I'm 23 and want to drive, but it's so expensive. How do younger people afford it?
I would love to pass my test and be able to drive, but it's so damn expensive at the moment. I was thinking of doing an intensive driving course, but then the prices were around £600 - 700 for the course, including theory test and practical test. Also, the thing is, I'm not a fast learner when it comes to driving, and I'm quite nervy on the road, so it sometimes takes me more lessons. I did lessons in the past, but the instructor messed me around, so I quit once the block of lessons had been completed. Since then I haven't done any more lessons, so how much would it cost for me to buy a car, insure it, and take lessons + practical and theory test? How do young drivers afford it when they're at college etc? I understand working part time, but then you have to have a lot of money to buy a car too, so it's not financially easy to drive.
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I had a part-time job so that funded for me 
Original post by TheEnigmaUK
I would love to pass my test and be able to drive, but it's so damn expensive at the moment. I was thinking of doing an intensive driving course, but then the prices were around £600 - 700 for the course, including theory test and practical test. Also, the thing is, I'm not a fast learner when it comes to driving, and I'm quite nervy on the road, so it sometimes takes me more lessons. I did lessons in the past, but the instructor messed me around, so I quit once the block of lessons had been completed. Since then I haven't done any more lessons, so how much would it cost for me to buy a car, insure it, and take lessons + practical and theory test? How do young drivers afford it when they're at college etc? I understand working part time, but then you have to have a lot of money to buy a car too, so it's not financially easy to drive.
Parents?
parents are usually involved.
I got my driving lessons for free.
Don't do the intensive driving course, they have very low pass rates, and you will probably end up forking out more money for lessons anyway.
With regards to affording a car, i saved up for insurance (£1900), and my parents paid for a car for myself.
It is quite expensive do run a car, i have spent around 6-7k on my car (haven't had it for a year yet!).
If i were you, save up for a bit first, see how much money you are willing to spend on learning, then decide on what car you want.
Don't do the intensive driving course, they have very low pass rates, and you will probably end up forking out more money for lessons anyway.
With regards to affording a car, i saved up for insurance (£1900), and my parents paid for a car for myself.
It is quite expensive do run a car, i have spent around 6-7k on my car (haven't had it for a year yet!).
If i were you, save up for a bit first, see how much money you are willing to spend on learning, then decide on what car you want.
Original post by TheEnigmaUK
I would love to pass my test and be able to drive, but it's so damn expensive at the moment. I was thinking of doing an intensive driving course, but then the prices were around £600 - 700 for the course, including theory test and practical test. Also, the thing is, I'm not a fast learner when it comes to driving, and I'm quite nervy on the road, so it sometimes takes me more lessons. I did lessons in the past, but the instructor messed me around, so I quit once the block of lessons had been completed. Since then I haven't done any more lessons, so how much would it cost for me to buy a car, insure it, and take lessons + practical and theory test? How do young drivers afford it when they're at college etc? I understand working part time, but then you have to have a lot of money to buy a car too, so it's not financially easy to drive.
99.9% of the time it's parents, to be honest with you. Lessons are too expensive and a bit wasteful in my opinion so I got my dad to teach me. In 2 months I took my test (I failed, mind you, but it was a silly mistake that I knew not to do, and I only got 2 minors with it so my driving was good - my next one is booked for 3 weeks time). It was much cheaper as I used the £90 a month provisional marmalade insurance. To insure a car after you've passed will still cost at least £1400, unless you have a full time job, significant money left over from grants or help from parents I don't see how you could do it.
Original post by Iqbal007
Original post by Iqbal007
Parents?
U must be kidding!! lol
Parents who are sick of picking us up/dropping us off all the time.
It worked fine for me - just learned in my instructor's car. No need for insurance. Find an instructor you like and see if you can get discounts for lots of lessons. The independent ones are more likely to give discounts (ie, every 11th lesson free) or whatever. And they tend to be more fun 
And kids don't have to pay for rent or food and all that, so all wages can go towards a car
And kids don't have to pay for rent or food and all that, so all wages can go towards a car
(edited 12 years ago)
Arrgghh man, It would be nice to have parent/s who are that generous! kind of sucks. I would like to get a reliable car, not some heap of rubbish. I hear Asian cars are very reliable, I.e. Toyota, Hyundai, Honda etc.
Original post by TheEnigmaUK
U must be kidding!! lol
It's probably your age... i'm guessing........... plus i'm asian and my dad doesn't drive and my entire family was pushy for me to drive i guess ¬¬...................
I think you should try to get a very well recommended independent instructor................................ should be cheaper and buy lessons in 10 hour blocks or more and try to take quite a lot of lessons in short succession it. I did 4 hours a week for a month so i can get all the basics done and so i dont forget it.
