Thetownend.com

Anyone have any experience of these?

Sadly my pool of chauffers is thinning out at present and the time has come to finally learn to drive.

Thing is I don't really know if I have the patience to just have an hours lesson a couple of times a week instead I would much rather do one of these idiot guides over a week.

Couple of people have said that while most people pass, they are not that good as it's the practice that you need to get over the long term.

I'm gonna get me a funked up 80s Porsche, which people are also saying is not the greatest of plans for a first car and as it's so old its likely to fall to bits and cost a bomb to insure.  As my knowledge of cars is limited to being driven round in one I really don't have the foggiest.  Don't mind paying the insurance to much and as it's not going to be a long term idiot transpoter as long as I get 12-24 months worth then I'll be happy.

I did an intensive, the stuff about being a better driver doing it 'normally' is bollocks. If you want to learn quick then intensive is definitely the way forward.

Make sure you've got an instructor you get on with though, it's probably best to go on recomendations from mates to get a good one. Also be wary of the rip-off merchants who will deliberately teach you slowly or keep on encourgaing you to have more and more lessons.

My shitty Fiesta 1.1 cost me about £1300 the first year to insure. It's down to about £650 now in my 3rd year. I don't have a clue how much an old porsche would cost to insure, but I'd say you should consider how much you'll actually be using your wheels before shelling out on something that's probably going to cost alot to both buy and maintain.

Factor in the cost of lessons, tests, petrol, car, tax, insurance, servicing, mot's, and you've got an expensive little venture.

Cheers bud.

Think I will get onto the lessons in the New Year.  

The one thing that may work in my favour is my age when it comes to insurance, although to be honest I can still see it being a nasty whack.

As long as I get 12 months out of the thing I'll be laughing.  Unfortunately I can't buy anything on credit until I have my mortgage sorted otherwise it'll reduce the amount I can get so it has to be something outright.

I'm thinking along the lines if it's lasted 15 odd years another one shouldn't be to much to expect.

shouldnt you be sleeping prick face?

Dazza,

to give ya an idea of insurance prices try confused.com, they search about 20 insurances companies, should be a good guideline for what you can expect to pay

Good place to find out insurance groups:
http://www.parkers.co.uk/choosing/insurance/index.aspx

How old are you?

If over 21, why not buy a new car, most garages give you a years insurance free. Another good scheme is to pay x amount a month a car for three years then after the time is up you can pay the amount left or the garage replaces it with a brand new one.....

I'm tempted too Daz, but not at 650 quid a pop

Dazza, whether you're in your 20s or 60s, if it's your first car, the chances of insuring a Porsche are very small.  The only way is to go on your folks insurance, but I doubt they'll let you at your age....!

One way to get insurance down is to do pass plus - 6 1hr lessons of advanced driving (no test).

To give you an example, okay I was 17, but my Corsa SXi cost 1700 quid to insure for the first year.  Post past-plus it cost 1400, though not all insurance companies recognise Pass Plus as a valid qualification.

My dad drove company cars for the first 25 years of his driving life....  when he stopped being a salesman and had to buy his own car, he was treated like a new driver, and had to pay well over the odds, despite having been driving for over 20 years!

As for intense driving courses - if you've never driven before, probably not a good idea...  Normally people will have had some driving experience before doing this.  If you have a mate old enough and daft enough to take you out in his car then that might be an idea before going on one.

Yes they do you tit

No they don't penis-breath.

For some insurance companies, this had little or even no effect on the cost of insurance.  I would presume this is because there is no exam, so any old twonk could do it and claim they were an "advanced" driver.

The problem is, the Pass Plus costs around 100 squid, and you may not save that much on the insurance.  Dave, are you even old enough to drive yet?   :ha

Again you're talking shit.

Pass-Plus saves you about 300-400 quid off, a net saving of 200+ quid.

Just because you've been entered more times than a sauna in Switzerland, Brighton.

Where exactly are you getting this information? You'd be lucky to get £200 off your insurance with Pass Plus and some companies don't give you anything for it.

Driving Instructor

And a chief examiner you cunts

They're both imagining things then because that's bollocks, Pass Plus only gave me about £100-£150 off the insurance quotes I got.

They probably just meant that you can save £300-£400 quid with some places but not with all insurance companies.

I got a quote for my Porsche off one of the sites from above and it's a splendid 1k.

Not to bad at all was expecting much worse.

Going to do the old intensive course in Feb then probably go and have a look at a few models straight after I pass.

The only down side seems to be if it all goes tits up it will cost a small fortune to put right that said it's only going to be a 12 month effort then I can get something a little shinier.

I got a quote for my Porsche off one of the sites from above and it's a splendid 1k.

Not to bad at all was expecting much worse.

Going to do the old intensive course in Feb then probably go and have a look at a few models straight after I pass.

The only down side seems to be if it all goes tits up it will cost a small fortune to put right that said it's only going to be a 12 month effort then I can get something a little shinier.

Dave.  Who has a car and has rung round doing insurance quotes with pass plus?  Who hasn't?  Now shh.  It varies from company to company, but some give you bugger all.

I only got 300 squid off because I was luckily enough to get a new car and did a special deal with manufacturer's insurance company (Vauxhall).

In my 4 years of driving I have spent exactly £0 on insurance, cars, petrol and lessons. Therefore I am great.

Soon I shall be buying a car for myself. Im thinking of getting a Vespa. Cool heh heh heh heh heh

Sugar daddy's are wonderful things eh Onion?  Still driving round in the Saab?

You're wrong Dave. Not all insurance companies will discount you for having pass plus.

I did it, although my instructor couldn't be bothered to do the night driving bit so just gave me the certificate anyhoo.

of course. I dont like it though. Its got some speed but its an old mans car. Should have forced daddy to get something more manly

You can always have my Corsa Jimbo....   :oops: