[WhozeJohnGalt]

haha. So, I'm not sure I told you people but I inherited this car over Xmas:



It's a 1992 Accord LX, automatic, sunroof, cd player, bla bla bla. This was the car I learned to drive on back in 1996, the first car I took up to 117mph, and a lot of other memories. However, it's going bye bye. Why? It is the single most awfully designed car I've ever worked on. I spent 6 hours putting on ONE new rotor and some brake pads on ONE side, at the rear of the car. The other side, I could not get, so I gave up and took it to a shop. Why? In order to change the brakes, you need to disassemble part of the rear suspension to get to the caliper bracket. After that ordeal, I needed to do the front brakes. Believe it or not, they're EVEN WORSE. You need ot disassemble the front suspension, use a puller, use a press, all sorts of super fun things JUST TO REMOVE THE ROTOR. Jesus H Christ. It's some stupid idea called "Bearing over hub" technology, that is prevelent in 4th and 5th gen accords.

Anyway... this was my mom's car for a while, then my sister's. NEither took care of it. It's missing a doorlock, the sunroof leaks, the front bumper is uneven, there's loads of rust, the exhaust is shot, etc etc etc. All little things, that when added up, totally suck. So I'm selling it. So long. Asta lavista.

The replacement? Another 89 Honda product, since we're so happy with our 89 Accord LX (currently 257k miles, runs great, looks great), but this time, a prelude. It's the Si model, AND the one with 4 wheel steering. When car and driver tested it, it outhandled every other car they tested that year, including all the ferraris, porsches, lamborghinis, etc. It's fuel injected, delivers upwards of 34mpg, has ice-cold A/C, a moonroof, and has only 144,000 miles. The best part is, apart from a few sunday drives, it's been stored inside a heated garage on jackstands for the past SEVEN YEARS. I can't wait. This will become Kristin's main car, and I'll be rocking the 89 accord, which is more appropriate around town. Only one issue about this new one.... it's... eh... yellow.

Here's a preliminary pic, more pix once I pick it up in a few hours!

[euchomai]

I was wondering why a new guy was filling us in on his car experiences. Then you mentioned kristen and I realized it was you ca$h. Welcome back, again and again and again!

Congratz on the car, looks good, especially for how old it is. I've always thought of getting an old prelude, they really are sharp.

[residentEvil]

you can't go wrong with a car that has pop-up headlights. hmmm....

[IceEnclosure]

Originally Posted by WhozeJohnGalt 

It's fuel injected, delivers upwards of 34mpg

WHOOPS, you're such an optimist rob. Surely you meant 24?

Gas Mileage of 1989 Honda Prelude

1989 Honda Prelude:

Fuel Type
Regular

MPG (city)
18

MPG (highway)
24

MPG (combined)
20

[imitchellg5]

I've always liked those, we had a blue '89 for a while. Good car, although it was just as much as a pain to work on as the Accord (actually worse my dad says).

[sek929]

My g/f had an 89 Si...fast car.

[abe]

Ariel Atom



This Ariel Atom is the first of its kind built in the United States—and Jay’s lucky enough to own it. This rocket clocks 0-60 in a blazing 2.8 seconds. Enough said. Actually, the speed and torque of this 300hp 2.O Litre Chevy Ecotec engine is helped by the fact that it has no doors, windows or even a windshield. It consists of all the building blocks you need to go fast: a chassis, an engine and some brakes. That’s it. Okay and some nice leather seats.
No doors, no windows, just the need for speed.

This distincitve sports car was originally made by the Ariel Motor Company based in Somerset, England. A couple of engines are now available; a supercharged Honda Civic Type-R K20 engine and the Supercharged Ecotec, both of which can reach speeds rivaling pricier rides. Jay says the Honda is a bit more unbalanced between the two. That’s why he likes with the Ecotec.

Although the top speed of approximately 140-150 mph is relatively modest compared to the exotics, the high power-to-weight ratio (approximately 500 bhp/ton) provides ample acceleration and handling through tight spots, as there is so little weight to throw the car out of the turn.

