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.

Completely disagree . I have taught my 4 dc and 3 sdc to drive . They all had a double lesson with an instructor for 17th birthday and then I insured family car with learner insurance and they drove EVERY time I or DH needed to go somewhere. Relying on once a week lessons in instructors car is not sufficient to pass first time.

If you are a confident driver then there is no reason to 'get stressed' . and the only way to get confidence is to drive a lot. It doesn't get bestowed upon confident drivers like fairy dust.

It will take ages for him to pass if he only has a lesson once a week. Practice is really important.

I agree with all of this.

Almost none of dd's friends took cars to university in their first year. I think a few are planning to take them for their second year.

It's so much easier to pass with regular practise at home, in addition to professional lessons.

If your dh is planning to help him buy a car, I would do that now so he's got something to practise in.

Depending on where you live it can be difficult to get regular lessons. I've booked my son 20 hours but cannot get more than that as there is no availability. So I'm just teaching him myself in addition to the 20 hours. But he is very, very motivated to drive though and there is a sort of deadline of November as he will be moving somewhere else in the uk in November so we don't know where.
I would tell your dss that you are getting the new car in 6 months and he can drive with you in that time. He either takes the opportunity or he doesn't.

You need a car to practise on in addition to lessons. We have been a one car family for years and proud of it but actually we will get the new one and keep the old one. It was second hand in 2011 so if dd1 scrapes it so be it. Dd2 can then learn on it too.

If he's not that bothered about learning to drive, why not just accept that and buy the car you want? If he was keen and eager for practise runs, you could have held off the new car until he'd passed his test.

IME, people who aren't fussed about driving but manage to get through the test often go on to be the drivers who annoy other road users with their lack of positivity and awareness.

Driving lessons are so expensive! And so I’d definitely consider keeping the car so he can practice as much as possible when he’s at home.

As PPs have said, there’s no point him getting a car for uni, especially if he’s living in halls and it’s in a city centre but it’s up to you/his parents.

I would do everything I can to get him to pass his test before uni though, even if he doesn’t get a car because it’s very easy to put it on hold and that means the lessons he’s done will have been wasted.

Thanks everyone. We'll only get him a car if it's needed for uni. We don't live in the UK and our Uni's are campus style, so a car would be helpful, also to get to and from work. We want him to try and pass this year, so it's done and even if he doesn't get a car immediately it's one thing less to worry about. He'll still have access to his mum's car to practice in, not just ours. Still not sure what's the best thing to do.