The Student Room Group

Advice on driving costs

What is a good rate per hour?

A friend recommended a private instructor who is charging £48 per 2 hours, just want to get some perspective on how expensive/ affordable that is.
£20 an hour is average. £48 for 2 hours is obviously equivalent to £24 an hour, which for an independant instructor sounds like a proper rip off if you ask me; established driving schools offer better prices than that. I personally paid for all of mine in a block, which worked out £18 an hour.
Reply 2
Original post by WoodyMKC
£20 an hour is average. £48 for 2 hours is obviously equivalent to £24 an hour, which for an independant instructor sounds like a proper rip off if you ask me; established driving schools offer better prices than that. I personally paid for all of mine in a block, which worked out £18 an hour.


Does it depend on area as well? I'm in Cambridge, I'm not sure if the average is higher here? And which school did you join up with? How many hours of lessons did you need to pass?

Sorry for asking so many questions!
Reply 3
Original post by nghz
What is a good rate per hour?

A friend recommended a private instructor who is charging £48 per 2 hours, just want to get some perspective on how expensive/ affordable that is.


I'm in the North West and paid £19 an hour with a private instructor (two hours was £38). My friend paid £23.50 with a large driving school. £48 sounds steep to me, but I guess it depends on the area you live in.
Reply 4
I'm in Scotland, Falkirk and I pay £22 an hour, but they'll allow you to block book which will reduce it to £20.
I went with an independent driving instructor who was great, he charged £20 for an hour or £19 an hour if you bought a block of 5. I got people telling me to go with bigger places because they have special deals like 2 lessons free then 5 hours at £10 an hour. I know someone who went with one of said big companies and had 13 lessons before they even let him get behind the wheel :rolleyes:

Anyway, £20 an hour is about average, and seeing as you're going to be needing about 20 lessons at the bare minimum even lessons a couple of pounds cheaper will work out quite a bit better in the long run.
I'm from Birmingham and I pay £40 for 2 hours.


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Reply 7
£48 isn't bad, I paid £44 and that was four years ago now. My main piece of advice is go with someone recommended to you, plenty of school friends etc will know good instructors that won't rip you off
Reply 8
Original post by LeonieEmily
£48 isn't bad, I paid £44 and that was four years ago now. My main piece of advice is go with someone recommended to you, plenty of school friends etc will know good instructors that won't rip you off


Hey there, if say a driving school (AA) was charging around 40-44 per 2 hours and the private instructor my friend recommended was charging 48, that would work out to be around a 100+ difference (based on 48 hours of lessons). Do you think that is worth it? And is it more likely for me to pass with fewer lessons with a private instructor? Sorry, I am aware that it's probably case-by-case but I just want to get a rough idea before I choose.
Reply 9
Original post by nghz
Hey there, if say a driving school (AA) was charging around 40-44 per 2 hours and the private instructor my friend recommended was charging 48, that would work out to be around a 100+ difference (based on 48 hours of lessons). Do you think that is worth it? And is it more likely for me to pass with fewer lessons with a private instructor? Sorry, I am aware that it's probably case-by-case but I just want to get a rough idea before I choose.


I would definitely go with the recommended instructor. I have heard quite a few stories from friends who went with big companies about how they make slow progress to get more money out you. Big companies don't need the recommendations as much, private instructors want you to pass and then tell your friends how good they are. It is probably more likely for you to pass quicker with the private instructor but as you said it this is very much a case by case situation


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Reply 10
I paid £18 per hour and passed first time with no minors. You can find cheaper than you have found there and still get quality lessons.

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