Trade for a Prelude?

[Ozwynn]

Should I trade my 99 Expedition for a 92 Honda Prelude Si 4ws?

The Prelude has 70,000 on used jap engine. New brakes. 220K total. nice interior and nice red paint. 2 spots of rust on the body. The transmission is noisy and pops out of gear and the clutch smells used up and needs new brake lines, they haven't popped yet but they are thin.

The Expedition has 141K, needs a transmission/torque converter, trailing arms, ball joints, radiator (transmission cooler rusted through and dumped a bunch of coolant into the transmission), Body control module, and leaks exhaust at the right hand manifold.

I would be looking at $1200 for a new clutch and used transmission and to have new brake lines bent for it. Looking at about $1800 to do all the work to the Expedition.

both would be worth about $5000 after all the work is done. The Prelude would be around 25mpg all in and the Expedition is 14mpg all in. The Expedition seats 8, the Prelude seats 2 comfortably.

If I did trade I still have the Excursion for the family truckster and can POR-15 the hell out of the bottom to help prevent rust on my Rust free Arizona truck.

Or I could fix the Expedition, sell it, and buy a Ranger

 

[pocket-rocket]

I'll offer up my thoughts and experience, but I won't say if you should or shouldn't, that much I'll leave to you.

When my old Prelude popped out of gear it was as easy to fix as changing the fluid.

Preludes are fun and peppy little cars, I owned 3, and I would own one again.

The clutches on mine were all cable driven, but mine ranged from early to mid 80's models, so I've no clue if they moved to hydraulics by 92. If they didn't it could be mis-adjusted cable.

One of my old friends did have a 4WS model, and that thing handled like it was on rails.



Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk

 

[adsm08]

Well my one buddy at work keeps going on and on about how awesome his Prelude was before he wrecked it.

Your Expedition on the other hand, I suspect has other issues that you are unaware of in the rust department.

 

[96Indyram]

A old boss of mine had a 91 or 92 Prelude Si 4ws.
fun little car. the 4ws is a trip to get use to. it feels like the rearend is fishtailing everytime you corner. It was sweet in tight parking lots.

 

[tmcalavy]

Don't know of anyone who would pay $5k for the Expedition in this economy, $5 gas is just around the corner. Cut your losses and go for the Prelude, it's worth more boot as trade for any Ranger.

 

[Ozwynn]

I've driven 4 wheel steering cars. It was freaky.

about the rust problems on the Expedition. keep in mind I have not inspected the cowl but I have replaced the fuel lines, the trans cooler lines, all brake lines from the brake pump to the rear wheels. The fornt brake lines look newish. I have dumped the air ride in favor of coil springs courtesy of Strut Master. The rocker panels are eaten up at the rear but the floor pans look good from the bottom. the fuel filler neck needs to be replaced, and the exhaust is only 2 years old and already rotted out. I have been doing rust clean up since I bought it.

I'm sure the Prelude has more rust than it appears aswell but it looks like it was well cared for at 1 time. Its at the shop I had the Expedition towed to. He offered the trade because he bought the Prelude for his daughter but it has a 5spd and she wants a full size SUV anyways and said it would cost him roughly the same in parts to fix either so he offered the trade. Also stated I can have whoever I want to come check it out.

I will point out though, trades often do not work out for me. The $1200 to get it going was his quote to fix it... and thats everything. I did drive it and the clutch only slips when I stick my foot in it.

 

[Ozwynn]

SUVs are flying off the lot right now around here. Particularly Expeditions and Tahoes. However I don't really need the expedition because I have the Excursion which has been noting but reliable and a gas sucker. I can pass anything but a gas station. although I keep waiting for it to spit a spark plug. But I don't need the prelude either, it would strictly be a toy. even though it would get better mileage than my Buick, my buick is more comfortable for commuting.

 

[Andy D]

You're in the rust belt. How can you not consider tin worm? On a 22 yr old Honda? I would put the Prelude up on a lift and do some looking and probing with a strong light. They did go pretty good , for long while too. The one I know about had over 250K miles on it and needed a clutch. It had twin carbs.

 

[tmcalavy]

Well if you've got a Buick, then pass-arooney for sure.

 

[Ozwynn]

hey, leave my thousand dollar Buick Regal alone. Although I do wish it was a Lincoln

 

[Ozwynn]

You're in the rust belt. How can you not consider tin worm? On a 22 yr old Honda? I would put the Prelude up on a lift and do some looking and probing with a strong light. They did go pretty good , for long while too. The one I know about had over 250K miles on it and needed a clutch. It had twin carbs.

I did consider that. The fact that the brake lines are thin suggests Rust issued underneath. Gonna put it up on the rack today and drag out my 2 bagillion candle power spot light I use for checking for cracks in blocks on 6.2/6.5L diesels..... and poke it with a screw driver.