Long in the tooth learner shite!

[LightBulbFun]

2 hours ago, lisbon_road said:

You're only allowed up to 30 years old cars for the actual test.  That's why I have just a couple of years to get my daughter through her test in my '96 Astra.

do you have a source for that? one of the things I have been trying to work out is just what is the most autoshite/unsuitable car you can use to take your test today in 2024

based on the requirements posted here

https://www.gov.uk/driving-test/using-your-own-car

I worked out that, as long you fit an Mph speedo of some kind, a Trabant is in theory test legal  (has factory head rests and can get up to 62Mph, and I know LHD cars are not a problem)

 

I believe @Weird Car had a plan to take her test in the Pug 404, but it did not quite work out in the end sadly, but I dont think it was because of a simple age limit I dont think?

14 hours ago, SunnySouth said:

Inspired to start this essential discussion when I was driving home yesterday and passed a genuine classic, a 51 plate Micra still at work on the Learnerage circuit complete with magnetic dunce hat on the roof. Unfortunately I didn’t get the full plate and so couldn’t have a snoop to find out its no doubt biblical mileage, but it made me wonder what other well past-it learning devices Shiters might have come across still plying their trade?!

I had my lessons in 2003 in an impressively dull P reg Corolla, which wasn’t entirely ancient but was certainly getting on a bit compared to the sea of shiny BSM etc material on the roads.

I wish someone did an Autoshite driving school, or at least a 2CV driving school, as one of those is one of the few cars I felt relaxed and comfortable in at the time when I was learning to drive

if  @chaseracer and Co had a 2CV driving school they would of had all of my money LOL 

 

I know my instructor was nonplussed when my response to her grumbling about "only" having a 67 plate, was "I dont see the problem, my car is on an R suffix from 1976!"

[lisbon_road]

3 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

do you have a source for that?

Strange.  I had a look at this: Driving test: cars: Using your own car for your test - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

And it isn't in there, yet I am sure I remember seeing it before.  Perhaps it has changed?  Or more likely my memory is shot and I've got confused.

My son took his test and passed about two years ago in the '96 Astra.  The examiner didn't seem remotely interested in the car, which did look a bit older than everything else but I made sure it was really clean inside and out. 

[horriblemercedes]

I must say, I was surprised at the 30 year age limit. I hadn't heard of it. It is quite possible that it did exist or existed as an advisory note

[rattlecan]

My mates son took his test in a 60’s Moggy Traveller about 3 yrs ago. The only stipulation he could find was it must have a seat belt & ‘proper’ headrest for the examiner. As in you can’t just put one of those slide over the seat things. My mate made some new runners & just for the test slide in a passenger seat from his Audi. The lad past first time

[Weird Car]

20 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

I believe @Weird Car had a plan to take her test in the Pug 404, but it did not quite work out in the end sadly, but I dont think it was because of a simple age limit I dont think?

This is true, the plan was always to use error 404 but I was told on the day of my first test it wouldn’t be possible because of the lack of seat belts, I ended up doing it in the instructors 207 SW instead 

[warren t claim]

13 hours ago, New POD said:

I bet at some stage DVLA orwhoecer runs driving tests will decide they have a duty of care to examiners, and demand tests can oy be taken with an NCAP rating of 15. 

When I was a bike instructor taking a punter for a 3.27pm test I'd have to endure sitting in the waiting room with an assortment of driving instructors due to the local cafe closing at 3pm. They'd all chat amongst themselves after the usual comments about wishing that they could take two punters out at once treating me like the second class citizen that in all fairness I am.

This left me time to peruse the various DSA notices stuck to the wall. I remember reading that any instructor using a Pug 206 for a test had to provide written proof from Peugeot that said 206 had been in for a critical safety recall. Another notice stated that any car with pens in the air vents will be refused a test. Arnold Shark pay as you go dual control rental cars are not an acceptable vehicle for a test either along with any car fitted with an electric handbrake.

As you can imagine, when I rocked up with my pupil to see that the examiner was using his car that day my heart jumped for joy as he'd usually invite me along with him to moan about the job/his marriage/ask to see pics of my ex in lingerie that I had on my phone.

[bunglebus]

9 hours ago, warren t claim said:

along with any car fitted with an electric handbrake.

I'm going to guess they've changed that now as so many moderns have the godforsaken contraptions 

[EyesWeldedShut]

21 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

I'm going to guess they've changed that now as so many moderns have the godforsaken contraptions 

Observation (moan?) from Sproglette when presented with the Bini R50 "no hill assist?".
How does the modern test sit with hill assist on a hill start?

