Junkyard Find: 1982 Honda Prelude

Murilee Martin
by Murilee Martin

The Honda Prelude became bigger, faster, and sportier as the 1980s progressed, so we often forget that the first-generation version was such a little car.

330,201 miles. That’s 11,000 miles per year for 30 years. There’s no telling how many head gaskets it has been through, but an impressive achievement by any measure.

I’m sure that some 1979-82 Preludes came with interiors in colors other than French Cathouse Red, but I can’t remember seeing any.







Murilee Martin
Murilee Martin

Murilee Martin is the pen name of Phil Greden, a writer who has lived in Minnesota, California, Georgia and (now) Colorado. He has toiled at copywriting, technical writing, junkmail writing, fiction writing and now automotive writing. He has owned many terrible vehicles and some good ones. He spends a great deal of time in self-service junkyards. These days, he writes for publications including Autoweek, Autoblog, Hagerty, The Truth About Cars and Capital One.

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  • Laserwizard Laserwizard on Feb 18, 2016

    This is Honduh's mutant version that shows that Ford wasn't the only clueless company to sell ugly front drive coupes. FYI, EVERY Honduh sold now is a bloated version of its former self from the 1980's. Honduh has forgotten how to build great products - there used to be something about their low belt and hoodlines - now everything is chunky and flabby and UGLY.

    • Drzhivago138 Drzhivago138 on Feb 18, 2016

      Something tells me I shouldn't trust someone's opinion on Hondas if they can't spell Honda.

  • Paul Taka Paul Taka on Mar 24, 2023

    Hi, where can I find 1982 Honda prelude junkyards in 50 states

  • ToolGuy 9 miles a day for 20 years. You didn't drive it, why should I? 😉
  • Brian Uchida Laguna Seca, corkscrew, (drying track off in rental car prior to Superbike test session), at speed - turn 9 big Willow Springs racing a motorcycle,- at greater speed (but riding shotgun) - The Carrousel at Sears Point in a 1981 PA9 Osella 2 litre FIA racer with Eddie Lawson at the wheel! (apologies for not being brief!)
  • Mister It wasn't helped any by the horrible fuel economy for what it was... something like 22mpg city, iirc.
  • Lorenzo I shop for all-season tires that have good wet and dry pavement grip and use them year-round. Nothing works on black ice, and I stopped driving in snow long ago - I'll wait until the streets and highways are plowed, when all-seasons are good enough. After all, I don't live in Canada or deep in the snow zone.
  • FormerFF I’m in Atlanta. The summers go on in April and come off in October. I have a Cayman that stays on summer tires year round and gets driven on winter days when the temperature gets above 45 F and it’s dry, which is usually at least once a week.
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