Drving lessons in your own car

Former Member

Hi

I am learning to drive at the mo. My Mum and Dad have kindly put me on my mum's car insurance (a Seat Ibiza- Dad's car is works so can't be on his) and Dad and I are going out at least twice every weekend for practise. At the moment I am confidently driving to and from town/shops etc with very little or no instruction.

I am having driving lessons about once every 3 weeks- a month as I am very broke and can't afford much more than that- plus I need to practise following tuition to really master anything.

The problem is that my instructors car is a Renault Clio...which is really really different from my mums car. When I take my test I want to take it in my mums car; We have an extra rear-view mirror in it already.

Do instructors take students out in their own cars? I haevn't seen any Seat ibiza cars used by instructors...but I can't help feeling that a lot of my errors and time during my one our lessons is spent adapting to the car which I really don't like- rather than showing what I am able to do and learning something new?

Are there issues with insurance/prices (as obv I would be paying for my insruance and petrol in mums car) etc? Has anyone done this?

Cheers

Former Member

I don't know any specifics, but I do know of someone who had their lessons with the instructor in her mothers car for similar reasons. I also know of someone who took their test in their parents car, but that was because they got a cancellation for the test that day and the instructor was busy with someone else.

Like I said, no specifics, but I know of it happening. Best thing to do is speak to your instructor and explain the situation, they will be able to tell yu lots more than we can.

Former Member

notebookkt wrote:

The problem is that my instructors car is a Renault Clio...which is really really different from my mums car. When I take my test I want to take it in my mums car; We have an extra rear-view mirror in it already.

This is my instructors car...

...and this is my step dads car.


So feel sorry for me, that's all I've got to practice in. It'll probably cost me over a grand to get put on the insurance too.

Former Member

yeah, i dont know any specifics either but a couple of my mates took their tests in their parents cars, so that can be done. id think it just depends on the instructor as to whether theyll take you out in your parents car, but i guess insurance comes into it somewhere.
i learnt to drive in a fiesta but practised in a saxo, i didnt find it too difficult to switch between the two.

Former Member

when your dad takes you out does he teach you manouvers and stuff? they're the things your instructor is probably going to be best at teaching you.

i learnt in a new fiesta zetec and did a bit of driving in an N reg 106. i just didn't do the manouvers in it (no power steering!) but it was helpful for general driving.

Former Member

I took some lessons in my own car and also my test as my instructor changed cars and i really couldn't get along with his new one. I had a very slight reduction in lesson costs but my lessons were already relatively cheap compared with other instructors. I felt much more confident in my own car.

Former Member

Well i had my lessons with my instructor in a diesel fiesta, and then drove inbetween in a petrol megane and i didn't find much difference to be honest apart from the gears were in different places, but my instructor did say some people who have their own cars do take their lessons in them, if they choose too but some still prefer to use his.

As for the insurance thing, to insure me to my boyfriends megane, he got a refund of £50 for the pleasure! and thats a 1.6 but insurance does differ from car to car but i would ring up and get a quote, after i passed my test he rang up to change the insurance but they said they don't distinguish between learners/full liscence holders so the grand cost was still +£50!