[Jazoli]

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

I'm going to guess they've changed that now as so many moderns have the godforsaken contraptions  modern conveniences

Fixed that for you, they are brilliant and stop my wife burning out clutches.

A leaner can use any standard equipment fitted to the car to assist, parking sensors, 360 cameras, hill hold etc these days.

[warch]

On 11/01/2024 at 21:39, SunnySouth said:

Inspired to start this essential discussion when I was driving home yesterday and passed a genuine classic, a 51 plate Micra still at work on the Learnerage circuit complete with magnetic dunce hat on the roof. Unfortunately I didn’t get the full plate and so couldn’t have a snoop to find out its no doubt biblical mileage, but it made me wonder what other well past-it learning devices Shiters might have come across still plying their trade?!

I had my lessons in 2003 in an impressively dull P reg Corolla, which wasn’t entirely ancient but was certainly getting on a bit compared to the sea of shiny BSM etc material on the roads.

Fantastic! I myself learnt to drive in a K11 Micra (passed my test in 1994!). I do like them, but for some reason the seating position used to give me shooting pains up my left leg after an hour or so (bear in mind I was 17 so this wasn't old age related). Great to know they're still in service.

[MorrisItalSLX]

22 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

do you have a source for that? one of the things I have been trying to work out is just what is the most autoshite/unsuitable car you can use to take your test today in 2024

based on the requirements posted here

https://www.gov.uk/driving-test/using-your-own-car

I worked out that, as long you fit an Mph speedo of some kind, a Trabant is in theory test legal  (has factory head rests and can get up to 62Mph, and I know LHD cars are not a problem)

 

I believe @Weird Car had a plan to take her test in the Pug 404, but it did not quite work out in the end sadly, but I dont think it was because of a simple age limit I dont think?

I wish someone did an Autoshite driving school, or at least a 2CV driving school, as one of those is one of the few cars I felt relaxed and comfortable in at the time when I was learning to drive

if  @chaseracer and Co had a 2CV driving school they would of had all of my money LOL 

 

I know my instructor was nonplussed when my response to her grumbling about "only" having a 67 plate, was "I dont see the problem, my car is on an R suffix from 1976!"

Not really relevant, as Australia, but I passed my test in my then 32 year old Jaguar. (Now 39 years old)

[mk2_craig]

On 12/01/2024 at 11:39, mk2_craig said:

Me - Aug 95 in an L-reg Micra Super S. Test centre was Bathgate. 

My mate shortly afterwards took the test in his instructors 88 Fiesta which was replaced a few weeks later so he bought it from the driving school.  Then briefly returned it as the dual controls were still fitted!  The car was on nearly 100,000 miles which was quite impressive for any car of that age in the Channel Islands, however I think it was on about its seventh clutch.  We did replace the engine with a lower mileage one about a year later.  

Ive just remembered that was my first of four tests. 
 

4th: 2011 CBF600N in about 2014 

3rd: 2011 CBF125 (bike had less than 100 miles on the clock at time of test)

 

And the second way back in 2002. It’s hard to tell but that’s actually me at the wheel practicing the reversing manoeuvre.

Ive never actually failed a driving test, which kinda makes up for being shit at most other things. 

 

[brownnova]

My instructor had a Mk2 Clio

I took my test in my own 1985 Vauxhall Nova, that was in 2004. The examiner looked less than impressed when he realised which car we were doing the test in. 

[Missy Charm]

I learnt to drive in a then new but now almost-certainly scrapped early model Vauxhall Corsa*.  Yuck.  

On topic: a privateer type driving instructor was plying his/her trade in Ipswich in a pre-facelift Mk2 Focus a year or so ago.  He/she seemed to favour the car-park opposite the office I worked in for pupils to practise manoeuvring, so I'd see the thing quite often during ciggy breaks.  I don't work there any more (Ipswich), so have no idea whether the Focus is still going.  A Mk2 Focus is hardly antique, but even the youngest ones are now older than the average driving school car.  

*a car so shite that it's too shite for Autoshite...  Seriously, even here nobody seems to like them.  

[EyesWeldedShut]

3 hours ago, brownnova said:

My instructor had a Mk2 Clio

I took my test in my own 1985 Vauxhall Nova, that was in 2004. The examiner looked less than impressed when he realised which car we were doing the test in. 
 

SR?

My test 1980 in my dad's G reg  (1968) Triumph Herald. 

[riek]

My first test was in my instructors Corsa C...

