Oppo, opinions needed!

"Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder" (pabuuu4) 01/12/2014 at 17:50 • Filed to: advice, mercedes, honda

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Looking at 2 cars,

Mercedes 190e 2.0 (1987) vs Honda Prelude 1.8 (1985)

Both look great on the photo's, Mercedes has 253.xxx km, Honda only 122.xxx km.

Both are at a dealership.

I think honda would be more difficult to find parts for, the Mercedes not (I live in Europe)

Both manual.

Mercedes is RWD, Honda FWD.

Edit: Forgot the prices. Merc is 1.249 euro, Honda is 1.199 euro.

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Opinions?

190e30-Now with COSWORTH > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder 01/12/2014 at 17:51

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Prelude. IMO, its just cooler. Great handling from what I've heard too, and if you find a clean one, its a pretty car.

Edit: saw the pictures, I'd still definitely say the Prelude.

Sparf > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder 01/12/2014 at 17:53

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The Prelude sounds better based on mileage alone. It's older than my Celica but still has less miles, and Hondas are pretty reliable things most of the time.

Grindintosecond > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder 01/12/2014 at 17:55

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If that Prelude has the 4ws it is the as fast or faster through a slalom than even a Porshce was of the day.

desertdog5051 > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder 01/12/2014 at 17:56

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From a "want" standpoint, I would rather have the Merc. But, the mileage difference is great so I would probably take the Honda (I really said that?)

What is the cost difference?

davedave1111 > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder 01/12/2014 at 17:57

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Prelude all the way, for me. Don't think you'll have trouble finding Honda parts.

As far as handling goes, the 190 may be RWD but it's still very dull to drive. The Prelude's supposed to be better for spirited driving, but I've never had a go in one.

Both should be plenty reliable, if they're in decent nick, but I'd expect the Merc will be well on to the worn-out stage by that mileage. The Honda's just getting started.

stuttgartobsessed > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder 01/12/2014 at 17:58

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I say Merc. I love those wheels (assuming that those are photos of the actual cars you would be purchasing) and parts availability would be fairly easy in Europe. Plus it has more class IMO and RWD FTW.

Aaron James > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder 01/12/2014 at 17:59

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I'd get the Honda, Most likely if you take care of it, you won't need any hard to find parts.

MountainCommand > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder 01/12/2014 at 17:59

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My completely unbiased recommendation is the prelude.... But if you want an older prelude, get a 3rd gen, 87-91. You gain a little bit extra availability in parts sourcing and aftermarket. Plus that 4ws! and the ability to swap in an h22

But it all depends on how much your want that rwd awesomeness....

Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder > desertdog5051 01/12/2014 at 18:00

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I added prices and the ad.

awe46m3zcp > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder 01/12/2014 at 18:02

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I would have to choose the prelude. Less miles, easier to work on and probably faster.

awe46m3zcp > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder 01/12/2014 at 18:03

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I would have to choose the prelude. Less miles, easier to work on and probably faster.

Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder > stuttgartobsessed 01/12/2014 at 18:04

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I put the actual pics of the car in now, and it looks like the Merc has those rims.

Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder > MountainCommand 01/12/2014 at 18:05

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87 is the limit, because of oldtimer rules cars under that age, 87 or older, are way cheaper. I don't know how much I want RWD because it is going to be my first car..

Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder > davedave1111 01/12/2014 at 18:08

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The Merc doesn't looks really worn out, (I've added the ad, go look) but it is hard to choose.

MountainCommand > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder 01/12/2014 at 18:11

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Hmmmm well if you can come across an 87, id say go for that. For a first car, its a tossup. The prelude will give you a great experience with fwd no doubt. But on the other hand, you will at some point during ownership wish you had gotten a rwd car. Because i own a prelude and am now looking for a silly fun rwd beater car.

Why no e30's? Should be a decent choice since youre in europe.

davedave1111 > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder 01/12/2014 at 18:15

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It's not the kind of thing you can see in pictures, generally. Have you test-driven it? No play in the steering, or anything like that?

Having seen the two ads, I'm even more firmly in the Prelude camp now. But saying that, get whichever you want to drive around in more, because that's all that really matters. No point buying the Prelude if every time you walk up to it you think 'I wish I'd bought the Merc'. On the other hand even if the Merc disappoints handling-wise, you can say to yourself that it's a price you're willing to pay for driving it, if it's the one you really want.

desertdog5051 > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder 01/12/2014 at 18:17

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I would still say the Honda. (spit, cough, spit).

Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder > MountainCommand 01/12/2014 at 18:19

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My father doesn't think BMWs are that great with reliability, he just doesn't like them. I don't know why. But, the price of the car will be shared between him and me, so he has a say in this.

e30's look fun to me, they are not that cheap, they are getting more and more expensive, and cheap ones are mostly riced and hooned to hell.

stuttgartobsessed > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder 01/12/2014 at 18:20

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Very nice. I think the Merc has a much more beautiful color as well! Are they both the same price?

MountainCommand > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder 01/12/2014 at 18:23

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Gotcha, well, the prelude was hondas flagship model back in the day, so you will be able to have fun in it without breaking the bank. So long as you can live with fwd. Plus im pretty sure you got a decent prelude following across europe, so you will have lots of people to reach out to if you need help.

And if he thinks bmw's (e30's specifically) are unreliable, why in the world would he okay a mercedes!

Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder > stuttgartobsessed 01/12/2014 at 18:28

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Merc is 1249 euro, Honda is 1.199 euro.

naallday > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder 01/12/2014 at 19:17

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The honda hands down. Parts are easier to find than you think. Also it's not going to cost you a lot to keep going. The littlest things can cause the biggest problems for Mercedes. (I work at a euro car dealership. I see a lot )

naallday > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder 01/12/2014 at 19:19

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The honda hands down. Parts are easier to find than you think. Also it's not going to cost you a lot to keep going. The littlest things can cause the biggest problems for Mercedes. (I work at a euro car dealership. I see a lot )

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder 01/12/2014 at 19:26

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my brother had a Prelude just like that that he nearly died in. He crashed on the highway (swerved to dodge a kangaroo), hit the soft shoulder at an angle, flipped once and hit several small trees. The engine came through the firewall and was sitting in the passenger foot-well.

He still hit the kangaroo anyway. just with the rear of the car instead :/

He shattered his femur and would have lost an eye if he wasn't lucky.

On that memory alone I'd recommend the Merc for it's more modern safety measures. Even though it's a heavily biased opinion.

JasonStern911 > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder 01/12/2014 at 19:33

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Since you said it's your first car and you don't really care about rear-wheel drive, go with the Honda. Even if parts are harder to find, you won't need them nearly as frequently. And with half the miles, you have half the wear.

Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder > naallday 01/13/2014 at 02:35

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But I live in Europe, the 190 was/ is a popular car.

I saw that type Prelude for the first time ever a week back.

I heard the Merc 190e is a really reliable car?

naallday > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder 01/13/2014 at 09:42

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Well if you already know you want the merc. Then why ask us??

Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder > naallday 01/13/2014 at 10:10

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I have not decided , I'm just asking for advice from you guys.

I think the honda is great. maybe better.

naallday > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder 01/13/2014 at 11:33

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I just think from a cost standpoint the honda will be more cost efficient. But if you wanna merc because of the brand name then that's all up to you.