My girlfriend and I have been contemplating trading our prelude for an EG hatch for some time. We picked it up for pretty cheap (1800) with a JDM H22A, Eibach ground control lowering springs, short shifter, CAI, header, exhaust, and some rims. I fixed the bugs but 22-26 mpg is kinda rough on the pocket book and weighing in at 2800 lbs it's kind of a chunker compared to what we're used to. We're both in love with eg hatches so we decided to check craigslist to see what's out there.

we found this one
http://nashville.craigslist.org/cto/2413263628.html

He said it needs rear struts and a tune cuz he's running it off a P30 JDM DOHC VTEC del Sol ECU. I can get the struts cheap from work but I'm worried about the ecu problem. What I know about these hybrid motors is that tuning is the key to longetivity. I'm not sure how much it would cost us to chip this ecu then have it tuned at a shop near st. louis or pick up a chipped ecu with a basemap close to what we need from the forums.

and last of all, would it be worth the trade???

any help would be much appreciated.

 

Do you know what motor is in the hatch?

I can't weigh in on the trade, I favor my Prelude. I just bought a hatch shell though and they're pretty cool! So I would be torn in choosing one over the other.

 

^^ I just edited my post with the correct link to the civic. It's got a built B20Vtec.

I'm starting to like the prelude but I'm not head over heels for it.

 

I say keep the Prelude be different ! You see very little (clean) Prelude's on the road... Everywhere you turn you see eg hatches. Just my *two Cents*

What year is your prelude?

 

i use to have those rims on an old car if there the rsl forged rims i think they are. there really light for racing but they will fade in the long run and look like sh*t i would keep the lude unless its not you. then i would do the trade...

but how could you get rid of this...

 

I would assume the P30 would be socketed/chipped already to run the B20/VTEC, but ask him if it is.

If it is, get the details on where the chip came from and who did the basemap.

If its already socketed and chipped you should just be able to take it in to a dyno tuner and get it tuned, if not you'll need to pick up a chipped ECU.

You can easily spend $200+ to get an ECU chipped and ready for tuning, depending on the hardware you get. Once you have a chipped ECU plan on spending another $300+ to dyno tune with a reputable tuner.

As far as what you'll actually spend, you can do it on the lo lo ... but the sky's the limit on how much you can spend.

 

I wouldn't trade a 5G Prelude for an EG hatch. Ever.

Its not worth nearly as much, its not built as solidly and its a toy.

 

+1

A hatch? No way. . . I hatch is worth as much as a 3rd gen lude, but not 5th.

Even a 4th gen is much more car than a hatch. . . . Hatch is a total toy or a all out drag car.

 

it's a 93 prelude si. 4th gen.

 

o, and I talked to him and he said it IS chipped with a basemap.

 

people love these things because of there power to weight ratio if i ever build a swap car iam gaoing eg coupe or eg hatch !

 

^^ that's why everyone like em. they're light, OBD1, and sexy. I just don't know if it's worth our prelude.

 

yawn, wrong sub forum for opinions. better off with the 92-00 civic sub forum.

 

sell the lude and pay cash and use the left over money to spend in the car

 

If I was hurting and had to sell one, once they're both running, I would probably sell the Prelude, its worth more, it'll cost more to feed, and its not as practical year round here in the north, especially since its turbo now.

Pound for pound, if I just wanted to make space in the driveway for something new, I'd probably keep the 'lude.

If both cars were stock and I had to choose between them for practicality, again, the 'lude would go, 35mpg vs 22-24mpg. If I were choosing for fun, I'd probably keep the 'lude.

Its really a tough choice for me. I know the EG would sell faster, but I can get more for the 'lude. Who knows, I could even sell my 07 Si to keep both ...

Tough, tough choice ...

 

i think i sinced a tear coming along.

 

Almost ... I was a little watery eyed there, thinking about loosing a Honda ... that's a traumatic experience ... lol

 

haha. how much you guys think I could get for the prelude if I ever chose to sell it. I was thinkin 3k?

 

Minty condition, low miles, with a quality done swap and clean mods, I would say anywhere from $3k - $4500. Once you get beyond I/H/E though, the price starts becoming subjective.

Rough condition, rusty, super high miles, swap with frayed/but connectored wires, dirty, nasty, rusty looking engine bay, you could take as little as $500 ...

Generally a Honda that runs good, no matter the condition of the body pulls $1500, at least here in ND.

 

it's in decent shape. lil bit o rust





The only damage is on the driver's side fender.

 

I would say you wouldn't be out of bounds asking in the $3-4K range, if its that clean all around.

I would have to really love the hatch to trade straight up for that 'lude though

 

nice you should buy a shell and swap that motor in a civic shell and run it and see what it does lol you will be shocked

 

^^ LOL

*see my build thread*

 

mm b20 vtec my bro had a ef with one it was fast

 

lol ya it's an ok prelude. After I finished my del Slow we were thinkin about puttin the motor in my gf's del Sol and turboing it.... but I'd be better off selling it and using all the money for the new motor, H2B conversion etc...

I don't think we're going to end up trading. guess we're keeping the prelude!! anyone got a rear right upper control arm???