Jazz - made in China?

[guest198]

I saw a reader comment on the “What Car” website about Jazz manufacturing being switched to China. Is this true??? I bought a Jazz in 2002 and that was made in Japan. Unfortunately, I had to sell it 2 years later due to finances, but I’m now in the position to buy new again. If I order a new Jazz, will it come from China?

grd

[honda jazz sport]

I had the chance to mooch around my local dealer’s lot and having read about this subject, decided to have a look at the VIN plates (dead shifty I know…Wink ). Some new Jazz’s had the VIN plate starting with either ‘J’ or ‘L’. On the new Civic, the VIN starts with ‘S’ (for Swindon, presumably), so I reckon the ‘J’ indicates the Japanese factory and ‘L’ for the Chinese one.

I could be talk blloks here but anyway..

[guest436]

I think that’s true, since late 2005?

[guest238]

I was going to ask this…anyway, my September 2006 model Jazz (Chinese made?) appears no less well made than my old May 2002 model Jazz (Japanese).

[leechmil]

Try this:

http://forums.mg-rover.org/showthread.php?p=1913522

It appears RHD Chinese Jazz’s will land sometime this year.

Who knows if it will effect quality, the new Swindon-built Civic is not upto the standards of the Japanese Hybrid.

[johnson]

Its not about where you make the car but all about the investment in workers, training and management. If Honda invest in the right way in the right place, then there is no reason why a Chinese Jazz should’nt be any less well-made than the Japanese versions.

[RichardA]

Look on the VIN plate. One of the letters identifies the country of origin (J for Japan).

[Goffs Oak]

I used to work for Nissan years ago, and the Spainish-built models were not in the same league as the models from Japan or here in the UK. The Nissan UK plant in particular was bang-on the money for quality control - just shows that our boys can do the job just as well if the powers that be show the faith.

[guest221]

So until now, the answer is the Jazz is Japanese. When the Chinese cars will be available is anyone’s guess.

I wonder if they intend to keep the current Jazz in production in China once the new model comes out, or will that too come from China?

[guest198]

That’s true, but I’m not sure I fancy being a guinea pig for a Chinese Jazz while they spend a few years trying to get the quality right! Undecided On the other hand, if Jazz production is being phased out in Japan, perhaps the quality will slip there towards the end of production. Ho hum.

[Lord Knowles]

My 83yr Dad was saying the other day (as he did donkeys years ago)…watch the Chinese. He’s right, as Japan and even S.Korea become more expensive for production, others like China will move in. I have no doubt that Chinese Hondas will be every bit as good as the Jap/Brit ones.

Just look at what we said about Japanese cars 30yrs ago, or Korean cars 15-20yrs ago. Now look where they are - although not to my taste personally, I would still rate a Hyundai or Kia above anything French for quality.

[Goffs Oak]

China or Japan, the Jazz should now be sufficantly de-bugged that it shouldn’t matter.

[Goffs Oak]

As someone who used to work in the motor trade I can shed some light here Smiley

The first couple of letters indicate the country of origin (as in where the car was made, not where the manufacturer is from). So “S” doesn’t actually mean Swindon, rather the combinations “SA-SM” equals the UK. “J” does indeed stand for Japan and “L” for China. So if the VIN on your Jazz starts with “L”, it was made in China.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news

[guest238]

Hmmm, I’ll have go and look at my VIN plate.

Although I have no objections regarding the quality, if anything, my September 2006 Jazz is better finished then my previous May 2002 Jazz. It’s just that the old activist inside me makes me not too keen on buying stuff made in a country with a questionable human rights record!

[RichardA]

The first three characters if the VIN plate identify the manufacturer (called the WMI or World Manufactuer Indentifier). Honda use the following codes:

* JH - Honda Japan
* L - China
* SH - Honda UK
* 1H - Honda USA
* 2HG & 2HK - Honda Canada
* 3H - Honda Mexico
* 5F - Honda USA (Alabama)
* 93H - Honda Brazil

As far as I know, we’ve never had any Honda’s here in the UK from Canada, Mexico or Brazil.

The tenth character from the left of the VIN plate indicates the model year:

1 2001
2 2002
3 2003
4 2004
5 2005
6 2006
7 2007
8 2008
9 2009
A 2010
B 2011
C 2012

…etc.

I don’t know if this indicates the year the car was made or the model year.

Example:

SH*******6*******

…indicates the car was made in the UK by Honda (SH) and was made in/model year 2006 (6).

You can find the VIN plate displayed in the front windscreen under the passenger-side wiper.