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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to turn down this free car and offend the giver?

184 replies

tygertygerburningbright · 20/10/2013 18:12

I genuinely have no idea if I'm being a spoilt brat about this or not, so I welcome opinions!

I have taken about 20 driving lessons, I'm in my late twenties, and I'm fairly confident I'll pass my test before Christmas. I'm a lone parent and a student so don't have much money. My grandmother is paying for my driving lessons. Today she told me she would give me her car when I pass my test. Which of course is lovely! And I am most grateful for the offer. But... I'll try to list my hesitations..

It's a petrol, and I have learned in a diesel (had a few lessons in a petrol and honestly drove crap because I couldn't really get the hang of the whole needing the gas pedal to do manouvers etc when in a diesel its loads easier because you can just lift the clutch and go.) I know I may very well get used to a petrol in no time, but I am worried about it.

It's teeny tiny, like smaller than a Micra, smaller than any car other than a smart car I think. And I am 6 foot. There will be zero leg room in the back seat behind me. And I am training to work in a trade so I need a fair amount of room for tools etc, which there is none in this car.

It's not very nice... This is the crappiest reason ever not to want it, but basically I hate it and would never choose it in a million years.

All that said, I know it's very very nice of her to offer, and I do think maybe I'm being a bit ungrateful about it. A free car is a free car, and I don't think many people's first car is their dream car really. Also, she would be hugely offended if I said no.

I haven't said anything to my grandmother of course, because I think deep down even I know I'm being horrible...

OP posts:

trixymalixy · 20/10/2013 20:10

The last 5 cars we've had have been diesel and believe me you could stall all of them apart from the one automatic.

OP all cars have different nuances, biting points, but you quickly get used to them. There really is not the vast gulf between driving a petrol and a diesel car that you think.

VeryStressedMum · 20/10/2013 20:15

Snatchoo I'd totally forgotten about a choke!! I had a car with one of those
At the end of the day, OP try to forget what sort of car you learnt to drive in you'll very quickly learn to drive any new car you get.

Take it from us oldies that are out of touch with the driving world that very soon it won't matter what sort of car you drive you'll learn to listen to the car and feel what you have to do. And that only comes from experience.

WMittens · 20/10/2013 20:31

HellYeah3

my sister has been driving for 6years in 5 different cars (2diesels) agrees that it is near impossible to stall a diesel once you have learnt basic clutch control.

If we're quoting experience, I've been driving for 10 years, have 3 cars: diesel manual, petrol manual and petrol automatic, and use them all regularly.

It's possible to stall either type of engine, it's more dependent on gear ratio, load (mass of car and if there's an incline in the road) and clutch control.

Diesels are harder to stall because of greater torque low down as mentioned (although probably somewhat offset by longer gear ratios), but also there's no throttle so the EFI can add more fuel itself if the engine speeds drops to stall point.

HellYeah3 · 20/10/2013 20:39

I completely agree with everything you say. My bit about my sister was to those who said how would I know I've only passed. However I'm pointing out that the OP has a valid concern as due to how you are NOW taught (I'm guessing it used to be different as my mum had no idea that a diesel would roll without you accelerating even though she drives one) to drive it is hard and takes practice at getting used to a petrol car so they shouldn't write of her worries as silly. Also I said nearly impossible in that it is harder to stall that a petrol which you have just agreed with.

greenfolder · 20/10/2013 20:43

we have both diesel and petrol and have had every combination- my dh is well over 6 feet- i am a little over 5 feet. never have we had a car that one of us couldnt drive.

i would take it- it will make your grandmother happy. It is probably well looked after. it is free. If you really cant get on with it you could part ex it for something else.

LunaticFringe · 20/10/2013 20:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HellYeah3 · 20/10/2013 20:51

Lunatic then why are they so adamant that I'm wrong lol. Oh and 1987 is 7years before I was even born haha

Bunbaker · 20/10/2013 20:56

"Am I being thick? My husband's car is petrol, mine is diesel, I drive both and have never noticed a difference!"

I can't tell the difference either. I drive a petrol 2008 Ford Focus and OH's 2012 diesel Ford Mondeo. There is no difference at all in how you handle the clutch and accelerator.

I think it would be senseless to turn down the offer of a free car. If it is a genuine gift you can drive it for a little while and part exchange it for another one.

LunaticFringe · 20/10/2013 21:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HellYeah3 · 20/10/2013 21:04

Haha sorry. It wasn't my intention I swear lol.

EndoplasmicReticulum · 20/10/2013 21:08

It gives me the fear at the petrol station though, I'm always worried I'll put the wrong thing in the wrong car.

