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

[Digitaldedado]

DSS is learning to drive, he hasn't shown a huge amount of interest to date. But we are trying to encourage him where we can and have bought him a pack of lessons, which are still to be used. But he's been out with DH and I for maybe about 10 hours, and 5 with his DM although she isn't keen to teach him due to the cost.
We are a one car family, and have no plans or intentions to buy a 2nd. 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.
DH and I want to change our current car, however the car we want isn't suitable for a learner due to the power and insurance. Should we wait 9/12 months until he passes or just do it now and get him to learn through an instructor? Our main concern is we could wait for something that might never happen due to his current interest levels.

There's nothing more stressful than teaching your own child to drive. Buy the car and leave it to the professionals. It's not as if he seems that bothered.

Leave it to professionals, plus unless there is some massive issue where he can’t take public transport do not buy a car for when he is at University. He will probably not be allowed to park on campus unless he has a blue badge.

Tell him the situation and get a commitment from him to take it seriously , then book the first lesson with the instructor. He may like it better when he’s having formal lessons too. It’s better to have a car he can practice on, it’s too expensive with lessons only. If you change your car now, I think you’ll regret it.

Why the rush if he's not bothered? As long as he's not asking for lifts all the time then leave him to his public transport until such time he decides to learn.

I think I’d just lay it down to him and say, look if you’re motivated to learn to drive we’ll keep this car another year so you can practice ( in which case book the lessons) but if you’re not bothered, we’ll change it now, so up to you.

It's hard to learn to drive with only an instructor and no additional practise. I'd keep a car he can practise in and encourage him to commit to a date for his test

Just get the car. Encourage him with lessons and the promise of a car.

He won't need a car when he is at university. It will just be a pain to look after. Passing his test before he goes will be a massive advantage as fewer young people are passing and he will have more choice of housing and jobs after university

Insurance for learners is reasonable but insurance for just passed is massive.

I would recommend giving him lessons and practice in your old car to try and get him to pass before university. Then when he has gone get your nice car

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?

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.

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'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

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!

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.