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Honda Jazz - Help buying first car - Joanna Coleshill

Following a divorce I need to purchase a car for the first time. I've only ever been a named driver on my ex's car, he took care of all those sides of things so I'm feeling very clueless and vulnerable! I have two kids (one a rapidly growing ten year old) so was looking for five door hatchback, and I'm thinking of a Honda Jazz as I know they have a reputation as being reliable. My absolute maximum is £4500 but would prefer to keep under £4000. I've identified three locally (around Manchester) on Auto Trader:

2009 model with 50,000 miles priced at £4000
2012 model with 94,000 miles priced at £4000
2014 model with 97,000 miles priced at £4,400

I'll post links in next post. Is the lower mileage better to go for despite being an older car? Is there a different make/model that would be better than the Honda Jazz for my budget? Is it even worth paying this much for a 10 year old plus car, or should I just get a really cheapy one and hope for the best? Any guidance would be very much appreciated as I need to get a car asap and am feeling very overwhelmed. Thanks!

Honda Jazz - Help buying first car - Joanna Coleshill

The three cars are below:

www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208299237811?p...e

www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202206237101854?p...e

www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208269167477?a...e

Honda Jazz - Help buying first car - Adampr

The three cars are below:

www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208299237811?p...e

www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202206237101854?p...e

www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208269167477?a...e

Of those, I would be looking at the third one - it sounds like a genuine private seller (the first one doesn't) and the MOT history looks good. The Honda service history is a plus and I wouldn't worry about the mileage as it's not excessive. To be honest, I would be more concerned by an old car.wuth low miles, as it's not been driven enough.

There are plenty of other options out there, but I would suggest starting with the Jazz. If you drive that one and like it, and it suits your needs, why keep going? I think you will only get more overwhelmed thinking about every option.

As for whether you'd be better off with something cheaper....maybe, but it gets harder to find a good one. Perhaps ask friends and family if they have something they're thinking of PXing and you can give them a better deal while also finding something with clear history.

Honda Jazz - Help buying first car - Joanna Coleshill

Thanks so much, I was leaning towards the third one but wasn't sure if the higher mileage was an issue. Unfortunately none of my friends/family are changing cars any time soon so no joy there as I need one ASAP. I'll go take a look at the third one and see how it goes I guess.

Honda Jazz - Help buying first car - Adampr

Thanks so much, I was leaning towards the third one but wasn't sure if the higher mileage was an issue. Unfortunately none of my friends/family are changing cars any time soon so no joy there as I need one ASAP. I'll go take a look at the third one and see how it goes I guess.

Do remember you can walk away if you're not totally convinced. Also report back - lots of people will want to chuck their opinion in.

Honda Jazz - Help buying first car - badbusdriver

Much as I am a fan of the Jazz (and they are reliable), they are not, relatively speaking, a big seller. So focussing solely on them, especially as you presumably want one fairly local, is going to severely restrict your choice.

Using a random postcode from the centre of Manchester, I had a look on Autotrader to see if anything popped out within a 50mile radius.

202208229024770

Youngest car on offer is this 2016 Dacia Sandero 1.2 Ambience. 80k miles is quite high for a car of this type, but the n/a 1.2 is a reliable lump and it is a one owner car. Not much in the way of luxuries (though this isn't the bottom of the range, that was the Access), but it is a simple car with little to go wrong and enough space for your needs.

202205276226366

Here is a tidy looking 1.2 Corsa, reliable and cheap to run. Decent spec and pretty much right in the centre of Manchester.

202208279184448

Another black 1.2 Vauxhall, but the Agila is actually a Suzuki underneath. Certainly as reliable as a Jazz, a very compact car which has a surprising amount of space due to being tall. Just be aware, the boot isn't very big!.

202209029358408

This one owner 2013 Vauxhall Astra seems like it is worth a look. A little bigger, but running costs should still be low, and yes, they are reliable.

202207137757915

The Nissan Note is probably as spacious for its size as a Jazz and while some Nissans have less than stellar reliability, these are very reliable. This two owner 2013 has 80k miles, but has a shortish MOT, so I'd be looking for a new one if you decided to go for it (run that by the seller before going to view, and if they aren't prepared to, don't)

202208108667898

If you want something a bit easier to find in a car park and can manage with a little less space and flexibility than a Jazz, how about this bright yellow 2 owner Corsa 1.4!. Same reliable engine as the Astra linked above.

202207117659946

Still eye-catching if not quite as much as the Corsa, this bright metallic green 2 owner Mazda 2 may be worth a look if it has enough space for your needs. Every bit as reliable as a Jazz, this uses the higher powered version of the two 1.3 engines offered.

202208058512275

Here is another Jazz, this is a one owner example with 74k miles. Some reviews of the seller not great, so tread carefully.

202208249079507

Something a little more SUVish here, but I've included the Suzuki SX4 because (with the petrol engine) they are so reliable.

