Prelude update

It has been an eventful week what with one thing and another.

For some time I’ve known that one or two of the bulbs illuminating the instruments have blown. Getting to the bulbs looked challenging enough to delay the job as long as possible. Last week my hand was forced as the final bulb went out.

Driving with the speed and other information only intermittently available when street lighting permitted was a little un-nerving. Driving through an unfamiliar area, full of speed cameras is no fun at the best of times but I was even more cautious than normal.

Back home and in daylight I investigated the location of the bulbs. As is often the case with jobs inside the car – as opposed to under the bonnet – what promised to be easy turned out not to be. On the Prelude there are two screws that secure the bezel around the instrument panel. However, it turns out that this cannot be removed without taking of the steering column shrouding. Eventually I found the parts in question and, with the help of my friendly local Honda dealer, ordered replacements. As the parts weren’t in stock I spent most of the week driving round with the dashboard in pieces.

Now everything is back together, with new bulbs installed. I had forgotten how clear and crisp the Honda’s instruments are at night. Age may be catching up with the Prelude but it is nice to see one area rejuvenated.

The other thing to come up this week was the MOT; I was reasonably confident of a pass but you never know what might be lurking unseen. It would be nice to say that the Prelude passed with a clean bill of health but there was an advisory note about play in the rear suspension and the garage warned that the exhaust isn’t in the best shape. Still, all things considered it isn’t too bad for a car in its 13^th year.