Would you buy another mk1 jazz...?

[E27006]

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On the question of MK1 Jazz. I'd love to have a try of a mk1. My Jazz career has started in the MK2, and it is a great little car. Be interested to see how it differs from the mk1. Road tests can only tell you so much.

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The mk1  idsi.  Engine is a different drive experience to vtec lump in mk2.  Think of a much more tractable engine that pulls from low revs and runs out of breath over 4500 revs ( where most people never go any way ) -compare with vtec that is gutless below about 3000 revs and gap between first and second gear too big, so pulling away on a hill you have to rev it high before changing to second, and cross fingers that car doesn't start to slow down.  IMHO idsi much better suited to Jazz as an urban type car.
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I test drove two new examples of the Mark 2 on their launch in 2009, I had purposely delayed purchase of a Jazz Mk1 to do a side by side comparison. I could not accept the lack of pull of the Mk 2 and also the unyielding suspension.
Needless to say I bought a nice low mileage Dsi.  Strange twist is the published torque vs rpm  graph for Mk1 and 2 are the same upto 3000 rpm, then the  Mk2 Vtec runs ahead after 3000 rpm in power , but why do two engines  with identicality  have such diverging drive characteristics?

[Westy36]

I will have a try of a MK1 Jazz at some point. Sounds like a different experience, more diesel like with its torque at lower revs.

The Vtec needing revs to produce power is not something that bothers me at all. It reminds me of the engines of my Honda bikes, the 600 Hornet and CBF1000. Need to be spinning to produce power. My Jazz gets wound up to 5000rpm once warm on every trip.

[Jocko]

My DSi seldom gets beyond 3,000 rpm. It will happily sit in 5th in a 20 mph zone, as long as the road is level.

[sparky Paul]

I will have a try of a MK1 Jazz at some point. Sounds like a different experience, more diesel like with its torque at lower revs.

I drive a big 160BHP diesel normally, and we have the two Jazzes. The i-DSI is a very much nicer engine to drive than the VTEC, its low down tractability makes it feel more powerful than the VTEC in normal driving. Contrary to the official MPG figures, I find it easier to achieve 50+MPG in the mk1 - it always feels like you are having to make the VTEC engine work hard to get good progress.

I prefer the mk1 in many ways. The interior feels much better quality than the mk2, mechanically the two cars are very similar, apart from the engine of course. A few of the mechanical flaws of the mk1 were silently fixed on the mk2, but the single biggest obvious difference is the power steering. The steering on the mk1 feels quite odd as an occasional driver, and takes some getting used to.

If only there was a retrofit improvement for the mk1 steering rack, the mk1 would be just about perfect. I've seen some immaculate, low mileage and rust free examples go through salvage auctions recently, written off for cat theft. They still make a lot of sense as an comfortable, cheap, reliable runabout.

[Westy36]

With the vtec, I genuinely get 50+ mpg on every tank. Even when we do a blast down the A14 at 70mph, it doesn't affect overall economy. Mind you, I do drive quite sedately most of the time, but when you just want to get somewhere, cruising at the legal limit needs to be done and he buzzes along at 3500rpm quite happily.

At lower revs, it still pulls easily. Nice engine. We've covered 10k miles since buying our MK2 in 07/20, and I've got used to its rev happy nature. Touch wood, doesn't use a drop of oil either which I know some vtec engines do.

Interesting thread though. Our lad turns 17 at the end of May, and I will be teaching him to drive. I sold my Astra G a couple of weeks ago, so have space on the drive now. At the moment, I am torn between buying a bespoke learner car for him, or sticking L plates on our Jazz.

I think our Jazz is far too nice to be a learner car, but then again, it would be easy to control. However, the comments re the idsi engine and its low down torque suggest the MK1 would make it easier for him. It would also save my lovely Jazz from the strain of a new driver!

@sparky Paul - nice to see you back posting on the forum! 

[bus_ter]

I doubt it. My Jazz is in pretty good condition and runs very well (touch wood). I suspect it's got a few more years easily if I keep it. By that point I'm sure I would struggle to find a rust free Mk1 in good condition.

I'm considering buying a much newer Fiesta to replace it. I couldn't believe how cheap and available parts are compared to the Jazz. I'm sure they're not as well built as the Honda (particularly the engine), but if it's 10 years newer it shouldn't be a major issue. Plus the steering in a modern fiesta is pretty decent. That's my least favourite part of the Jazz.

[culzean]

I doubt it. My Jazz is in pretty good condition and runs very well (touch wood). I suspect it's got a few more years easily if I keep it. By that point I'm sure I would struggle to find a rust free Mk1 in good condition.

I'm considering buying a much newer Fiesta to replace it. I couldn't believe how cheap and available parts are compared to the Jazz. I'm sure they're not as well built as the Honda (particularly the engine), but if it's 10 years newer it shouldn't be a major issue. Plus the steering in a modern fiesta is pretty decent. That's my least favourite part of the Jazz.