Be aware, I have not checked the MOT history of any of the above (I may do later)

Honda Jazz - Help buying first car - Joanna Coleshill

Thank you so much, this is incredibly helpful! I've had a look over all the cars you posted and ruled out several of them, however three in particular stand out. If you're able to offer me any more advice after already spending so much time looking for me it would be much appreciate.

Dacia Sandero - it shows it failed it's last MOT due to an exhaust leak. The listing says new MOT. Would it be a case of verifying this has been recently issued and checking the record of the repair work done on the exhaust?

Vauxhall Corsa - It failed its MOT in April 2022 with quite a few issues, it then subsequently passed, presumably once they'd been fixed. Is this necessarily a red flag?

Mazda 2 - this is my favourite, I love the look of it and it's has the cheapest insurance/tax of any of them. However similarly to the Corsa it had lots of issues in 2020, passed with nothing flagged in 2021, then no MOT showing in 2022 - again is this a matter of verifying the MOT results in 2022 and checking the issues were properly repaired?

Of the three cars above and the third Jazz I originally found, do you have a gut feel as to which is the best value/reliability/etc trade off? Thanks so much for your help, so appreciated!

Honda Jazz - Help buying first car - Xileno

If you like the look of the Mazda then go for that. The MOT is about the expire, ensure a fresh one is issued as part of the deal (the advert says 12 months). A number of the previous MOT faults have been down to lack of attention - worn tyres, wipers, brake pads. A MOT failure that is fixed is no concern, however an advisory this year might be a failure next so the worn suspension joint could need fixing but it won't be expensive.

Honda Jazz - Help buying first car - badbusdriver

Re the Sandero, it failed the MOT because of the emissions, presumably because of the exhaust leak. But having had a look at the MOT history I am left a bit confused by the fact that the failure was 2nd September, but the current MOT is valid till 16th October?. I think you'd have to talk to the seller about what that is all about. Bottom line though is that an exhaust repair or replacement is not likely to be a big or expensive job.

Re the Corsa, nothing particularly serious on the fail, just brake adjustment. But it may need a set of tyres in the near future, if you really like the car otherwise, may be a haggling point.

Re the Mazda, doesn't seem to be anything serious either. The fail in 2020 was just a suspension consumable, they have a finite life, it is just a case of replacing it. The current advisory is for 'slight play'. Given that it would (presumably) be getting a new MOT upon sale, I wouldn't worry too much about that. If it passes again, then the play still isn't too bad. Plus, I wouldn't expect this to be a big or expensive job if it did have to be replaced on its next MOT. As for the tyre, difficult without seeing the cut, but worst case scenario would be having to replace two front tyres (not advisable to replace one, unless the existing one is nearly new and in that case, get the same make/model of tyre).

Re your Jazz, MOT history looks all good, nothing at all to worry about.

Which is best is more down to your needs and preferences. None are unreliable (the Sandero is also available with a 0.9 turbo which is more powerful than the n/a 1.2, but apparently this is a bit fragile, the 1.2 is fine), but the Mazda and Honda are more reliable.

The Sandero is a basic no nonsense workhorse, it will do the job but nothing more. It is a car for someone who just wants transport, and of course it is the youngest (which matters to some).

The Jazz is the most practical choice, with the most interior space and thanks to the ingenious design of the rear seats (the base flips with the backrest in place, like a cinema seat, so you can have two separate load areas). Very reliable, but (from what I have read) not much fun to drive. Maybe a bit like the Sandero but with added practicality and a more desirable badge(?), ultimately more reliable too.

Corsa's are ten a penny, but in the bright yellow with alloy wheels, it really pops. Like the Sandero, not quite as reliable as the Jazz or Mazda 2, but by no means unreliable. Not as spacious as the Jazz and Sandero, but should be OK for your needs. Ok to drive, but not especially entertaining.

The Mazda is going to be the best driving and most fun car here, but also with probably the least space. Not that it is very cramped, just less space than the others. But it is also likely to be the most reliable of them along with the Jazz.

Honda Jazz - Help buying first car - Falkirk Bairn

With a low budget it might be worth looking at the private sales.

It's condition that matters - a well loved car, owned by somebody for years, good service history, good MoT history ............ on the other hand there are dealers pretending to be private sellers - conmen is the word I was looking for.

Honda Jazz - Help buying first car - Engineer Andy

Quite right on the Mazda re: its suspension 'issue' - I've had similar advisories over my Mazda3's 16+ years of ownership as it aged, due to wear and tear. It then gets repaired as necessary, depending upon the severity of the fault / likelihood it getting worse quickly (I don't do high mileage), though normally before the next MOT, and mostly within a month or two of the original one.

Common issues on most cars really as they age. Certainly not expensive. The best way to avoid such bills is to avoid potholes and speedhumps where practical and safe and where not, to drive smoothly and as slowly as practicable over them.

Too many people brake too late or accelerate out of speed humps or go over them too quickly, which works the suspension much harder than needed. Best to back off the gas earlier and to keep a steady pace over them.