Really want to get some driving lessons, found some that are cheap for how many you get with BSM but have read things about them that isnt too good then other things that are really good. Just want to find out do i go with them or someone else?

Not really.

UK average first time pass rate - 48%.

BSM first time pass rate - 58%.

My instructors first time pass rate - 84%.

My girlfriends instructor is in the 70-somthing %.

Yeah BSM were £5ph cheaper - but is it really worth it?

Really depends on the instructor teaching you..
The guy I had with BSM was really good, I passed 1st time..
My mum used BSM also with a different instructor and failed 2 times, passed 3rd..

There are better driving instructors out there. I was ok with them.

More expensive than most, at least around here.

I went with the AA, still learning but in just over 2 months I am ready for my test which you've just reminded me to book

At any rate BSM will have its good and its bad instructers, just like the AA will...just like any driving school.

The good things with the big schools is the cars are always new. If you go with the AA the instructers get a new Ford Focus every 6 months.

My friend is with a private instructor and she has so far had 3 months and she's only just started driving the whole way, and she gets pissed off because her instructer gets pissed off it she grinds the gears or uses something incorrectly when its of course the learning process.

Basically, BSM might be the best driving school for you, they may be the worst...everyones different.

a lot of the answers im getting from various people all include the same "it depends who you get"

i personally want someone that does have a go if u get something wrong because then you will eventually learn that you shouldnt be doing it and not do it again.

Quote from trebor901 :

i personally want someone that does have a go if u get something wrong because then you will eventually learn that you shouldnt be doing it and not do it again.

Why wouldn't you learn it when it's someone that just calmly explains the mistake you made? I couldn't imagine anything worse than a driving teacher who just yells at you after the slightest mistake, tbh.

Quote from zeugnimod :

Why wouldn't you learn it when it's someone that just calmly explains the mistake you made? I couldn't imagine anything worse than a driving teacher who just yells at you after the slightest mistake, tbh.

Happened to me, the instructor started shouting at me for going a little too quick (5mph over the limit on that road). I told him to shut up and drove myself home. This guy was meant to be one of the best in the area (G Bennett in the Great Yarmouth/Lowestoft area).

Really puts you off when they shout and theres no need for it. If there was something jumping out infront that I hadn't noticed then i'd understand the reason for shouting, but a stupid little thing like going a little too quick or not checking your mirrors often enough is ridiculous.

i dont mean yell at you just tell you with some seriousness not shouting cos if they shout at me then i'll shout back

I found BSM massively overpriced.

The guy I'm learning with is £27.50 for 90 minutes and he's amazing. IIRC, BSM lessons are £40 for the same amount of time.

Quote from Crashgate3 :

I found BSM massively overpriced.

The guy I'm learning with is £27.50 for 90 minutes and he's amazing. IIRC, BSM lessons are £40 for the same amount of time.

10 hours with BSM is £220

Still nearly a fiver more per hour than I'm paying.

I chose to keep away from large companies due to rumours about poor customer care and stuff. My dad knew a private instructor so I just went with that, really cheap at £175 for 10 hours. No complaints so far and having done about 22 hours I've booked my test for 9th of December

I learnt with The AA and I liked my instructor so much (easy to get on with, good teaching style, etc) that when he quit The AA and set-up an independent I switched over. It even worked out a few bob cheaper than The AA.

The biggest thing is the car you learn in. BSM are switching to Fiat 500's -though currently still using Corsa's, the switch of vehicle will hinder you somewhat if it happens the day of your test- so expect them to spend their life in the garage getting fixed, The AA use Ford Focus's, which comically the company they lease from used to have RAC break down cover, but I digress, there are a few independents round here that use poverty spec BMW 3-Series. All of which will make learning to drive somewhat more interesting.

The best thing to do is ask around your friends and family who have passed as to who they used and what they thought of them. But ultimately, go where you think you will learn more and remember that statistics mean nothing to the individual. BSM have a large number of new students each year so their average is going to be lower. All it does is highlight the range of driving ability students have who join that driving school.

Learning to drive in a 3-series?! WTH!

I learnt in a Fiesta...!

