Suitable car?

[TheInsanity1234]

Does anyone have any idea how this is the case?

Probably because, as said previously, you are a higher risk when driving something you don't own.

As for the named driver question, they probably work out the riskiest usage permutation and go with that.

Ah, I see. Thanks

Buy your own car and run and finance it yourself.
That will assist you in a couple of ways.
1/. You will get a record with the insurance companies.
2/. If you take out a loan to finance it and pay back on time you will gain a credit record as well.

That would be lovely, but may I just ask, with what money?
Do car dealerships and insurance companies accept potato peelings as payment now?
I have no time to do a job at the moment, and don't suggest a summer job, as I'm usually too busy doing stuff in the summer to be able to do anything...

A loan would probably be the worst thing for me, as the only income I have at the moment is my DLA, and that would cover the cost of a car finance plan for a cheap-ish car, but that leaves nothing for insurance.

[fungus]

A loan would probably be the worst thing for me, as the only income I have at the moment is my DLA, and that would cover the cost of a car finance plan for a cheap-ish car, but that leaves nothing for insurance.

Not wishing to put too gloomy a picture on it, but I'm afraid that's the hard fact of life for some one your age when you endulge in the pleasures of motoring, and I'm afraid most of us have been there. Also remember that once you've passed your driving test, premiums usually increase, especially if you've taken out one of the low cost learner insurances.

One of my ex pupils took up one such policy only to find that it trebbled when he passed his test. Consequently, he changed companies which brought it down to a level just above the that at which this company had quoted him as a learner.

[TheInsanity1234]

A loan would probably be the worst thing for me, as the only income I have at the moment is my DLA, and that would cover the cost of a car finance plan for a cheap-ish car, but that leaves nothing for insurance.

Not wishing to put too gloomy a picture on it, but I'm afraid that's the hard fact of life for some one your age when you endulge in the pleasures of motoring, and I'm afraid most of us have been there. Also remember that once you've passed your driving test, premiums usually increase, especially if you've taken out one of the low cost learner insurances.

One of my ex pupils took up one such policy only to find that it trebbled when he passed his test. Consequently, he changed companies which brought it down to a level just above the that at which this company had quoted him as a learner.

We're not going to bother switching from Admiral, as they give us an excellent Multi-Car discount on the insurance, so we're just going to list me as a learner when I turn 17, then put me on as a named driver when I pass.

I've been trying to persuade my parents to ask questions about how much the insurance will cost when I'm added on as a learner and as a driver, and to see what the difference would be if I was listed as the main driver (which I'm hoping they will relent and do so, so that I can drive the car to and from school everyday rather than having to work out some stupid system of driving because they don't want to list me as the main driver).
They keep saying that it's better to do it later, which is downright annoying for me because I want to know what the information from Admiral would be so I'm armed with the knowledge, and if it's going to be something ridiculous, then I'd go hunting for a different provider and my parents would have to do virtually nothing, except just put in some of the details and that.

I've even offered to pay for a third key for me and my sister to share (which they've happily accepted), and I've offered to contribute towards a sat-nav to go with the Yeti, as the current one is older than the Clio itself, and is very bulky and awkward to carry.
Thirdly, I've even suggested that I'll contribute something towards the monthly payments for the car using my DLA, so that I can use it. (They seem to be softer now, so maybe a little bit closer to the time, I might bring up the topic of insurance and main drivers again and see what they say).

[skodatezzer]

So, have you bought the Yeti?

[waremark]

The Yeti has a reputation as an excellent car.

[TheInsanity1234]

So, have you bought the Yeti?

I haven't, my parents have, but they want me to contribute something towards the monthly cost (so I've got a financial incentive to drive well after I pass my test, since I'm paying for part of the car).
We've got the paperwork sorted out, and agreed a finance deal, so we're just waiting to hear how much a 3rd key will be, and then pick it up on the 2nd of June.

I'll update the thread or post a new one a bit later on with some pictures of the car when we get it, and maybe ask for suggestions on learning to drive (will put that particular one in the learner's category)

But yeah, the faithful old Clio will be given to Škoda for £1300, which is supposedly the book price for a 120k mile Clio (I suspect they haven't noted the wonky gearbox, and various broken bits and pieces in the car )

We're getting it because the test-drive went well, and my sister says that it was a whole lot nicer to drive than the Clio, much more refined and yet more powerful.
Mum said that it was weird, but that is to be expected after driving the same car for 7 years, and even the dealer agreed that it's weird when you start driving it, but after a while it becomes second nature.
Somehow, it's actually easier for my grandmother to get into than the Clio. One suspects it's because you can adjust the chair height on the Yeti, but you can't on the Clio.

The Yeti has a reputation as an excellent car.

And it is definitely "cooler" than a B-Max.
My "peers" are going to be impressed

[skodatezzer]

Sounds like a very satisfactory solution all round.

So now your agenda should be; 17th birthday, provisional licence, pass DSA test, maybe Pass-Plus, find local IAM / Roadar group to get you started on your AD career, ADUK driving days!!

[TheInsanity1234]

Sounds like a very satisfactory solution all round.

So now your agenda should be; 17th birthday, provisional licence, pass DSA test, maybe Pass-Plus, find local IAM / Roadar group to get you started on your AD career, ADUK driving days!!

Passing the DSA, then I hope to do the Pass-Plus, for no reason other than giving me the motorway lessons.

