Where did you guys get your driving lessons?

[sjj84]

Kolimo said:

sjj84 said:

Ask your instructor to book directly with him rather than through the aa. Should save you a few quid per hour.

I talked to him about the price; he then told me to ring them and haggle with them until I get a good price. The only two wakes I can book lessons are either from ringing them or booking online.

Odd, father in law was an aa instructor before going solo, he always preferred pupils to book directly with him as it cut out one of the aa's many fees.

[Vladimir]

Slightly uppity guy who was apparently ex Police - failed
Bit of a wow man hippy in an ancient Jap box - I passed.
Then IAM then a bit of cop stuff.

[putonghua73]

Passed my theory, and am continuing manual lessons (31 and a half hours so far) before my practical in 2 months. Yep, 2 month waiting list in London [Wanstead test centre], so hoping for cancellations to take the practical a mite sooner (September would be nice).

Turned 40 this year and decided time to learn to drive, especially as girlfriend wants me to drive her because she is fed up of driving. The carrot dangling in front of me is driving her 2004 Jaguar S-Type (auto, sadly #firstworldproblems) along the A303 to Devon for a long - and much needed - weekend break for the both of us.

I'm paying £20 a lesson from a private instructor (green badge, teaching for 14 years) in a Vauxhall Corsa, and have no opportunity for practice because friends either own automatics, do not drive, or like my girlfriend, own an automatic and are not yet qualified to accompany a provisional driver (3 years full driving licence - girlfriend will achieve this in September).

If/when I decide/need my own vehicle, it will probably be a Ford Puma 1.7. I initially wanted a Jaguar X-Type, but a first-time, newly qualified driver insuring a Jag in London would siphon my bank account - let alone running costs, etc. I did then think about a Ford Mondeo 1.8 (inner Jaguar driver), but then it occurred to me that since my girlfriend has an executive saloon [Jag S-Type], what's the point of another saloon? Changing my thinking resulted in settling on a Ford Puma.

However, I'll probably lease initially if I need a car for my next role [employment].

Cheers!

Edited by putonghua73 on Friday 30th August 13:39

[skyrover]

Northumberland

Firstly in a 1.2 Micra with horrible body roll and absolutely no go whatsoever.
The instructor swapped it for a 1.4 fiesta which went a tiny bit better and didn't feel like it was going to fall over at every corner.

I passed first time in the fiesta and then went and bought a RWD 4 door saloon and taught myself how to powerslide.

[AdvanceRoadcraft]

Southport beach.

[GreatGranny]

Local independent instructor in a rather fetching banana yellow Allegro with no synchro on 2nd. First lesson he taught me to double-de-clutch :-)
Think I had 6 lessons but was out with my Mum and dad at every oppurtunity.
Passed aged 17 and 3 months.
Thats was 31 years ago, christ!

[putonghua73]

Took my driving practical at Wanstead today in a Peugeot 208 (instructor's new car beginning of September) after 48 hours of lessons [manual] and narrowly failed. The driving examiner mentioned that it was predominantly my speed (too cautious) that gave me a lot of minors in the 'Progress' section. This also included undue hesitation when emerging from a roundabout. I didn't drive quite like how I normally drive, but I also recognised these faults because they still persist to a degree.

My instructor said I'm >.< that far away from test standard. It's a question of confidence and being that half a second more prepared and making up one's mind.

I'm taking a break until I secure my next job role (contractor or permanent), and plan to resume at weekends, with the goal of booking my test (and passing on my 2nd attempt) before end of Feb 14. Even if I did pass today, it's too late in the year for a long weekend away (bit chilly now). So early Spring next year!

Good lord! It's been 4 and a half months from starting lessons, stepping into the car and not knowing a thing, to passing my theory and then taking my 1st practical attempt! It has honestly felt like a lot longer! I'll use the break (whilst I secure my next role) to relax, go through the Highway Code and the theory test app, and think about and work on my faults (once my girlfriend adds me to her insurance).

Note: plenty of time to research Mk1 Mx5s (decided against a Ford Puma).

Edited by putonghua73 on Tuesday 15th October 14:08

Edited by putonghua73 on Tuesday 15th October 14:10

[Zad]

I would probably feel the same, but I have to say that you need to get back on the metaphorical horse now, or you will probably lose a big chunk of confidence. Try to drive at least once a week if you can, even if it is only for 30 minutes.

[vrooom]

Paid £10 for a hour for pleasure to be taught by mad woman called Effie from BSM in about 15 years ago

[papa3]

I think I paid £8 per hour back when the Mk1 Corsa was new to the roads.

5 lessons in 5 days and passed the month after my 17th. I had driven since 16 with the Air Cadets who seemed quite content for us to run around on base in swb land rovers and 8 ton Bedford's.

[finnracer]

Currently £22 per hour (instructor prefers 1 1/2 hour lessons so £33 per lesson) with a small local company. Instructor is good and the 2010 Corsa 1.2 he uses is fine but slow, although a few drives in my Mum's MK7 Fiesta has made the controls of the former feel a bit vague and wooden. Mind you the Corsa has got a heated steering wheel and seats which is impressive for a car of that size!

[putonghua73]

Zad said:

I would probably feel the same, but I have to say that you need to get back on the metaphorical horse now, or you will probably lose a big chunk of confidence. Try to drive at least once a week if you can, even if it is only for 30 minutes.

Girlfriend is enquiring how much it would cost to add me to her insurance so we can do just this (although I suspect it will be more than once a week). Since she drives a Jaguar S-Type and we live in London I'm expecting a ghastly amount.

East London is great for learning to drive (so many different obstacles and pressures), but pleasurable [driving] it is not!

[CB2152]

papa3 said:

I think I paid £8 per hour back when the Mk1 Corsa was new to the roads.

5 lessons in 5 days and passed the month after my 17th. I had driven since 16 with the Air Cadets who seemed quite content for us to run around on base in swb land rovers and 8 ton Bedford's.

Thanks to the Air Cadets I was most likely more capable of flying a light aircraft than driving a car before my driving lessons...

[80sMatchbox]

Pints said:

Lessons taken almost 2 decades ago in another country on a faraway continent. Using several different models of Opel, over maybe 3 lessons. I can't remember what I paid.

Probably not that useful to you, but thanks for the trip down memory loss lane.

I did my lessons in a Toyota Conquest, which had the smoothest gearchange out of any subsequent car that I've driven! And then did my test in Zululand.

Why there when I lived in Durban? My instructor drove me and 3 other hopefuls there because if we failed the test in the morning, you could re-sit it in the afternoon! And there was also just one set of traffic lights to contend with, thought the downside being doing parallel parking on a hill!

I passed in the morning. Good times!

[Who me ?]

Little driving school in both a real Mini and Lotus Cortina. Ten lessons and that cost a lot less than some folks on here tell me per hour . But it was over 45 years ago .