Brammo Motorsports of Ashland, Oregon has signed a deal with Ariel Ltd to manufacture the Atom in the USA. It is available with the supercharged GM Ecotec engine introduced in 2004 on the Saturn ION Red Line and also used in the Cobalt SS.

While the Ariel will certainly draw looks, it might also help you to lose your hearing. The engine is probably louder than a speeding locomotive. So wear a helmet and some ear plugs.

Jay Leno's Garage

Jay Leno's Garage

[IceEnclosure]

Originally Posted by abe 

Jay Leno's Garage

Jay Leno's Garage

abe: who cares? (point being the OP surely knows about the Ariel Atom, as do quite a few of the rest of us. what was the point?)

[OldManMac]

Originally Posted by IceEnclosure 

abe: who cares? (point being the OP surely knows about the Ariel Atom, as do quite a few of the rest of us. what was the point?)

The point was: look at me, me, me!

[WhozeJohnGalt]

Originally Posted by IceEnclosure 

WHOOPS, you're such an optimist rob. Surely you meant 24?

No, I mean 34. It's a small car with a pretty good coef of drag, with a 2 liter engine that's fuel injected. The bigger, heavier 89 accord we have has a carb, and it gets 30mpg, so this should eclipse it.

[WhozeJohnGalt]

ANYWAY, I bought it! Paint is glossy, suspension is amazingly tight, interior is almost perfect (the part that flips over the clock set buttons is missing), exhaust is new, tires are new, springs are new, shocks are new, balljoints are new, it's simply a VERY VERY VERY VERY clean car. It even has some new paint, because somebody backed into the fender and door, but whatever, whoever fixed it did a wonderful job. Anyway, the 4 wheel steering is a riot. I've never had a car that handles this well actually, it EASILY outhandles my SVX. Easily. In terms of speed.... I'm not sure... they might actually be quite similar. It definitely feels fast, and the shifter is nice and crisp. Anyway... cash talks, and I scored the whole thing for ... eh... a paltry $1600.

What a fantastic bargain.

Main things wrong with it: The side view mirror, driver's side, jiggles at highway speeds. Not sure why. And the stereo totally stinks. Whatever. This car is awesome. I'll post pics tonight.

[Doofy]

So, where's this car which out-handles Porsche and Ferraris?
Because I'm not seeing any in this thread.

[abe]

Originally Posted by IceEnclosure 

abe: who cares? (point being the OP surely knows about the Ariel Atom, as do quite a few of the rest of us. what was the point?)

Originally Posted by OldManMac 

The point was: look at me, me, me!

Actually, as far as the original poster was concerned I wanted to bring this car to his attention if he didn't know about it. Just being congenial. And as you gain experience you find it's better to do it and if it's not necessary, no harm done. But the downside of assuming that someone already knows something is greater. Maybe some of you can attest to this.

As for some people (not speaking of the OP) I believe it's the village's responsibility to help educate them and in doing so it helps to presume they know nothing.

Everyone else here understood my being helpful and pleasant to the OP but you didn't. Are you two saying you are among the group of people I should presume know nothing? If so, I can certainly understand why you'd so assert and I can accommodate you.

[imitchellg5]

Originally Posted by WhozeJohnGalt 

ca$h talks

[OldManMac]

Originally Posted by abe 

Actually, as far as the original poster was concerned I wanted to bring this car to his attention if he didn't know about it. Just being congenial. And as you gain experience you find it's better to do it and if it's not necessary, no harm done. But the downside of assuming that someone already knows something is greater. Maybe some of you can attest to this.

As for some people (not speaking of the OP) I believe it's the village's responsibility to help educate them and in doing so it helps to presume they know nothing.

Everyone else here understood my being helpful and pleasant to the OP but you didn't. Are you two saying you are among the group of people I should presume know nothing? If so, I can certainly understand why you'd so assert and I can accommodate you.

