How not to buy a Jazz

[MrPolite]

Greetings all,

Motoring on a very small budget, I have always hankered after a Jazz, but couldn't find one in my banger budget that wasn't rotten. The days of picking up a banger for £500 with a years MOT are long gone for any car.

After a spell with a very annoying Renault, I've been on the hunt - Facebook marketplace is where it's at these days it seems. Sadly it's full of scammers and time wasters, which makes sellers very rude and impatient because they get it day in day out. And anything decent gets snapped up, sometimes in minutes.

Getting despondent at the trash that's about ("drives mint, just needs a gearbox" etc) a 2009 Jazz popped up - good MOT, previous MOT history unremarkable, no mentions of corrosion, bodywork a bit rough in places, "drives mint." Fixed price, no offers. The guy was clearly a dodgy backstreet trader, no effort to clean the car up. Take it or get lost.

Thing was, I couldn't find another MK2 Jazz for sale that was anywhere near the price by a mile. It was every penny of the money I could get together, but...worth a look?

I've learned my lesson with other potential cars - hesitate and it's gone. And I knew his claims of "I've had loads of interest in it" would be true, as turned out to be the case.

So I booked a taxi, and went straight there. Everything was wrong - I got soaked in the rain, it lashed while I'm trying to look and see if it had any sills/tyre tread. And the guys phone was ringing itself to pieces with enquiries/messages. "A guy is here buying it now" he said to a caller on the 50 yard test drive. Er, am I? It seems I was.

It's a 2009 1.4, 80000 miles, and actually it drove really nicely. The sills seemed present and correct. Promised history? Fictional. Last service? Goodness knows. And someone has "painted" the bashes with their eyes shut. Inside is truly disgusting, and damp - clearly coming from the electric Webasto sunroof fitted: did they come new with that?

But, it's a Honda Jazz. I drove it 80 miles this afternoon and it was pretty good, with 1 caveat - the engine light came on. My Bluetooth OBD scanner along with phone app said "PO171 right bank rich."

So the to-do list:

Find a code for the radio (suggestions on where to find that welcome)

A full service

Interior valet

Find a handbook

Sorry for the long post, any tips from the gurus here very welcome.

[Brakballe]

Greetings all,


So the to-do list:

Find a code for the radio (suggestions on where to find that welcome)

A full service

Interior valet

Find a handbook

Sorry for the long post, any tips from the gurus here very welcome.

I feel you. I only got mine because it was in an auction and right before X-mass "noone is buying". And I discovered that the second hand prices even in Germany is hillarious on a Jazz, like em made of gold.

Radio code: You're partially busted. The code is on a separate card that comes with the owners manual. Google it.
http://hondafitjazz.com/manual3/  might help
Code PO171 is rich engine. Could be as simple as ferked airfilter or bad MAF or injectors. Basically check air filter first then proceed if. MAF  can be cleaned about with designated spray and a pray.
GL!

[Lord Voltermore]

You were clearly aware he was a dodgy trader, who often pose as private sellers to avoid  consumer  rights laws,income  tax etc.    That doesnt necessarily mean the car itself  is a bad buy  of course. 

But buyers should  bear in mind that  there are apps that can make a phone ring itself with a  fake call .Or he can arrange for a confederate to keep ringing him. People eager to buy ,at his price may indeed be queuing up.  but the fact one apparently phones at exactly the right moment  .Wasnt that lucky for him.   

Cars really are in short supply and expensive at the moment.  But if I were a dodgy Trader it would certainly occur to me that if social media ads are free or cheap, and  I had a fairly uncommon and sought after car for sale  I could  make a couple of fake listings for non existent cars.   I would tell enquirers  that it sold immediately for good money, and I'm inundated with enquiries.  When those disappointed enquirers  find mine is still available they will be all the more eager to buy it at whatever price.      I dont know if this happens. 

But there is a genuine tip when phoning about a car for sale privately.  .  Always be vague about which car you are enquiring about.  Genuine private sellers will know,. Dodgy traders will need to ask 'which one'. 

[d2d4j]

Hi

The radio code is sometimes place on the outside of the glovebox on a sticker. The outside been the side you only see when changing the cabin filter

So I would look at the glovebox

Many thanks

John

[MrPolite]

Hi

The radio code is sometimes place on the outside of the glovebox on a sticker. The outside been the side you only see when changing the cabin filter

So I would look at the glovebox

Many thanks

John

Oooo thank you,. I'll have a look...

[MrPolite]

Well, I've checked the glovebox for the radio code, but not there sadly.

On better news, I removed and threw away the filthy black air filter, and the engine light has remained off, along with a noticeable increase in zip! New service kit on the way...

Shampod'd the interior as it was bogin, and smelt of nefarious substances.

Loving the car!

[Jocko]

There is also a pollen filter, accessed by pulling out the glovebox shelf. if the air filter was bad it will probably be worse. Might help the odour somewhat.