Interesting/Different Learner Cars
Discussion
What are the more obscure cars used by driving schools around your area? I saw a Mercedes E440D Estate today, with a roof box detailing the company etc. There is also a modified Fiesta ST, with a large spoiler, aftermarket wheels, louder than standard exhaust and lowered suspension. I'm sure I also saw on Instagram there is a driving school in Central London that uses a Rolls Royce Dawn and costs £100 an hour!
Note I do mean cars used by actual driving schools, not just a parent taking their child out where you could get all sorts driving about.
Note I do mean cars used by actual driving schools, not just a parent taking their child out where you could get all sorts driving about.
This is something that's been puzzling me recently.
I learned to drive in a Corsa in 2002 and pretty much every driving school car was something similar. Corsa, Fiesta, 106, Saxo, etc. The only one that stood out at the time was a 306 D-Turbo that one instructor had who used it extensively in his advertising as it was seen as something a bit special to learn in.
Nowadays the majority of driving school cars I see are mid to high-spec 1-Series, A-Class', Golfs etc. There's also Qashqai I've seen buzzing around locally, as well as a RR Velar and an E Class.
I learned to drive in a Corsa in 2002 and pretty much every driving school car was something similar. Corsa, Fiesta, 106, Saxo, etc. The only one that stood out at the time was a 306 D-Turbo that one instructor had who used it extensively in his advertising as it was seen as something a bit special to learn in.
Nowadays the majority of driving school cars I see are mid to high-spec 1-Series, A-Class', Golfs etc. There's also Qashqai I've seen buzzing around locally, as well as a RR Velar and an E Class.
Different but not for being anything mental was a facelifted Renault Clio Ph2. Given how many instructors around my way are using newer cars, a model which was phased out in 2006 (and then revived as the Clio Campus for a while) seemed quite novel. Other than that, most instructors around my way are in Golfs apart from one guy using a Hyundai i30. He seems to do quite a bit of trade.
I've often thought that there's a gap in the market for an instructor teaching in something large, like an E60 5-Series or an Audi A6. You'd naturally take a bit longer to get to grips with such a large starter car, but perhaps you might develop skills more quickly too. Thinking about it, an E60 would probably be an appalling choice. I've never seen an instructor teaching in a RWD car.
Edit to add that I learnt in a Polo and then leapt into a Sierra, so the small-big(gish) car jump is one I've actually done.
I've often thought that there's a gap in the market for an instructor teaching in something large, like an E60 5-Series or an Audi A6. You'd naturally take a bit longer to get to grips with such a large starter car, but perhaps you might develop skills more quickly too. Thinking about it, an E60 would probably be an appalling choice. I've never seen an instructor teaching in a RWD car.
Edit to add that I learnt in a Polo and then leapt into a Sierra, so the small-big(gish) car jump is one I've actually done.
Feirny said:
There used to be a Clio 200 Cup learner in Scarborough.
Learn about managing torque with that!Local single-car instructor has a diesel Mégane coupé mocked up with RS bodykit. But it's the third-gen Mégane with barely any rear visibility, must be a handful for learners learning to reverse.
Weirdest one i've seen recently was a '21 reg Range Rover Sport with an L plate on the tailgate so must have been a parents car.
I doubt the lesson had gone well as it was parked up at the side of the A31, about a mile away from Matterley where Boomtown is currently being held, just behind an Audi A1 with a mangled rear bumper / tailgate. Judging by the crumpled front end on the RR it looked like it had gone into the back of the A1 pretty reasonably.
A couple of years back near me a guy had a Mk3 Focus ST Mountune liveried up, complete with magnetic roof thingy, for a learner driver / trailer towing business.
I doubt the lesson had gone well as it was parked up at the side of the A31, about a mile away from Matterley where Boomtown is currently being held, just behind an Audi A1 with a mangled rear bumper / tailgate. Judging by the crumpled front end on the RR it looked like it had gone into the back of the A1 pretty reasonably.
A couple of years back near me a guy had a Mk3 Focus ST Mountune liveried up, complete with magnetic roof thingy, for a learner driver / trailer towing business.
Shermanator said:
What are the more obscure cars used by driving schools around your area? I saw a Mercedes E440D Estate today, with a roof box detailing the company etc. There is also a modified Fiesta ST, with a large spoiler, aftermarket wheels, louder than standard exhaust and lowered suspension. I'm sure I also saw on Instagram there is a driving school in Central London that uses a Rolls Royce Dawn and costs £100 an hour!
Note I do mean cars used by actual driving schools, not just a parent taking their child out where you could get all sorts driving about.
My mother ran a driving school in the 70s and 80s among other things she ran a Lime green Ford Capri, Lime green Mazda RX3 (mental but a poor learner car) and a MG Metro.Note I do mean cars used by actual driving schools, not just a parent taking their child out where you could get all sorts driving about.
Ashley Neal (from the YouTube channel) used a Golf GTI and a BMW 320d before that.
I was quite happy to learn in a Corsa and stepping into a more powerful car after. Can imagine learning in a 200hp car and then buying a Corsa as your first car you might be missing some skills to make the most of a tiny engine.
I was quite happy to learn in a Corsa and stepping into a more powerful car after. Can imagine learning in a 200hp car and then buying a Corsa as your first car you might be missing some skills to make the most of a tiny engine.
Levin said:
I've often thought that there's a gap in the market for an instructor teaching in something large, like an E60 5-Series or an Audi A6. You'd naturally take a bit longer to get to grips with such a large starter car, but perhaps you might develop skills more quickly too.
There was an instructor round our way in the 1990s who used a Vauxhall Cavalier for exactly that reason, whilst most of the other instructors were using Metros and Corsas.Back in 2003, I learnt to drive in an Trophy Blue MG ZR. It was originally a BMW Mini but it kept breaking. All the other instructor cars were the usual dross. The MG ZR just stood out. It wasnt signwritten either and there was no roof box, just some brackets front and rear for the L plates to go on when they were needed.
The instructor then went to a Leon Cupra TDi after the MG when I had passed. Bright yellow of course.
The instructor then went to a Leon Cupra TDi after the MG when I had passed. Bright yellow of course.
HelldogBE said:
Ashley Neal (from the YouTube channel) used a Golf GTI and a BMW 320d before that.
I was quite happy to learn in a Corsa and stepping into a more powerful car after. Can imagine learning in a 200hp car and then buying a Corsa as your first car you might be missing some skills to make the most of a tiny engine.
This is kind of how I see it too. The majority of modern cars will practically drive for you. With hill start assist, auto braking, blind spot monitoring, etc how to you lean the basic skills of driving? If you've learnt to drive in a car that will automatically stop when it needs to or stop itself from rolling back on a hill start how do you learn those skills yourself? Especially if you then buy yourself a basic car that does nothing for you. I was quite happy to learn in a Corsa and stepping into a more powerful car after. Can imagine learning in a 200hp car and then buying a Corsa as your first car you might be missing some skills to make the most of a tiny engine.
I'm probably bending the rules a bit as I'm learning in my own Transit!
I have Cerebral Palsy, meaning the van had to be adapted to my needs before I could start learning. It would be impossible to have a learner vehicle set up for me as CP affects everyone with it differently. It's a comfort learning in my own van, as I'll know my blind spots, where I like my mirrors etc. The only issue I have is is how wide the thing is!
Michael
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