Clubjazz - Honda Jazz & HR-V Forums
Honda Jazz Forums => Honda Jazz Mk1 2002-2008 => Topic started by: Bobby Cadwell on June 11, 2006, 07:00:12 PM
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My 55reg Sport is improved over my 52 reg SE Sport, but its still firm. Not harsh or anything but not as smooth as the Polo. But then a Polo is no-where as fun to drive or such a pleasure to own.
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Our roads here are terrible.
My Jazz is one of the early models with the unmodified suspension, I did find the ride on my to be harsher than some other cars and it did put me off, but I like so much else about the car that I purchased the jazz anyway.
I must point out my Jazz is a 2002 SE with 14? steel wheels and taller tyres.
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My 2007 SE rides firmly but never uncomfortable, but it can get thrown around by bumps.
My wife’s 2001 Ford Mondeo rides a lot better, but my Jazz rides much better than my previous car, a 2001 Chrysler Neon R/T.
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My old P-reg Rover 200 had softer damping but actually had a shorter wheelbase so it didnt ride as well.
My second Jazz, a 56-reg 2006 with 15? alloys rides better than my previous 2002 Jazz riding on 14? steels.
Tyres and suspenison tuning make a big difference. I owned and modified a string of Citroen AX’s before wife and child appeared, the standard AX’s have a magficant ride for such a short car and decent handling too, but modifing the suspension on the GT models can hash the ride big time…although the handling ended up pin-sharp.
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I own the Jazz SE Sport with the factory-spec 15? wheels, mine’s one of the early Jazz’s (51-reg, Feb. 2002) and the ride is firm but you only notice it if you jump straight from something like a VW Polo or last gen Civic. :)
When I was due for some new tyres I swtiched from the factory-fit Bridgestones to some Continental’s, much quieter and slighly softer compound.
http://www.tyre-shopper.co.uk/ts/search ... 855515CT2H
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Does the Continental Premium Contact offer a softer ride? In another thread elsewhere in this forum, someone has suggested Michelin Energy (EA3?) offer a better ride?
Can anyone else share their experiences of other makes of tyres running on 15? wheels?
I’ve taken delivery of a new 57 plate Jazz 1.4SE auto (made in China according to the VIN). The engine and CVT are superb, but the firm ride is truely awful on any less than perfect road surface when driving around town. The ride seems a bit jittery/fidgety but the issue is even the smallest road imperfection appear to be transmitted throughout the entire car and can be felt through the seat and steering wheel. It seems to be better at higher speeds, but I’ve not yet done any long distance motorway runs.
I would gladly sacrifice handling for softer Polo like ride. My previous car was a 98 Civic Aerodeck VTi and I’ve driven 2004 Civic, neither of which are as bad as my new Jazz.
I’m guess when Honda UK offered 15? alloys as standard on 2005 model 1.4SE, they effectively were bringing the handling and fimer ride characteristics from the Sports model through to the lesser model eventhough there was no changes to the suspension.
I read that perhaps the 15? wheels and Bridgestone tyres are too blame. Changing to 14? rims and different tyres allegedly makes a significant improvement.
http://www.hondafitjazz.com/tires.htm
The Jazz 1.2S is shod with 14? steel wheels and correct me if I’m wrong, early 1.4S/SE were also fitted with 14? steel wheels. Can any owners of these cars share their views?
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Although I have never driven a Jazz with 15? wheels and cannot therefore make a direct comparison, my 07 1.2S with 14? wheels and Yokohama tyres does not seem to have any of the problems that you are experiencing. It does seem that the smaller wheels and different tyres may make quite a difference. I think it would be well worth test driving a Jazz with 14? wheels to clarify matters in your own mind
Hope this helps
Nigel
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1.I have owned Jazz with 15? wheels since 2002 - I reckon the wheel is not the issue the tyre profile is, the Bridgestone tyres supplied by the factory are going to give a harsh ride on British roads - in Japan the gov’t provides good road surfaces.
You can over come this harshness to some extent by fitting Michelin Energy tyres 185 x 55 speed rating H. These have been fittted to one of our Jazz vehicles and the ride is noticelably improved.
2.The webiste http://www.hondafitjazz.com/ring.htm
also includes a minor mod - using O rings apparently works just as well.
3.Most tyre pressure gauges are inaccurate so purchasing aquality guage & checking your presssures does pay dividends see http://www.international-tool.co.uk/
Regards
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Would you know if that was the Michelin Energy ‘E3A’ tyres and how recently were they fitted?
There seems to be quite a few variants of the ‘Energy’ tyre over the years. There is the E3A and I think there is now an E3B on sale too.
Which Jazz was it fitted to if you don’t mind me asking? 2002, or a later model?
I will check/adjust the tyre pressures over next few days and report back.
