Autocruise Jazz

After having a Swift Bolero you would not get me anywhere near another one. Build quality was absolute rubbish and if you complain to much on Swift Talk they remove your posts. They only like people who write nice things about them. If you are really serious then you need to look much further afield. Our Dealer is about 200 miles away.

I have never owned a Jazz but I did look at one in 2011 because the 5.4 metre length was attractive.

The plus points are that it has a good kitchen and four travel seats. For us the negatives (based on the vehicle we saw) were :-

Indifferent build quality.

Limited storage (not enough for an extended trip abroad).

The combination of a relatively small 100ah battery and a compressor fridge with no solar panel as standard would mean that the LB would run down relatively quickly if not on hookup.

Of course for some people the above points won't matter as to some extent it depends how you wish to use the vehicle.

The engine will most likely be a 110bhp Euro 5 with a five speed gearbox. I am not sure if 130bhp/ 6 speed variants exist but worth having if you come across one.   

Thanks for taking the trouble to post. 

Q4, I'm not sure what your last two sentences mean. (I don't want to travel too far to view/buy in case there are warranty issues.)

BVM, the storage issue is one of the reasons we want to view one. We know we will have to compromise on space, having had caravans for many years, and the lack of a hook up will not be an issue for us. 

I will take very seriously both your comments on build quality and also see what engines are available. 

Thanks.  I hope my comments are useful and I hope ultimately you find the right van for you be it a Jazz or otherwise.

The 2011 Autocruise brochure shows a 130 bhp engine (which comes with a six speed gearbox) as an option at additional cost :-

Options

Upgrade from 110bhp to 130bhp engine with 6-speed gearbox in Jazz (Only available in conjunction with Comfort Pack)
Special value Comfort Pack with:

- Upgraded radio/CD player with Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity, USB iPod/MP3 device connection and steering wheel controls

- Fog lights
- Cab air-conditioning
- Cruise control
- Alarm
- Reversing sensors
Roll-out canopy awning
Alloy wheels
Exclusive ‘Impala’ stain resistant, easy-clean fabric.

So you may find one with the comfort pack and bigger engine which are definitely "nice to have" Obviously don't take a dealers word for it about the engine size.  It looks like the 130bhp version is built on a Ducato but the 110bhp version on a Peugeot see :-

https://kpcm.co.uk/downloads/autocruise/Autocruise2012Brochure.pdf

i am not sure exactly when the Jazz came out but I ordered a new van (not a Jazz) in September 2011 for delivery in March 2012. One of the reasons for the delay in build was the changeover from Euro 4 to Euro 5 so again check the build date of your new van if you can to ensure it is Euro 5.

Can't comment about the Jazz but would make a comment regarding the 'knock Swift' brigade. 

We had an Autocruise Accent and yes it had problems BUT it was easy to get them sorted out and Swift were very helpful. We now have a Rapido V68 and it also has a number of issues which were not expected and are not as easy to sort out, whether that is a language issue or company attitude I'm not sure but I'd rather have a van from a manufacturer where the parts only have to come from UK.

Dave

"…comment regarding the 'knock Swift' brigade."

That's an unfortunate way to talk about your fellow club members and posters, GDF, and I’ve known posts to be removed for less. No doubt you didn’t mean anything derogatory but we all have different views, opinions and experiences and shouldn’t be given a group name for stating them.

Concerning your comment about ...."parts only come from the UK.."

I have owned several motorhomes both UK and German brands. Any vehicle and especially a motorhome with its habitation complexities will have parts which are manufactured in several different countries and the habitation part will very likely contain major components such as windows, fridge, heating system, toilet and cassette etc. which will be sourced from non UK manufacturers. To quote a simple example the gasket on the cap of my dometic toilet cassette fell down a "WC chemique" Dometic don't sell direct to individuals and no dealer I contacted was interested in getting the part. However I was able to buy the complete cap from a company in Yorkshire at a cost. Nearly all the problems I have encountered have been due to component failure rather than build quality but effecting repairs has been dependent on the capability and availability of the supplying dealer. 

Evening

In October 2013 I bought an Autocruise Rhythm from Marquis. October is when dealers shed their stock ready for the next years models so there's always a deal to be had.  I would have preferred an Autosleeper equivalent but at the time there was a 20k difference which I didn't want to spend! So five and a half years later with 45000 miles on the clock I'm still happy. Yes the build was questionable but I knew that at the time. I knew that my van would be with me for a long time so I've made it my own and made changes to suit. It is a Peugeot Boxer with the 2.2 130bhp engine with a six speed box. I tow my twin axle caravan and also a car transporter trailer with ease. 

I've added a 150w solar system, put extra insulation in the rear doors, hardwired a dash cam and a wifi booster amongst other things. This winter I'm having the interior reupholstered, change the tyres and install a decent sound system. I do all my mods over winter while in Spain as parts are far cheaper and I have too much time on my hands! (I also know a few locals)

Value for money wise it's proved to be a good van with few issues. Marquis were good to deal with overall and I'd go to them again.

Can't advise on a dealer near you but I thought I'd give my opinion on the brand. Hope it's of help

JK

You will certainly NOT find one of those. The FIAT / PEUGEOT are made in Italy. FORD are made in Turkey, Mercedes are German, Dometic is Swedish, Thetford is American, Hartal Doors are made in Germany and Project 2000 ( Bed Frames, Electric Steps, Electric Beds ) are from Italy. CBE Electronics and Control Systems are made in Italy.

So basically what you get from a Uk supplier is rubbish build quality with Uk Spec which includes a Daewoo Microwave from South Korea. Interior woodwork and exterior panels are about the only bits from the UK apart from Sargant electrics. You also get that annoying no electrics in the habitation area restriction. 

What you should be looking at is the Dealer. Your contract is with him not the manufacturer. He is responsible for fixing it. Pick a rubbish Dealer and you will have no end of trouble trying to get it fixed. So do your research and then research the Dealer you are going to be spending thousands of your hard earned ££££ with him. 

I always liked the layout of the Autocruise Jazz, and at 5.40 metres a viable length for everyday use. Shame Swift canned the whole range in when,2017 ?  now all they have are 122 and 124 with rear lounge/beds. Original Autocruises before Swift were very well put together, I had a 2005 Starlet 2, a very good van. Compressor fridge is a negative as they run down the battery very quickly.

A roof solar panel of 100watts or more and twin batteries will keep you....chilling. good luck.