Driving Lessons

Dimi

Dimi

Dimi

Associate
Joined
10 Sep 2008
Posts
1,662
Location
London
Hi guys,

I think it's about time I got my driving lessons.

One thing I'm not quite sure about is whether or not I go with the likes of AA/BSM/RED/Bill Plant for my lessons or an ADI instructor locally?

Is going with the big names always the best?
 
Some people go through several different instructors/companies. I went with BSM as I got a student discount and only ever had the one instructor. Just go with whatever is best for you.
 
Most of the instructors who work for big names are self employed franchisees, not employees. The driving schools charge them a substantial weekly to provide them with marketing and their car. They also often provide the initial instructor training.

So generally the instructors with the bigger schools are usually less established instructors. It doesn't mean they're bad instructors, and they do also have the advantage of better backup.

I would try to get a personal recommendation from someone. A lot of instructors will also give you a discount for a block booking, I wouldn't do this until you've had a few lessons and know you're going to get on with the instructor.
 
I went with Red and had a really good instructor, it wasn't cheap but it was some quality instruction in a top notch vehicle, i was very pleased with them.
 
I did mine with AA and my instructor lived only a few roads away from me, I stuck with him the whole way through. I paid something like £22 an hour for block booking and learned to drive in the latest Ford Focus Zetec. He told me that he gets a new car every 6 months which he can also use for personal means. I'm pretty sure the only thing he had to pay for was Petrol. I suppose all the other expenses comes from AA's cut for referring customers.

The common knowledge is that a private instructor will be cheaper then a driving agency/school. But they won't have niceties of a school.
 
I went with RED and got a half decent instructor and was a nice guy which always helps. Done 10 hours spread over about 6 lessons and passed. :D

He was a self employed guy who got dished out work from RED.

5 years before this when I was 19 I had 10 hours worth of lessons and failed due to needing glasses to read a number plate. This was with an independent instructor who obviously didn't check me properly. He was a pretty poor instructor and I generally had bad chemistry with him.

To be honest, unless you know an instructor personally or have a 'friend of a friend' its pretty much pure luck who you end up with either way.
 
I'm in the same position and looking into driving lessons, I have had two family members recently learn to drive through the same person which works out at £155 for the first 10 hours which isn't so bad. However there's a guy who does it who's a family friend and I knew him since I was 3. I'm hoping he can do mates rates or something.
 
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