My road to becoming a driving instructor
- Thread starter timbob
- Start date
Soldato
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Congratulations Timbob 
Soldato
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Congratulations!
Last edited:
Cheers guys
I've decided on a new shape Skoda Fabia with the new 75hp 1.6 TDI engine. In white...! Hoping to find one between 6 and 18 months old for a decent price.
Only seems to be one with that spec in the area, but it's 105bhp.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...page/1/postcode/mk44gu/keywords/1.6?logcode=p
Congratulations!
What was your score for the leering at the 18 year old girls you get to teach?
We all know that's why driving instructors become driving instructors
If this forum had a "like" button, I'd hit it! (See what I did there...?!)
Looks good to me. Possibly slightly more than I'd like to spend however... I've been in contact with the local dealer, where I've test driven a couple of different spec cars, who are able to search their national database, find me the right car from within their whole dealer network, and get it down to MK for me.
I think any instructor would tell you they don't do it for the money! Trust me, I'm going into the job with my eyes are wide open, I've done my research and I don't have unrealistic earning expectations.
It's not all doom and gloom, for example: By doing my research properly beforehand and approaching things carefully, I've gone from a novice to fully qualified for £1400 (all in, including test fees), rather than the £3000 you hear people paying up front to larger instructor training companies for often substandard training.
Many congratulations. Now the hard work begins, putting it all into practice and getting it all of the ground. It can be a difficult market to break into and become established in as you will without doubt realise so I wish you all the best with it.
Thread update time...! My ADI licence arrived in the post the other day, which was rather exciting! Things are a-movin', and all the little bits and bobs are coming together. I hadn't wanted to jinx things by assuming I would pass and doing lots of business things before I took the final exam, so it's taken about a month to pull things together.
I've called in a fair few favours to get my business going without breaking the bank:
- An old schoolmate who does (good) web design is putting me a clean, simple and modern looking webpage together.
- The drummer in my band works for a printing company, so he's doing my business cards for me. I spent a good few evenings putting together pupil progress/lesson record booklets, and am getting these printed too.
- A friend runs a business specialising in printing banners and doing car vinyls, he agreed to produce and apply the vinyls for my top box free of charge if I supplied the vector artwork.
- My other half used to work for Skoda head office in marketing and is still mates with the chap who is head of used cars for Skoda UK. He found me exactly the right car, for a decent price:
It's a 1.6 TDI 75hp Fabia Elegance (top spec, all the toys - climate control, trip computer, cruise control, etc). First registered November 2011, just over 2000 miles on the clock. It was run as a company car by someone who worked at head office. Would have been £14,000 as a brand new car 7 months ago, I paid £9,500. Dual controls man is booked in to come and fit my pedals next week.
Best of all, I have my first 3 pupils booked in to start their lessons as soon as I'm on the road
I've called in a fair few favours to get my business going without breaking the bank:
- An old schoolmate who does (good) web design is putting me a clean, simple and modern looking webpage together.
- The drummer in my band works for a printing company, so he's doing my business cards for me. I spent a good few evenings putting together pupil progress/lesson record booklets, and am getting these printed too.
- A friend runs a business specialising in printing banners and doing car vinyls, he agreed to produce and apply the vinyls for my top box free of charge if I supplied the vector artwork.
- My other half used to work for Skoda head office in marketing and is still mates with the chap who is head of used cars for Skoda UK. He found me exactly the right car, for a decent price:
It's a 1.6 TDI 75hp Fabia Elegance (top spec, all the toys - climate control, trip computer, cruise control, etc). First registered November 2011, just over 2000 miles on the clock. It was run as a company car by someone who worked at head office. Would have been £14,000 as a brand new car 7 months ago, I paid £9,500. Dual controls man is booked in to come and fit my pedals next week.
Best of all, I have my first 3 pupils booked in to start their lessons as soon as I'm on the road
![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
[TW]Fox;22232562 said:
Fox approval! Win
In all seriousness though, I'm dead chuffed with it. A similar Polo would have been £2-3k more expensive. Skoda have bent over to help out as not many instructors use their cars. Those that do however, don't have a bad word to say about them.
Reading back through the thread, I spotted something in our maths, I mentioned £100/month petrol and should have said *another* £100 on running costs, bringing the monthly total to £500. What I did say was ambiguous, and left an impression of £400 on petrol, and another £500 on running costs... It wont cost £900/month to run!
I don't know whether it's funny or tragic that you have to suggest a multi-level marketing approach to this as a way to make money...
Soldato
- Joined
- 10 Mar 2006
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Good luck to you.
I'd have financial concerns also, but I really don't think I'd want a small car to be my daily place of work. I'd go mad.
I'd have financial concerns also, but I really don't think I'd want a small car to be my daily place of work. I'd go mad.