end of season deals

[MRCLICKCLICK]

Hi All - anybody taking advantage of the end of season deals - I am looking at it - cant give personal details of course - other than to say Have 4 year old crosstar - looking to change to either crosstar or jazz advantage. - I was offered a goodly increase of the book price - so having hard look at the change. :0)

[Lord Voltermore]

End of what season ?   In the Uk there is traditionally a surge in buyers around the dates the number plates age indicator numbers changes    on 1 september and 1 march ,and also on 1 january to get the car registered as  the following calendar  year.  IIRC the scheme was devised at the request of the motortrade to minimise seasonal sales  peaks and troughs. 

I suppose claiming  the discount is due to an imaginary 'season'  is better than saying  "we have been charging too much "  or Hondas reputation for reliability and customer care has taken a knock.

or do they need to shift them before a mk5 is announced?

I am being cynical  . Rant over.   It may be a good idea to take advantage of a discount price.

[embee]

Good idea, and while you are at it grab something in the DFS sale before it ends ............... 

[Kremmen]

When I was having mine serviced last week I got them to value mine as they buy cars for cash

Sep 21 Jazz EX, 4,300 miles ....... £16,750

I am going to sell it before April and not bother with a car as I live within a few minutes walk of a significant shopping complex and a 3 bus an hour service into central Reading ...... I won't need a car anymore, displayed by my low mileage of which most was driving between London and Reading before I moved to Reading

Only doing about 20 miles a month to B&Q and the tip. Now decorating the last room and once complete I won't need anything large or heavy that needs the car

[Nicksey]

I have the EX Style, which is just approaching 2 years old in September, 22k on the clock. I paid cash 26k (actually the balance cash with a 13k p/ex on a Clio). I keep getting the Honda emails, and my curiosity was piqued with the 'value your car' tab.. so I did. 17k was the offer. No thanks, I still have 3 years warranty/service left, and even after that I don't think I will be swapping it.

[Spodric]

Low PX offers such as the one mentioned aren't going to entice me to trade up to a newer Jazz.

Honda dealers will have to do much better. Even if they are willing to discount the new price and throw in some freebies the cost to change is going to be too high for me.

[Not to mention the current dispute I have with Honda (UK) regarding their refusal to refund my hire car expenses while waiting for the Jazz brake failure to be fixed. See other thread. As the French would say, you don't attract flies with vinegar.]

[Lord Voltermore]

Ho Hum.  When I ordered my EX in september 2021  I know from cashless  payment records that  4 pints of milk cost  £1.15 at my local tesco express.  Today its £1.55.   So I  knew  that  a new  Jazz wasnt going to be cheap.

Using the Bank of england  inflation calculator to extrapolate what I paid in 2021 to todays prices the same spec Jazz should be  about £27K   
https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/monetary-policy/inflation/inflation-calculator

In fact it was on offer for a bit over  £27k,inc 5 years servicing  but excluding metallic paint . A lot of money for a small car.   Trade- in valuation was about 70% of  the new price in 2021 , which is  good.   But cost to change was still going to be about £12k  which is a lot of money to find in one lump sum. Especially for  what is basically a newer example of what you already have.   But I'd probably have paid more than this in 37 'easy' monthly payments for a leasing deal, and its a lower percentage increase  than the price of milk.   

I've looked at alternatives. Keeping the car longer , or running reasonably new second hand cars can make a lot of financial sense.  As long as no big repair bills come along for complex machinery. And it would cost a lot to ever go back to running a  new car. I could go down market on specification  or brand.   But would still face depreciation costs.  I could buy Chinese, but at what cost  geopolitically.  Some alternatives are bigger on the outside than the Jazz, but not much bigger inside.  You get more car for your buck  but there are still a lot of bucks in the pot to lose   and possibly higher running costs for a bigger car than I need.

In the end I decided to order a new Jazz advance.  My jazz has been 100% fault free, with none of the problems with seats, aircon condensers, 12v battery, folding mirrors  or brake simulator.  It suits me perfectly,and I'd like to continue running cars less than 3 years old.   Alternatives would  still involve anguish over large sums of money.  And I already have an extra set of wheels on winter legal tyres I can fit for for continental trips and snow chains of the right size. (Austria has already had snow at low altitude)

I think I got a good deal on price and a servicing package.  I wont quote exact  figures as some might be annoyed they have paid more .Or know of better deals and think me an idiot.    I hope I dont regret it.

