After 12 years loyal service, I am sad to report that original Panasonic battery in the Prelude died quietly at home this weekend.
I am tempted to replace it with the relevant Honda one, for which I have a part number, but will see if Honda France is as reasonable as Honda UK - I often found genuine Honda bits were no more expensive than after-market stuff.
I have one of those boxes with batteries in it that you plug into the lighter socket so you don't lose radio codes, etc, while changing over, but I haven't had to change a battery for years - is there anything else I should know?
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>> I have one of those boxes with batteries in it that you plug into the
>> lighter socket so you don't lose radio codes, etc, while changing over,
Which may, or may not work, depending on the way the lighter socket is wired.
Make sure you have the radio codes or disable the code feature.
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Thanks for that Z, I'll read the stereo book to find out how to disable the code feature because I never had it (the code, that is). Do you have any ideas if I can't find it in the book?
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>> Thanks for that Z, I'll read the stereo book to find out how to disable
>> the code feature because I never had it (the code, that is). Do you have
>> any ideas if I can't find it in the book?
What radio is it? most have some option to remove the code, for the very reason you have outlined.
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If possible i safely connect power to the leads from a jump pack or similar, thereby not disturbing power supply to the brains of the outfit, doesn't need to be the jump leads themselves which are usually too bulky and get in the way with underbonnet mounted batts.
Probably don't need to do this, but if it looks safe and easy to do then certainly no harm in doing so and might just save a hiccup.
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Disconnect earth lead first, re-connect last.... and to the correct terminal!
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Thanks all. It's an after-market Kenwood stereo and it doesn't appear to have a code facility, so that's a bonus. I have a good booster pack so I might be tempted to use that.
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Update:
Yup, I was exactly right. 'We don't do those any more sir - your car is 12 years old' etc, etc.
Anyway, they came up with a 70 amp Varta (for some reason the Prelude is the same as the NSX and Lexus 430) for one cent less than the top price I had told myself I would pay chez Honda. And apart from having to put the radio presets back in - even though I hooked up the booster pack - we're back in business.
I still don't think servicing and a battery is a bad price to pay for 100,000 hard but very reliable, comfortable and enjoyable miles.
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is it a prelude of things to come though
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>> Update:
>> Yup, I was exactly right. 'We don't do those any more sir - your car
>> is 12 years old' etc, etc.
>
3 yrs ago I was looking for a new car, turned up in my then 9 yr old car @ local Honda garage.
A salesman was on the 4court waving goodbye to a new car owner. I paused to let them past and he came across and said he had a "good selection of cars under £6,000 round the back" - I was prepared to spend up to £20-£25K .
Motorpoint were not so dismissive and got the deal.
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FB
He probably clocked your Scottish registration plate and jumped to a logical, (but incorrect), conclusion.
;)
Last edited by: pmh on Tue 24 Aug 10 at 20:29
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It's sad isn't it? I've owned Hondas since 1966 but I vowed never to set foot in the Taunton dealers again after they treated me like dirt. The previous dealer was an old family firm and lovely. At least the French guys showed an interest when I took a fancy to the Insight demonstrator. But they have to because the French don't rate Honda much at all.
Odd's life, as the Bard was wont to say...
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>> A salesman was on the 4court waving goodbye to a new car owner. I paused
>> to let them past and he came across and said he had a "good selection
>> of cars under £6,000 round the back" - I was prepared to spend up to
>> £20-£25K .
I just don't understand this mentality at all. I was in car sales for less than a year, and even I clocked within weeks that the car someone turns up in, or the way they dress bears no relation to their financial situation.
The scruffy gentleman in the battered Datsun Laurel one Sunday afternoon spoke perfect Queen's English, and when we got chatting turned out was actually a Lord. He bought a Scorpio Cosworth for himself and, on impulse, a pre-registered Escort XR3i Cabrio we were doing a deal on, for his wife. Paid with a Coutt's cheque.
Another guy that looked oddly familiar, but like he'd fallen through a hedge backwards turned out to be the Marquis of Blandford, then heir to the Blenheim Palace estate. One of my colleagues sold him an Escort Cosworth, which legend has it he went on to have chipped to high heaven, and then crashed spectacularly.
If anything, it was the '2 yr old car, designer clothes' lot who had their whole life on tick, and didn't have a pot to urinate in. But you genuinely couldn't tell until you got a conversation going. Salesmen who pre-judge anyone on appearance/car are not only morons, but crap at their job.
Last edited by: DP on Wed 25 Aug 10 at 10:23
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>> Update:
>> Yup, I was exactly right. 'We don't do those any more sir - your car
>> is 12 years old' etc, etc.
>> Anyway, they came up with a 70 amp Varta
>> I still don't think servicing and a battery is a bad price to pay for
>> 100,000 hard but very reliable, comfortable and enjoyable miles.
Excellent cars MH. I bought a 75A Varta for my '98 BMW 323i Estate in Nov'08 and 142000 miles, it turns the engine over like it's not there. I was glad of it last winter. The old one was genuine BMW. I don't know if it was the original.
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Honda Prelude - 98 2.2 R.I.P. - Zero
