To buy a car that DSS can't learn to drive in?

Driving lessons are so expensive! And so I’d definitely consider keeping the car so he can practice as much as possible when he’s at home.

As PPs have said, there’s no point him getting a car for uni, especially if he’s living in halls and it’s in a city centre but it’s up to you/his parents.

I would do everything I can to get him to pass his test before uni though, even if he doesn’t get a car because it’s very easy to put it on hold and that means the lessons he’s done will have been wasted.

If he's not that bothered about learning to drive, why not just accept that and buy the car you want? If he was keen and eager for practise runs, you could have held off the new car until he'd passed his test.

IME, people who aren't fussed about driving but manage to get through the test often go on to be the drivers who annoy other road users with their lack of positivity and awareness.

You need a car to practise on in addition to lessons. We have been a one car family for years and proud of it but actually we will get the new one and keep the old one. It was second hand in 2011 so if dd1 scrapes it so be it. Dd2 can then learn on it too.

Depending on where you live it can be difficult to get regular lessons. I've booked my son 20 hours but cannot get more than that as there is no availability. So I'm just teaching him myself in addition to the 20 hours. But he is very, very motivated to drive though and there is a sort of deadline of November as he will be moving somewhere else in the uk in November so we don't know where.
I would tell your dss that you are getting the new car in 6 months and he can drive with you in that time. He either takes the opportunity or he doesn't.

I agree with all of this.

Almost none of dd's friends took cars to university in their first year. I think a few are planning to take them for their second year.

It's so much easier to pass with regular practise at home, in addition to professional lessons.

If your dh is planning to help him buy a car, I would do that now so he's got something to practise in.

It will take ages for him to pass if he only has a lesson once a week. Practice is really important.

Completely disagree . I have taught my 4 dc and 3 sdc to drive . They all had a double lesson with an instructor for 17th birthday and then I insured family car with learner insurance and they drove EVERY time I or DH needed to go somewhere. Relying on once a week lessons in instructors car is not sufficient to pass first time.

If you are a confident driver then there is no reason to 'get stressed' . and the only way to get confidence is to drive a lot. It doesn't get bestowed upon confident drivers like fairy dust.

Agreed. I tried to learn to drive twice when younger and didn't get anywhere. As a mature adult I was able to buy my own car and spend many hours practising in that as well as taking lessons. I would never have passed the test without it.

Marmalade will insure a learner on pretty much any parental car. DD is in third year at Uni and does have her car. She has a driveway at her house to park. She doesn't use it much down there, but it's been so useful for trips home as the trains are expensive, and often cancelled, delayed, or on strike. She can also load up stuff herself rather than relying on us to drive up and down.

First thing surely is to try to get the lad to see it's a really good idea to learn to drive now while he's got support to do so.
I agree most kids don't need a car while at uni, but not being able to drive when they've graduated may limit job opportunities and they may find it difficult to get lessons at suitable times once they're working.

If he CBA then I can't see why you'd plan your car change around the vague possibility of him wanting to practice with your DH. If you and your DH are willing to fund driving lessons and even a car, it seems fair for his dm to take him out for practice if he wants more than lessons.

It's not just rural.

We live suburban and DS has a part time job 5 miles away. He can't walk there as it would be along an A road with no pavements or at least 10 miles out of his way. Public transport would be a 40 min walk to the nearest station and 2 different trains. The buses from our village don't go in that direction and even if they did it is 1 or 2 an hour and visiting every village and town on the way.

I grew up in London so didn't drive until I was in my 20s, but where we are now nearly all kids learn to drive as soon as they turn 17

We never took DS out to practice. All his driving lessons were with an instructor

If students are wanting to do internships or placements, not having a car can be a definite handicap. Not having a driving licence further limits their options.

My kids never practised in our automatic and they passed first time. Buy the car you need.

I would never insure my kids for a car at university. So so expensive.

I never understand how stressed people on here get about their DC learning to drive. Neither Dh or I were taught/ encouraged/ expected to drive by our parents. We both paid for our own driving lessons and cars in our 20s having found we were a bit stuck for certain jobs without cars. I appreciate some people are in really rural areas where they are completely stuck but in general there are public transport options to and from most universities

Skint or not, many seem quite able to run cars.

Fair enough-if the DSS is one of the students on a course with placements definitely needing a car, I take it back. If it’s a normal UG course-I would say it’s unnecessary and supporting them with food/accommodation costs will be expensive enough.

My dc2 learned at university and bought a car to practice in during summer holidays, passing second time, very cheap to insure as a learner on my multi car and wasn't horrendous at 21 when they passed 2 years ago but it's gone up

Depends on the course we had placements in ours and managing without a car would have been a massive struggle

DH has promised DSS he'd help him buy his own car when he goes to uni, I've committed to helping with the running cost until he starts working FT.

Why on earth would he need his own car at university! Students are skint enough as it is without having to think about running a car!

If he's not bothered just leave it. To be honest they don't need a car at university unless on certain specific courses and it's horrendously expensive to insure under 21

You may be surprised that the insurance isn’t as bad as you think for a learner. Try Marmalade insurance.

Plenty of people practice (and take their tests) in unusual cars. Large people carriers, pick ups, 4x4s, estate cars etc.

If he isn't in a rush to learn then wait until he graduates and has settled in a job/location. Its a lot of money to waste if he isn't interested.

What is the pressure to learn now? The insurance for a newly passed teen will be horrible.

My kids couldn’t drive my car as learners (automatic). They were fine with just professional lessons. Your bigger problem is DSS’s lack of motivation. Have you got to the bottom of this - does he not enjoy driving, is scared, not good at it?