most readers who remember me i had a astra 94 1.4 and this week, i just bought a 53 honda jazz, after 5 years of service i felt like i needed a better car, anyway i bought it of the honda dealer with a 1 year warranty on it, the handbook also mention a honda maintenance plan, where you pay a lump sum and it covers all your servicing and labour costs, it just done a 36 months service, my question is it worth paying for the maintenance plan as i heard servicing is expensive.
The jazz a cracking car, quiet, economical, and nippy, also i was amazed by the space in the car.
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Depends on how long the lump sum covers servicing!
The handbook may refer to a deal offered to new cars, the deal on second hand cars maybe different (if there is one).
You should be able to get prices for the next 3+ services based on predicted milage from your dealer - you need this to get a fair comparison.
These servicing deals will not normally cover additional items like cambelt changes, exhausts, brakes etc plus any item which is worn before it's scheduled service change (Fuel filters, plugs etc).
Once the warranty has run out, do you need to get it serviced at Honda?
The servicing deal only works out in your favour if you keep the car for a certain number of years.
Anyway, you need to get the facts and work out under what circumstances any deal is beneficial.
Dont forget to check/look out for some commonly reported Jazz faults before warranty runs out -Leaks, corrosion around abs unit and may find out more if you look on HJ's Jazz review.
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i only intend to keep the car for two years i will find out about the cost of the maintenance plan, and see whats covered and whats not, i know that the next scheduled service will be to adjust the tappets and replace filters and oil so it be expensive if i did not go for the service plan.
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We have a 53 reg Jazz too - I think that the servicing plan is only available from new (they didn't do them at all when we bough our car).
If you find different, then please let me know!
Servicing is done on mileage/time - basically 12500 miles or 1 year, which ever is first. The tappets and spark plugs only have to be done at 25000 miles, so ours have yet to be done (but will be needed this year). Honda's brake fluid change is every 3 yrs (most others are every 2 yrs).
One thing that bumps the cost up is they insist on using fully synthetic oil.
Our dealer seems expensive and they charge around £180 for the 12500 service and around £250 for the 25000 mile service. However Honda do say that car is more economical on fuel than most, so you're saving money that way!
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Tappet adjustment on Civics ( and presumably Jazz's) is normally not a major expense (less than £50). When I had my civic done the mechanic said he could normally hear any bad tappets anyway, but they check /adjust them anyhow (apparently). Looks like there is a screwdriver compatible adjuster on the SOHC VTEC engines camshaft assembly, I guess this may adjust tappets? (Anyone who has done this please feel free to correct me) - if so, just a case of taking off top "rocker" cover and using guage and screwdriver.
More economic on Fuel? I drove a jazz for a few days and got 45-47mpg for a 1.4 engine...ok possibly a 2mpg advantage over other cars? But others may have more accurate figures.
OK Honda dealers may not get much repair work so they perhaps they bump up hourly rates and service charges (If you do get a newish Honda that needs lots of repairs, then make sure you have a big wallet or get rid of it - I know I've been there!)...
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On the Jazz access to the valve adjusters is only possible with the inlet manifold removed: not the same as the VTEC engines. As HJ says: "Valve/cam clearances cannot be checked without removing the inlet manifold, adding £80 to the cost of a service. " Ours gets 47mpg - but thats the computer figure as SWMBO won't check it accurately.....
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I looked into a plan they were offering a couple of years ago for my 98 civic. It was something similar, but the payments were spread over an amount of time, between services I think. But firstly there was no discount and if I am opaying up front I'll need a discount that at least equals interest lost and secondly I would still have to pay extra for any repairs that were extra to the service.
I was loaned a Jazz for a day when mine was being serviced, great little car, that with proper maintainance will run for years.
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Just rang the dealer up he quoted £280 full service and mot or £230 minor service and mot, i also asked for the service plan, he will send me the details by post and i will examine it, in full detail, since i am only doing short journeys, its best to change the oil and filter every 6 months, so he quoted me £35 for the oil and filter change although natioal do it for £25 thats the fully synthetic oil, wonder if the oil and filter from honda any different to explain the price disparity?
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