The GF is learning with a guy driving a brand new Renault with alloy wheels... :/

It did sound interesting, more so as I saw said Beamers out in the winter when it was rather icy on the roads. I'm sure someone had a clenched arse hole.

Shiny alloys can be an issue with learners, when my instructor was still with The AA he had his car replaced because a student smashed up a standard alloy and Ford claimed it didn't exist. Which seemed weird to me.

My mum went with BSM when she was learning to drive, she had 2 different instructors from them, both were crap. They wouldn't let her out of 2nd gear or go any more than 15-20mph.

I went with a local company myself, they only had about 3 drivers. The instructor I had was brilliant, was very calm (too calm in some situations for my liking) and never shouted and was constantly praising the driving (which gave me a great boost xD)....

I'd steer clear of big companies myself, overpriced and poor service (£26 and hour is the norm with BSM in my area - Paid £18 an hour with Hooters).

Up to you dude, your money spend it wisely.

I went with a local insturctor with a Hyundai Getz. Awful car to drive, but he had an 85% first time pass rate and was cheaper than other local companies, he was recommended by a friend too and he was a brilliant instructor! I had my test passed within 3 months of starting lessons. First time pass with 1 minor which was my own mistake and nothing to do with the car. So I think if you're taught well the type of car you learn in shouldn't matter.

The weirdest thing was after passing my test going to a brand new Toyota Yaris, which, compared to the Getz was a joy to drive, but still awful compared to the Ford Focus I have today. Takes some time to adapt to a different car, but once you get used to things like where the 4 corners of it are, clutch biting points, way it handles etc. you'll have no problems at all.

Brand-new Fiesta here.

Quote from Alex_Ward :

I've booked my test for 9th of December

Mine's on the 1st December. *excited*

Going to be interesting, as the first thing I'm going to be doing is renting a car and driving down to Reading from Manchester on new-years-eve.. I've booked a few lessons of motorway driving with my instructor for the few weeks after my test, and he's also said he'll teach me how to drive *properly* as opposed to how to drive to pass a test.

Quote from Crashgate3 :

Brand-new Fiesta here.



Mine's on the 1st December. *excited*

Going to be interesting, as the first thing I'm going to be doing is renting a car and driving down to Reading from Manchester on new-years-eve.. I've booked a few lessons of motorway driving with my instructor for the few weeks after my test, and he's also said he'll teach me how to drive *properly* as opposed to how to drive to pass a test.

Haha.

I hope to be doing that Pass Plus thing after too, is it worth it though?

Quote from Crashgate3 :

and he's also said he'll teach me how to drive *properly* as opposed to how to drive to pass a test.

First thing my instructor told me when I got in the car was "I'm going to teach you to pass a test, you don't really learn driving properly until you're out there on your own." and he was right! I've been driving for 4 1/2 years and I'm still learning, my biggest problem is I'm sometimes too hesitant to overtake, but I'd rather be hesitant than end up going head to head with a car coming the other way!

Quote from Crashgate3 :

Mine's on the 1st December. *excited*

23rd November

[Yes, clear the roads!]

Pass Plus is ok, alot of counties do a discount scheme where combined with your insurance pays you back effectively, plus it cant hurt full stop to do it - to be fair though rural driving I do all the time, motorways seemed the same as dual carriageways and night time driving I do anyway.

Time flies - I only passed on December the 4th last year... Driven over 16,000 miles since then...!

Quote from Alex_Ward :

Haha.

I hope to be doing that Pass Plus thing after too, is it worth it though?

It's not pass-plus I'm doing (I'm too old for it affect my insurance as far as I can tell - it didn't affect the prices on any of the quote comparison sites I used anyway) it's just a few extra lessons after the test to tell me what else I need to do and what I need to pretend I never learned.

Quote from J@tko :

23rd November

[Yes, clear the roads!]

I could have got 23rd, but it would have meant doing it in rush-hour. The date a week later had a slot at midday.

Quote from Crashgate3 :

first thing I'm going to be doing is renting a car

Highly unlikely. Very few rental places will rent to anyone who hasn't held a licence for 2 years and is under 21 (I have no idea how old you are) as their insurance won't cover it. If you do find somewhere that will rent to you, you will have to pay a kings ransom.