Ford parts have always been cheap, benefit from economies of scale ( they sell a lot of them  ) - When I was younger FORD stood for 'Fix Or Repair Daily' and FIAT was 'Fix It Again Tomorrow'. Bloke next door to us getting rid of his 5 year old Volvo V40 because it is a money pit, it is basically a Ford Focus.

[billyausten]

Im a relative newcomer to Jazz ownership and to this forum, but not to Hondas. When we were shopping for ours, our budget would have stretched to a reasonable mk2, but we deliberately wanted a clean low mileage mk1 sport. I knew the i-DSI was a good engine before buying, but I didn't realise just how good it would be. Ive had many vtecs before (although not in a Jazz) and while I love them for the thrills they bring, they simply wouldn't suit the Jazz as well as the 8v unit does. The engine actually reminds me of a mk1 Golf GTI in its delivery, which is no bad thing. The other things that sold the mk1 for me were: cost of parts, its reliability (a given), its simplicity and ease to work on (by this I mean that everything is still wholly DIY maintainable, including the electrics. no silly multiplexed systems like CANBUS etc), clever use of space, lack of frills (I dislike the modern trend for needless glowing things and fancy design details), and to be honest the looks (the mk1 sport is the best of the lot imo, closely followed by the mk2 RS). I appreciate these points will not feature on everyone's list however I'm young enough to still actively enjoy maintaining my own things. My wife enjoys driving ours more than she did her various flash German company cars she previously had the privilege of using. We would actively seek out another mk1 should anything happen to this. The mk1 would be perfect if it retained front and rear double wishbone suspension like an EK civic instead of the strut and beam systems. It was a sad day when Honda dropped this feature from their family car ranges. You cant have it all sadly. Luckily I have the Aerodeck for ride quality though so no problem.

[Jocko]

The low down torque makes for a very flexible drive and great fuel economy. I topped up yesterday, after 414 miles. and the calculated figure was 61.1 mpg. And that is in and out of Edinburgh every day.

[culzean]

Im a relative newcomer to Jazz ownership and to this forum, but not to Hondas. When we were shopping for ours, our budget would have stretched to a reasonable mk2, but we deliberately wanted a clean low mileage mk1 sport. I knew the i-DSI was a good engine before buying, but I didn't realise just how good it would be. Ive had many vtecs before (although not in a Jazz) and while I love them for the thrills they bring, they simply wouldn't suit the Jazz as well as the 8v unit does. The engine actually reminds me of a mk1 Golf GTI in its delivery, which is no bad thing. The other things that sold the mk1 for me were: cost of parts, its reliability (a given), its simplicity and ease to work on (by this I mean that everything is still wholly DIY maintainable, including the electrics. no silly multiplexed systems like CANBUS etc), clever use of space, lack of frills (I dislike the modern trend for needless glowing things and fancy design details), and to be honest the looks (the mk1 sport is the best of the lot imo, closely followed by the mk2 RS). I appreciate these points will not feature on everyone's list however I'm young enough to still actively enjoy maintaining my own things. My wife enjoys driving ours more than she did her various flash German company cars she previously had the privilege of using. We would actively seek out another mk1 should anything happen to this. The mk1 would be perfect if it retained front and rear double wishbone suspension like an EK civic instead of the strut and beam systems. It was a sad day when Honda dropped this feature from their family car ranges. You cant have it all sadly. Luckily I have the Aerodeck for ride quality though so no problem.

Agree i-DSi is a much nicer drive.  As for the double unequal wishbone suspension one earlier Civics, yes a shame it had to go and got  Macpherson  struts instead - but weight and cost pressures plus interior space ( on rear suspension  ) like a lot of makers Honda went for torsion beam on rear.

[jasonevans]

I'm on my second Mk1 Jazz and still really like them.
Just got to watch out for rust on rear arches and around rear subframe.
Good cheap reliable car for town use and the occasional motorway drive.
I've not tried a MK2 yet so don't know how much better/worse/same they are.

[degzi]

Thanks for reply so far.

Tbh I'm hoping to get my current mk1 above 200,000 miles. It probably will at my average miles in 5yr time.

I do love the engine, it has some powerful pull at the low end for what it is, I'd hate to get rid of it but I'm always conscious of something going badly wrong. I guess I'm not used to the incredible reliability. 

[swhull]

Agree i-DSi is a much nicer drive.  As for the double unequal wishbone suspension one earlier Civics, yes a shame it had to go and got  Macpherson  struts instead - but weight and cost pressures plus interior space ( on rear suspension  ) like a lot of makers Honda went for torsion beam on rear.

The suspension on my ‘02 civic was better than the one on my mk2 Si jazz, was a smoother ride, doesn’t bother me tbh, jazz is still comfortable.