Spec an Instructor Car

Tesla

Tesla

Tesla

Soldato
Joined
19 Jan 2003
Posts
17,599
Location
Bristol, UK
Hi all,

Asking for a friend.
Budget is £6000.

Currently has a very late (54) Mk 1.5 Focus and is looking to change.
Another instructor in the school has a Mk2 Focus 1.6 Petrol which seems a logical step up.

I discussed with my friend a few options and also if it would be better for business to keep the same vehicles throughout (such as the AA do) or have a "fleet" of varying vehicles.

I think the former would look more professional/corporate but having different vehicles may appeal to a wider audience?

Although I am a bit of a petrol head now I seem to recall having very limited knowledge before learning to drive so perhaps try to cast your mind back a bit before posting. I am trying to remember if I actually cared what I learnt in and if I knew anything about cars.

I was thinking an alternative to the Focus is a Mini Cooper although don't know what to look out for with them. They are quite cool/funky so may appeal to young people looking to learn. The car is used personally outside of lessons so don't want some 3-pot 998cc thing.

BSM have a fleet of Fiat 500's and although these are considered cool/funky too, I think you would get a bit of stick from your mates if you pulled up to college in one at the end of a driving lesson.

Obviously an important factor is reliability and running cost.

Any input appreciated.

(P.S. Out of interest to we have any instructors on the board?)
 
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BMW 330i....oh wait......

Can I reccomend a Fiat Punto Grande...possibly the 1.9 multijet sporting to appeal to the younger ones.

Also what about a clio? I learnt to drive in one and found it a very easy car to drive.

Get the purchased car to a sign writing shop and get some funky full car wrap done...
 
When I learnt to drive it was in a Hyundi Scoupe turbo which was certainly a more attractive choice than a Corsa or Fiesta that was the norm at the time. A modern 4 seater coupe would certainly give them a unique selling point and would probably be very attractive to young males, even if the perforance is not much better than a normal 1.6 Focus. The biggest issue may be getting dual controls fitted.
 
Thanks guys, what's the consensus on a Suzuki Swift?

Cheap version of the Mini or is it any good?
 
Fiesta? the newer one, not the old square thing. my instructor had one and it was really easy to drive(learn in) my friends who are with the same guy says it's an easy car to drive.
 
Mini, purely because more youngsters will want to drive one, I think a lot of decisions on instructors are based on what car 'I' get to drive.
 
Tesla said:
Although I am a bit of a petrol head now I seem to recall having very limited knowledge before learning to drive so perhaps try to cast your mind back a bit before posting. I am trying to remember if I actually cared what I learnt in and if I knew anything about cars.
Click to expand...

Initially I did, but decided it was the instructor that was the important part so went with a recommended one who drove a Mk4 Corsa 1.4D (it wasn't too bad inside though, had sports half leather seats and a good driving position and air con. Turbo threshold was annoying.)
 
There is a school around here who started doing more interesting looking cars recently and i see them all the time out and about so i guess they are pretty busy now. Either that or i just notice them more... then their advertising works :D

Ah, they have a cheesy promo vid on youtube!

The clio with the spoiler is the one i usually see near me, its always picking up kids from the high school. I saw the same company today using a volvo c30 as well with a similar race themed livery.
 
The Swift is a very good car and everything about it is light and sensitive, the only issue though is that the clutch is also extremely light and it's hard to find the biting point even if you know how to drive so that could be an issue for learners.
 
Would something diesel not be better? They're likely to be doing a high mileage and are supposedly easier to drive for a learner, that's why most driving instructors, in my experience, use diesels.
 
I was taking my bike test last week and was talking to a couple of instructors about new cars, some points they said were

The examiner doesn't need to see the speedo
They don't allow electronic handbrakes
Yet they do allow parking sensors to be used

Don't know how true the above is and I'm sure someones uncles dog's just done their test with a electronic handbrake, but you may want top look into further
 
I doubt you would find an electronic parking brake on a none automatic car anyway ...and then you would't need to use the brake anyway.
 
TBH I knew so little about cars I couldn't tell you what I learnt in. The guy was private and not part of a big company and I think it was a Corsa but to be honest I couldn't really say.

The Focus or Mini are probably the best two options.
 
What about a Kia Cee'd ? ...I know they are a bit rubbish really, but they are cheap, have a 7 year warranty and are cheap as chips to run, easy to drive etc.

I can't believe I actually found a scenario in which I could recommend one tbh :p
 
I learnt in a 206 :/

I dont remember anyone caring about their image regarding the car they were learning in as long as they were learning and in something vaguely modern it didn't matter.

People having lessons from their parents in the family estate car (think old volvo) probably were the only ones to get any lol's.
 
Is forgiving really what you want with clutches when learning to drive? Learn in a car that stalls when you mis-time the clutch and you learn to get the clutch right and can drive any car without that problem. Learn in a car where you can dump the clutch with no gas and it'll just move forwards with a jerk, and as soon as you start looking for a car you'll suddenly discover you can't drive anything other than a diesel.
 
I learned in a Focus ST Diesel with 17" alloys, thought it was awesome, I did have a few problems with the clutch after I passed in my Saxo 1.1 but a couple of hours of practicing and I've probably stalled once or twice in about 10 months.
 
Mini, Fiesta or Corsa.

Mini has an accelerator pedal similar to the ones found in in BMWs. So while it's no big deal to us, pupils switching between learning in there own car and doing lessons may struggle. The clutch also has very little movement.

Speedo's also massive and bang in the middle of the dashboard so examiners attention will always be drawn to it. Which could result in your pupils being penalised.
 
1.3 Yaris?

My first instructor had a 1.4 diesel Polo, later switched to a 1.3 TDI Astra and shortly after I switched instructors.

I found the yaris the easiest to drive, and I much prefer a clutch that is less forgiving when you make a mistake.

Great build quality and reliablility due to being a jap car.

I personally like the styling but I guess its going to be a love hate one.

The only issue I see is the engines like to rev'd quite a bit and don't seem to perform to full potential without being hammered
 
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