This is the third car we've bought from this dealer. All servicing of our cars have been with Honda dealers all but three services with the one in Peebles.
Choosing the i-SHIFT automated manual transmission is a really big thing for us. We were both used to the brilliant constantly variable ratio transmission (CVT) that was fitted to our two previous Honda Jazz cars, a 2003 model and a 2005 model. We cover approximately 25 000 miles each year quickly adding many miles to our cars. Both previous Honda's survived this distance very well. Our last car left us with an odometer reading of 115 000 miles. In it's life it had an alternator fault at 70 000 miles and that's all. Nothing failed. We decided to change cars rather than investing in preventative replacement of major components.
Our dealer sold our old car off their forecourt even considering its high mileage - a tribute to the hard-wearing interior which showed no noticeable wear over the mileage. Outside the paint was perfect in all areas that hadn't suffered from life's knocks. A life of impressive stone chips, touched-up with a colour pencil, a scratch to the corner of the rear bumper thanks to a clumsy neighbour, fixed at the dealer's bodyshop, a crease in the passenger door added at another dealership although they wouldn't accept blame, a whole replacement front bumper as a result of that same dealer spilling refrigerant on it and damaging the paint (they had no choice but to accept liability), and finally a series of horrid dents across the whole roof as a result of high-spirited kids sitting, walking or dancing (who knows) on the car overnight, repaired to almost unnoticeable by A's Dad (a manager of a car bodyshop).
The exterior was looked after by Autoglym products - bodywork shampoo conditioner, Aqua-Wax and vinyl and rubber protector. Engine bay was kept clean using Muc-Off and protected by the Autoglym vinyl and rubber protector. Interior fabrics and carpet were kept clean and plumped up using a Dyson DC-16.
Engine oil used from 90 000 miles with 6 000 mile change frequency was Castrol Edge 0w30 (Fuel saver). Fuel used during the whole life of the car was Shell Optimax then Shell V-Power. From 25 000 miles tyres changed to Yokohama C.Drive with massive reduction in tyre noise from the Potenza stock tyres. Headlamps were changed from stock to Philips EcoVision (10% brighter using less power) and side/position lamps switched to Osram Cool Blue 501/W5W which contrary to the name produce a very bright closer to daylight light.
CVT fluid used was always checked to be Honda's CVT-F and not Honda's ATF-Z1 which used to be used but was found by Honda not to be up to the job. After 50 000 CVT oil change, a 25 000 mile change interval was made instead of the 37 500 mile change frequency suggested by Honda mainly due to comments made by other Jazz CVT owners on various forums.
Valve adjustments were made at 25 000 mile intervals. In every case the the mechanic loosened the valves. Thinking about preventative maintenance the auxillary drive belt was replaced at 60 000 miles. Fuel filter at 60 000 miles.
At 85 000 a noise attributed by the Dealer as piston slap started. I was reassured by the dealer that although noisy it was nothing to be concerned abour. It was present during the rest of the life of the car and never became an issue to us. As explained in my post on Honest John this noise only occured for the first few minutes of engine running and only at times when the air temperature at start-up was less than 4 degrees Celcius. Even with temperaures lower than -15 degrees Celcius the noise was present for no more than few minutes. One arguable discovery was the slap noise was less pronounced and quicker to disappear after starting after the switch to the 0w30 oil. Wasn't looking for this to occur just a lucky accident.
One main area of unexpected and regular required maintenance (every 12 000 miles) related to the back disc brakes. To prevent the handbrake from being ineffectual, the removal of the disc pads, cleaning of caliper slides, lubrication and reassembly was an absolute necessity. We think of this as one of the car's quirks living with the £30 labour charge each time to perform this. Our first Jazz had drum brakes on the rear and didn't suffer from this issue.
At 100 000 miles one of the rear metal brake pipes was corroding and needed replaced. The other was advised for replacement at 112 000 miles.
Enough about the old, let's bring in the new - we'll see how the new i-shift with its i-VTEC engine and its i-SHIFT gearbox gets on. In fact that's what this blog is all about - the differences between CVT living and i-SHIFTing.
On Sunday 31st January we take ownership and the journey really begins...
A typical road for our holiday journeys
