it off my hands for a good price let me know. I'll even part it out.
Drew on August 09, 2009 at 08:24 AM
I agree with you about this being an amazing and low maintenane car. I've owned my '89 Prelude Si 4WS for about 6 years now and I absolutely love it. It's only had 2 owners prior to me and they took excellent care of it. I'm currently in south-central Missouri where the terrain is hilly and windy. I love driving this car around all the sharp turns. The features of this car are amazing too for its time. Power everything with a moonroof and cruise control. Some people may give me a hard time for having a 20 year old car, but it looks better and has far better features than a lot of todays cars I've seen. Great post!