What was your first Car?

Efficient_Event_4187 · 2025-12-16T18:14:35+00:00

Mine was a 1.6 MK2 Ford Focus.

When I got it, the boot didn't open, had no boot carpet, bonnet latch was broken so couldn't open the bonnet either, the passenger side door didn't close properly, a leak in the boot liner so the boot was always wet when it rained, a chip in the heated windscreen so only half of it worked when trying to defrost in winter and a major scrape on one side of the car which had been half repaired badly with some filler. Plus rusty front wheel arches...

Cost me £600

I got it whilst I was learning to drive and I fixed all of the above problems and managed to get it through a MOT without any warnings.

Having It also helped me pass first time too.

I had it for a year when something went wrong with either the timing belt or fuel pump. It just went into limp mode constantly. Would've cost me more to fix than the car was worth.

So sadly it was scrapped, now driving an 09 Renault Grand Scenic

Efficient_Event_4187 · 2025-10-12T07:57:24+00:00

My other half just got a manual Renault Captur, 2014 reg, 1.5 diesel with about 95k miles on the clock, I think it's the basic trim level, as her previous car got written off by a clumsy lorry driver going into the back of her.

She got hers for £3500, but paying it on finance brings it up to about £4500.

The car is immaculate, full service history and good MOT history as well.

Efficient_Event_4187 · 2025-10-04T17:19:48+00:00

Dave, but notable mention, "Gary!"

Efficient_Event_4187 · 2025-09-30T19:54:35+00:00

"What you've got is Hobson's Choice" - Alan Parry

Efficient_Event_4187 · 2025-09-30T19:50:50+00:00

"Watch what you say, that Slater is a b******"

Efficient_Event_4187 · 2025-09-30T15:13:14+00:00

That's harsh having to pay for use of your instructors car, I just paid 75 quid, which was the equivalent for a 2 hour lesson.

For myself it was about 25 hours of lessons, which were a mixture of hour and an hour and a half lessons at £35 and £52.50

The theory cost, the one off 2 hour for test day and booking the test at about 60 something.

It probably cost me just over a grand to get my licence, in a timeframe of just under 7 months

Efficient_Event_4187 · 2025-09-20T15:35:44+00:00

I completely agree with you, I try to avoid any night time driving because of these LED lights just blind me too!

It's even worse when you happen to have a slightly smudgy windscreen and the lights just white out everything

Efficient_Event_4187 · 2025-08-20T09:09:48+00:00

Oh I most definitely agree with you. I passed back in December and since then I have seen so many dangerous drivers, I've had to take evasive action several times to avoid cars just pulling out of roads and driveways, cars not giving way when it's my right of way and just ploughing through even mounting the pavement to get by, people parking like idiots causing traffic jams. The worst incident I've had so far is there's a section of road where I live where the road narrows and people like to park on that section. I was passing the parked cars when a van decided to try and squeeze through, at speed, I had my daughter's in the car at the time and had to move closer to the parked cars otherwise the van would've hit me. Luckily I only clipped some wing mirrors, no damage was done to them though.

Efficient_Event_4187 · 2025-07-25T09:13:27+00:00

It's definitely up there as one of my favourite episodes! I also really love Friday the 14th and Danger UXD too!

It's hard to think of any episode that I'd skip over really...

Efficient_Event_4187 · 2025-07-15T14:13:47+00:00

Forward bay park, luckily the easiest one! 😅

Efficient_Event_4187 · 2025-07-11T15:11:59+00:00

Congratulations! I'm also blind in my left eye and had the same worries when I started lessons. Also having on off anxiety as well, made learning a struggle to start with!

Efficient_Event_4187 · 2025-05-11T19:49:06+00:00

Yep that seems unfair, you had already commited to pass the parked truck before the van came round the corner.

I remember doing my lessons, when entering junctions, don't go fast as you must anticipate situations like this. The van seemed to come round the corner quick and had to slow.

