Great Ways To Cut The Cost Of Learning To Drive Hunt

swillyburger

shengen wrote:

I am surprised to read an ADI saying that there might be 2 meanings to a road sign , if you check the highway code or the yellow book of road signs the meanings are clear and explicit. I agree with some of what he says being an ADI myself yes there is scope for negotiation, on price but pupils do pay for having those new cars every 6 months and all the back room boys wages and advertising. A good private instructor passed on by word of mouth is the strongest VFM route to getting that pink licence. Oh and another book cluttering up the shelves of W H Smith on driving written by an expert we need like a hole in the head. Instructors have a vested interest in you passing 1st time not quickly( my instructor put me in too early), very few people pass quickly but if you learn properly and pass 1st time you will tell everybody.

So am i right in thinking that wot your saying is that a good private instructor is better than a frananchised instructor, :rolleyes: & is "the strongest VFM route to getting that pink licence" do you have any figures to show us that this is the case or have i miss read you

JBoy_4

I've been a BSM instructor for 10 years and, quite simply, there are no real short-cuts to learning to drive. In general, the majority of instructors do not have a vested interest in making you have loads of lessons. Personally, I would rather have somebody pass and recommend me to their friends, not milk as much money as possible from 1 person and have them tell their friends to go elsewhere.

There are a few "tricks" to look out for. Schools that charge low hourly rates will often be worried about using too much fuel, so you may spend a lot of your lesson sat on the side of the road discussing things, rather than driving. Ths same applies to the "1st lesson for a fiver" adverts you sometimes see.

Make sure you get the full hour. While a couple of minutes here and there don't matter, some instructors often finish 5 or even 10 minutes early. Over 45 hours of lesson (the official average) this can add up to a lot of driving time.

The theory test is basically a money-making exercise for he powers that be. You do not need to have the brand new study materials. Books/CD-Roms that are 2 or 3 years old, in addition to the Highway Code, will have most of the stuff you need and these can often be picked up on eBay for a couple of quid.

The best advice I can give is that if you're not happy change instructors. I often get people that have, quite simply, been ripped off, but they've still stuck with the same instructor for 60 or 70 hours of tuition. There are plenty of good instructors out there, personal recommendations are the best way to find one, but, as with anything in life, there are also plenty of people who give anything but a good service.

Dread

Jboy's remarks are well made and demonstrate his experience although I would take issue with the money making schemes for the powers that be. The government don't care either about making money nor providing a high quality service (another issue) and it's very difficult to tell a pupil "buy last years literature from your mate" when the question they may fail on may be the new road sign not in the old highway code. What do you, as an instructor, say to them then? OOPS?

David.

badger3000_2

I have mentioned this before but I thought I would post it again as it still may work.

"I was given a code for a learner driver pack to get £10 off but on the web site it already has 10 quid off the original price so I saved £20. The pack seems really good and has a load of CD's, Dvd's and books etc. There are no driving lessons included but some advise of getting free ones etc.

It was originally £59.99 and I got it for £39.99 so was well pleased. It has a £125 voucher for holidays but I havn't tried to use it yet. If it works well I will put the code for that on-line. I think the contents are worth about £60 and with the holiday voucher I'm quids in. The code I used was LPA2 (you have to enter it in caps or it doesn't work, which I found out the hard way and had to go back a few steps.) It can be used on www.learnerpack.com"

Also sombody asked me on the forum if it can be used for motorcycle packs as well, she tried it and aparently yes it can.

kittiwoz

I had driving lessons from a private instructor who was choosen because he was cheap. In retrospect that wasted a lot of money because he wasn't a very good instructor. It was more like just doing driving practice with your dad or whoever. I switched to a different instructor. Also a private instructor but recommended by several people. In fact he had other instructors working for him because he was so successful. This guy gave proper structured lessons. He had a schedule within which he expected to be able to teach me to drive based on what I needed to learn and what he would be teaching me in each lesson. He haf teaching material. He gave homework to do between lessons. He was also a much better communicator. Although his lessons were more expensive they were much better value.

