I 'phoned my local Honda dealer yesterday to arrange a test drive of a Jazz. I asked if the 2003 model was available with the revised suspension - Backroomers will be aware of the heavy criticism Honda received re the hard suspension of the Jazz on launch.
To my surprise the salesman told me that the 2003 model was identical to the 2002 model. In fact, he told me, all the criticism was dreampt up by one motoring journalist and repeated ad nauseam by all the others. He went on to advise me that to address this 'perceived' problem Honda decided to announce that changes had been made even though the suspension on the 2003 was identical to the original car!
My understanding, from what I have read, is that Honda released a modification kit to address the criticism but this failed because it resulted in sloppy handling. Subsequently, they had to modify the actual suspension fixings to achieve a satisfactory result.
Is this balony and the salesman is right, or should I look for another dealer?
HectorG
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Find a dealer with a 2003 Jazz demonstrator and take a test drive. I did and I bought one and I'm delighted with it.
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I agree. The only way to see if the suspension/damping is OK for you is to test drive the car. BUT, remember that the test route may not include all the types of road surfaces that you routinely drive on.
When I bought a Civic earlier this year, I test drove one in another City, about 15 miles from where I live. The suspension was perfectly OK. However, on first driving the car in my home town, one particular road caused the suspension to be restless - the only road in the area, and only at a 30mph or below! Unfortunately that's the speed limit, so has to be adhered to!
This jiggy ride/retlessness does seem to be a characteristic of Hondas when driven on certain well-worn roads in this country, which probably aren't seen in urban Japan!
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The salesman does not know what he is talking about.
Honda altered the dampers and some suspension bushes on the Jazz to soften the ride from around March this year. Cars without the modification can have different dampers fitted at a cost by the dealer but not the bushes. We have a Jazz without the modifications and it is fine as far as I can see, and it handles like a go-kart.
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dc: I followed a Jazz recently: my Civic was a handful in comparison, all over the place. Go-cart is fair description of the Jazz!
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Reminds me of the racing driver who kept complaining that the suspension on his car needed attention. Finally, the pit crew decided to give the original dampers a lick of paint and replace them, which he then considered a marked improvement...
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I test drove one of the originals and wrote a report without reading anything else, altho I was aware of some of the criticisms. My comments seemed to reflect other peoples views.
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=i&t=45...2
At that time I could not have considered buying one! I will try and test drive a new one and report then!
pmh (was peter)
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Test drove a Jazz SE Sport today. Found the suspension a little 'jiggly' but not unacceptable. I have to say my first impressions on sitting in the car whilst stationery were: very comfortable with excellent visibilty and superb build quality.
Impressions from driving the car were: superb gearbox (probably the best gear change I have ever experienced), and very lively for a 1.4 compared with the Polo 1.4 I had as a courtesy car on Monday.
My conclusion is that the plus points far outweigh the negatives even though the suspension is not ideal for British roads.
I think I will order one soon!
HectorG
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Hector if you can test drive a standard Jazz. The Sport has larger size wheels which can make a difference to the ride. Being the "Sport" model it may have stiffer suspension. I have a 2003 standard Jazz SE and I am delighted with the ride/handling setup, but then again I've never owned a roly-poly car.
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I 've had an Se Sport now for 4 weeks from new, I did test an earlier version and yes the ride is a 'little' softer on 2003 model, as stated earlier the Sport will be a little harder than the SE due to the wheel/tyre combination but I would say it is no harder that the sport variants of other normal hatches.
Last weekend went on a 700 mile round trip and can only have praise for the car. Excellent build, nice to drive although as with lots of cars with power steering they tend to drift in a straight line. Load luggin ability is fantastic when you consider the external dimensions. Comfortable, execellent all round view.
I drove back from about 30miles South of Paris, starting on a full tank fuel, on arrival back in Beds there was still 1/4 tank of fuel left. This is with 70mph ave (with air con on) in France and 80mph ave when back in the UK.
