Parkway Maestro

[Guest]

Insurance is still a problem. I often see big cars with L plates on my travels. I often wonder if the owner has added the learner to their policy?

. We asked our insurance company about the possibility of insuring Hollie (my 17year old) on our family car a Picasso 2L diesel hdi they told us no way.. Hence the need to purchase the Micra.

Graham

[E_T_V]

Quite often the difference for adding a learner isn't as high as you'd expect. The difference for adding a new driver can actually be more. I was lucky as it was a lease car anyone in the family got free insurance and so did learner and new drivers if the insurance group was under 11.

I'd ring round, adding a learner will no doubt increase your premium but it may be worth a go. I find insurance is all about spending time on the phone ringing round for quotes. Typically every time I'll spend 2 or 3 evenings ringing round for quotes for each car. If they use the old trick of this quote is only valid tonight I take a reference number and politely refuse to take up the offer there and then. As an example I managed to get quote from over £1100 to something about £450 for my camper van. (new vehicle so no no claims ) The same is true for my motorbike where I had quotes of 700 pounds plus to my eventual quote of £180 ish.

Ringing round really does pay dividends.

[matthewsemple]

Do be aware that making random statements like you have can put people off learning to drive.

As a car enthusiast, I would and do encourage anyone who wanted to learn to drive. My comments are hardly random as many people I have spoken to had exactly the experience I have described.

My advice to any learner would be: Find an intensive course and take a weekoff work or use your school/college holidays. Don't try to squeeze in 1 hour lessons into your lunchtime or learn when it is dark after work or when there is a lot of traffic. It is not conducive to learning. By taking longer lessons, the second and third hours do not start with you having to get to grips with the car again.

Anyway the main thing is that you have passed and you have a Maestro, which is why we are all here!

[Guest]

For what it's worth, I can see all points of view here. On the one hand if you find a good instructor they will advise you on what the best course is to take, my instructor pointed out that as I live so far from the test centre an hour lesson was not worth it, and so she would have me in a 2 hour slot, for which I was driving all of the time. However, unlike AA/BSM, it is a company run by both her and her husband, but they specialise in teaching HGV and bus licences, and they do a bit of car teaching on the side. She had taught both my Dad and my stepmum, so she did have a fairly good idea what she was in for! :laugh:
On the flipside though, there are a couple of instructors round here (I can think of two) that blatantly waste your time and money. One of my friends with one instructor ended up having a test every month in the year 2000 from January until August after being told he was test standard, and then decided a change of instructor was needed. After changing instructors (admittedly to the AA) he passed first time.....
The other unscrupulous (sp?) instructor round here has a reputation for being a bit brash, if you're not so good at driving he will let you know it and consequently drop you from his books and tell you to learn with someone else!

Ricky.

[Guest]

and so she would have me in a 2 hour slot

Sorry, just the way I read it!

[Guest]

Yes, and I can confirm I lasted that long!

[D87SMW]

Driving...?

I've been thinking about 2 hours, three times per week. :toothy:

PS: Judging by the secretary, I don't think I'll have any problems!