Honda Prelude Sportshift???!!!?!!!!

[EMAN_O]

Hello everyone,

Ok, I listed a WTB: 2000 or 2001 SH -SE "Auto" Sportshift Honda Prelude on here and all I have been getting was similar pm questions as:

Why do you want an Honda Prelude "Sportshift"?

or

You know about the Auto Sportshifts and what happens with them?


Ok, I want a Honda Prelude SE in Sportshift because I literally suck at 5 Speed... Like really suck... Haa haa... Oh man!!

Ok, this is where I need help now. This is primarily aimed to previous to recent owners of the Honda Prelude with Sportshift AND also them that know there stuff.

Have you experienced anything with this vehicle in terms of this transmission and performance? If so, What?

Also, Honda Prelude owners (97-2001) who have driven both, Auto and 5 Speed, in this vehicle, what are the differences you grasp instantly?

I want' this vehicle. But trouble free!! The shape, body shape and lines, and just overall performance of the Prelude is still top on my list for coupe. I want this!!

Your information you provide is much appreciated. Thanks!!

[rc2002]

The auto/tiptronic sucks. It's slower and more expensive to maintain - I can't think of anything good about it. Plus a lot of the trannys had problems in the first couple years and it wasn't warrantied.

Buy a 5 speed and practice. You'll get it eventually. :)

[jcrules99]

practice makes perfect for standard man

haha i remember when my friend was trying to teach me, i was trying to park uphill and after about the 4th stall in a row, i just gave up like 2 feet from where i was supposed to park, its frustrating!

i have a standard lude and i love it:D

[5hift]

I have a 5 speed lude myself, and I've driven a few sportshift ludes, and comparing the two performance-wise, its like two completely different cars.

Learn 5 speed, its not that hard. Every sportshift owner I know wishes they got the 5 speed.

[1-Bar]

I purchased my old lude brand new sport shift in 2000. It was fun at first, didn't even use it for the first few months. Then I sat in a 5 speed lude and OMG it was like a night and day difference. I mean the feel was the same but there was so much more power. I mean my friends civic dx kept up to my auto-lude......nuff said

5 years later I converted my slush-box into a 5 speed LSD. WOW :eek: probably the best mod I had done to the car. It had been a few years not driving standard, but if its your only mode of transportation you'll pick it up quick. It only took me about a week to get it good, no stalling on hills, no miss-shifts.

Take a ride in a 5 speed and you'll know. Get the auto if you're going to keep it stock....

[k98303]

get 5 speed....it is really not hard at all. u will get used to it..

[JordanAndrew]

Originally posted by 1-Bar
I purchased my old lude brand new sport shift in 2000. It was fun at first, didn't even use it for the first few months. Then I sat in a 5 speed lude and OMG it was like a night and day difference. I mean the feel was the same but there was so much more power. I mean my friends civic dx kept up to my auto-lude......nuff said

5 years later I converted my slush-box into a 5 speed LSD. WOW :eek: probably the best mod I had done to the car. It had been a few years not driving standard, but if its your only mode of transportation you'll pick it up quick. It only took me about a week to get it good, no stalling on hills, no miss-shifts.

Take a ride in a 5 speed and you'll know. Get the auto if you're going to keep it stock....


How much was the swap from auto to manual? including labor.. I have an automatic prelude, reason being is I got it for a really low price.

I know there is far more power to have a manual prelude, but city driving-wise, I dont mind the power my current automatic prelude has.

[EMAN_O]

Ok, 5 Speed is better than Auto

But, the question I would like to know is what exactly are the problems that you have faced or Auto Sportshift owners will face?


Also, how come the Acura RSX Sportshift does not face the same problems??

[arian_ma]

^^ The RSX tranny and the Prelude tranny are completely different. Not even close!

[1-Bar]

Originally posted by JordanAndrew
How much was the swap from auto to manual? including labor.. I have an automatic prelude, reason being is I got it for a really low price.


Parts - $2000+
Labour - $1000 - $2000


Originally posted by EMAN_O
Ok, 5 Speed is better than Auto

But, the question I would like to know is what exactly are the problems that you have faced or Auto Sportshift owners will face?


Also, how come the Acura RSX Sportshift does not face the same problems??

biggest one is that they are suseptable to failure, if that happens, good like finding one or pray that its still under warranty. I think they go for like 4g's from Honda.

annoying one is that you can't use the sportshift mode in like -5 degree weather....Well I dunno about can't, but its recommended that you don't.

Shifting at the top of the gear into the next one, you fall outta vtec range, which sux if you wanna go really really fast....lol

4 speed auto (prelude) vs. 5 speed auto for the RSX (4 speed sux)

[keroppi]

I had a '98 sportshift lude... i bought the sportshift cos both my wife and i didn't drive manual at that time (we now do! :) )
I'd also driven my friends' 5sp ludes... i agree that the 5sp revs faster and happier, it launches faster and every redline shift would pretty much link to the vtec rev threshold in the next gear... so everything feels more perfect than the sportshift.
Nevertheless, I still think that the sportshift wasn't that bad... it shifts relatively fast (comparing to other semi-auto boxes like tiptronic and steptronic on audis and bimmers) and it's quite convenient.
So even though I agree with most of you guys that 5sp is better, I'm not too extremely negative about sportshift...
Interestingly most of my aging friends are converting from manual driving to prefer automatics... heehee, perhaps that's why most minivans offers automatics only :D (any manual minivans out there??)

