Late20 Guide: Third Gen Prelude (4WS)

"Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney" (braddelaparker) 01/28/2019 at 10:00 • Filed to: late20, late20 guide, honda, prelude, 4ws, third gen

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While the first-generation Prelude was a glorified, albeit positively received, Accord, and the second-generation Prelude married a competent chassis with a gutless engine, the third-generation was the first Prelude to establish itself as a hardcore performance car which could punch seriously above its weight class.

Significantly, Honda introduced mechanical four-wheel steering (4WS) to the world with the third-generation Prelude Si. Contemporary reports such as !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ’s review of the car noted the quantitative improvements that accompanied 4WS, but raved about the increase in confidence and feedback provided by the system. Of course, R&T also ended their 1988 review with the proclomation that 4WS would become as commonplace as fuel injection and radial tires, so take that with a grain of salt.

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interstate366, now In The Industry > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney 01/28/2019 at 10:29

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They’re still fun little cars even without the 4WS, though they do tend to have weird problems that most Hondas of that era don’t. Mine has been sitting since 2016 with electrical gremlins that I can’t figure out.

Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney > interstate366, now In The Industry 01/28/2019 at 10:50

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Dude, genuinely appreciate that input. Weak points are one of the things I’m making sure to address with each entry for the book, and I hadn’t found much consistent on these cars yet. Thanks!

I will say that these are high on the list of cars I’ve completed entries for which had me immediately springing to Craigslist to look for one, these have aged really well visually. Acura Legend coupe is the other one car that I’ve done that I’m really pining for, which is actually kind of a nice grand touring counterpoint to the Prelude.

interstate366, now In The Industry > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney 01/28/2019 at 12:20

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Yeah, these have aged well visually . Lack of parts availability for when things break has been an issue for me, though. I’ve gotten very familiar with what to look for in junkyards. Power steering pumps, clock covers, and some other small things are popular. Or were a few years ago.

Nothing > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney 01/28/2019 at 12:26

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My sister had a ‘90 (or ‘91, I forget the year) Si 4WS that I drove quite a bit after my poor ‘85 CRX Si got totaled. It was a blast. It’s a shame that it was the boring beige color. If I remember correctly, these had the door mounted seatbelts, too.

She eventually traded it in on a 2 door  Ford Explorer. At least she used that for towing her toys, though.

ArmadaExpress drives a turbo outback > Nothing 01/28/2019 at 14:41

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I think the accord in the mid-90s had door mou nted seat belts, but I dont think the 3rd gen prelude did. I had a 1990 Prelude Si , and it did not have door mounted belts.

Nothing > ArmadaExpress drives a turbo outback 01/28/2019 at 15:04

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Interesting, it seems odd some would have them, and some wouldn’t. I know her Prelude did. A quick google search shows others did, too.

They weren’t the silly automatic ones, they were the type that you were ‘supposed to’ leave connected and contort yourself into the car.

ArmadaExpress drives a turbo outback > Nothing 01/30/2019 at 08:07

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What country are you located in? I’m in the U.S..

Nothing > ArmadaExpress drives a turbo outback 01/30/2019 at 10:03

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US as well.