how long does it take you to get used to a new car?

tea_break

Having finally sorted the brakes on my Honda a couple of weeks ago, it's only in the past few days where I've felt I've really got used to the feel of how it drives and am getting a reasonably smooth ride from it. I think I got so used to the diesel's clutch on my old car, it took a while to get back into driving with a less-forgiving clutch in a petrol car.
How long does it take you to fully get the feel of a new car - just jump in and get it almost instantly, or does it take a while, particularly if there's a big difference in performance from your old car?

topdaddy_2

Minutes. But i drive a lot of cars and vans.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

after driving many different types of vehicle, I don't need to get used to a clutch now.

tea_break

OK, but clutch feel apart, it's also that feeling of knowing just how fast you can safely take a corner, whether an overtake is feasible with your car - all that type of thing takes longer to judge doesn't it?

jimjames

tea_break wrote: »

OK, but clutch feel apart, it's also that feeling of knowing just how fast you can safely take a corner, whether an overtake is feasible with your car - all that type of thing takes longer to judge doesn't it?

Yes. I still need to remember which car I'm in to make sure I adjust the driving to suit.

Occasionally I've found a car that I can never get used to. That car didn't last long before being sold on!

worried_jim

10 minutes. Love finding stuff days/weeks/years later- like a dimmer switch for the dash lights.

thescouselander

2 or 3 mins but I also drive a lot of cars.

suki1964

I'm a reasonable new driver and I switch regularly between a diesel rear wheel, a petrol mid engine petrol and a petrol automatic. Takes me about four miles ( end of road and first roundabout) before I'm comfortable driving whatever one it is


When I first learned (6 years ago) and was just used to driving the one car, took me about 48 hrs to be comfortable

I think the more cars you drive the easier it becomes to read a car

vansboy

worried_jim wrote: »

10 minutes. Love finding stuff days/weeks/years later- like a dimmer switch for the dash lights.

Even most basic cars now, can have little things that you didnt know about.

And, even when I had my sales business, getting into lots of vans, same year, spec, miles, condition, you'd be surprised at how often you would 'feel' that it was a 'nice' one.

And if you have brand new car, I read somewhere that it takes nine months before you decide it is no longer a 'new' car!

VB

Iceweasel

tea_break wrote: »

OK, but clutch feel apart, it's also that feeling of knowing just how fast you can safely take a corner, whether an overtake is feasible with your car - all that type of thing takes longer to judge doesn't it?

That's very true.

The clutch thing can be very different - even in cars that are the same make,model and engine type - and that doesn't really take too long to aquaint yourself with.

To really get the know the car and be 'at one' with it might take a good few hundred miles in all weathers and types of road too.

The more power and road-holding ability your car has, the longer it takes to learn to drive your car - which is a much more advanced state of affairs then just learning to drive a car.

Some people never reach that goal - but most think they do.

tea_break

So it's more to do with regularly changing cars rather than just length of time driving. I was always fine with petrol cars then had my diesel for 6 years without really driving anything else. I'm also talking about that level of knowing a car where every gear change just feels right, the corners are quick without being dangerous etc etc rather than just being able to drive it reasonably safely.