So the new Jazz in the UK is to lose its CVT box and have an electric clutch manual instead.

Well done you fools at Honda*, the old jazz sold in its thousands with the CVT 'cause it was smooth and efficient.

I can't comment on the efficiency of the new model but I'll bet my last tank of juice that it won't be smooth, especially from 1st to 2nd!

* A bunch of kids no doubt without any respect for the driver who wants/needs an automatic.

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I am thinking of buying a Vauxhall Zafira 1.6 Life, 5 door on a 04A

This car has 48k on the clock, can anyone please tell me when the engine cam belt should be changed

Thanks

Barry Lawson


re-written in lower case Read more

I thought I'd post this in case you are considering getting one, as I spent much time considering what car to run and what might be useful.

O8 MY 520d SE Touring auto, ordered last October for February arrival - 12,000miles since involving mixed traffic dashes to the station in the morning and regular motorway trips of 200 miles. It replaced both a E270CDi Elegance auto saloon and V70 2.4 SE petrol auto.

Options specified were:
* silver metallic paint and upgraded but standard size wheel (17")
* automatic gear box: which hesitates less from a standing start compared to the Mercedes and I don't bother to use the tiptronic
* Xenon/ adaptive lights: superb on unlit country roads
* memory seats: useful and quick for regular drivers changes but seats are inifinitely adjustable and makes it much easier to maintain the right driving position, which took a while to find. The steering column moves electrically as well.
* USB connection: for me, the simplest but best option if your like music in your car, as you don't need an IPOD to take advantage of the I-Drive - simply load up a memory stick(s)/ MP3 player and the whole lot can be accessed, with track listings etc, through the controller and viewed on the screen. The CD player hasn't been needed. It will store 20,000 track details, but I have found it prefers MP3 to WMA format. However, it is fiddly to get to on the move, as it mounted on the inner side of the centre storage compartment.
* Storage pack in boot: side net, webbing, extra underboot storage, bag hooks all very useful and makes the most of boot space
* Hi-fi loudspeaker upgrade: better quality sound than standard but doesn't really compare to the Volvo
* Interior lights package: not really worth having
* Sliding armrest
* Auto dimming folding mirrors - very good in tight car parks etc: the passenger side has an auto-dipping feature in reverse.

No phone or sat nav fitted.

Run as a company car, so 08 MY tax reduction was a factor, so chose it instead of more expensive 525d, E280CDi or a D5. 520d seemed to have lot less lag than the 525d, which also sounded noisier to me.

Has achieved 40mpg average out over this period, but will do more if driven sedately and will achieve 43-45 on steady motorway runs using cruise control. 600miles on a full tank.

Chose black cloth interior in preference to beige or grey, which I thought look dated, and in preference to leather, but interior is very functional and gloomy as a result compared to the lighter Volvo and Mercedes and cloth not as child friendly as dark leather. Seats show no wear but are fairly hard and flat and not as comfortable for the family as Volvo or Mercedes. Black interior shows every hair, dirt etc.

Drives superbly well. Engine spins very above 2500 rpm, to overcome a little lag, with a noticeable coarse note around 1250-1500rpm at around-town speeds.

Ride is excellent on good roads and can be fidgety on rough roads, which is probably down to the runflats but I found SE spec to be much better than M Sport in this respect.

However, it's more prone on rough roads to causing car sickness for children, not helped but quite high window shoulder line in the back. Handling is excellent: the car grips fantastically but there's so little flex in the tyres that you feel the car "skip" slightly on tight corners, but it always feels secure.

The run flat tyres are immensely strong - hitting some dry stone walling rocks obscured by vegetation on a tight mountain road, it sounded like the wheels had come off on the passenger's side but an inspection revealed cracking in the sidewall and no wheel damage. Tyre replaced by BMW but no ill affect on anything else it seems.

Has used barely any oil, which is not due to be changed until 18k (despite my attempts to get them to change it anyway).

Pedals are offset to the right like the Mercedes making left foot braking less comfortable and the windscreen wipers are left hand drive configeration which is annoying, as you get an unswept area in the top right hand corner of the screen. The radio is a pain to tune until you figure it out. And I don't know how to return immediately back to the previous station after you receive a TP traffic alert.

The starting sequence (START button on, foot on brake, press button) seems a gimmick but you get used to it, and the steering wheel even lifts when you go to get out the car.

But, while the other half loved the Mercedes, she can't get on with this at all - finds it too big and the technology and starting sequence etc overwhelming. It's a better driver's car but not necessarily a better family car.

Has anything gone wrong?

* Rear centre seat belt occassionally stuck in fully retracted position: fortunately, not used really but rectified by dealer
* rear driver's side top of door seal weeps rainwater onto rear seat when opened after heavy rain: not fixed at first attempt
* sticky front bonnet catch caused by bonnet/ side struts being slightly misaligned but rectified by dealer
* piece of trim on driver's sear rails loose: the interior trim doesn't feel quite up to quality of the Mercedes
* The USB feed will sometimes freeze if it doesn't like the compression used in the music files it reads but BMW tells you this in the manual: MP3 seems to work better than WMA.


Things I wish I would have had? Probably the comfort seats as they are softer, and probably in a non-black leather to brighten the inside a bit.

Hope that's of some use to someone out there! Read more

Hi all,

Friend is looking for a Saab tid to replace his older petrol LPT one. He's seen one for sale 2002 51 plate SE with 118000 miles but full saab s/h - £2750. He's really keen but I've advised caution - my understanding is that the diesel is not very good. Any pointers or wise words disproving my view before he goes and looks at it? (It'll be a 180 mile round trip and I have a feeling this might influence his decision - if he goes I don't think he will come back without having bought it!). Read more