The other guy was actually a bit creepy. He'd lean across me to get to stuff in the pocket on the door. He never did anything overtly inappropriate and I didn't want to overreact but he made me feel a bit uncomfortable. I think that's another good reason to rely on personal recomendation or go for a female instructor. Lone teen girl in a car with a man driving round and parking up in little side streets is a situation open to abuse.

xlt_hunter

I have been driving for somewhat 5 years now and always believe this quote

"The best drivers never stop learning after they past their test" - this is true for me at the moment. Now I am looking to take further lessons not on cars but on Lorries in section C and C+E.

The instructors I had in Newbury wasn't pleasent at all, got into a 207 and hated it. He used my time and money to have my lessons to pick up the next learner etc... forget that only used him for a few times. Then when I moved to up north I got a another instructor. By far a better person all round, very pleased that he worked onto a 2hour lesson 1to1, I can only suggest that newbies to car driving to go onto the 2hr rule as you will get the swing into things and get better vaule for money. Also once a week is a min! must keep it up to gain the knowledge, no point in doing a few and then dropping off and having to start again. Don't always go for the cheapest - ask about the pass rate to show how good the guy/girl is

Like I mention above and have been driving for 5 years, I am now foucing on lorry driving. Cat C lession/test funding has been supplied already for myself by the skills council (EU Gov) to get young adults (I am 23) in the indurstry of truck driving. I had to do the theroy again (more advance with the regs of LGV Driving + Driving Hour Law) with the DSA with a pass (flying colours) and full medical without problems with the local doctor (must be taken first and then sent to DVLA). I got my lessons starting in 1 weeks time over the weekend period in total 4 hours on a friday and 8 hours on each sat and sun with the full DSA test on Monday morning :eek: The thought of cramming everything into what feels like 3 days!!

But to go further that Cat C to C+E (the big lorries) I have had a price of £1070 for 20 hours of lessons (1to1) and with the DSA test at the end for the license. I am not too sure if this vaule for money as there is 2/3 firms offering HGV/LGV training in the area

Does the quote above sounds about right for HGV C+E training and test?

Mike

JBoy_4

Dread wrote:

Jboy's remarks are well made and demonstrate his experience although I would take issue with the money making schemes for the powers that be. The government don't care either about making money nor providing a high quality service (another issue) and it's very difficult to tell a pupil "buy last years literature from your mate" when the question they may fail on may be the new road sign not in the old highway code. What do you, as an instructor, say to them then? OOPS?
David.

You need to get 30 out of 35 to pass David, so the odd question won't matter too much. I was refering to the question and answer books available, not the Highway Code, which probably represents the best buy any driver can make at £1.99.

One further point about pass rates. Be careful about relying on them as an indicator to whether an instructor is good or bad, as some conributors have suggested. For example, I could have a 100% pass rate if I insisted on all of my pupils taking 100 hours of tuition before I allow them to book their test. Does insisting on that many hours for everyone make me a good instructor? no.

The best way by far to find a good instructor is to ask around and get personal recommendations from family and friends.

swillyburger

C+E (the big lorries) I have had a price of £1070 for 20 hours of lessons (1to1) and with the DSA test at the end for the license. I am not too sure if this vaule for money as there is 2/3 firms offering HGV/LGV training in the area

Does the quote above sounds about right for HGV C+E training and test?



Hi mike

Depends on your location i used to think there was nothing thurther north after the Tamar river :beer: Any way for a 6 day course in my area i now 1 firm charge £1,430 that includes vat & DSA test fee but have a very good pass rate & some excelent instructors

Chai_2

I might be a bit late but effectively isnt the tesco deal (£60 in points = 6 driving lessons) giving you lessons with BSM for £10 each? i looked on bsm website and i cant see any clause saying the offer is for one per person, so you could do your whole driving lessons until you pass for £10 with BSM as long as the deal is on?

borntoshop

Chai thats what I was trying to find out, whether you could take all your driving lessons using Tesco club card deals. Does anyone know