[Kremmen]

The only downside to 2024 cars is the beeping when it thinks you're over the speed limit

[Lord Voltermore]

I did think of downgrading to an elegance  thats minus heated seats and a few other  bells and whistles.  Saving about £1200  .   But heck  , were old,and you cant take it with you  .And  heated seats are snug.  Not sure used car buyers would pay that much more to have them on a 3 year old used car that already costs more than some  new cars.  In the old days  3 years of  £300 a year winter fuel allowance would have paid for much of the difference.  Which kind of justifies means testing 

I already ignore some  bleeps and bongs.  Hopefully I can ignore a few more.

[Tox Laximus]

The only downside to 2024 cars is the beeping when it thinks you're over the speed limit

That drove me crazy on the courtesy car when our Jazz was in for brake simulator failure, plus with marshall honda trying to charge me £150 to investigate smelly window washer fluid and £140 to check air con that was done last year and another £430 for a wing mirror that's supposed to be done under warranty they can get knotted.

What's the fastest car for £20,000 preferably a hybrid?

[Lord Voltermore]

Actually to be fair to marshalls I once bought a 2 year old corsa where the filter at the bottom of  the screen washer bottle was already  clogged with algae growth. So its not unknown.

 If they  claim they are investigating a bad smell  its difficult to prove or disprove  whether the work was necessary, or how much work ,if any, was actually carried out  (some dealerships wont get out of bed for under £150) 
And if the dealership can then claim a problem was due to the owner using inappropriate screen wash  (including iced up nozzles in winter)  its probably not covered by warranty. So Honda wont be too concerned with what might be a scam by the dealer whenever they can get away with it,  as there will also be a few cases where work was indeed  necessary. 

[Bristol_Crosstar]

Actually to be fair to marshalls I once bought a 2 year old corsa where the filter at the bottom of  the screen washer bottle was already  clogged with algae growth. So its not unknown.

 If they  claim they are investigating a bad smell  its difficult to prove or disprove  whether the work was necessary, or how much work ,if any, was actually carried out  (some dealerships wont get out of bed for under £150) 
And if the dealership can then claim a problem was due to the owner using inappropriate screen wash  (including iced up nozzles in winter)  its probably not covered by warranty. So Honda wont be too concerned with what might be a scam by the dealer whenever they can get away with it,  as there will also be a few cases where work was indeed  necessary.

I had a problem with the screenwash on my old Crosstar. A gel like substance built up in the bottom of the tank following the first service, the only screenwash to go in there was done by the dealership although they said I must have put something dodgy in there. They said in order to flush it out properly they'd have to remove the front bumper and it wouldn't be covered by warranty so I didn't bother and just emptied/refilled occasionally which kept it under control, someone else's problem now.

[Lord Voltermore]

I sorted the Corsa myself by putting a garden hose down the filling spout which gave some medium water pressure to flush the crud off the filter and tank interior.   .I kept the water running long enough to ensure any crud was kept in suspension, and overflowing until only fresh water was left behind.   (which I emptied  and  replaced with fresh mixed screen wash.)
I was amazed  that in just two years the contents of the screenwash tank inherited from the previous owner  looked like chicken soup. It even had green weed tendrils in it.   I suspect he used  plain water from a  stream or rainwater butt ,with summer and engine heat encouraging biological growth.  An  experienced mechanic will  probably have seen similar things before and  and the unscrupulous will realise the potential for ripping off innocent  customers. The subjective  opinion that something smells funny and needs investigation is difficult to disprove.

Do you believe in coincidence?  As I type this British Gas have literally  just gone up my neighbours drive with gas leak detection equipment  .   Oh heck  ,primeval soup moves on to big bang theory.

[Spodric]

Back on topic, I received an email today. My local franchised Honda dealer is offering £1,000 off the list price of a new Jazz.

First time I have seen such a discount on the Jazz. They must be getting desperate to shift their 2024 Jazz allocation before the 2025 allocation kicks in.

I am not going to bite. If they offer a £5,000 discount off list, plus free 5 year servicing, breakdown and extended warranty package, I might be tempted. Even that kind of offer wouldn't erase the memory of the disgusting way I've been treated by Honda (UK). Dispute still unresolved. 

[coldstart]

First time I have seen such a discount on the Jazz. They must be getting desperate to shift their 2024 Jazz allocation before the 2025 allocation kicks in.

Maybe curstomers are reluctant to buy cars marred by EU's 2024 unfortunate "Intelligent Speed Assistant" regulation and are hoping for an improved version in 2025.  (hope dies last)