It's not cheap when you compare it to similar cars but I think you will have a decent return on selling in the future as they are not your nova or fiesta.
Mind you after all the above praise I think a visit to the garage is required as I have noticed it being a little noisy and reving a little high on cold starts since comiing back from Paris !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Watch this space.
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Time for yet another moan from me about the Jazz.
We made the mistake of buying an SE Sport the day they hit the roads, we are now looking around for a replacement for what we call "Mr Bumpy".
Have road tested the new "revised" suspension and I can honestly say I can not feel any difference in the ride "quality".
If anybody can it must be a very small difference, certainly not enough to compare it to other cars in the same class.
Regards Mal.
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The more I read threads about the Jazz, the more I realise the truth in the old saying that one man’s meat is another man’s poison. For me, the Jazz is ‘meat’.
In one place HJ says that the Jazz ‘beats everything else on versatility, economy, specification and price’….and in another place ‘it is the best designed small car there is’. Having spent a long time considering the various alternatives and now having bought one, I have to say that I agree with him.
Before making the purchase, I talked to several owners. All were very enthusiastic. One who had owned several more expensive cars, said that it was the best car he had ever had. None made any reference to the suspension.
Having driven the Jazz on trial over A, B and M roads and now having driven 2500 miles since purchase, I conclude that the suspension is not an issue. I find it takes a while to feel completely at home in most new cars. I am now 100% happy with this one.
Everything about it is superb. I will not take up space talking about it’s virtues except to say that, from new, the mpg (based on fuel actually used..not the computer) works out at 55.48 (1000 Motorway miles and 1500 other miles…and believe me…we do not travel light).
As has been suggested elsewhere, it is a good idea to hire a car for a day or two before making final decision. We did this with a Yaris but rejected it due to inadequate boot space. Not many car hire firms seem to have the Jazz but one exception is Sixt-Kenning (50 uk branches) and if you insist on having this particular car they will ring you when one is available.
One tip for those who, like me, have the ‘S type’. When folding back seat, don’t bother moving front one and then fiddle around trying to relocate it in original position…simply remove back head rest.
Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten.
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007 thanks for your helpful post.
Although I have driven a Jazz over a number of different surfaces during a test drive, it is not the same as a long term test.
I once owned a Saab 900 Turbo 16V S with lowered suspension.I was so impressed with the performance during the test drive that I failed to notice the hardness of the suspension.After 6 months I could no longer live with the suspension, despite the awesome handling,and sold the car. Consequently, I am a little paranoid about mistakenly buying a car with suspension I could not live with in the longer term.
Like you I was totally convinced about just about everything else about the car. It seems to me that there are so few owners who have anything but praise for the car, the suspension, even if not 'perfect', is on the right side of acceptable.
I may take your advice 007 and hire a Jazz for a weekend.
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Hector.....If you do contact Sixt, they will trot out their standard condition that they do not guarantee a particular model...just the size of car you require. Do not take 'No' for an answer. Explain, as I did, why you want a Jazz and they get the message. Tell them that their Chesterfield branch were most helpful with a similar request from me...they phoned me on the day a brand new one arrived. You have to be prepared to strike while the iron is hot and hire it there and then...or at least book it there and then.If you ask nicely, they might even have a look on the computer to see where in the Group the Jazz models have got to. Let me know how you get on.
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We have had a Jazz for three months now, and are delighted with it.
The suspension isn't an issue for us, but then we did trade from a Merc A-class which is possibly even more bone-rattling than the Jazz.
My only slight complaint with it is that top gear is quite low geared, so you end up doing 4000rpm+ at 85 down the motorway.
mike
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The following item from another thread is worth adding to this thread!
Forum New & Used Car of the Year - doctorchris new Fri 3 Oct 03 12:41
Honda Jazz, new or used. A bit expensive new but will hold its value well.Innovative design and a cracker to drive.
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