I am currently looking for a new car and right now I am seriously considering a 5th generation Prelude however one of my friends who used to own an ITR told me to look into those because it was the best car he ever owned. Has anyone here had much experience with them? Is it worth like 5 thousand more dollars for the car or are you paying for the Type R moniker mostly? I have driven a few 5g Base Ludes and loved them, but would I love a Type R that much more?

 

You will love a Type-R, because it is so rare. The prelude is a good car also, just for a different crowd. You don't have to sacrifice style and comfort like you do with a type-R. IE: leather, sunroof. It just comes down to personal choice. I wouldn't mind getting a type-R, but I have phobia of buying used cars, you just don't know how they treated their car.

 

When my '95 GSR was totaled in '98 I asked myself this same question, but I was looking at purchasing a NEW Type R or Type SH. It comes down to what you want to do with the car. I bought the Type SH because of the "luxury" items (i.e. cruise control, moonroof, A/C standard) and the fact that I didn't have to buy a set of tires for the winter was kind of nice too. However, if you just want a streetable race car, you should go for the Type-R! There are a hell of a lot more mods for the integra than there are for the prelude. Sometimes I wish I had the Type-R, but it just wasn't practical for me. Just make sure whatever you get, it's not been abused.

 

I would go for the Type R man, it's got alot more potential than the Prelude. But if you are gettin the Type R with the 4 little bulbs as headlamps.IMO these headlights are just weird looking. Get a JDM headlamp conversion,now those are bad *** . But the Prelude is an awesome car also...just don't auto/SS model.....it's pretty slow.

 

Nick if your considering buy a 5g Prelude consider mine, you won't find anything that compares for the price and we're fairly close to one another! Here's a link to info on my car:

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=347188

 

If you can afford to spend the extra money, I'd get the Type-R. They are pretty hard to find, but I'm sure you would be happy with it if you had one. Although I'm a fan of the Prelude, I still think the Type-R is a sweeter car (and way faster). Let us know what you decide. In any case, you'll still end up with a really nice car!

 

Don't just look at initial purchase costs. The Type R is extremely expensive to insure due to a high theft, vandelism, and accident rate. Make sure you get insurance quotes on BOTH cars before deciding.

In 2000 I was trying to decide between a new Type R or a new Prelude. Insurance cost was ultimately my deciding factor. The Type R would have been over 70% MORE than a Prelude for me to insure with identical coverage. It was a difference of about $1500 a year in additional insurance costs on the ITR...

Andrew

 

Chris you have PM on beautiful LUDE!

 

i ahte seeing this question all the damn time, OF COURSE everyone is going to suggest the Hype R, but if you look at the design onf the 5g Prelude, and the better built H22 engine, then the choice should be obvious, IMO, the 5g Prelude is the way to go, hands down, i have driven an ITR before, and i still like my Prelude better, it's a more comfortable car to drive in, and the ITR gets more attetnion than it worth, b/c no one looks at the mechanical differences and advantages to the H22 engine

 

Thanks man

 

Wise man.

I say if insurance rates are similar I would get the Type R. I almost got a new one in 98 for less than sticker. I couldn't get it because the Ins Co. fixed my car instead.
Good luck.

 

nick, you know the lude gets my vote man, now all we gotta do is find you a good one!

Chris93Si, nice lude and great price, but i know nick is looking for a non-black lude and i know he wants to do his own mods, however if i were him i'd be checking into your car for sure!

 

i've owned my 99 prelude for the last 4 years (bought it new in november '98 w/ 3 miles on it), and now have ~ 95k miles on it, yes, a lot of seat time. since that time i've also had 'loaned' a '00 type r to take to open track days on 3 occasions and have about 5k street/high way miles with the type r as well.

the type r at the race track is very nimble, quick and very very fun to drive. it's very much point and shoot. braking is very good, and the abs is not at all intrusive. grip is phemonenal, and overall the car is very confidence inspiring; however the lsd is great when you're really pushing the car, but can sometimes give you 'too' much front grip; i.e. can induce some oversteer if you're not paying attention. at the track this is rewarding b/c you get just enough rotation to maintain momentum, but on the street it's, well?? hard to really put to words, but you'll feel it. the chassis feels light, the steering is properly weighted, a little darty on the street, but very good at the track. the interior is a bit bland, the cluster is boring to look at, the steering wheel is good though, the center console/trim (in the faux carbon fiber 'patches') leaves something to be desired as do the floor mats which are equally cheesy, and the stereo is terrible, even worse at speed w/ the windows down; significant wind noise. the shifter feels good, and the linkage gives you a very positive feel, the clucth is good. the motor is fantastic if you stay around 5k+, but can be a bit lazy below (lighter flywheel would do good here), the engine (maybe this is localized to this motor) makes a lot of mechanical noise, which is cool, but can get annoying. the car pulls very hard in vtec, and literally screams at the track; if you're not driving the car hard, it gives off a certain sense of disappointment. practicallity? it is a hatchback, and has a lot of room out back, the rear seats are reasonable, and all around cabin space is good. the headlights pretty much suck, and so does the lack of cruise control.

