I drive an 01' Prelude and can tell you for sure that this car has alot to offer. It is a wonderful handling car, despite being a bit heavier than a Civic or Integra. The fifth generation Prelude was produced from 1997 till 2001 so aside from a very slight bump in horsepower in the 1999-2001 cars (only five horses) a 97 would be pretty much the same car as my 01, just a bit older. I have 105,000 miles on the odometer and it's as strong as it was when I bought it. Aftermarket support is also very nice. there is a host of parts available for the fifth generation Prelude, alot of which is certainly on my wish list! Try these sites for more info...A forum dedicated to Prelude's. These guys can answer just about any question you have...preludepower.comA Honda/Acura forum. Their Prelude forum can be very informative. Plus they have a great picture thread!honda-tech.com