to think I should be given a couple of lessons free?

[whyohwhywhy]

Started learning to drive in September. Took a long long time, we're talking a lesson every day, but had finally started mastering how to change gears, parallel parking, reversing round a corner etc and felt quietly confident. Booked test for early Jan. And then my driving instructor changed her car beginning of December.

I now feel like I'm back at square one. The car feels completely different, all the gears are in different places, the engine is so quiet I can barely hear it. Oh and it has something called stop start technology which means the car turns itself off if you're sat in traffic or stationery for any amount of time. I keep forgetting its turned itself off and then stall it.

I've had about 5 lessons in new car and still can't get the hang of it, I feel that my lessons are now all about getting used to a new car rather than preparing for my test. Feel quite annoyed to be honest, if she had to get a new car why couldnt she have got a newer version of her old car? Deliberately chose this instructor because her car is the same as DH's which I was eventually hoping to be able to drive...

AIBU in thinking that she should give all of her students some free lessons so we can get used to her new car?

YABU. If you are ready for your test you should be able to drive any car. Any new car takes a bit of getting used to but not that much! Five lessons in the new car is quite a lot really and I would feel very uncomfortable with someone 'practising' when you have passed your test, as another poster suggested. You can either drive properly or you can't.

On the general question, YABU. If you can't pick up driving in the new car within five lessons (not necessarily immediately you get into a new car, but if you've been driving it for five hours and still seriously struggling and don't think that a whole month in the new car is enough to prepare for your test) then you're not ready to be let loose on the public roads as a licensed driver.

But your instructor being a benefit fraud and spending no time talking you through the new controls does ring alarm bells for me. In your position I'd be postponing the test and looking for a new and better instructor.

Whereabouts (roughly) are you? I'm sure someone here could recommend a good instructor.

Does she even have proper insurance for the car if she's doing the instructing on a dodgy basis? What's going to happen if you have an accident in it?

@lovepinkbits- once I got used to it, it was brilliant (with a bit of practice and a wide road, you can turn in the road without crossing the white line in the middle) but it was just those first couple of weeks when I wasn't used to it and was only just getting to grips with them anyway!

YABcompletelyU. If you can't drive in any car you shouldn't pass your test.

My instructor got a new car on the day of my test...I was the first person to take a test (or even have a lesson it it) and was under strict instructions to pass to ensure the car had a lucky future. Yes, I did pass may driving test in a car I'd never driven before.

Oh and you need to be able to drive in any weather condition too.....so don't be asking for a few more free lessons because the weather hasn't been hot and sunny.

Oh and to make you feel better when I drive my Father's supertuned for environmental soundness diesel I stall it all the bloody time (despite having driven for 15years and having driven loads of diesels) it just needs masses of accelerator to get away from junctions etc.

Oh and modern diesels (well the 4 or 5 I've driven) don't have a glow light thing anymore..... my first car did (freak thinks longingly back to her pink peugeot 205. I loved that car!)