After that, it may have to be put on hold due to budget issues

[skodatezzer]

Sounds like a very satisfactory solution all round.

So now your agenda should be; 17th birthday, provisional licence, pass DSA test, maybe Pass-Plus, find local IAM / Roadar group to get you started on your AD career, ADUK driving days!!

Passing the DSA, then I hope to do the Pass-Plus, for no reason other than giving me the motorway lessons.

After that, it may have to be put on hold due to budget issues

M'm. AD training might be less of a financial drain than you think, as your trainers would be volunteers. IAM manages to charge £139.00 for the Skill for Life package (going up to £149.00 in October), but this includes textbook, test fee and a year's membership. Don't know what it costs to go the ROADAR / ROSPA route, but I'm sure there'll be someone on here who can tell you.

[TheInsanity1234]

Passing the DSA, then I hope to do the Pass-Plus, for no reason other than giving me the motorway lessons.

After that, it may have to be put on hold due to budget issues

M'm. AD training might be less of a financial drain than you think, as your trainers would be volunteers. IAM manages to charge £139.00 for the Skill for Life package (going up to £149.00 in October), but this includes textbook, test fee and a year's membership. Don't know what it costs to go the ROADAR / ROSPA route, but I'm sure there'll be someone on here who can tell you.

That's about the same as a Pass Plus, I guess.
A driving instructor that I will be using does Pass Plus for £165, or £159 if you bring your own car to it.

[watts93]

It's only worth doing Pass Plus if it can get you a decent insurance discount, otherwise you'd learn a lot more by simply joining some free ADUK days.

When i did pass plus (2010) I got no discount on my insurance and a tiny discount (£5) at renewal.

[waremark]

Is there anywhere your parents can let you learn the basics of car control so that come 17 you are ready to go on the road and start to cope with other road users?

Be ready to take the theory test and hazard perception as soon as possible.

[TheInsanity1234]

It's only worth doing Pass Plus if it can get you a decent insurance discount, otherwise you'd learn a lot more by simply joining some free ADUK days.

The fact that I'm deaf is a factor.

The driving instructor is deaf-friendly and works with all the deaf students from my school, and I'd rather do a pass-plus with someone who knows how to talk to me, over a thing where I've got to teach people how to teach me!

Is there anywhere your parents can let you learn the basics of car control so that come 17 you are ready to go on the road and start to cope with other road users?

Be ready to take the theory test and hazard perception as soon as possible.

I've already got the basics sorted, and I've chugged around in a field in my mum's Clio, my dad's Galaxy and my sister's boyfriend's 1.2 RipCurl Clio, so I've got experience of balancing the clutch and power without stalling the cars on the molehills It's all about refining it now.
I've also experienced 55 mph in a car in 4th gear at this private road complex in Hornchurch, Essex. (Google: CarDrome). I was in a dual-controlled car with a qualified instructor and a BSL interpreter in the back, as part of a scheme that my local young deaf organisation was running, but you can pay £15 and take your own car in there.

Mum did say something about taking me back to Essex and going there in the Yeti one weekend, so I'd get used to the car before I start driving in it on public roads.
Will also have to try and see if I can find any disused airfields in the locality so we can go there and spend time just polishing up the gear-changing, clutch control and perception in speed etc. Are there any other places you might think useful for driving to experience a car, that's perfectly legal?

I plan on having a March deadline on my test, and hope to pass before March. Do you guys think it'd be quite possible to pass the test with only 10 hours of official lesson time and loads of driving time with parents in the car in between?

Another thing I wish to rant about is the current learning structure.

It's outdated, and needs to be sorted out.

In my view, there should be road-awareness and driving skills and hazard perception etc as part of the curriculum at some point in secondary school education, then at 16, you should be permitted to learn to drive cars on private land, such as disused airstrips or maybe an old industrial site which is derlict, so that students can learn the basics of car control and polish up their driving skills and then have to take a test at 17.

If they pass the test based on how well they drive (smoothly, no stalling, mirror use and kangaroo-ing etc), then they should be given a provisional at 17 and allowed out as a normal learner on the road, but because they've already covered all the driving skills already, they should only need to learn how to drive with other road users, and gain the confidence required to be a successful driver on the roads.
Another test, and if they pass, then they're a fully-fledged driver.
/rant.

Oh yeah, and I certainly aim to do my theory/hazard tests ASAP!

[jcochrane]

In answer to your question on driving lessons though possibly out of date now but I passed my L test on my first attempt with no professional training. I did have the advantage though of driving from a very early age, well before becoming a teenager. Things were very different years ago and though strictly illegal no one much cared out in the lanes where I lived. The only people who used them were the local farmers. I was put on a bike before I was 4 and allowed/encouraged to venture out on my own on day long rides. Cycled from Surrey to the north Welsh coast with a friend at the age of 10. These opportunities would be unheard of today. So I can say I was self taught through trial and error, even worked out how to heel n toe long before I knew what it was called. Probably goes a long way to explain my c_ _ p driving of today.

[fungus]

I passed my test in 1968 having only 10 professional lessons. Before my 17th birthday I had been practicing on farm tracks in my brothers car. As he was a paraplegic, the car, a Morris Minor, had both foot and hand controls. I could reverse before my first professional lesson. In those days there were only two manoeuvres, left reverse and turn in the road, ( you had to do both ). We also had two cars at school, and the science master used to teach us basic control along with basic maintainance.