You must work for the government at a very high level. You can find a way to spin bullshit like very few I've ever seen.

[Uncle Skeleton]

But you never said the punch line: is it easier to replace the brakes?

[Rumor]

An 89 Honda can easily out handle a Porche, if the Porche has no wheels.

[abe]

Originally Posted by OldManMac 

You must work for the government at a very high level. You can find a way to spin bullshit like very few I've ever seen.

Yes, I take the bullshit others throw my way and I spin it back at them.

[strictlyplaid]

Originally Posted by Uncle Skeleton 

But you never said the punch line: is it easier to replace the brakes?

If it's anything like the '91 Prelude, which I owned, yes. I did my own brake jobs and they were fairly straightforward. However, this one has 4 wheel steering... so it might be more complicated.

I really loved my '91 Prelude, though I don't think I'd compare it to a Porsche. Definitely easy on gas and on the eyes, though. It's too bad Honda stopped making 'em.

[Love4WS]

Originally Posted by imitchellg5 

I've always liked those, we had a blue '89 for a while. Good car, although it was just as much as a pain to work on as the Accord (actually worse my dad says).

Nope. It's the same type of chassis and suspension and brake system as our 89 accord. It's a very simple car to work on, I'm not quite sure what your dad was used to (hot wheels?).

[Love4WS]

Originally Posted by Doofy 

So, where's this car which out-handles Porsche and Ferraris?
Because I'm not seeing any in this thread.

"In 1987, Road & Track published a test summary that shows the 1988 Honda Prelude 2.0Si 4WS out slalomed every car of that year, including all Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and Porsches. It went through the slalom at 65.5 mph, an amazing result for the time. For reference, the 1988 Corvette took the same course at 64.9 mph."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Prelude

[Love4WS]

PIX:






Rear shot.

[Love4WS]

Good shot of the goofy steering of the back wheel. It feels really strange, but cool. At high speeds it simply turns WITH the front wheels a few degrees, but at low speeds it turns OPPOSITE the front wheels, allowing for awesome manuverability. Basically, at low speeds it feels like somebody buttered the rear wheels. It's nifty.


Kristin about to drive it home. Basically, I'm going to continue to use the GOOD accord, the 89 (http://forums.macnn.com/89/macnn-lou...ghlight=accord), since it's great in town, and Kristin's going to use this sexy little prelude for commuting. Should be a good time. I just hope she avoids tickets.

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by Love4WS 

"In 1987, Road & Track published a test summary that shows the 1988 Honda Prelude 2.0Si 4WS out slalomed every car of that year, including all Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and Porsches. It went through the slalom at 65.5 mph, an amazing result for the time. For reference, the 1988 Corvette took the same course at 64.9 mph."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Prelude

Sweet ride Rob, but don't be kidding yourself - slalom is not handling.

[awaspaas]

Originally Posted by Love4WS 

"In 1987, Road & Track published a test summary that shows the 1988 Honda Prelude 2.0Si 4WS out slalomed every car of that year, including all Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and Porsches. It went through the slalom at 65.5 mph, an amazing result for the time. For reference, the 1988 Corvette took the same course at 64.9 mph."
Honda Prelude - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

So it didn't beat the Corvette then? MEH to this car.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by IceEnclosure 

abe: who cares? (point being the OP surely knows about the Ariel Atom, as do quite a few of the rest of us. what was the point?)

I had no idea about it and found the article interesting. Just because you don't like it, doesn't mean others will not.

[analogika]

Originally Posted by Love4WS 

What's with the mis-aligned right door and rear fender/body joint?

Looks like the car got a good knock at some point.

Might want to take a closer look at the frame for structural integrity, no?

Edit:

Originally Posted by WhozeJohnGalt 

It even has some new paint, because somebody backed into the fender and door, but whatever, whoever fixed it did a wonderful job.

Oh.

