171,500 miles?!?! thats quite a lot isnt it?!

"LovingPerson" <saylo1234@aol.com> wrote in message
news:fed77941.0312280107.4a4ae56@posting.google.co m...
> 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