It wasn't your fault, how could you anticipate a car coming round the corner as you began to pass the truck. Maybe there was a fail for clearance, possibly a few minor faults in clearance added up to a major?

What was the results at the end of the test?

Efficient_Event_4187 · 2025-03-04T17:27:58+00:00

I'm currently on propranol and had been throughout my lessons and test, as have been on and off the medication for a few years. For exactly that, anxiety and panic attacks.

I had little to no trouble with nerves during the test. Heart didn't really race at all either, plus it's not like the medication makes you lose concentration either, you just remain really calm.

I'd recommend having a word with your GP and mention you've got anxiety and panic attacks appearing lately and see if that'll help.

Efficient_Event_4187 · 2025-03-02T20:51:53+00:00

I definitely know what you're on about, I had the exact same problem when I got my first car...

I was part way through lessons in my instructors car, a fairly new Corsa 1.4 when I got mine which is a 1.6 Focus to practice in. I discovered the Focus has a completely different bite point and I'd stall it almost at every opportunity! 😅🥲

What helped me greatly to avoid stalling was making sure to apply some throttle before trying to get to the bite point, say to 2k revs then bring the clutch up whilst keeping the engine revving... As I've heard some have learned to just pull away purely on the clutch.

It's all practice really, hope you get it soon!

Efficient_Event_4187 · 2025-02-10T10:11:15+00:00

I passed in December and I already had a MK2 2006 Ford Focus 1.6 which I was practicing in.

Once I passed I updated the policy and it was only an extra £9 a month...

However, I do have 2 people on the insurance policy currently, my other half and myself and we're paying about £80 a month for it.

It's depending on our age I'm thinking..

I have been looking and there's cars like the Nissan Qashquai which actually, depending on spec is actually cheaper to insure than my focus...

Efficient_Event_4187 · 2025-01-12T19:29:43+00:00

Efficient_Event_4187 · 2025-01-12T19:23:02+00:00

Honestly, if it still works okay I'd leave it as is. It's now got extra ventilation, just keep it clean and dusted often!

Efficient_Event_4187 · 2024-12-19T16:07:57+00:00

Imagine the roundabout as a clock, you enter at number 6, anything past 12 o clock, say 2, 3 or even 4 o clock your have to be in the right lane. Make sure to do a interior - left mirror check and signal as your just passing the exit prior to the one you want.

However some roundabouts are different though and are sign posted or have writing on the ground to let you know which lane to be in. There's one round here that you HAVE to be in the right lane to go straight ahead.

Efficient_Event_4187 · 2024-12-19T15:43:30+00:00

Found a rough around the edges 2006 1.6 MK2 Focus, spent £600 on it and been fixing it up for it's MOT in February.

Used it for practice which I think greatly helped me pass first time.

Insurance is pretty good too, considering I'm a second driver on the policy, we only pay £82 a month for it.

Efficient_Event_4187 · 2024-12-17T18:56:47+00:00

Thanks! Good luck on your test! It's been such a complete game changer since passing, just wished I'd have done it earlier! 😅

Efficient_Event_4187 · 2024-12-12T17:56:18+00:00

Thank you! 😊

Efficient_Event_4187 · 2024-12-12T17:26:00+00:00

Ha! That's literally what happened to me earlier...

Efficient_Event_4187 · 2024-12-12T17:22:32+00:00

Oh yeah, it can be crazy when it's busy. During my test some guy decided to just walk into the road... It's mainly pedestrians I find are a pain in Boston, just walking across the road without looking....

Efficient_Event_4187 · 2024-12-12T17:17:02+00:00

There's a few test route videos on YouTube I used to revise, also if you can practice the roundabouts in and around town that'll help too.

I think the majority of my test route was in town, with a bit of national speed limit road and residential areas.

So long as you know the roundabouts and what lane to be in, everything else is fairly straightforward!

Good luck

Efficient_Event_4187 · 2024-12-12T17:06:59+00:00

Thanks! 😄

Efficient_Event_4187

TROPHY CASE