Except he turned up on the day with a different one with a 1.3 turbodiesel instead of the 1.7 NA diesel donk I'd learned on. Cue me spinning up the front wheels on test when I dropped a gear and came on boost hard. They fail you for that.

[brownnova]

20 minutes ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

SR?

My test 1980 in my dad's G reg  (1968) Triumph Herald. 

Yeah it was! 

[EyesWeldedShut]

14 minutes ago, brownnova said:

Yeah it was! 

I had a 1.2L on a B plate from new - guy I worked with had a red SR. He was quite sniffy about mine. 
There wasn't much difference in them performance wise if you really panned the 1.2 it could move at a bit more than a snail's pace but the SR had all the fancy trim, lights, seats and so on - mine was an early onset giffermobile for sure

[sierraman]

I remember going to look at a K plate Nova Saloon before I passed my test, if it’d been the 2 door I’d have probably gone for it but it was the lousy 4 door which looked like it was on castors

[MiniMort]

On 11/01/2024 at 21:39, SunnySouth said:

I was driving home yesterday and passed a genuine classic, a 51 plate Micra still at work on the Learnerage circuit complete with magnetic dunce hat on the roof.

When I was learning to drive (in a 2016 Citroen DS3 as it wasn't long ago) my instructor told me she started in 1987 with a K10 Micra and went through a tonne of K11s. However she switched to Citroens when Nissan launched the K12, which she described as being 'just ridiculous'. 

[warren t claim]

5 hours ago, Missy Charm said:

I learnt to drive in a then new but now almost-certainly scrapped early model Vauxhall Corsa*.  Yuck.  

On topic: a privateer type driving instructor was plying his/her trade in Ipswich in a pre-facelift Mk2 Focus a year or so ago.  He/she seemed to favour the car-park opposite the office I worked in for pupils to practise manoeuvring, so I'd see the thing quite often during ciggy breaks.  I don't work there any more (Ipswich), so have no idea whether the Focus is still going.  A Mk2 Focus is hardly antique, but even the youngest ones are now older than the average driving school car.  

*a car so shite that it's too shite for Autoshite...  Seriously, even here nobody seems to like them.  

When I was learning to drive back in '87 one local instructor trading under the name of REW School Of Motoring used to teach in a '76 Mk2 Escort complete with ladders on the roof for his second job window cleaning. I suppose that was the equivalent of your pre facelift Focus guy.

[warren t claim]

[warren t claim]

 

[warren t claim]

 

[warren t claim]

After a quick Google, it seems that Robin Askwith is from Southport. Is he @eddyramrod?

[eddyramrod]

I didn't know that!  You learn something new every day, don't you?

[leakingstrut]

Found out my wife’s pug 208 was a driving school car at some point in its previous life. About a week after we bought it I noticed some rough paint on the roof from the sign magnet, then later found the dual control system hidden in the passenger foot well, sans pedal.

Its got 80k on it now, so I wonder if it’s still on the original clutch. Based up its history I think it did a year or two as a learners car down south before making its way up north. Not that bothered by it to be honest, it doesn’t seem to have been abused much.

[SunnySouth]

11 hours ago, mk2_craig said:

…..

And the second way back in 2002. It’s hard to tell but that’s actually me at the wheel practicing the reversing manoeuvre.

Ive never actually failed a driving test, which kinda makes up for being shit at most other things. 

 

That last one is a most excellent steed!

Paramount bodied B9M was mine, not quite as exotic but still better than the stuff they use these days! 

[mk2_craig]

7 hours ago, SunnySouth said:

That last one is a most excellent steed!

Paramount bodied B9M was mine, not quite as exotic but still better than the stuff they use these days! 

It had been built without any flipping power steering!!

[High Jetter]

I turned 17 in November 1977. Prior to that, I had an opportunity through school to drive an old Moggie Thou under instruction round the school car park and a small access road, in the dark. I had a few lessons with BSM, Dad took me out in his Commer PB1500 van, and as my girlfriend had recently passed her test I was able to drive my Imp Californian with her as passenger.

I can't now recall what our local BSM used for cars then, I do remember the instructor I had bailing on my lesson booked for immediately before my test (apparently, due to a nervous breakdown!). The replacement instructor did pick me up on one thing, and I'm positive that if he hadn't done that I wouldn't have passed 1st time.

In 1988 I bought a brand new E reg Nissan Bluebird for cabbing duties. Around the same time an independant driving instructor bought a new white 4-door Nissan Sunny from the same dealer. I'm pretty sure he was still working that into the 2010s!