Driving Instructor Using A Golf R!!!

[graham22]

Makes sense - only has to have one car (unless he wants to spend weekends driving a Corsa Diesel). I'm sure man maths/accountant has done the sums & some/lots of running costs are tax deductible.

Not to mention the 'attractiveness' of learning to drive in a nice car.

Surely with dual controls what damage will an accompanied learner do (apart from clutch wear), I assume a switchable valet mode/learner/economy map could be uploaded?

[chr15b]

ZHD said:

chr15b said:

Leases are only cheap on low mileage though, cant see 6k being much use for an instructor

As I understand it the VW excess mileage is only 7.2p. What's the average speed on a one-hour (£25?) lesson with manoeuvres and all... 15mph at most? Plus an extra litre or two of fuel*. Fairly irrelevant considering the extra interest.

Still, I think someone's done some man maths to choose that to teach in over a diesel Vauxhall Corsa

*I realise insurance is another issue but how much harm can a student do when the instructor has dual controls?

I bought an ex driving school car off a family member, it was 5 months old and had 21k miles. Even at a reasonable excess mileage rate that's going to be quite a bill.

[ukaskew]

A company locally uses Leon FRs, cleverly branded 'FReedom'. Not quite Golf R, but a bit more interesting than the usual Corsa's.

[teabelly]

Ste1987 said:

While on the subject of an unusual instructor's car, I saw a Leaf instructor car the other day, don't those things only have 100 mile range and take 12 hours to charge?

20-30 minutes on a rapid charger.

[justanother5tar]

skyrover said:

Personally I would rather students learned in the biggest barge the instructor can lay his hands on... thus when the student buy's their first car (inevitably a tiny ecobox), they will be better drivers as a result.

+1.

My OH learnt in a Kia Picanto. As a result she won't drive anything bigger than that because they're 'too big'.

[Coolbanana]

Golf R in Eco Mode makes for a relatively sedate commuting car - easy to drive for Learners who have no ambition to drive a Manual (which today is no terrible thing, DSG etc is far better than Manual to me and I doubt I'll ever own one again).

[xRIEx]

Maybe he's had it mapped to 100bhp.



I doubt a dual control vehicle is available on the usual Golf R lease deals we've been seeing over the last year or so.

[clarki]

It is only a golf at the end of the day.

And lets be honest as soon as someone passes their test there's nothing stopping them going out and buying something much faster than a golf.

[33q]

Thirty or so years ago I knew a driving instructor who bought a small fleet of MG Metros. The business case was much stronger for MG rather than an Austin.


Young lads flocked to learn with him

[matchmaker]

When my wife was learning to drive (late 1980's) her driving instructor had a 1.3 Polo. For some reason he preferred to give her lessons in our Mk 2 Golf GTI...

[vrsmxtb]

Wouldn't this be a bit dodgy...some clumsy leadfooted beginner and the car would be at silly speeds far too quick for them.

[paranoid airbag]

BlindandLost said:

Definitely! Although I imagine it's a lot less scary when a student 'lets it get away from them' in a Corsa... I learnt to drive in 1995 in the slowest 1.2 Corsa imaginable i.e. an auto. The one thing you could guarantee is that if you did accidentally stamp on the accelerator, all you'd get is more noise.

Why? Any modern car can do 100 mph if pushed, which, despite all the extra metal they carry, is enough to turn a Golf and definitely a Corsa into a modern art exhibit. Not that it matters, since both will have dual controls.

I'd far rather be in the faster car tbh, where you don't feel you have to preserve momentum at all costs. Nor would anyone have exactly that attitude of "it's ONLY a 1.3..."

[hairyben]

teabelly said:

Ste1987 said:

While on the subject of an unusual instructor's car, I saw a Leaf instructor car the other day, don't those things only have 100 mile range and take 12 hours to charge?

20-30 minutes on a rapid charger.

electric car on paper might be ideal given they're more economic at slower speeds.

[caelite]

I know its not really in the same league but my driving instructor used a Corsa 1.3CDTI for tuition but also had his personal vehicle insured as an instructor car which was a mapped Skoda Fabia VRS (MK1). He used that for further tuition such as Pass Plus. It was actually a really nice feeling at 17 to get a shot of a car with a bit of umph to it, prepares you somewhat for when you can finally afford the insurance for one yourself (which coicidentally I bought a mk1 fabia VRS when I turned 19! )

[Blaster72]

Could be an R Line diesel like this one I guess?

http://www.greatoaksales.co.uk/used-VOLKSWAGEN-GOL...

[Cmakka23]

We all use BMW for our cars on our Franchise, we have the choice of 116 Sport Diesel, 116 M-Sport Diesel or the new X1. I've had Audi Q3's before. They are all great and you do pick up more work because of the car. You still need to be good at your job but the car does lead to people asking about lessons when you're parked up having a well needed break from Learners!

[-Michael-]

I learnt in a Fiesta ST!

Which changed to an A3

[98elise]

hairyben said:

teabelly said:

Ste1987 said:

While on the subject of an unusual instructor's car, I saw a Leaf instructor car the other day, don't those things only have 100 mile range and take 12 hours to charge?

20-30 minutes on a rapid charger.

electric car on paper might be ideal given they're more economic at slower speeds.

Yup...the distance record for a Tesla is about 450 miles on a single charge, driving at about 26mph. ICE's use a lot of power just to run, EV's don't so the main losses are rolling resistance and drag. Driving around at 30mph means drag is very low.

[33q]

Cmakka23 said:

We all use BMW for our cars on our Franchise, we have the choice of 116 Sport Diesel, 116 M-Sport Diesel or the new X1. I've had Audi Q3's before. They are all great and you do pick up more work because of the car. You still need to be good at your job but the car does lead to people asking about lessons when you're parked up having a well needed break from Learners!

Bill Plant by any chance? I've seen several interesting small BMW/Audi with them.

Q3 / X1 seems an odd choice ..... But if it brings in the bacon and keeps the punters happy.....good luck to you


At the time I thought my school car ...1972 Escort 1100L ... Was quite good. Far better than I could afford to buy for a few years

[BlindandLost]

paranoid airbag said:

Why? Any modern car can do 100 mph if pushed, which, despite all the extra metal they carry, is enough to turn a Golf and definitely a Corsa into a modern art exhibit. Not that it matters, since both will have dual controls.

I'd far rather be in the faster car tbh, where you don't feel you have to preserve momentum at all costs. Nor would anyone have exactly that attitude of "it's ONLY a 1.3..."

My comment was a bit tongue-in-cheek, but a 1995 1.2 Corsa automatic is not a quick car!

Blaster72 said:

Could be an R Line diesel like this one I guess?

http://www.greatoaksales.co.uk/used-VOLKSWAGEN-GOL...

I'm pretty sure it was an R. It had the chrome wing mirrors, 4 exhausts and R seats. It could be a replica but I reckon it was real