[JordanAndrew]

Haha amen! Nothing wrong with the sportshift on lude, at least for the one I have right now anyways. hopefully I dont jinx myself.

[kane584]

i have an automatic lude
i like to think about stuff when i drive ;)

[liquidboi69]

Originally posted by keroppi
(any manual minivans out there??)
Is Mazda 5 considered a mini-van? Because that has a manual 5-spd.

As for the prelude, 5spd is geared perfectly for VTEC. And I heard auto-prelude trannys break easier.

[l8braker]

Honda NEVER got the auto's right with the Preludes. Doesn't matter what year, they are pretty much all garbage. You might have problems with it in the dead of winter, as the tranny's hate cold weather. Like said above, they are a few thousand dollars to fix when they go, and really, is it actually worth it to replace it all on that car?? (auto) I don't think so. Go with the 5-speed and thank us all later.

[EMAN_O]

Originally posted by l8braker
Honda NEVER got the auto's right with the Preludes. Doesn't matter what year, they are pretty much all garbage. You might have problems with it in the dead of winter, as the tranny's hate cold weather. Like said above, they are a few thousand dollars to fix when they go, and really, is it actually worth it to replace it all on that car?? (auto) I don't think so. Go with the 5-speed and thank us all later.


True, its better to be safe then sorry... How many got recalled back or were reported to Honda, if it did happen?

Also, Jordan... if your on, how is your Prelude right now. What are the kms?

[Fcuk]

5speed feels alot better, i owned a auto and a 5speed and the switch feels like a completely different engine/power

[403Gemini]

i taught my friend how to drive standard in 2 hours the night before he got his car.

you'll get used to it, never get a car like a prelude in an auto. you'll just get tired of it too quick

[EMAN_O]

Originally posted by 403Gemini
i taught my friend how to drive standard in 2 hours the night before he got his car.

you'll get used to it, never get a car like a prelude in an auto. you'll just get tired of it too quick

But the thing is, isn't city driving bad, especially rush hour for a 5 Speed vehicle. Like I can see myself getting tired of shifting in traffic. It just does not sound logical... Why go through all of it if you can go auto. Speed doesn't really matter to me. Practicality does. I now know that Preludes are better 5 Speed but what about Autoshift in other auto makes?

[l8braker]

Originally posted by EMAN_O


But the thing is, isn't city driving bad, especially rush hour for a 5 Speed vehicle. Like I can see myself getting tired of shifting in traffic. It just does not sound logical... Why go through all of it if you can go auto. Speed doesn't really matter to me. Practicality does. I now know that Preludes are better 5 Speed but what about Autoshift in other auto makes?

Traffic driving can be a pain, but shifting through the gears on an open road can't be matched!!!

[WWJAI]

Originally posted by l8braker


Traffic driving can be a pain, but shifting through the gears on an open road can't be matched!!!

:werd: well said ryan.

[EMAN_O]

Speed doesn't really mattter to me... That much...

I just want to be free of stress while driving...

I now know that Preludes are better 5 Speed but what about Autoshift in other auto makes?

The only thing with auto preludes is the Tranny?

[arian_ma]

^^ You know what's not practical?
Having no tranny :poosie:

Auto trannies are not all shitty in every car, the only one I know of is the prelude (Though I'm sure there are a few other lemons).

[JordanAndrew]

Originally posted by EMAN_O



True, its better to be safe then sorry... How many got recalled back or were reported to Honda, if it did happen?

Also, Jordan... if your on, how is your Prelude right now. What are the kms?

My Prelude right now is serving me well, I still have yet to test it during winter when apparently all goes hell in automatic preludes.

The car Ive got is a 1997 Automatic Prelude and it has just a little over 129K right now. I've had it for about a month now and I really havent had any troubles yet. Now hopefully I don't jinx myself cuz I sure as hell don't want to spend a few thousands dollars right now just to replace my tranny. Not really in my budget.

[EMAN_O]

Yea, that's exactly what I am thinking about right now... Winter!!

Is it 50/50 then with the transmissions on the Prelude and the shiat that goes on?

Something is telling me to just get an auto...

But everything else is pointing to getting something else...

[JordanAndrew]

Well the old owner told me she drove it during winter and it served her just fine. I found a thread to maintain the tranny of an automatic prelude, its a pretty good read.

http://www.hondaprelude.to/forums/showthread.php?p=805699

I think Im gonna look into this Tranny cooler they are talking about and perhaps get one for myself. I'll also ask around about this ATF fluid and see if its actually the best fluid for SS Preludes. hopefully that helps you be more confident about purchasing an automatic prelude. My friend had one too, he had it for a while and never did I hear any problems from him about his car.

[403Gemini]

Originally posted by EMAN_O


But the thing is, isn't city driving bad, especially rush hour for a 5 Speed vehicle. Like I can see myself getting tired of shifting in traffic. It just does not sound logical... Why go through all of it if you can go auto. Speed doesn't really matter to me. Practicality does. I now know that Preludes are better 5 Speed but what about Autoshift in other auto makes?

no its not bad at all... unless you're a flipping pansy with weak leg muscles. ive driven standard for about 6 years now and no complaints

[l8braker]

Originally posted by 403Gemini


no its not bad at all... unless you're a flipping pansy with weak leg muscles. ive driven standard for about 6 years now and no complaints

LOL So true.