HelloLA · 20/10/2013 21:09

I've had my license for 14 years, and I've gone through driving a petrol car, diesel, then petrol again, and now finally another diesel. I've never noticed a difference (except my current 16-year-old diesel has a distinctly rumbly, tractorish sound).

You can stall a diesel. And maybe with the newer diesels, you can pull away whilst just lifting the clutch, but in mine you definitely have to balance the accelerator and clutch.

Every car has a slightly (or dramatically) different biting point to get to grips with. Being able to adapt to different vehicles is a key skill, and it's quite precious to expect your first car to be similar to your driving instructor's.

You aren't going to get much of a car for £1000. It's also a massive plus to get a car from someone you know and trust.

But, if anything, take this car for the free insurance! Have you had any insurance quotes? I only moved back to the UK 6 months ago, and the cheapest quote I could get was more than double what I'd anticipated. It's absolutely extortionate here.

NuggetofPurestGreen · 20/10/2013 21:09

I agree with others who say that there probably isn't much difference in diesel and petrol when you are an experienced driver but when you are just starting out it is much easier to stall a petrol car. My instructor had a petrol car and then he switched to a diesel and it definitely didn't stall as much and then when I went back to driving a petrol car i started stalling again as was used to just starting the car by releasing clutch and not using the gas.

However I do not think it makes enough of a difference that the OP should base their decision to turn down the car on it as it did not take long to get used to the petrol. I think you should take the car.

EthethethethChrisWaddle · 20/10/2013 21:11

I would get the car, and if your grandmother pays the insurance then you can save what you would have paid in insurance for a year and get another car then.

ConfusedPixie · 20/10/2013 21:21

Hell, I have a diesel, I can tell you that I've stalled it on many occasion! I live in hilly Brighton but still, it's very similar to a petrol in that respect. Older diesels are slower off the mark, there is very little difference in newer cars though imo.

RenterNomad · 20/10/2013 21:25

I love how macho-mechanical MNers are getting: the torque talk, revs and so on!

OHforDUCKScake · 20/10/2013 21:28

When I first started learning (14 years ago) I started in a diesel. The day of my test, the car wasnt available and had to use a petrol car. I hated it. I barely touched the accelerator and it flew, I was used to a lovely slow, sluggish diesel car that Id been practicing in. I failed.

12 years after I started learning again. Again in a diesel, I passed and was petrified of driving a petrol car because of my experience. It just felt so different. DP (at the time) assured me that there was no difference between the two these days. I got a petrol car and he was right.

In hindsight, having only owned petrol cars and starting at a 1.1 engine and now driving a 2l engine I think the issue was all those years ago, I learnt in a tiny engined diesel car, and took my lesson in a nippy, bigger engined petrol car, and my inexperience magnified the difference.

How old is your nans car?

OHforDUCKScake · 20/10/2013 21:29

And how many miles etc? Has she owned it from new?

bamboobutton · 20/10/2013 21:48

im with hellyeah, diesels are different to drive. my instructor teaches me in a diesel and taught me to lift clutch up to bite and hold, then apply gas and lift clutch as gas goes down. piece o' piss to drive.

tried doing that in the petrol car dh got for me to practice in and stalled stalled stalled stalled......... sometimes when I was half way out of a junction and I kept on stalling so dh would have to get in the driving seat and drive the car instead. or I would stop on a slight hill and end up rolling backwards. I hated it and refuse to drive it now as it left me a shaking nervous wreck.

Bunbaker · 20/10/2013 21:52

"diesels are different to drive"

Perhaps older ones might be or perhaps if the brand of car is different, but I switch between our two Fords - petrol and diesel and they both drive in exactly the same way.

bamboobutton · 20/10/2013 21:56

im learning in a brand new diesel ford focus and dh got me a petrol Nissan juke to practice in, so both new cars and both very different to drive.

Bunbaker · 20/10/2013 21:59

Maybe it is because I have been driving for donkeys years then, or maybe it is because both of our cars are from the same manufacturer.

bamboobutton · 20/10/2013 22:06

im sure when I have passed my test and don't have to have dh in the car screaming like ned flanders every couple of seconds I will find a petrol easy to drive and will wonder why I was so scared of driving it, but to a new driver it is quite nerve-wracking driving a car you are not used to. so, to the op I say yanbu, make your first car a car you are confident driving.

OHforDUCKScake · 20/10/2013 22:08

But cars are different to drive despite them being petrol or diesel.

My last two cars, Skoda Fabia and Ford Focus Cmax, both petrol. Totally different to drive. The bite is different, the movement is different, my foot position needs to be different, everything feels different.

Ive no doubt that a Focus and a Nissan feel different. They are very different cars.

Fakebook · 20/10/2013 22:12

WMittens, yes, sorry I meant the clutch! Thanks for clearing that up.

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