[HKS Prelude]

What were the changes from model year to the last one, 2001? I heard the 99's got new grilles or something.

 

[Joon525]

You want ONLY cosmetic changes? Because there are actually changes that you CAN'T see unless you rip apart in wiring and such.
99+ models have a mesh grill, 97-98's have this 3 finned grill, 2001 models have some emergency trunk opener in there as well that the 97-00 models lack.

 

[gLudeous]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by HKS Prelude:
What were the changes from model year to the last one, 2001? I heard the 99's got new grilles or something.</font>

'98 thru '01 have fewer recalls than '97 ones

.

The change that everyone wonders about is where the extra 5 hp came from after '98. I've seen pictures of slightly different headers, so maybe that's part of it, and/or a different muffler. There have been a bunch of paint changes, I think a couple interior color changes, but I don't know much about that stuff.

 

[thewedge3]

The 98's came with defective timing belt tensioners.

 

[gLudeous]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by thewedge3:
The 98's came with defective timing belt tensioners.</font>

Oh yeah?? well I had to get my main shaft oil seal replaced!

(I've got a very early '97)

 

[thewedge3]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by gLudeous:
Oh yeah?? well I had to get my main shaft oil seal replaced!

(I've got a very early '97)

</font>

Lemee guess, it happened at 37,000 miles!

How much did that run you?

 

[Pork Chop]

97: first year offered in 4 colors: black, San Marino Red, Nordic Mist, and Eucalyptus Green.

98: added Diamond White

99: added 5 hp (it's still unknown where it came from). Seat pattern changed. Front grill changed and now has little "Prelude" badge on it. Stereo changed (same unit basically, but they moved a few buttons here and there) Diamond white was replaced by Premium white. Eucalyptus green was replaced by Ficus green. Crystal blue replaced nordic mist. Milano red replaced San Marino red. The black may have changed too, not 100% sure.

00: none that I know of, but I could be wrong.

01: Satin silver replaced crystal blue. Electron Blue Pearl replaced Ficus green. Floor mats now standard. Child safety seat tethers added. Emergency trunk release included for those times when you accidently lock yourself in your trunk.

And if you're a Canadian, for 2001, they dropped the SH and added an SE (essentially a base with SH wheels and some other trim)

Plus...somewhere between 98 and 01 they added some additional foam padding inside the trunk liner. My 01 has it, my 98 didn't. So, those sneaky Honda engineers slipped that one in when no one was looking. My theory: they added the padding to make the car quieter and maybe cover up the "shock knock". I could be wrong but that's my crazy conspiracy theory of it!

[This message has been edited by Pork Chop (edited March 27, 2001).]

 

[thewedge3]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Pork Chop:
97: first year offered in 4 colors: black, San Marino Red, Nordic Mist, and Eucalyptus Green.

98: added Diamond White

99: added 5 hp (it's still unknown where it came from). Seat pattern changed. Front grill changed and now has little "Prelude" badge on it. Stereo changed (same unit basically, but they moved a few buttons here and there) Diamond white was replaced by Premium white. Eucalyptus green was replaced by Ficus green. Crystal blue replaced nordic mist. Milano red replaced San Marino red. The black may have changed too, not 100% sure.

00: none that I know of, but I could be wrong.

01: Satin silver replaced crystal blue. Electron Blue Pearl replaced Ficus green. Floor mats now standard. Child safety seat tethers added. Emergency trunk release included for those time when you accidently lock yourself in your trunk.

And if you're a Canadian, for 2001, they dropped the SH and added an SE (essentially a base with SH wheels and some other trim)</font>

Excellent, but one more thing...

Keyless entry for '99.

 

[gLudeous]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by thewedge3:
Lemee guess, it happened at 37,000 miles!

How much did that run you?</font>

No it was a recall so it was free (though they tried to sell me other unecessary service, like an alignment and tire rotation 1 week after it had already been done

), they sent the notice to me about 2 months ago, someone did a search and found that it only applied to a few early '97's. Though I guess other Honda's had it because someone with a '96 Accord was in for the same thing at the same time.

 

[jmcn]

damn you guys...you beat me to it (color chart). I thought the green changed to Ficus in '99 though (not '98). Who's got a green '98...what color is is?

------------------
Prelude forum moderator
Prelude FAQ
AIM: jmcn97
'97 Prelude Type-SH

'96 Integra GS-R (R.I.P.)
jmcn.com

[This message has been edited by jmcn (edited March 27, 2001).]

 

[thewedge3]

Why isn't mine a recall then. Bastards! I shelled out 900 bucks. And the noise is back again!!

 

[gLudeous]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Pork Chop:
The black may have changed too, not 100% sure.

[This message has been edited by Pork Chop (edited March 27, 2001).]</font>

I think the black did change because there are two different color codes for the black on Preludes, I don't know when the change happened, all I know is in '97 a black Prelude has blue flecks in it.

 

[Pork Chop]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by thewedge3:
Excellent, but one more thing...

Keyless entry for '99.

</font>

Arrrgh! I knew I forgot something!!!!

 

[71dsp]

There are also part changes. I didn't find that out until I got my hands on a 97-99 parts manual. The 97-98 use the same parts (for the most part), but there are few different part numbers for the 99s. Suspension bolts and oil pump part numbers, are a couple of examples.

------------------
Billy
North Texas Prelude Owners Group
www.ntpog.org

 

[gLudeous]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by thewedge3:
Why isn't mine a recall then. Bastards! I shelled out 900 bucks. And the noise is back again!!</font>

Are you serious?? You're talking about the oil seal or the timing belt tensioner? You can get them to reimburse you if your car does come under the recall and you still got the receipt, I wish I knew where you find what VIN#s were recalled (I suppose Honda is supposed to know), "Marsh" had looked it up and told the Prelude ML.

 

[jmcn]

I believe the black & ivory interior was dropped for the '99 model year in the US; and the black interior got gray accents (stitching) instead of gold like the earlier cars.

------------------
Prelude forum moderator
Prelude FAQ
AIM: jmcn97
'97 Prelude Type-SH

'96 Integra GS-R (R.I.P.)
jmcn.com

 

[thewedge3]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by gLudeous:
Are you serious?? You're talking about the oil seal or the timing belt tensioner? You can get them to reimburse you if your car does come under the recall and you still got the receipt, I wish I knew where you find what VIN#s were recalled (I suppose Honda is supposed to know), "Marsh" had looked it up and told the Prelude ML.

</font>

Both. And actually, my warranty was already shot when this happened. But still, twice inside of 90,000 miles? Aggravating.

 

[Gabe]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by gLudeous:
The change that everyone wonders about is where the extra 5 hp came from after '98. I've seen pictures of slightly different headers, so maybe that's part of it, and/or a different muffler.
</font>

I've seen both the versions of the headers (only in pictures) and they look exactally the same. The part numbers are the same too. The exhaust sections have different part numbers though. I would bet that the exhaust changed, not the header.

Gabe

------------------
97 Prelude
see it here:Hondaprelude.com

 

[gLudeous]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Gabe:
I've seen both the versions of the headers (only in pictures) and they look exactally the same. The part numbers are the same too. The exhaust sections have different part numbers though. I would bet that the exhaust changed, not the header.

Gabe

</font>

yeah, could be any part of the exhaust, I thought I saw a picture w/ two headers (on this board? or the yahoogroups list?), and the pre-'98 had more angled junctions, though this is relying on 2 month old memory so what you are reading is beginning to come more from my ass than my head.

Are the cats the same?

 

[SADWAP97]

i think 97-98 was flamenco black,
and 99+ is nighthawk black