Tyres aside, does anyone know if the 1.2 has a different (softer?) suspension set up too?
b
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I’m used to driving a Focus ST170
My Jazz ‘05 SE with 15? alloys is plush by comparison!
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Before changing the wheel and tyre size it would be a good idea to check the effect on the overall “gearing”of the car and its effect on fuel consumption etc.
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We have a 53 reg (late 2003) Jazz SE of 14? wheels with Yokohama tyres. It’s supposed to have had the mods that were done soon after Jazz launch but the ride is extremely firm & jittery - there’s just no compliance in the ride at all.
I drove a newer SE recently on 15? alloys and thought it rode much better than ours.
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The Jazz is the Mk2 ie 2005 model SE, the tyres are the Michelin Energy
185/55/15 82 H
Tyre pressure off the Michelin site 32 Front 30 Rear
Costco had an offer on recently and we replaced all 4 tyres at 29k miles.
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Hi all ,this is my 1st post on this site. I have just bought a 2003 SE CVT with 14? steel wheels (not sure of the tyres). Compared to my previous car (Mercedes A160) the ride if brilliant. I really wanted a Sport but can see very little diffrence apart
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[quote:3vjkfand]“The Jazz is the Mk2 ie 2005 model SE, the tyres are the Michelin Energy
185/55/15 82 H[/quote]
Tyre pressure off the Michelin site 32 Front 30 Rear
Costco had an offer on recently and we replaced all 4 tyres at 29k miles.”
Thanks for info. I visited Costco and they were selling Michelin Energy tyres for about £58.60 fully fitted at the moment.
I’ve checked (using a variety of gauges) and adjusted the tyre pressures to the minimum values (32 front, 30 rear) but it hasn’t made much improvement.
I’ve also noticed the factory fitted Bridgestone RE040 are very noisey. Are the Michelins any quieter?
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Thanks Olduser 1 for your post dated 14th Dec. 07 reference Honda JazzRide. I downloaded the info from the website included and cut and fitted the rings indicated. I used 3mm. hard black rubber the ride/noise was noticeably improved, my wife remarked how quiet the car was without knowing I had fitted the rings. I cut and fitted a second pair just to see if there could be any further improvement I have not tried the car again yet when I do I will report back.
Regards,
Ivor Beck.
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does anyone know where I might be able to buy an A4 size of sheet rubber to make a pair of rings? I don’t think it is the sort of thing that the DIY sheds sell.
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Try looking in Yellow Pages under rubber stockists. I know only one in my area of West Midlands, they seem to be rather scarce.
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Reference- fitting rubber rings- 27th Dec 2007.
Fitting second pair of rings seemed to make no further improvement I reverted back to one 3mm ring each side. One further point make sure that no part of the inner edge of the ring is trapped when reinstalling the upper fitting I found tacking the ring in place on the fitting with petoleum jelly the best way to ensure this.
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Three months on, and I’m still not totally happy with the ride of my Jazz CVT. I’ve not made any mods to the car to try and solve it. I have though tried running on lower tyre pressures to gauge what effect there may be if I were to fit softer tyres.
30psi front, 28psi rear. ie. 2psi below minimum values.
Using a new digital tyre pressure gauge I picked up from Halfords, what I have observed is the wide variation in pressure readings depending on outside ambient temperature and how recently the car has been driven.
With the lower pressures, the steering a bit heavier and the ride is slightly better, but not noticably. I also think the firm ride is worse from rear suspencion when the tank is full of petrol.
I recently test drove a manual Jazz 1.4 demonstrator and I actually thought the ride was better and there was less tyre noise, but it was the shortest of test drives and it didn’t include poor roads so is not conclusive. The tank was almost empty. Unfortunately, the dealer didn’t have a Jazz auto demonstrator.
Fwiw, I’ve also recently test drove a 2007 Merc A150 SE automatic. I think it had 65 profile tyres on steel wheels. The ride was a vast improvement but then the car does cost over £15k brand new and is a bit heavier. I also didn’t realise it was a CVT auto (ZF/Ford?) until I checked the car’s specs later.
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I fitted Michelin Energy tyres to my Jazz (53 plate 1.4SE) as soon as the original factory fitted ones wore out and noticed an immediate improvement in ride and a big reduction in the amount of road noise. I have the original 14" wheels fitted. Replacing normal section tyres with low profile ones on larger rims will always result in a harsher ride on any car, I know they are supposed to sharpen the handling but the Jazz does not seem to need any help in that department anyway.
The Michelin tyres have very supple sidewalls, and help the suspension absorb the bumps better - they are also supposed to cut the amount of fuel used, but I can't comment on that as I never really checked fuel consumption with the old tyres on.
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What make of tyres were originally fitted to your car?
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/\ Factory fits either Bridgestone Potenzas or Yokhoma tyres.