The 1996 Honda Prelude is a small car that came with a choice of 2.2L 4-cyl and 2.3L 4-cyl engines. At 30 years old, many are reaching the point where repairs cost more than the car is worth. Running or not, we'll make you an offer and tow it away for free.
| Body style | Subcompact Cars |
|---|---|
| Engines | 2.2L 4-cyl, 2.3L 4-cyl |
| Transmissions | Automatic 4-spd, Manual 5-spd |
| Drive | Front-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline, Premium Gasoline |
| Fuel economy | 19–21 city / 24–26 highway / 21–23 combined MPG |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $2,900–$3,900 a year (EPA estimate at current fuel prices, 15,000 miles) |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 386–423 grams per mile |
| Versions tested by EPA | 5 configurations |
| Age | 30 years |
Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data. Your car's exact equipment may differ.
NHTSA lists 1 safety recall covering the 1996 Honda Prelude. Open recalls don't stop you from selling or junking the car, but check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which apply to yours.
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Certain vehicles were manufactured with ball joints that can prematurely wear out and, in the worse case, the ball joint would separate causing the front suspension to collapse.
Risk: This condition would result in vehicle deceleration and a sudden loss of power. Also steering controllability would be reduced.
Owners have filed 4 complaints about the 1996 Honda Prelude with NHTSA. 1 report involved a fire.
Complaints are reports from owners and aren't verified by NHTSA. One complaint can list several components. Mileage is the median odometer reading owners reported for that component.
Manufacturers have filed 25 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 1996 Honda Prelude. These are repair instructions for known issues, not recalls.
Vehicle's emission type. *tt
SRS indicator on with no SRS diagnostic trouble codes (dtc) set. *tt *jb
Check (atf) automatic transmission fluid condition to diagnose (a/t) automatic transmissions. *tt *jb
Straining the automatic transmission fluid (atf) to diagnose automatic transmissions. *tt
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).
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It depends on its condition, whether major parts like the engine, transmission and catalytic converter are still there, and current scrap and parts prices where you live. Its parts make up much of its value. Enter your ZIP code above for a free offer on your specific car.
Yes. We buy 1996 Preludes that don't start, were in an accident, failed inspection or have a blown engine or transmission. Towing is always free.
Yes. Open recalls don't prevent a junk sale. NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 1996 Honda Prelude; you can check whether any are still open on yours with the VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Usually the title and a photo ID. Rules differ by state, including what to do with your plates and whether to file a notice of sale. Check our state-by-state car title guides for the official forms.
Data retrieved October 2026.
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