Car question: Fabia vs Jazz

[Daveg2812]

Dave............
The wife's Honda Jazz was made in Swindon uk

Wondered if I was sticking my neck out a bit when I said that. I know the Civic and CRV are made there but wasn't sure about the Jazz. From what I've read, the UK built Civic's have been a bit less reliable than the previous Japanese built model.

[Welshman]

I have to say if i was buying a diesel, i would, as has been said go for an older bigger lump, nice and torquey and runs with simple maintenance for ever.

Ditto that.

The friend of ours (the ex-Mercedes Benz mechanic, now retired) who I mentioned earlier in this thread states the same thing. He also he wouldn't touch a M-B built after 1996 which was when Chrysler took the firm over.

I agree it was around that time that MB quality started to suffer but it was MB who really took over Chrysler. The joke was "How do you pronounce Daimler Chrysler" - Answer was "Daimler -the C is silent".

[boxerscott]

I had a Lada once, it was solidly put together around two 8x4 rsj`s and had a heater that pumped out more sunshine than Chernobyl. the potholes filled themselves in when they saw me coming along and i always carried a spare set of... well.. errr everything to keep her running it was not the best car I ever had and i would certainly eliminate this model from your wish list but I sold it for more than I paid for it and it ended up on a boat at teesport heading back for motherland whence she came. Thought I would share this with you. Somehow it now would seem quite cool to potter about in such a pile

[Gromit]

I agree it was around that time that MB quality started to suffer but it was MB who really took over Chrysler. The joke was "How do you pronounce Daimler Chrysler" - Answer was "Daimler -the C is silent".

You are absolutely correct - it was me getting confused. It was also in 1998

They described it as a 'merger of equals' apparently, but in 2008 Dieter Zetsche (CEO of Daimler) admitted that this was one huge mistake that they made. They now only hold less than a 20% stake in Chrysler, the rest being owned by Cerberus, who took over in 2007. Seems Daimler actually paid Cerberus to take Chrysler on.

[Hayden]

"and a couple of Octavia`s at work have 180 and 220K on them, no problem, its all about how there looked after I suspect? "


Sorry, that was incorrect, mileages are actually 280 and 320K.....

( Germany two or four times a month, on business, business....yeah right!.. )

[Gromit]

"and a couple of Octavia`s at work have 180 and 220K on them, no problem, its all about how there looked after I suspect? "


Sorry, that was incorrect, mileages are actually 280 and 320K.....

( Germany two or four times a month, on business, business....yeah right!.. )

Yowzas!!

Mind you I'll bet they get nice long motorway journeys which will no doubt help their longevity, but still that's well impressive. I did know of someone with an old Citroen BX19RD which had done in excess of 300k once - sure the body wasn't great but mechanically those old things were bombproof.

[Hayden]

Citroen Diesels, 300K, yep no problem.

I used to work for a Citroen garage, BX`s with those kind of mileages were not particully unusual..as in any Di. engine I suspect, change the oil and Di. filtre regularly and they will just run..

[Blackal]

A few years ago - all the taxis in Dundee, were Skoda Octavias.

I suspect there are three possible scenarios for this:

1) They offered the best reliability/price ratio

2) There is one hell of a salesman in the local Skoda dealership

3) They nicked them.


I'd like to think that it is (1), but having been to Dundee - I don't totally discount (3).

Al

[dave the german]

I'd like to think that it is (1), but having been to Dundee - I don't totally discount (3).

Al [/quote]

[Dai wiskers]

Just tell the Mrs you need one of these just the thing for our potholed roads
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7FThqI7 ... ure=relmfu

[Gromit]

Well, we've bought ourselves a little Fabia.

Had a good test drive of both the Jazz (1.4 ES model) and the Skoda (1.2 12v SE Plus) today and although the Honda is undeniably a well-screwed-together little car, I just much preferred driving the Fabia. The Honda engine was buzzy, somewhat raucous when extended and the ride was poor, never feeling settled. A fair bit more wind noise around the A-pillars when cruising at 70-80mph too.

The Fabia by contrast rode more smoothly (it's more softly sprung but quite well damped), its gearbox is easily as sweet as that in the Jazz, and the little 3-pot motor whilst hardly quick (far from it) is a lot quieter and less buzzy into the bargain. Nicer interior too imho - simple, quite plain, but all the kit you'd need.

They also had a 1.2TSi Fabia (85bhp) but although this would've been tempting, we're a bit paranoid where turbo engines are concerned at the moment. Perhaps that parnanoia is unfounded but the 70bhp motor will be fine for our needs. Should be picking our Fabia up end of next week.

[Daveg2812]

Glad you're sorted. Had a Tdi version for a fortnight when on holiday last year. Had been enjoying driving it for most of the first week when I suddenly realised it was only a year old and had 37000 km on the clock. There was barely a mark on it and the interior was very tidy. Given the type of environment it was operating in,(Costa del Sol, families with kids who know they only have it for a few days) I was very impressed.

[Boxered]

Well, we've bought ourselves a little Fabia.

Ahh, I see the teutonic tractor beam is as strong as ever

Enjoy

Steve

[Gromit]

Ahh, I see the teutonic tractor beam is as strong as ever

Enjoy

Steve

Old habits die hard I think, Steve.

The Jazz was really, really good - what a clever little car Honda have made here - but it just didn't 'grab' us at all. Whilst for pootling around town etc it would've been great, out on the open road (which we do get quite a lot of here in Lincs) it just felt 'busy' all the time and the motor really needs revving quite hard to make progress - it ultimately has more urge than the Fabia but you have to work for it. The demo Jazz we drove was on a '10 plate and had done 45k miles and felt as if it had done a tenth of that (a bit like my Blackbird which still feels so solid after 74k miles). Not a single rattle/squeak from anywhere in the car, and the interior looked immaculate.

The Fabia's motor, by comparison, had a lot more torque at the bottom end and is just a more relaxing drive. Sure in real terms it won't pull much more than a thick skin off the rice pud, wer'e really not bothered about a car's performance - we just wanted something solid, reliable and comfortable.

That 1.2TSi they also had in would've been good (same age/mileage as ours ie 61 reg'd/7k miles) but it was in bright yellow...the girls would've absolutely loved it, but I do have some semblance of pride.

Both great little cars though.

[cornishflat]

Do you wonder that we like our cars in a similar way as our bikes, sort of low revving punchy engines. I have admit it seems that way for me at least with 1 Harley 2 Ducati,s 3 Guzzi,s and 3 BMW,s having been in my garage over the years. I have had the 4 cylinder stuff but always came back to the lower revving punchy twins.