Cost of Driving Lessons in My Own Automatic Car

freespirit

I live in a moderately remote area of Scotland and a local driving instructor suggested I get my own car to learn in, as automatics instructors aren't so common here. (I have spent too much money already on manual lessons, but anxiety and overwhelm regarding the gears and clutch meant I didn't learn effectively.)

Ten days ago I finally got my car! To my surprise it was delivered with very little fuel in it (no low-loader, just driven, well over 100 miles). I now have this expensive car and a fresh theory test pass and REALLY want this to work out for me, at last.

Instructor can't be as flexible as I had hoped with the time of lessons and the cost she has quoted me is £40 per hour. Does this sound reasonable? 

When I had my first manual lessons, in England, three years ago, it was £25 per hour.

Since I will have the fuel on top of lesson cost, I would love some opinions and any experience from others to mull over. 

Many thanks in advance!

singhini

How much did it cost you to insure the car with a provisional licence ?

Flugelhorn

that is quite a bit for lessons - I paid (for one of my offspring) £37 / hour for automatic lessons but that was using the instructors with all the associated costs 

FlorayG

Its very odd that instructors don't all train in automatics now that everyone is supposed to be moving to hybrid and electric cars. They really need to get with the times

HillStreetBlues

What way to look at it is what are your options?

Mark_d

£40 isn't cheap but it's not unreasonable, especially for a decent instructor

lr1277

If you are remote as you say, what would you estimate the travelling time and cost for the instructor would be to both get to you and then get back to their own area? Compare that with the travelling times for your instructor when you were learning in England.

I don't know how often instructors use their client's car but your car won't have the features of their own car such as dual brakes. Does that make driving with a learner more of a risk? Maybe.

Edited to add: Find out the hourly cost of learning from an instructor with an automatic car when you meet them at their house/office. Then find out the cost of a return taxi journey to take you to said driving lesson. Is the taxi cost more or less than the difference in the hourly rates of the instructor?

Emmia

FlorayG said:

Its very odd that instructors don't all train in automatics now that everyone is supposed to be moving to hybrid and electric cars. They really need to get with the times

But that's not surprising given that a manual licence allows the holder to drive either manual or automatic cars. 

forgotmyname

FlorayG said:

Its very odd that instructors don't all train in automatics now that everyone is supposed to be moving to hybrid and electric cars. They really need to get with the times

But they have to have rules in place like the OP that may struggle to drive a manual car. If they only do automatic lessons and no manual then

there will be people on the road that struggle to drive a manual but allowed to drive one with what consequences?

Is everyone supposed to be moving to auto/hybrid,  NO.

Kim_13

I had some lessons with an instructor but didn’t use their car. It was close to 15 years ago now but the cost was 60% of their usual hourly rate.

The instructor lived a few streets from me, so if the instructor has to travel to get to you, maybe it’s close to the amount they’d charge if you were using their car. 

Kim_13

FlorayG said:

Its very odd that instructors don't all train in automatics now that everyone is supposed to be moving to hybrid and electric cars. They really need to get with the times

Instructors know that anyone who passes in an automatic will be limited to driving an automatic only, so most of their clients will want to pass in a manual to keep their options open even if they intend to drive an automatic. Insurance is also more expensive if you’re only licensed to drive an automatic - though perhaps the learners themselves don’t know this.

Of course there will be some instructors who cater for those who can’t or don’t want to pass in a manual, but for now they will charge a premium (automatics cost more to buy and maintain than the equivalent manual, and potentially they’re busy as the number opting for automatic lessons is already increasing.)

When manuals are thin on the ground because EVs and hybrids are automatics, I’m sure the rules will be changed back (until 1969 there was no such thing as an auto only licence.) It’s not fair to tell someone they can’t drive something if they can’t get a test to add that category to their licence, hence those who had passed car tests since 1997 were given B+E licences in 2021.

Direct Line predict that manuals could disappear in 2043 https://www.directlinegroup.co.uk/en/news/brand-news/2022/the-age-of-the-automatic--last-person-to-take-a-manual-driving-t.html

It could be sooner, given instructors have new-ish cars and ICEs will be banned in 2030.