Well, this is a first for me. I’m selling two cars!

Yes, the Prelude and the XM are both on the market and for a very simple reason. I have no money. The Dyane is due to get some much-needed welding next month and at the moment, there’s no way I can fund it. Which is annoying as I’ve already bought the windscreen it also needs.

I really like the Prelude, it’s so effortless yet enjoyable to drive. But it was purchased for a reason, and that reason was Retro Japanese. Now we’re getting close to deadline, I can’t really justify keeping it. Not when there’s another perfectly usable mid-1990s motor on the fleet.

Which is why the XM is also for sale. I think I must reluctantly concede that, almost entirely due to the Prelude’s pert handling, my love for the XM is not as strong as it once was. It’s still a fantastic car, and one in which I’ve covered over 13,000 happy miles, but as with BXs, I think I’m happy to say I’ve ticked the box now. Time for new adventures.

Let’s start with a detailed look at the Prelude then. It’s a 1992 2.0i automatic, with a great gearbox. It’s a four-speed unit with a lock-up torque converter and economy seems to hover around 32-34mpg no matter how I drive it. To be honest, it’s not a particularly rev-happy engine – it’s very similar to the engine in my old Rover 416SLi – so progress is quiet and effortless for the most part. There’s a good spread of torque, and the gearbox is happy to use it rather than kick down annoyingly every five minutes. It’s the handling that is truly joyous though. So tight and composed. I’ve covered over 700 miles in it in the past week, and I was still glad to leap in it yesterday for a quick drive to the shops.

Honda Prelude for sale, £595ono.

The MOT runs until September, and a sticker on the engine reports that the timing belt was changed about 20,000 miles ago. It was a Cat C write-off at some point, but there are no signs of damage that I’ve seen, and that was apparently a good five years ago – low value means it could have been something as insignificant as a damaged bumper or door. The automatic transmission fluid was changed earlier this year, and it had a pair of new rear calipers last year. I’m asking £595ono.

Moving on to the XM, it has 130,000 miles on the clock, was serviced 9000 miles ago, had a timing belt replacement last year and a front brake overhaul (replacement used caliper, new EBC discs and pads) very recently. In my ownership it’s also had one or two bits of rot cut out and replaced (very nicely, not MOT patches) in the front floors and sills and I also replaced the sunroof cassette to cure a leak. It had new ARB drop links last summer and wears excellent Continental winter tyres – it comes with a spare set of rims with some fairly worn summer tyres. No problems with the hydraulics at all – all spheres were checked late last year and found to be in-spec. The three rear spheres were all replaced last year. It’s cosmetically challenged in places, so isn’t perfect. MOT 28 Jan 2017 and I’m asking £895ono.

Citroen XM For Sale – £895ono.

I wouldn’t hesitate to jump in either car and drive pretty much anywhere. Like I say, the Prelude has been all over the UK this week, and the shot above of the XM was taken in France last year. At least one of these cars must sell, because a certain Dyane REALLY needs to return to the road. Which effectively means that I’m replacing one of the above with a ratty Dyane. Yes, I do worry about myself sometimes.

If you’re interested in either car, do drop me a line. Don’t tell me I’ll regret selling the XM though. I’ve sold good cars before. It’s not something I generally regret. Life is about variety and I love owning different things!