Dear all:

I woke up today and was expecting it was just to be a regular
day. No way was I expecting to end up with a '95 Prelude in Mint (I
am talking MINT) condition! So, I take my wife to work at the crack
of dawn. I decide to drive by the for sale lot here on my Air Force
Base. Guess what I see: A white, Shiny Prelude. Blue book value
printed on the window was $7000 (I think it must be $7000 retail, but
probably not $7000 wholesale). Anyways, the asking price was $5000.
Miles: 171,500 miles. I take the number down and was going to give it
to a friend.

Then, I got bored about at 1000 AM. I call up the owner. She
is an eighteen year Veteran of the United States Air Force. It turns
out she is the first owner and has all the maintenance records--oil
every 3,000, Air conditioning condenser last year, New muffler last
year, quarter panel replacement after a minor front end accident, a
new radio (factory one died), timing belt changed, alternator changed.

The car has never had major accident or major problems. I ask
for a test drive and tell her that if the price was negotiable, I
could make the deal happen within hours! She is leaving this base in
two months and just bought a new Nissan Z 2004 model. The Nissan
dealer offered $500 for trade-in on this Prelude--totally ridiculous,
but it set her mind set for a low price.

I drive this stick shift Prelude Si and it really moves! The
exterior and interior are MINT: shiny and clean and just a few paint
chips about dime in size, but that is all. The 190 HP really moves
this car. I make an offer of $3500 and thought we'd haggle.
Surprisingly, she goes for it. I hesitate a little. I was not really
expecting her to say yes. Now I have to make a decision as to whether
to add a third car to my family's fleet.

Long and short of it: I could not pass up the deal. I
eventually actually got the car for $3200 [READ: $3200!].

1995 Honda Prelude S-i (Mint inside and out)
171,500 miles
Chrome tips for the exhaust
Nice decent rims
Tinted windows
Sun Roof
Rear Spoiler
Gold Package (ie the H in front and back is gold or brass).
AC/Sterer/CD

Here is my situation: I recently also bought an Accord EX 1991
125,000miles (I had posted about this one before under the handle
HondaAccordEXman). I bought that one for $900. It was also a
military car. That Honda is running like a champ. So, now I am in
the enviable position of having to make a choice. I don't know
whether to keep the Accord or the Prelude. I love driving the
Prelude, but the Accord is more sensible of a car and I don't really
need to drive a three thousand dollar car when I have a perfectly good
$900 car which I also love!

One thing that would help me in the decision would be how much do
you think I can sell the Prelude for? I guess if someone is willing
to pay a good premium for it, it would persuade me to sell and just
drive the sensible Accord, which I am perfectly happy to do in the
first place.

My wife and I don't have kids, so passenger space is no concern.
Howeever, the Prelude is 5 speed and my wife would not be able to
drive it. Even in emergency, she would not be able to drive it.
Decisions. Decisions.

I know it is not the worst thing in the world to have this
problem of having to choose between two cars. I am just putting this
forth as a fun problem. Believe me! I am not complaining. I am just
wanting some input so I can actually make a good decision.


Sincerely. HondaAccordEXman and now HondaPreludeSiMan :-)

If you have any more questions on either car, please don't hesitate to
ask. I would appreciate any input. thx in advance