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Honda Jazz IMA - Is this a good buy? - johncyprus

My daughter wants to replace her elderly Jazz Mk1 and I’ve come across a high mileage Jazz IMA which I’m considering. Normally I’d run a mile from a. a very high mileage car and b.a driving instructor’s car. However- this is a 65 plate and has FSH serviced by Honda every 12, 500 miles and CVT fluid changed as per schedule and it’s not a pool driving school car, he’s a one man band and the car is apparently immaculate. He bought it at 18 months old with 3,000miles on the clock, he’s does 40k a year in it ( prior to Covid ) and it now has 136,000 miles

Her next car must be reliable above all. Could this be a good reliable car? Any ideas what the car is worth as a private sale would be appreciated, I don’t know how to value this. What would the trade value be?

Thanks in advance.

Honda Jazz IMA - Is this a good buy? - badbusdriver

It certainly could be a reliable car, as to whether it will be?, I wouldn't go there myself.

How many miles does she cover?. I ask because the Jazz isn't a thirsty car, so I'm wondering just what benefits she/you see's with going for a high mileage hybrid rather than a normal petrol version?.

Edited by badbusdriver on 23/02/2021 at 09:33

Honda Jazz IMA - Is this a good buy? - Andrew-T

I've no connection with the trade, but a lot of miles on a small car are not usually a smart move, even with a 100% service record. It can't be truly 'immaculate' without adding 'for mileage'. You should be paying for the remaining life in any vehicle, which in this case may be fairly short or expensive in terms of wear and tear. It may have passed its design mileage already ....

Honda Jazz IMA - Is this a good buy? - Rerepo

Unless it is super cheap then I wouldn't bother. It will have been knocked into lots of kerbs and all those miles will have been hard miles crawling around urban/suburban roads at relatively low speeds. Not much motorway cruising.

Honda Jazz IMA - Is this a good buy? - bathtub tom

That's around 30K miles a year since it's been a driving school car. Seems a lot for one that I would think spends most of its time crawling around at under 30MPH. Any driving instructors here that could comment?

Honda Jazz IMA - Is this a good buy? - daveyjp

My father was an instructor for 25 years and he did about 30,000 a year, changing his car every 3 years. I bought one off him after two years which went on to do almost 150,000 miles.

Not all the miles are teaching. Instructors have to get from home to their pupils and home again and lessons were everything from 20 limits to motorways, dual carriageways and country routes.

However over 150,000 miles is high for any vehicle so it would have to be priced right.

Honda Jazz IMA - Is this a good buy? - focussed

Ex-UK driving instructor here.

As it's an owner-driver car, and an automatic as well, so no clutch/gearbox abuse possible, I don't see a problem with buying it for what it is - a well maintained used secondhand car.

As opposed to a school owned car which if damaged gets replaced within 24 hours.

Don't forget, an instructor's car on a driving test has to be 100% viable and working, examiners usually do a walk around inspection before getting in.

As regards the "banging into kerbs" remark. My 2007 Honda Civic did two years with me as an independent instructor and had no damage to wheels from kerbing. It's up to the individual instructor to be alert, teach the correct methods to stay away from kerbs and to guide the pupil's steering if necessary.

My advice is to go and have a look at it, test drive it, if it feels ok and doesn't knock rattle or smoke, buy it - as you would any other car.

Edited by focussed on 23/02/2021 at 10:41

Honda Jazz IMA - Is this a good buy? - Bolt

Unless it is super cheap then I wouldn't bother. It will have been knocked into lots of kerbs and all those miles will have been hard miles crawling around urban/suburban roads at relatively low speeds. Not much motorway cruising.

I wouldn`t buy it and I`ve had 2 over the years, not the engine that would bother me due to how robust they are if properly serviced and should go on for 250K+, but whats the treatment to the transmission and car itself, and as mentioned its probably been kerbed many times.

I know getting good ones is difficult but I would hold on for a better car, they are about just a case of waiting.

Honda Jazz IMA - Is this a good buy? - skidpan

Driving instructor’s car.

and

apparently immaculate.

will never be true.

There are plenty of low mileage small cars around without taking a risk on this one and then adding in the extra risk of a high mileage hybrid.

Wait until travel restrictions end, only a month away (fingers crossed). Then she will be able to look at cars and make a much better decision.

Honda Jazz IMA - Is this a good buy? - madf

I suspect I know the owner who is a member of the Jazz Forum. His last Jazz IMA had to be scrapped at 230,000 miles when the gearbox broke (pothole related) and it was worth more as scrap Then the car was 100% reliable.

If it is, I would buy it.

It should have a full Honda S/H and the CVT gearbox oil changed every 25,000 miles.

There should be NO warning lights on the dash when running.

clubjazz.org/forum/index.php?topic=12740.0 is a link to his thread.

(I have a normal 1.4CVT Jazz of 2012. They are very robust cars.

Read also clubjazz.org/forum/index.php?topic=12795.0

Edited by madf on 23/02/2021 at 12:49

Honda Jazz IMA - Is this a good buy? - VengaPete

>>>>>>>>I have a normal 1.4CVT Jazz of 2012. They are very robust cars.

Although....
My daughter has a 2007 Jazz 1.4 CVT and its just had a saga with a crash sensor that has come out at £430 altogether.

The sensor itself was £166 + VAT for what is essentially a 3 inch by 2 inch bit of plastic with a connector at one end. Bearing in mind a crash sensor is a fairly simple device from what I've read, how on earth Honda get to that price is beyond me.

I've kept the failed one and will be opening it up to see just what her £166 has bought.

Apart from that, it went through its MOT on Saturday with one advise for wishbone bushes which is symptomatic of our rubbish roads I suspect, We'll investigate the cost of this once her bank balance has recovered from the crash sensor shock

So yes, generally reliable cars but if you do need parts, it seems Honda do load the prices somewhat.

Honda Jazz IMA - Is this a good buy? - JonestHon

A neighbour here have one my 2015 from new).

Because she does minuscule milage (under 3k\y) the IMA battery seems to give her bother.

She say the car complaints that the 'battery needs charging' asking her to go for a drive of at least 15 miles.

Her mpg is similar to our petrol 1.33 yaris.

Honda Jazz IMA - Is this a good buy? - Falkirk Bairn

>>it seems Honda do load the prices somewhat.

The MoT had advisory on my CRV for anti-roll bar bushes.

Honda bushes were £8 each and my Indie asked how long I might keep the car. He said inserting bushes can take time & therefore ££s. A complete part was £58+VAT IIRC

He bought a 3rd party part that cost me for £18 and fitted that instead - I intend to trade the car in in the near future but not until I can actually go somewhere other than the supermarket.

In Scotland you cannot leave your local authority area unless for work etc - I have done only 800 miles in the last 6 months - which includes say 10/12 miles every 2 weeks going nowhere but giving the car a run on a stretch of motorway.

Edited by Falkirk Bairn on 24/02/2021 at 06:44