The failed first test earlier in the year made him realise that he doesn't know everything :-)... However now he has to;
1) get insured,
2) buy a car??,
3) drive on motorways and
4) learn how to get around himself without mum, dad or satnav to guide him.
1) Do we just start with him as a named (new) driver on mum's insurance which was where it was linked to during the "learning to drive" phase or start him off on his own?
2) Any thoughts... he drove his mum's X-reg Renault Clio and the instructor's new Yaris to learn in. PS were the findings of the Top Gear bit on young'uns buying a safe but dull Volvo the best route?
3) Ask the instructor to give him a couple of lessons on specific motorway driving - I've done enough of that myself so I can give him the basics (hope he listens!)
4) Take him to the Car Shop in town and give him £1.99 for one of those big UK map books featuring speed camera positions etc
Any thoughts on the above would be appreciated.
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Don't buy him a car.
I made my kids go halves on all expenses on their first car. They did bend them and it hurt their pockets.
I've known too many kids write off the first car they were given.
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Spend the extra on getting him thru Pass Plus
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Yep I know too much of the same stories too. If you have to work hard to pay for something you're not as likely to go racing round corners in it and end up in a hedge.
Also I think insurance is going to cost a lot lot lot more than you're wildest imagination can stretch to :(
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Do we just start with him as a named (new) driver on mum's insurance which was where it was linked to during the "learning to drive" phase or start him off on his own?
own
Any thoughts... he drove his mum's X-reg Renault Clio and the instructor's new Yaris to learn in. PS were the findings of the Top Gear bit on young'uns buying a safe but dull Volvo the best route?
whatever is cheap to insure and wont matter if its dented.
Ask the instructor to give him a couple of lessons on specific motorway driving - I've done enough of that myself so I can give him the basics (hope he listens!)
waste of time. He is an 18 year old boy who has passed his test and now *knows* he knows everything and wont listen to anyone because he is now the best driver in the world. Untill his first accident.
Take him to the Car Shop in town and give him £1.99 for one of those big UK map books featuring speed camera positions etc
again waste of time. He wont see the cameras anyway because he is now the best driver in the world.
Edited by Altea Ego on 06/11/2009 at 19:34
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Having just gone through a year where my 18 year old daughter added four times the usual annual mileage my wife's Corsa C would do, plus of course car was never at home, we've given up and bought her a cheap Corsa B. She pays all the running costs. My daughter did do the Pass Plus which I would recommend. We fell for the Direct Line "named drivers on your policy earn their own no claims bonus" line. When the named driver comes to take out their own policy with Direct Line, apparently their one years no claims bonus doesn't qualify for anywhere near the same saving as "real" no claims discount.
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Pass Plus is a good idea. He will at least get some exposure to fast roads with instruction, and it should give you some benefit on insurance cost (though not all companies give a discount for it).
Much depends on his attitude though. If you are lucky, as I was, trust may be repaid. No 1 son was provided with a car, a new Panda, so far, so good. He doesn't drive quickly - I would have had at least four sets of tyres by now at his age, and he is still on the originals.
The cost of having him as a named driver will shoot up now he has passed, may not be much better than having his own cover, and he won't accrue any no-claims years (if indeed he has no claims).
Edited by Manatee on 06/11/2009 at 19:48
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He's 18 - time to sort out his own affairs. Let him get on with it
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Hopefully this is not relevent as the OP already knows this but don't be tempted to buy a car in your name insure it hin your name but have him has a named driver. It is fronting and the insurance companies are cracking down on it. Of course having him as a named driver on your car is perfectly legal but don't expect to keep it long.
Every single one of my friends that started driving when they were 18 either had a nasty crash or drove like they knew it all, using hand brake turns etc.
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I passed my car test aged 17, but couldn`t afford a car until I was 19. By then I had saved up enough for a two year old Mini van (It was 1969)
I could only afford to insure it TFT - so was VERY careful of not harming it.
I just rode my Honda 90 at first - although when I passed the car test i was expected to support my Old Man in all aspects car related. that ranged from servicing and washing it, to turning out oin the bike with tools if it ever expired at the roadside.
(I was still doing that in my mid 50`s when he gave up motoring in his mid 80`s.)
So the answer is, just say "over to you" and never touch or worry about your own cars again, let alone his ;-)
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Best of it was, my father had made a pile in his own business and we lived in the most exclusive part of town. I`ve always respected him not gifting me a brand new motor and instilling thrift and independence in me rather than dependency.
I`m just reflecting on that mind and not judging others in what is a very changed society today.
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Take him to a mortuary and let him see what inexperience combined with bravado can lead to.
Edited by Robin Reliant on 06/11/2009 at 20:44
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Didn't know they did tours. :-)
Agree with the sentiment though.
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Sounds a bit morbid take him to the morturay? Daughter got her licence this year,whent halves money wise got a new Fiat Panda.She is not doing bad touch wood,she is 24 a bit older than your son.She pays for her own insurance.All you can do is give advice even if he thinks he is the best driver.Good luck:)
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Daughter got her licence this year
Daughters and sons come from different planets.
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1) Yes get him to insure himself - he'll soon learn how expensive motoring can be!
2) Yes, but buy one for your wife and give him the old Clio - much appreciation from SWMBO should ensure!
3) Do get some lessons arranged - I remember my first motorway drive and it still frightens me today!
4) Is he really going to go very far (where's the nearest pub/nightclub etc?) especially if he pays for his own petrol!
Good luck oh and by the way my dad hung on to his old Dolomite for when the time came for me to learn to drive and needless to say in the 2 months between passing and buying my own first car (Mini FGT 186T 'Fidget') it ended up coming off worse to a Waterboard van whilst I was attempting to reverse out of my girlfriends road!! Father laughed and gave me a good lesson in body repairs. The girlfriend eventually married me!
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it ended up coming off worse to a Waterboard van
Is that a van used for the sort of help-you-to-talk techniques practised on people subject to extraordinary rendition?
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My son (soon to be 17) went to see this www.safedrive.org.uk/shows.html . Compulsory for all at his sixth form college and schools/colleges in the area. Very hard hitting and makes an impression. Let's hope he still remembers it when he gets behind the wheel.
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get him insured on something so he can see what driving is like on your own...i had one lesson on a motorway and then went on the biggest road trip i could afford just to get the experience.....the direct line ncb for named drivers actually worked out very well for me and i got pretty much the same discount if i remember correctly though now with the 2.0l focus all savings have pretty much gone lol he will think he is the best driver...i did until i managed to spin the car in the wet as i was going way to fast and almost getting hit by a tractor mid spin...... though i now have so much more respect for cars and the dangers.
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Who was it who said 'never lend your car to anyone to whom you have given birth'?
It's true anyway. Get him on the road independently asap.
Yes, my son - who is now a far better driver than I - once wrote off my car...
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I agree with the earlier recommendations for Pass Plus. My younger son had his insurance quote halved when he got it.
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