Driving your own car has little to no benefits if you may consider. If you intend to learn to drive in your own vehicle, you might get a discount during the lessons; even so, you will be investing more rather than saving money. No matter which vehicle you choose to drive, the main issue raises whether you would pass the test to get the driver’s license.
The Hazard Perception Test is often postulated to be one of the hardest tests to pass; with the exception of the HPT test online from easydrivingtest.com.au, it’s made easy. You can practice unlimited simulation tests structured just like the state test and eventually upgrade to a P1 license. Besides, the following explains why it’s not recommended to learn to drive in your own car.
Investment in fuels
You might save money on the lessons, but it comes with some drawbacks. You might spend more than you have estimated on fuels. Especially since you are a learner, you need to practice more often to hone your skills. You have to spend money on replacing consumable items such as motor oil, radiator coolant, power steering fluid, brake fluid, wiper blades, and brake pads and need to pay attention to the maintenance of your car and make sure it runs smoothly on a regular basis.
No excess to dual controls
Dual controls make it easier to control the car as the instructor is more familiar with the controls, such as breaks and clutches. However, with no dual controls, there is a high risk you might lose control of the car. You can add dual controls in your car, but the price is equivalent to your driving lessons, and you might not need it later.
Renting a car
Renting a car for a learner might be quite expensive. Car rentals usually require you to have a license to rent a car, and it has some age restrictions. However, you could always rent a car from someone you know, but it also comes with some drawbacks. As a beginner, the cracks and bumps on the car are quite common while you drive. You might need to pay extra for the repair, which is quite a burden.
Buying a car
Buying a car is not cheap. Even if you buy a used car for learning purposes, you might need to pay vehicle taxes. Well, buying a car is not something you should fancy if you are on a tight budget. You will be familiar with learning to drive a car by the time you complete the driving course, and that’s about the time you buy a new car. You can also practice whenever you want. It may help you pass the driving lessons with ease. The best choice would be to hone your skills before committing to buy a car.
Car Insurance
Only the learner requires car insurance, but the instructor also needs to drive your car to guide you in case of emergency or difficulty. Subsequently, some instructor’s insurance policies might cover them to drive your car.
You can also get learner driver auto insurance, which encourages you to learn to drive in any car as long as you’re accompanied by someone who is at least 21 years old and has had a full driver’s license for at least three years. However, having insurance for both of you is likely to be very expensive. When you learn in a driving center, your car insurance is covered, and you do not need to worry about additional charges.
You might not get a Discount
Since you are a learner, you need proper guidance to be able to drive a car, for which you need an instructor. You might receive a very little or no discount at all, depending on the instructor. You might receive some discount for saving fuel cost, but they might charge you heavily for their training and knowledge. They might also find it difficult to teach a beginner in an unfamiliar car with no dual controls.
Car damage
When you learn from an instructor in your own car, you might avoid major damages. However, beginners tend to make a lot of mistakes, and minor damages such as scratches, scrapes, cracked headlights are very normal. Even if you don’t own an expensive car, repair and maintenance might cost you a fortune.
When you learn in the driving center, you do not have to worry about such minor damages. The instructors are very familiar with the car and prevent you from accidents with the help of controls. The cars are usually in good condition, and there is not much of a difference. And in case of damage, the instructors are responsible for the maintenance or repair of the car, and you can save money and manpower for maintaining your car.
Hiring a professional
Hiring a professional might not be cheap. An instructor usually charges you according to learning hours. Some might take extra charges since teaching in a personal car is more difficult and comes with risks.
If you learn from a professional, they give you proper guidance to pass the test. They help you overcome your fears and point out your mistakes which helps you in the long run. You might want to learn from family and friends, but the training might not be equivalent to that of the professional trainer. You are more likely to pass the test with professional training.
Final thoughts
Once you are comfortable without dual controls, you can drive in an open space in your own comfort. When you practice in an open place, you do not need to worry about hitting on something; by then, you will get familiar with your car and the controls. Once you are familiar with your car, you can practice driving on roads at a slow pace; however, driving on highways without a license is not recommended.
At last, it would be cheaper to take the driving lessons at the driving school if you are a beginner, but it is a different story if you are an intermediate learner. Besides, if you are an experienced driver before and have basic knowledge of driving a car, then you can consider driving in your own car.
