Motors Simple question, complex answer?

Ouch.

I think in total mine was getting on for a grand. That included about (on average) 20 x 2 hour lessons and all the relevant tests. I didn't have to pay to upgrade my provisional to full - I had my prov card taken off me by the examiner and a week or so later received a full licence. I'm not sure if there's a fee involved normally?

 

Mine was driving along a winding A road, around a corner - to find a huge cement lorry halfway on my lane. I was millimetres away from the ditch.

 

Passed First time, and after 7 years, I still have a clean licence and I have never been involved in an accident...

 

They changed the system now so when you pay for your provisional you also pay for the extra cost that you would have payed im making the license full. Makes sense really.

 

Why not just budget for a grand or so and if you pass using less than that, buy yourself a present with the rest of the cash you didn't use.

Makes more sense than under-budgeting and then having problems getting it finished.

And what's been said about learning to drive happening AFTER you've passed your test is true.

I'm quite a fast driver generally but I don't take un-necessary risks.
I did however have two accidents within about the 1st year of driving which experience would have helped me avoid.

1st some woman pulled out in front of me on a roundabout but I would have predicted her stupidity if I was in the same situation now. ie, experience.

2nd was lost control on a (very) icy road.
Worst thing is, I was being careful since I fell on my ass walking on the very same peice of road at the end of my street earlier.
Just got a little oversteer and inexperience made it worse.
I did steer into it but I accelerated instead of dipping the clutch and ploughed the car through a wooden fence... with concrete fence posts..... which were re-inforced with steel inside.
Front-on impact of the 1st post spun the car so violently that I took out a 2nd post with the side of the car.
Lucky I did though or I'd have been in someone's house!!!

Since then I have 5 years no claims and generally find I can 'predict' what's going to happen before it does and hence avoid many problems.

 

I've budgeted £800 for learning to drive and tests.

£200 on a cheap ass car.

Then £1250 on insurance (fully comp) since most of the queries I've done on cars from £200 to £600 worth are only £3 different for the cheapest.

Bloody insurance

 

Got driving lessons sorted now, budgeted £400 pcm to pay for all them bills and stuff. But basically a two hour session every Wednesday lunchtimes with a grade 6 instructor (cost me a bit more then most places, but I want a good person to teach me)

 

I did theory, lessons, test


I think it was £25 to sit the theory test, thats just the one as its really easy.
Then the lessons are obviusly how ever much they are where you are, I was going to add, get your dad or mam (whoever) to take you out as well, this wont cost anything and its extra experience wich is great, after 3 or 4 lessons im sure they'll let you go out with them, I acctually sat my test in my aunti's car, now its mine mwuhahahha lol.

All the best with your driving man

 

it's amazing how much of diffrence living in differnt area is i notice your frm bath which is quite nice. while ill live in inner city manchester(wen nt at uni) and i'd be looking at over£2000 for pretty much anythin. its nt just crime rate that effect it thou. i think it also that people frm my kinda area whoa re young are more likely to be boy racer, or gt smashed up an uninsured car. suck realy arh well. good luck with learning to drive i love being able to drive thou i ahvent for awhile cos of the cost,

 

Just to let you know for when the big day comes.. they do all the work for you They take your green license and you get a lovely pink one in the next week or so.

 

Thats soooo camp, can't I get a blue one?

 

A baby blue one .

 

There is very little point going fully comp for your first car, TPFT is a lot cheaper, look for companies like Bell Insurance (They have just saved me £200) as they specialise in people with very little or no ncb.

If you can find one, a Peugeot 205 XS is a great first car, even though they are a 1.4, they absolutely fly due to a twin choke carb and cost very little to insure...