Almost every generation of Honda’s sporty models – whether it is a Prelude, a Civic, or CRX – are subject to being abused and modified to a point that they become undesirable. Certain eras are exposed to this treatment more than others, but it doesn’t make it any less difficult to find a decent example. The Prelude has slowly started to become a bit of an item when found in clean, stock condition, especially in second-generation form. The fifth-generation model is somewhat new to the collector world, but it never hurts to get in early – and with the manual transmission, this 1998 model listed here on craigslist for $7,000 could look like a smart buy within a few years.

This marked the final generation of the Prelude, at least until just recently when Honda reintroduced the nameplate. This was a significant evolution of Honda’s premier sports coupe, with a refined interior, completely redesigned exterior, and eventually, sophisticated chassis upgrades in the form of the SH, or Super Handling, trim line. This example pre-dates the SH offering, and some Honda enthusiasts may prefer it that way. This Prelude is loaded up with all of the things that make these cars great, and no additional complexity that can require repair at this stage in the car’s life.

Equipped with the robust H22A4 DOHC four-cylinder, the Prelude pushed out a healthy 195 horsepower and 156 lb-ft of torque. 0-60 times generally fell around seven seconds. The reason the SH model catches some ire from enthusiasts despite the sophisticated technology is additional complexity and weight, which makes an example like this one potentially even more desirable. The real ace in the hole for this Prelude, however, is that bone stock engine bay, with not a cold air intake or aftermarket headers in sight. There’s no aftermarket suspension or exhaust system. It’s a unicorn Prelude, in many ways.

The Prelude is not maintenance-heavy, but it does have some services (particularly timing belt and water pump) that should absolutely be done. The seller reports that his car is “…mechanically perfect,” so hopefully, he has the paperwork to support that claim; the listing does mention dealer documentation that will accompany the car, which is a good sign. The asking price seems downright reasonable for a car this clean, and as the collector car market starts to pick back up again, you can almost guarantee the price will go up. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Curvette for the tip.