[vmarks]

Originally Posted by WhozeJohnGalt 

Main things wrong with it: The side view mirror, driver's side, jiggles at highway speeds. Not sure why. And the stereo totally stinks. Whatever. This car is awesome. I'll post pics tonight.

remove the end cap of the mirror adjusting stalk. Then unscrew the knob. Then pry off the interior triangle.

Now you're looking at three screws that mount mirror to door. put blue loctite on em.

If that doesn't fix the jiggle, it's inside the mirror assembly. There's a few screws accessible from the underside of the mirror.

[Kevin]

Yeah whoever put that back together....

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by awaspaas 

So it didn't beat the Corvette then? MEH to this car.

Um...
Prelude: 65.5mph
Corvette: 64.9mph

Winner: Prelude.

I think it funny how people are picking apart every little thing wrong with it. The car's full of brand new parts, it's gonna last for years and years, and it only cost $1600? It was an absolute steal and worth every penny.

[IceEnclosure]

Originally Posted by Kevin 

I had no idea about it and found the article interesting. Just because you don't like it, doesn't mean others will not.

well then, you've heard it folks. if it's about cars(any car), just put it in this thread.

[IceEnclosure]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

Um...
Prelude: 65.5mph
Corvette: 64.9mph

Winner: Prelude.

I think it funny how people are picking apart every little thing wrong with it. The car's full of brand new parts, it's gonna last for years and years, and it only cost $1600? It was an absolute steal and worth every penny.

It's often the things Rob says tho too. He stated the car gets 34MPG when the car was rated at 24MPG highway. How did 100,000 miles manage to up the MPG by 10?

[Love4WS]

Originally Posted by awaspaas 

So it didn't beat the Corvette then? MEH to this car.

uh, what?

"It went through the slalom at 65.5 mph, an amazing result for the time. For reference, the 1988 Corvette took the same course at 64.9 mph."

Prelude= faster slalom speed.

[Love4WS]

Originally Posted by analogika 

What's with the mis-aligned right door and rear fender/body joint?

Looks like the car got a good knock at some point.

Might want to take a closer look at the frame for structural integrity, no?

Yeah, it did get backed into, on the fender and door. However, both are aligned almost perfectly. What you are seeing is a rubber piping that runs along the edge of the door. It isn't stuck on perfectly, so it looks like an uneven cap in that picture.

[Love4WS]

Originally Posted by vmarks 

remove the end cap of the mirror adjusting stalk. Then unscrew the knob. Then pry off the interior triangle.

Now you're looking at three screws that mount mirror to door. put blue loctite on em.

If that doesn't fix the jiggle, it's inside the mirror assembly. There's a few screws accessible from the underside of the mirror.

Well, it's a power mirror, and the issue is the HOUSING doesn't jiggle, just the mirror does. So... I'm thinking I'll just pick up a new mirror when I hit up a junkyard.

The body is pretty clean, but I've noticed a few places it's been 'blessed'. The typical honda rust spot on the passenger side has been repaired, and there's a section about 4"x7" on the driver's door that's filled with bondo, must have had a rusty section or a big dent. There's other tiny little places where I can tell somebody has worked on the body... but nothing major. All the panel gap is pretty even, the underside of the car looks great, and more importantly: It drives amazingly well and I only paid $1600, so I suppose I can't expect perfection. Heh. However, the interior is pretty perfect, aesthetically. Just need to fix those stupid seatbelts.

[Love4WS]

Originally Posted by IceEnclosure 

It's often the things Rob says tho too. He stated the car gets 34MPG when the car was rated at 24MPG highway. How did 100,000 miles manage to up the MPG by 10?

Dude, I don't know what's up with that estimate. Every 3g Prelude forum I've seen, people get around 30mpg, some getting above 34mpg on the highway. It's using the same displacement as our accord, except it is FUEL INJECTED (the accord carb'd), it has a lower drag coefficient, and the accord already gets 30mpg. Do the math. Smaller+more slippery body+same weight+more efficient engine= better mpg.

