Need to learn how to drive - is an intensive driving course worth it?

[Billballbaggins]

Posting here for traffic (sorry).

I need to learn how to drive. I’m 30, 2 small children and due to various factors couldn’t commit to taking lessons before (mainly financial as it’s £50ish for a 2hr lesson here and I don’t have £50 a week spare. We already have a car and can afford to run that no problem but I just could not commit to £50 a week minimum for possibly months and months on end and all the bloody instructors around here have waiting lists of a couple of months).

Anyway, change in circumstances recently so I have a lump sum and I am looking at intensive courses for about £1500.

Has anyone done one? I don’t know anyone who has and my friends and family have mixed opinions even having no experience themselves.

Thanks!

DFIL (driving instructor) doesn't recommend them; although you'll pay roughly the same as over a longer period of time, you run the risk of not getting differing driving conditions (e.g. rain / sun etc) which can make things more difficult.

I know he offers all passees an extra "freebie" (I'm guessing paid for by their current lessons) about 6 months after to help if there has been significant weather variation (eg snow).

Is your car an auto, if not can I just point out that if you take a test in an automatic then you can only drive autos. You'll need a retest if you wish to drive manuals
A manual license allows you to drive any transmission.
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With respect to PPs, manual vehicles will be around for a while yet.

I have been advised to do automatic, as it takes quicker to learn, and most cars manufactured will be automatic in the near future.

It is easier, but it's not true at all that all cars will be automatic in the near future. We'll move that way but it will be slow.

If you learn in an auto, you can only drive an auto, but if you learn in a manual you can drive both. Make the decision that's best for you.

Around half of all new cars are now automatic. In 10 years time all new cars will be auto because they will be electric. The change will come quicker than many realise.

I struggled wot sporadic lessons for years. I did an intensive course and passed that week.

The intensive courses will give you the technical skills but crucially not the miles experience. My son was technically capable of driving within a couple on months but didn’t let him take his test until he had drive 1,000 miles. During that time he git to experiece lots of things crash course don’t like cars pulling out pedestrians jay walking, cars braking suddenly for no reason etc. He passed first time as was relatively experienced. You need miles under your belt hefore you drive on your own

I did it two years ago and passed. I was 36 at the time. I recommended it to two other friends, who like me and you, hadn't had time/money/inclination pre-kids but now had young children. They both passed first time too.

Pros: all done in one week, one lump sum payment

Cons: incredibly stressful, if you don't like your instructor you're stuck with them

I'm glad I passed, in retrospect though I would've done a block of regular lessons first and then a 3-4 day intensive to build up some road sense and confidence. It took a long time to build my confidence after passing, whereas a friend who'd learned over months and months was itching for her test and was much more confident than me after passing.

However, I've now been driving for two years which has made life a lot easier - so either way it worked!

I know a few people who have done them. The test could of been anywhere in the country. As they need to book any spare slots for tests. One did intensive course in manchester but her test was in blackpool so her hours where eaten up alot by driving there. As well as no guarantee youll get a test in an area you know or have practised in.

An other said she only got a few driving hours a day but spent all day in a car watching others drive.

Both sound less than ideal.

Db did this and passed within a week. He said it was worth it however he had some lessons about a year before this as well.

I did 22 lessons over a period of 18 days, passed first time. It wa s a bit all consuming for those 18 days but worked well.

Tbh I hated it. Mine was 4 hours a day which is both mentally and physically exhausting. If there's an issue with the instructor, it's harder to change too, which can affect your learning

My DS did it at 17, passed at the end of the week. He's now 21 and a good driver.

Depends how comfortable you already are with driving. Personally, iam sure i spent more than that to just start to feel comfortable, even though i have many years ago learnt to drive and had a licence in another country.
I improved dramatically when I started practicing in my own car with my partner. We drove to other parts of the city, not just the test route and i got better and confident very very quickly.