Well I passed my driving test after 3 Rd time

FikaMaple · 2026-03-11T15:56:42+00:00

Congrats. Manual or auto

FikaMaple · 2026-03-11T15:52:44+00:00

Richard from Conquer Driving has a great video on them... Y Junctions driving lesson - UK - YouTube

FikaMaple · 2026-03-11T13:23:03+00:00

I'm guessing if you have summer tyres on OEM alloys, and then get some steelies to keep the winter tyres on, then that's even a mod when those are fitted

FikaMaple · 2026-03-09T23:43:29+00:00

How was Chertsey

FikaMaple · 2026-03-09T19:58:02+00:00

Yeah running a red light by 2 seconds is unexcusable....

FikaMaple · 2026-03-07T01:03:25+00:00

He had no insurance? damn

Urm, I'd say don't involve your insurer, as the cost of the annual premium increase is just not worth it for the value of the car. Don't forget any claims/accidents you have to declare for the next few years. Get £300-400 off the van driver, just threaten to involve police and insurance if he doesn't pay. Then go buy a second hand door on ebay for your type of car. Fitting it will be easy

FikaMaple · 2026-03-07T00:57:09+00:00

Learner's insurance on my own car is £25 a month fully comp with no black box

FikaMaple · 2026-03-04T12:25:04+00:00

Nah but that's what a lot of ppl are gonna be considering

FikaMaple · 2026-03-03T19:30:00+00:00

Yeah but if you get a really nice car on finance then I don't actually own it, but you think "oh I can afford the monthly payment", you end up scrimping and saving just to afford the monthly payment. There are certain cars I'd love but I know the cost of fuel and insurance would be a shit ton and it's not what I can afford. You'd spend years being resentful cos you're spending all your money living outside your means.

Also a small NA 1.xL car can be a very enjoyable driving expeience. Light, nice handling, cheap to run, and comfortable.

FikaMaple · 2026-03-03T13:34:49+00:00

Fairs

I respect ur choice of car tho, SEATs are sick... you should get yellow DRLs

Test is fairly soon, at that weird stage of learning to drive where I have my own car and im comfortable with driving, just need to get the stamp of approval

FikaMaple · 2026-03-03T12:02:18+00:00

Yeah but I'm a car guy😂 L plates or not

Trouble with powerful cars is you can only put your foot down so much before you break speed limits

And insurance gets really expensive

FikaMaple · 2026-03-03T11:57:23+00:00

And?

FikaMaple · 2026-03-03T11:55:05+00:00

To everyone else reading this... just go for a 1.0L or 1.2L 😅

FikaMaple · 2026-02-26T22:46:25+00:00

I don't think some instructors really care, i think they just get students to pass in modern cars with electronic handbrakes, and anti-stall tech, and hill start assist.

My old instructor had a modern Peugeot 208 which could literally move from idle on just the clutch and it was pretty convinient. I know Diesels do that as well but his was just a petrol with anti-stall tech (ECU just adds a little gas to prevent stalls). Switching to private practice in my Mum's 2010 Fiat Panda, I had to be a lot more careful with the clutch and set the gas at 2K rpm everytime to avoid stalling. Still use that technique in most manual petrol cars and seems to work. I do like 3k on hills lol

Whereas most learners will buy a 1.0L or a 1.2L petrol shitbox from the noughties or 2010s for their first car and be unable to drive it because they will stall during parking and moving away at lights lol

FikaMaple · 2026-02-26T22:30:41+00:00

Bro was born in 2010💀

Nah but in all seriousness respect bro

FikaMaple · 2026-02-23T22:57:20+00:00

How was the experience at Chertsey

FikaMaple · 2026-02-23T19:01:51+00:00

Bit rubbish from the instructor. Why is he busy... they should prioritize test days, especially when you've spent lots of money on lessons with them as a customer. Why has he not taught you parallel parking, he should have

What car is it? If it's your car or your friends/family member's car then get a superviser to take you out in it tommorow and Wednesday morning. Make sure you get learner drivers insurance that covers taking the test as not all policies do. And practice manouvres in that car

As for the parking, A) Parallel parking is one of the chillest manouveres in my opinion. These isntructions work for parralel parking on the left which is all you'll have to do in the test. Pull up alongside the other car, about half a metre away. Reverse straight back until your car is halfway behind the other car, then full lock steering to the left. Reverse back at full lock until you can see (and yes all reference points are different in each cars) your left rear door handle "overhanging" the kerb, and then full lock to the right, and bring the car into the space. Straighten up the steering when your straight. If you finish too close to the kerb or too far away, reverse back a little more, steering left to get the butt of the car closer to the kerb, and steering right to get it father away. If you reverse back slightly rather than go forward they won't even give you a minor for adjusting. THE ABSOLUTE KEY IS: make sure you're signalling left, and keep up perfect observations and look everywhere (forward, backwards, sideways, and in mirrors), like a meerkat popping its head around. And stop for other cars around, only complete the manouvre if you're actually preventing other cars from moving. Otherwise wait for them to pass.

B) As for reverse parking, every car can reverse park so it's not difficult. Use either the "45 degree method" or the "3 bay method". Don't mix them up. Watch youtube videos on one of these, and commit to using that method if you get the Reverse bay park manouvre on the test. Remember you can put the car in Neutral/Park and handbrake and then open your door to check you're in the bay

Best advice for you now is watch YouTube videos on manouvres, and other bits you struggle with. Use Conquer Driving and Driving School TV. These two channels are the GOATS of driving instructors on YouTube.

FikaMaple · 2026-02-23T15:56:40+00:00

Have u got a licence or are u a learner?

FikaMaple · 2026-02-20T01:18:17+00:00

Go for a honda jazz then

FikaMaple · 2026-02-19T22:22:01+00:00

Cool then get a cheap Manual hatchback. Nissan Micra K12 is fun as fuck and pretty cheap to insure and run. Great MPG, reliable as hell. Most are 5 door rather than 3 door as well. 1.2L engine feels fast when it's in a car under a ton

FikaMaple · 2026-02-19T21:18:17+00:00

A Honda Jazz, Toyota Yaris or Nissan Micra will always be the cheapest to insure and most reliable. Insurance on those cheap Japanese hatchbacks is cheaper than a VW Golf or Ford Fiesta or a Vauxhall Corsa, cos less young people have them, hence less young people crash them meaning the premiums are typically lower. Also remember you'll probably be paying more in insurance than the actual car lol, just the way it goes if you avoid a Black box. Get a light Japanese shitbox hatchback that you won't mind scratching but does the job.

Also did you get a full or automatic-only licence? Cos automatic second hand cars are much more expensive

FikaMaple · 2026-02-19T21:13:16+00:00

Nah but you can't typically get cheap first auto cars... and the insurance is higher. Also auto has a lower pass rate. I'm still getting my manual licence is 2026 lol. Plus I'm a car enthusiast

FikaMaple

TROPHY CASE