[Love4WS]

Here's another shot of the door that was replaced. It's been lined up fine, IMHO:



The big thing is the seatbelts don't work. They don't actually latch. I'm going to try to fix that today.

[Rev-O]

NIce car! I've always thought that gen of 'Lude looked better sans wing (most cars look better without wings and spoilers stuck on 'em imho). The yellow looks good as well. Good score!

[awaspaas]

Originally Posted by Love4WS 

uh, what?

"It went through the slalom at 65.5 mph, an amazing result for the time. For reference, the 1988 Corvette took the same course at 64.9 mph."

Prelude= faster slalom speed.

I don't know why I read that as seconds instead of mph. My mistake. And it was a joke anyway.

But still, MEH to the car.

MEH!

(Rob comes and dumps on everybody else's car threads - I should be able to dump on his!! )

[Rumor]

Originally Posted by Love4WS 

"In 1987, Road & Track published a test summary that shows the 1988 Honda Prelude 2.0Si 4WS out slalomed every car of that year, including all Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and Porsches. It went through the slalom at 65.5 mph, an amazing result for the time. For reference, the 1988 Corvette took the same course at 64.9 mph."
Honda Prelude - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That is nice and all, but isn't the car you picked up an 89 not an 88?

[Mediaman_12]

The odd thing is that (in the UK at least) the 80's Preludes seam to be sticking around a whole lot better than the 90's ones.
You see virtually non of the 4th gen, except for the odd one that has been heavily modded by some tool.

[CreepDogg]

Ahh...memories. This reminds me of the 1990 prelude I had for almost 10 years. The 1990s were the same as the '89s, but with a bit of a facelift on the front bumper and taillights, as Honda often does mid-cycle. I didn't have the 4WS though. I wonder if preludes only came in colors good for attracting tickets (mine was red). Great little car - never had to do much of anything to it - replaced brake pads and tires, and had the timing belt done at about 90K.

FWIW I seem to recall getting in the high 20s for mileage (Prelude Si 5 spd).

[IceEnclosure]

Originally Posted by Love4WS 

Dude, I don't know what's up with that estimate. Every 3g Prelude forum I've seen, people get around 30mpg, some getting above 34mpg on the highway. It's using the same displacement as our accord, except it is FUEL INJECTED (the accord carb'd), it has a lower drag coefficient, and the accord already gets 30mpg. Do the math. Smaller+more slippery body+same weight+more efficient engine= better mpg.

alrighty, sounds good.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by IceEnclosure 

well then, you've heard it folks. if it's about cars(any car), just put it in this thread.

Uh isn't that how ever other car thread has worked in the past? Is it only when abe does it do we attack?

[RumorsAreWrong]

Originally Posted by Rumor 

That is nice and all, but isn't the car you picked up an 89 not an 88?

Are you retarded?

[RumorsAreWrong]

Originally Posted by Kevin 

Uh isn't that how ever other car thread has worked in the past? Is it only when abe does it do we attack?

Uh, no that is not generally how every car thread has worked in the past. When someone gets a new car, or is talking about a specific car, generally that is what it pertains to. It's not usually a 'hey look at this car that is totally unrelated' post whoring session.

[RumorsAreWrong]

Originally Posted by awaspaas 

(Rob comes and dumps on everybody else's SUV threads - I should be able to dump on his!! )

Fixed.

[MacinTommy]

so when is this going to be locked?

[RumorsAreWrong]

Why would it be locked?

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by RumorsAreWrong 

Uh, no that is not generally how every car thread has worked in the past. When someone gets a new car, or is talking about a specific car, generally that is what it pertains to. It's not usually a 'hey look at this car that is totally unrelated' post whoring session.

Want me to give examples? I don't think you do.

Originally Posted by RumorsAreWrong 

Why would it be locked?

Because you aren't supposed to be here posting?

This thread should be actually deleted. Or make all of said banned person's posts no viewable by anyone but said person.

:/