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After passing,is it really hard to get used to a new car that isn't your learner car?

So I just tried driving in my boyfriends car (we put me on the insurance as I am nearly test ready) and I found it so hard!! It was like being a beginner all over again which has made me really nervous. Granted the car is a lot older than the one I'm learning in but still! I couldn't even do the handbrake it was so stiff and the clutch seems to be going as the biting point is so high and the car barely moves in 1st on the bite like I'm used to. . .

Has anyone else experienced the same!?

When you pass, is it really hard to get used to a new car that isn't your learner car?

Any tips?

Reply 1

Mitchr93

Hi,

From someone who was in the same boat as you initially, you get used to it.

You may have a couple journeys where you think you can't do it but everyone goes through this, you manage somehow and everntually it will just become normal - trust me.

For the handbrake, try wiggling it a bit up and down as you press the handbrake button in and it should become unstuck a little better.

Good luck!

Reply 2

nulogicsound

Original post by Mitchr93

haha thank you - that is reassuring! I was starting to think I'm simply not cut out for driving

Reply 3

adam271

In a way its like riding a horse.
Every horse is different with odd little quirks.

Reply 4

User.na.me

Hi,

I passed my test in November, my second test due to having a small issue fail me, but i have the same situation where the car has a high bite its not really something to worry about jut be careful where you stop as if you start trying to rush you're more likely to stall one thing I do to help with this is to get lightly on the accelerator as I'm getting going also make sure that the car has warmed a bit so if you do stall you don't have to wait for it to before you can get going sometimes I've stalled and been waiting for a minute trying to get going again, luckily I live in a quiet area.

In terms of actually getting used to the car is not something to worry about your first journey you should have someone in the car but other than that its just a change of where the buttons and switches are, with it being your BFs car try to remember exactly where you keep the seat as these minor changes wont help you keep your confidence if you start having issues.

Also don't bother replacing the clutch until it actually starts slipping until that point its just a minor issue but once it starts slipping you need to get it sorted ASAP my Nan had a garage advise her to replace a clutch and she didn't but it help out for years I think the car sold with the high clutch as well as the thing was not that bad and they were aware of it.

Reply 5

skips2001

Hey.I passed in June 2019 and was learning in a new bmw so I thought I'd never get used to driving my 2002 polo. At first it was a bit tricky to get the biting point because it was so different (yes I stalled a few times) but as long as you keep driving lots, you'll get used to it sooo quickly. After a week or two I was driving normally and have been absolutely fine since!Believe you can do it and you'll be fine. The more you doubt yourself and have less confidence, the more likely you are to make mistakes!

Reply 6

bones-mccoy

Every car has a different biting point so that's just something you'll get used to. Also whether you're used to learning in a petrol or diesel can make a difference as well, I have lessons in a diesel and own a petrol and I can feel a difference even though they're the same make and model.

Reply 7

TheMcSame

It isn't hard.

What it sounds like here is the classic case of a poor instructor teaching you using a method that works primarily for diesels and large petrol engines, while you've gone out and tried driving a small petrol engined car.

Would I be right in saying that you were taught to get rolling using just the clutch and then adding gas rather than adding gas while on the bite? If so, that method is incredibly unreliable for small petrol engined cars (I think ford might use an anti-stall system for some of it's newer cars, not to mention their Ecoboost engines are pretty torquey on the low end so they might cope better than other small petrols), while most diesels can crawl up some relatively steep inclines using just the clutch alone (at that point I think it's more to do with fuel delivery than outright torque)

Though as someone else mentioned with the horses. Each car has it's own quirks so each car is going to be different to some extent. But gas and bite is a pretty safe method that works across all manual cars, but those same quirks are why just using the clutch to get rolling isn't reliable. Large petrols and diesels in general should have little issue. With small petrols, it's very much a gamble as to whether it'll cope or not.