the prelude, 5th gen, is a gorgeous car. all the nay sayers be quiet, i think it's one of the more attractive 'modern' hondas. the interior (but the seats suck in the support department, IMO) is much better designed, much more detailed, and a such gives off a 'cockpit' feel; everything surrounds the driver, and you very much feel like you're in a pod. the gauge cluster is cleaver, detailed, and has good illumination, the ceneter console, controls, etc. are very intuitive and plainly laid out. the gear shift/ **** is not quite as ergomonic, nor as good as id like it to be, but ok. the steering wheel absou-*******-lootly SUCKS, it belongs on an accord, not on the prelude. this is really a disappointment, you feel like you're driving a bus if you go back to back b/w the prelude and the type r. the pedal placement is good, and intuitive. the rear seats are a joke, and no human being above 5' can comfortably sit back there, i took mine out, permanently; the prelude should have come as a 2 seater GT car, IMO. trunk space is ok, and you can lay the back seats down to get extra room. the moonroof robs you of a significant amount of headroom, and may cramp taller drivers, as it did w/ me.

the engine has a different feel than the r, the acceleration is, or feels, much smoother, much more like a pull, and comes on very lineraly; the r just blasts after vtec. the vtec engagement is noticable, but not audibly, it just presses you back in your seat, pretty good for a 4 banger. actually, a number of non-honda people after riding in my car swore i had a v6 under the hood. at the track the prelude is very very fun and competent, but requires a different hand. it's very much a momentum car, where you need to be very very smooth to keep speed through the corners, and you need to make wise gear choices. the car will pull you out of corners, down low, but you really should try and keep it above 4k rpm; the power really comes on after that. the brakes are a bit weak, but they are the same as the type r brakes (fronts only mind you), but, the again, they are stopping a heavier car. the stereo is head and shoulder better than the r, and the cruise control is a god send on long trips.

b/w the two, if you could meld the two together, you'd probably have the perfect honda coupe, in it's class. but, as it is, they are, different cars, and have different charaters and personalities. the type r is more popular and has more aftermarket support, the prelude is now discontinued, as has a lesser aftermarket. the prelude, to me, doesn't seem like a honda, it's not as boy racer as the type r, and it's percieved, by the general public, to be a bit more matured, looking, of a car. both are fun, and both offer a great value, it just depends on which personality you prefer to live with.

regards.


[Modified by bb6h22a, 2:13 PM 12/31/2002]

 

I would get the Electron blue Prelude SE first.. but Type Rs are bad *** too

 

as everyone is saying it all depends on what you want the car for and how much $$$ you wanna throw down for insurance.
both amazing cars just very diffrent for what you are looking for.
i have 5th gen its more practical for what i need it for.. college and i drive alot and need more room in the car.
TIRs are beautiful and quick but i am very pleased with my lude and dont think i would change my choice

 

I had the same choice myself. The Type R or a Base 01 lude. I went with the Lude(2001 EPB of course!). As car and Driver puts it: The best Integra ever built. I personally like the styling better on the lude too along with the sunroof,AC, etc. But its suspension and chassis geometry is better than the civic platform. And all the Type R is, is a glorified Civic stripped down. Plus Ill take the H22A over the B18 anyday also. Yes there are more aftermarket parts for a civic, but the I can get ANY important upgrade needed for the H22A and lude chassis.


[Modified by Ritteri, 2:45 AM 1/1/2003]

 

Type-R

nuff said..............

 

Wow, awesome writeup on the 2 cars. I guess my GSR was a little more like the lude, since it had more of the features of that car. I really wouldn't mind another GSR, but the additional space, better stock stereo, and just better overall car seems to suit me more. Thanks for the info...

 

Perfect post for someone trying to decide between the BB6 and DC2, good job Hubert.

 

Hey Chris, I sent you an email about your car and never heard back, is it still available?
Also, thanks for the great knowledgable writeup on the two cars - very helpful.


[Modified by nickw252, 7:06 PM 1/1/2003]

 

oh and your a real winner i can tell because you have the free time in your day to make fun of people whom you don't even know and most likely have never met in your life.

go away troll... comb your mullet or wash your ford tempo...

 

trolls will go away if you ignore them and make no replies to any of their stupid comments....and if you check his username you'll see that he's been banned.

 

ITR=race with style
Lude=comfortable, and looks

 

How is the H22 a better built engine? Can you please explain? Did you drive the ITR as you would on the street or did you have the experience of taking it out on the track or at an autocross event? What exactly are the advantages of the H22 engine? I don't see the Obvious that you spoke of. Just in case you think I am an ITR owner, I'm not. But I'm just curious to hear your explanation. Thanks.

 

both are good choices.. but go with acura type R