Original post by TheEnigmaUK
I would love to pass my test and be able to drive, but it's so damn expensive at the moment. I was thinking of doing an intensive driving course, but then the prices were around £600 - 700 for the course, including theory test and practical test. Also, the thing is, I'm not a fast learner when it comes to driving, and I'm quite nervy on the road, so it sometimes takes me more lessons. I did lessons in the past, but the instructor messed me around, so I quit once the block of lessons had been completed. Since then I haven't done any more lessons, so how much would it cost for me to buy a car, insure it, and take lessons + practical and theory test? How do young drivers afford it when they're at college etc? I understand working part time, but then you have to have a lot of money to buy a car too, so it's not financially easy to drive.
I did an intensive course and found that it was completely counter-productive. It was a "pass in a week", but the guy booked the test and then started teaching me, so I was nowhere near ready. I think I failed with 17 minors and a serious.
I ended up having to be retaught by an independent local instructor and she was absolutely fantastic - definitely ask around and see who other people in your area learned with.One way of reducing the cost of insurance might be to go with a company like insurethebox.com. In short, they install a telematics box which monitors your driving and allows them to use the data for risk assessment purposes. There are also added advantages - for instance, the box also measures G forces and if a particular threshold is reached, they think you might've had an accident and phone to check you're OK. It can also be used to track your car in the event that it's stolen.
You're insured for up to 6,000 miles but can "top up" by buying more, and good driving earns you up to 100 miles per month extra free. They also say that they don't penalise you for bad driving, but reward driving well.If you drive well, you shouldn't mind having a box, so you may want to consider it!
(edited 12 years ago)
My mum and dad bought my lessons as a seventeenth/christmas present for me, and since I was pregnant at the time it was very practical.
As for the actual running of the car, my mum got a good insurance deal and it was £800 for her and my dad to be insured on both cars and for me to be insured as a second/third driver on the smaller car. So I paid £400 for the year.
As for petrol, since me and my mum share a car, we each take turns putting the petrol in so it's just a bit cheaper.
It might be a pain sharing a car, however, most of the time my dad only works 2 weeks a month (one of those is in Ireland) so my mum has his car 3 weeks and I get hers. The other week if I want/need it I just drop her off and pick her up at work. Fairs fair.
As for the actual running of the car, my mum got a good insurance deal and it was £800 for her and my dad to be insured on both cars and for me to be insured as a second/third driver on the smaller car. So I paid £400 for the year.
As for petrol, since me and my mum share a car, we each take turns putting the petrol in so it's just a bit cheaper.
It might be a pain sharing a car, however, most of the time my dad only works 2 weeks a month (one of those is in Ireland) so my mum has his car 3 weeks and I get hers. The other week if I want/need it I just drop her off and pick her up at work. Fairs fair.
Original post by Tortious
Original post by Tortious
I did an intensive course and found that it was completely counter-productive. It was a "pass in a week", but the guy booked the test and then started teaching me, so I was nowhere near ready. I think I failed with 17 minors and a serious. I ended up having to be retaught by an independent local instructor and she was absolutely fantastic - definitely ask around and see who other people in your area learned with.
One way of reducing the cost of insurance might be to go with a company like insurethebox.com. In short, they install a telematics box which monitors your driving and allows them to use the data for risk assessment purposes. There are also added advantages - for instance, the box also measures G forces and if a particular threshold is reached, they think you might've had an accident and phone to check you're OK. It can also be used to track your car in the event that it's stolen. You're insured for up to 6,000 miles but can "top up" by buying more, and good driving earns you up to 100 miles per month extra free. They also say that they don't penalise you for bad driving, but reward driving well.
Initially, I was 18 when I passed and drive an X reg Honda Logo. It cost £600, but after a year of driving (and after the EU ruling on the price difference between the sexes) it went down to around £450.
If you drive well, you shouldn't mind having a box, so you may want to consider it!
I ended up having to be retaught by an independent local instructor and she was absolutely fantastic - definitely ask around and see who other people in your area learned with.One way of reducing the cost of insurance might be to go with a company like insurethebox.com. In short, they install a telematics box which monitors your driving and allows them to use the data for risk assessment purposes. There are also added advantages - for instance, the box also measures G forces and if a particular threshold is reached, they think you might've had an accident and phone to check you're OK. It can also be used to track your car in the event that it's stolen.
You're insured for up to 6,000 miles but can "top up" by buying more, and good driving earns you up to 100 miles per month extra free. They also say that they don't penalise you for bad driving, but reward driving well.Initially, I was 18 when I passed and drive an X reg Honda Logo. It cost £600, but after a year of driving (and after the EU ruling on the price difference between the sexes) it went down to around £450.
If you drive well, you shouldn't mind having a box, so you may want to consider it!
Sounds quite good, it's just having the money to pay for everything. It's a lot of saving, but I'm unemployed at the moment, so it's even harder lol. Once I've got a job (soon hopefully) It will be easier to afford. Honda's are usually reliable cars, aren't they? How is your car?
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