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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To take driving test in own car

24 replies

user1498912461 · 01/07/2017 15:12

I recently failed my driving test due to a silly mistake, booked a test for a week and a halfs time. Unfortunately instructor cannot do that date now and has told me to look for another date. I'm buying a car...picking it up tomorrow! Thinking about doing the test in my own car now. What's everyone's opinions? I would practice like mad in my own car before the test but wondering if it's best to cancel and do a test with my instructor? The next available tests are two months from now 🙁

OP posts:
19lottie82 · 01/07/2017 15:13

The problem with practising in your own car without instructor is that you are likely to pick up bad habits.

Others won't agree but my advice would be just get as many lessons as you can before the test then buy the car.

ItsNachoCheese · 01/07/2017 15:15

Can you book a dual control car from arnold clark? Thats what my sister is doing and its £11 an hour

Stickerrocks · 01/07/2017 15:15

You've got absolutely nothing to lose by taking your test next week in your own car, as long as you obviously have someone to sit alongside you & get you to the test centre. Go for it.

PeaFaceMcgee · 01/07/2017 15:21

No probs at all... Check compliance - not sure if the examiner needs an extra internal mirror or something (might have imagined that)

TeenAndTween · 01/07/2017 15:24

Go for it, a test is only the cost of a couple of lessons.
but
as PeaFace says there are rules about tests such as having an extra rear view mirror which you need to comply with. Also some cars aren't suitable due to lack of visibility. Check out the rules on driving test website.

Kursk · 01/07/2017 15:27

I did my driving test in my own car (jeep grand Cherokee)

I felt more confident in my own car

MadisonMontgomery · 01/07/2017 15:31

I took my test in my own car - I had been practicing in it for longer than the instructors and I felt more comfortable.

DramaAlpaca · 01/07/2017 15:32

I took my test in my own car too - and passed after failing twice in my instructor's car.

BalloonDinosaur · 01/07/2017 15:53

I took mine in my own car, but had an issue with the L plates (including spares) blowing off halfway round, ending in the examiner refusing to drive my car and making us both walk up the dual carriageway back to the test centre. I then had to pick up my dad and walk back down it to get my car.

As long as it's properly equipped you should be fine.

Redredredrose · 01/07/2017 15:56

I took my test in my own car, my mum came with me to the test centre as my supervising driver. But I'd had the car for a while and had had plenty of practice in it.

Original poster
user1498912461 · 01/07/2017 15:56

Thanks everyone! This is reassuring. I have also failed a couple of times in the instructors car, I feel like I would be more relaxed in my own car! The issue here is now a lack of time to practice in the new car. I will still have lessons with the instructor leading up to the test and I will also practice in the new car 😊

OP posts:
Original poster
user1498912461 · 01/07/2017 15:58

Balloon - oh no! You must have been gutted! Hope you managed a successful test afterwards!

OP posts:
Phoebefromfriends · 01/07/2017 16:03

My mum wasn't convinced that my driving instructor was actually helping me towards the end, so I drove her car for a few weeks and took the test in that. This was about thirteen years ago so they may have changed the rules but honestly it was the best thing I could have done, the instructor made me nervous. My mum wasn't in the car when I took the test. Good luck OP.

Original poster
user1498912461 · 01/07/2017 17:06

My instructor actually says that I am a driver now, not a learner, if it wasn't for the one error on my test I would be driving on my own now. He says there is nothing more he can teach me apart from not letting nerves get the better of me on the day!

OP posts:
SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 01/07/2017 17:08

I took my test in my own car but had also been having my driving lessons in my own car - once the instructor was happy to let me drive without dual controls! Wink

That was 23 years ago.

pinkblink · 01/07/2017 17:33

Yes use your own car! In theory as soon as your test is finished (If you pass) you're off in the big wide world in your own car, not a lot is going to change with your driving over that hour!

Just get lots of practice as it will be slightly different in dimensions to the one your used to parking, and good luck

Funnyface1 · 01/07/2017 18:17

I passed my test in my own car. Good luck.

BalloonDinosaur · 01/07/2017 18:46

OP, it was a nightmare!
When I started having lessons again later I told my instructor and he replied "Oh my god, that was you? Everyone heard about that! I can't wait to tell them I'm teaching you"

DontTouchTheMoustache · 01/07/2017 18:49

I did mine in my own car but I had learnt in my own car as well. I think you will need to wair.until you have been driving your new car for.a while to see how confident you feel in it before you make the decision.

DividedKingdom · 01/07/2017 18:53

I also passed in my own. Two prior fails in an instructors car, then I changed instructor and bought car....got bf to come out with me every night for a month and also had lessons in same car. Worked great.

alfagirl73 · 01/07/2017 19:00

Yes, go for it. What kind of car is it? Make sure it's not on the "banned" list of vehicles for the test, make sure you buy a mirror for the interior... and you'll be fine. I did a test in my own car - somehow it improved my confidence and weirdly it's suddenly like the examiner is in your territory... might actually help with nerves. You're inviting him/her into YOUR car. The car felt reassuringly familiar - it was a good thing to do.

LRDtheFeministDragon · 01/07/2017 19:03

I did. I didn't even realise I needed another mirror and the examiner found one for me from the test centre. Blush

It was much easier. But, by then I'd driven about six cars belonging to various instructors (!) as I took bloody ages to learn, so I wasn't terribly worried I'd be utterly unable to drive anything else.

beargryllshasabigrope · 01/07/2017 19:15

I failed two tests in my instructors car and then passed in my own. I drove it as much as I could for 6 months prior to the test, and had a couple of top up lessons in the week or so before. Good luck with it whatever you decide to do

StatisticallyChallenged · 01/07/2017 19:34

I did it in my own car too.

You could ask the driving instructor to take you out in your own car for your lessons - mine was happy to do this

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