1986 Honda Prelude Si Survivor: One Owner, 127,000 Miles, and a $12,000 Asking Price

A second-generation Honda Prelude Si has surfaced for sale, and it stands out for a simple reason: it has belonged to a single owner over a lifetime that has covered roughly 127,000 miles. The asking price is $12,000, and the car is being offered in Issaquah, Washington.

The Prelude made its American debut in 1979 wrapped in a compact body, riding on four-wheel independent suspension, and fitted with standard equipment that buyers in that era did not take for granted. Its standard moonroof was a first for a Honda production model, and independent suspension helped give the coupe a reputation for lively handling. Cabin visibility, bucket seats, and proportions that read as sporty for the day all helped the Prelude establish itself quickly with U.S. shoppers.

Performance improved with the second generation. Those cars used either a 1.8-liter four-cylinder or a fuel-injected 2.0-liter unit marketed as “Sport injected,” which bumped output to somewhere between 100 and 110 horsepower. The car listed here carries the 2.0-liter engine paired with a four-speed automatic, a combination that was a pricey option when the car was new. The engine and transmission are not the only mechanical talking points, though: recent service has been performed, and the timing belt was replaced roughly 1,800 miles ago. Tires were mounted just days before the listing went up. Two items are flagged as outstanding, a brake fluid flush and a new drive belt.

Structurally, the Prelude shows well for its age. The underside is described as holding up nicely, and the body panels, trim rubber, and light lenses are all said to look good. Documentation is a strong point of this car: the original window sticker, owner’s manuals, warranty booklet, and three keys including the valet key come with it. Inside, the seats are deeply bolstered and finished in velour, and the owner reports that everything from the air conditioning to the cruise control continues to function.

The second-generation Prelude was redesigned to accommodate its larger engine while keeping a low hood line. It also adopted pop-up headlamps, a styling touch that was popular in the late 1970s and early 1980s and one that still works on this example. Honda had some sports-car experience going into the Prelude, though its earlier S600 and S800 roadsters were light machines sold mainly in Japan and Europe. The Prelude took a different path, borrowing its mechanical foundation from the mainstream Accord and dressing it in sharper sheet metal and a more upscale cabin.

On price, the $12,000 ask lands near current market levels, and some observers would argue it sits slightly high given the automatic transmission and the odometer reading. Collectors considering a Prelude may want to move with some urgency, as values have been climbing. One exceptionally low-mileage example reportedly changed hands for$79,000 about three years ago, while cars showing 20,000 to 35,000 miles have been selling closer to $25,000. For anyone who wants a well-kept second-gen car with real history behind it, this one-owner survivor offers a more accessible entry point.