Finally did my Driver Theory test on Monday there. Thought it’d be as simple as passing it and you have your provisional licence. But no, I’ve to get an opticians test, get some form off the Garda and send away the Op test, my actual passport, 2 passport photos and my Birth Cert (God knows where that is).
Anyway, anybody any advice on getting started be it lessons, getting insured, what car to buy etc.?
Dont buy a Focus.
Put car in gear.
[quote=“Pikeman”]Finally did my Driver Theory test on Monday there. Thought it’d be as simple as passing it and you have your provisional licence. But no, I’ve to get an opticians test, get some form off the Garda and send away the Op test, my actual passport, 2 passport photos and my Birth Cert (God knows where that is).
Anyway, anybody any advice on getting started be it lessons, getting insured, what car to buy etc.?[/quote]
Buy some kind of a rubber yoke someplace,yer going to need it id say,what age are ya if you dont mind me asking?
Rubber yoke?
I’m 26. Late enough I know but never had the money, the time or point of doing it til recently really.
[quote=“Pikeman”]Rubber yoke?
I’m 26. Late enough I know but never had the money, the time or point of doing it til recently really.[/quote]
I’m 26 too Pikeman and the most I’ve driven is round in a circle in an empty car-park in New Zealand.
The older I get the more scared I am of driving, which isn’t good.
always amazed when i meet a 30 something jackeen who never learned to drive. Met one of these just last week, married man, 35, never sat behind a wheel the wife drives.
I cant process this information.
[quote=“Thrawneen”]I’m 26 too Pikeman and the most I’ve driven is round in a circle in an empty car-park in New Zealand.
The older I get the more scared I am of driving, which isn’t good.[/quote]
Used to drive around at home a bit when I was younger, we had a really long lane, so I’d be flying up and down it. Never been on the road though so wouldn’t be great at knowing the gears and all.
Used to drive the old Davy Brown around the place too but I don’t think that was a valuable lesson considering it used to take both hands to change the gear stick and your full weight to turn the steering wheel.
[quote=“Pikeman”]Finally did my Driver Theory test on Monday there. Thought it’d be as simple as passing it and you have your provisional licence. But no, I’ve to get an opticians test, get some form off the Garda and send away the Op test, my actual passport, 2 passport photos and my Birth Cert (God knows where that is).
Anyway, anybody any advice on getting started be it lessons, getting insured, what car to buy etc.?[/quote]
get lessons asap and do your driving test asap. I drove on provisional for years, stupid it cost me more in insurance and I felt way more confident when Id passed my test.
By a Totota Corrola, hatchback maybe. wont let you down and they are a nice drive.
And get someone to show you the basics on car maintenance
Pikeman, you posh prick with your very long lane.
was it a lane or a passage I wonder. Id say a passage seeing as there were tractors involved
yeah get the full license asap. Provisional is a balls. insurance fooks you right up. I suppose I was lucky enough that when I had the provisional I was driving the parents car so was a named driver so it didnt cost me too much, and when I bought my first car I had the full license. hard to look further than Quinn for insurance for young male drivers with no past experience.
dont get a great car. buy something cheap and cheerful that’ll last. even something like a polo would do you fine for now. small hatchback type car with small engine will also reduce the insurance and tax. wont be stylish or anything, but saves a lot at this stage with only a provisional. can go mad getting your big 2L saloons when you have a year or 2 done and a full license.
Wouldn’t say that if you saw it. Lane is full of potholes as it’s the only access for a farmer to the field beside us. Tore up from his farm machinery so it is.
Gman-aiming for around the 8grand mark and below? Too much? Wouldn’t be into saloon cars anyway, a nice compact car would do me and whatever I get should be a keeper for a few years.
[quote=“Pikeman”]Wouldn’t say that if you saw it. Lane is full of potholes as it’s the only access for a farmer to the field beside us. Tore up from his farm machinery so it is.
Gman-aiming for around the 8grand mark and below? Too much? Wouldn’t be into saloon cars anyway, a nice compact car would do me and whatever I get should be a keeper for a few years.[/quote]
Should get a decent Toyota Corolla hatch back for that price, something like this or an earlier model of it.
[quote=“myboyblue”]Should get a decent Toyota Corolla hatch back for that price, something like this or an earlier model of it.
http://cdn.motors.co.uk/d/used-photos/huge/L/N/LN02ULC.jpg[/quote]
Yeah that looks the job alright MBB
Yeah - once you have the provisional apply straight away for the full.
Otherwise you will be happy sitting on the provisional and no motivation
to move. Although how strictly are they monitoring this qualified driver accompanyment thing?
Get lessons. I thought I would have no bother passing the test without them but the amount of bad habits I had picked up was unreal. They are essential for passing the test.
Would agree on the small car as well for reasons Gman said.
I did my first few basic lessons with my brother in July 2007.
I got my theory test in August 07.
I did a few lessons then in Dublin in October/Novemeber 07.
Started driving to work then in December.
Drove home to Kilkenny for the first time in early December. That was scary.
I did my first test in May 08 which i failed with 11 grade 2s in the Rathgar test center with the RSA.
The most joyless man I have ever met was my examiner.
Looking back I probably wan’t ready but still did well.
I did my second in September which I failed with 10 grade 2s in the Kilkenny test centre with SGS.
I did my third there last week and finally passed in SGS in Kilkenny again. 7 ticks.
It’s a long painful process.
Enjoy!
I have a 2000 VW Golf. I know nothing about cars.
I got insured with Quinn the first year. It was around €1500.
This year it was €750 with Zurich via insure.ie. We get discounts with them through work.
You are not a qualified accountant Pikeman by any chance? Frank Glennon brokers beside the Barge do great deals for such people. The ICAI have a deal with them.
I have heard that Glennon is actually the cheapest around anyway, accountant or non accountant.
[quote=“Pikeman”]Wouldn’t say that if you saw it. Lane is full of potholes as it’s the only access for a farmer to the field beside us. Tore up from his farm machinery so it is.
Gman-aiming for around the 8grand mark and below? Too much? Wouldn’t be into saloon cars anyway, a nice compact car would do me and whatever I get should be a keeper for a few years.[/quote]
yeah if you have a car in mind, find out the insurance price before you buy it. might not be worth your while getting it, insurance could cost well over 2,000.
have a look here for some comparative costs. you’d be a bit between the first one and the fourth one, but probably closer to the first. http://www.itsyourmoney.ie/motorinsurancecomparison
I wouldnt be spending the full 8 on the car anyway. 6 at most, insurance and tax are big factors in the cost.
[quote=“Gman”]yeah if you have a car in mind, find out the insurance price before you buy it. might not be worth your while getting it, insurance could cost well over 2,000.
have a look here for some comparative costs. you’d be a bit between the first one and the fourth one, but probably closer to the first. http://www.itsyourmoney.ie/motorinsurancecomparison
I wouldnt be spending the full 8 on the car anyway. 6 at most, insurance and tax are big factors in the cost.[/quote]
Insurance has come back a lot though in recent years. You sure on the 2k? Pikeman said he is over 25.
[quote=“farmerinthecity”]You are not a qualified accountant Pikeman by any chance? Frank Glennon brokers beside the Barge do great deals for such people. The ICAI have a deal with them.
I have heard that Glennon is actually the cheapest around anyway, accountant or non accountant.[/quote]
Nope not an accountant-I do know a lad that works for the ICAI though if that’d get me a deal.
I’m on carzone.ie and car buyers guide but trying to whittle it down in my mind as to the type of car I want still.