Haha, if you've already got a set of wheels before your licence then I'd hold off until you get going... You don't want to be that "all the gear, no idea" guy!

I do like the birthday cake received albeit late from my employer.

I also like winning the first prize on the very random selection Christmas raffle last night lol

I do like the birthday cake received albeit late from my employer.

I also like winning the first prize on the very random selection Christmas raffle last night lol

For me to have that, I'd have buy it for myself, to give it to myself :D - the unseen hazard of your own business, no employer gifts. :P

Must. Resist. Temptation.

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That's one your dream cars!

You should go for it, Chris

Haha, if you've already got a set of wheels before your licence then I'd hold off until you get going... You don't want to be that "all the gear, no idea" guy!

Yeah I will be waiting until never the time. I've got an off road lesson just before Christmas. Haven't driven in a year so very excited!

That's one your dream cars!

You should go for it, Chris

I would if I could! :)

just buy it and worry about the parking detail later :p

I had a car before I had a licence; almost 3 years before I had a licence, in the words of my Mum "clogging up the drive"

But in doing so, I learned all about mechanics, engines, restoration, welding, paint work etc.

A 1964 Ford Corsair, very similar to this,

In my experience of driving instruction having a car before having a licence has it's pro's & cons

The advantages are as above & in addition some vehicle familiarisation & off road practice can be achieved, albeit ''learning'' from family or friends, which has advantages & drawbacks too.

A major drawback with car ownership prior to licence ownership is that the novice is over keen to drive the car & this often results in failing the driving test due to excessive pressure & excitement at that prospect

In my experience of driving instruction having a car before having a licence has it's pro's & cons

The advantages are as above & in addition some vehicle familiarisation & off road practice can be achieved, albeit ''learning'' from family or friends, which has advantages & drawbacks too.

A major drawback with car ownership prior to licence ownership is that the novice is over keen to drive the car & this often results in failing the driving test due to excessive pressure & excitement at that prospect

Indeed, yes, failed mine 1st time, in the Corsair :( passed it 6 weeks later though, in the driving school Golf :)

Failing a driving test at the first attempt isn't the end of the world & in my experience is often caused by nerves rather than being incapable.

No driving instructor should present a novice for test if that novice has not got a theoretical 90% chance of passing, as failing often leads to disappointment & a reduction in confidence.

Females have a far higher pass rate than males & I found with just a few exceptions females a joy to teach, mainly because they listen more . . . . :)

A driver that passes at the 2nd or 3rd attempt is often a safer & more knowledgeable driver as a result of the extra tuition received.

Failing more than 3 times is a major cause for concern which requires urgent investigation i.m.o.

I think I was a tad too overconfident the first time round, which essentially led me to make silly errors.

I often sat in on many of my novices driving tests & very few drove to the best of their ability - even those who passed first time - the thought of the nasty, or scary '' triple headed, alien, fang toothed, human eating, driving examiner '' was often the cause . . . . :)

I do like that my bulk oil purchase has turned up early :)

100L of Ford Formula F 5W/30 at a very reasonable £300, including delivery :)

The UPS chap was complaining a bit though, "what is it? it's very heavy! there's quite a few boxes!"

Are you becoming a reseller? :p

I do like that my bulk oil purchase has turned up early :)

100L of Ford Formula F 5W/30 at a very reasonable £300, including delivery :)

The UPS chap was complaining a bit though, "what is it? it's very heavy! there's quite a few boxes!"

If you stockpile too much oil, the Americans will be after it !!. ( bit political ).

Are you becoming a reseller? :P

No, just my Mk1 and Mk2 Foci servicing needs, for the next little while. :)

Toyed with getting 200L, but don't want to get caught out, if I've bought too much, and then buy cars that use a different spec.

My mates Dad bought three barrels of 20w/50 during the oil crisis in the 1970's, his car requirements changed: he's still got about 500L left

I do like that my bulk oil purchase has turned up early :)

100L of Ford Formula F 5W/30 at a very reasonable £300, including delivery :)

The UPS chap was complaining a bit though, "what is it? it's very heavy! there's quite a few boxes!"

Care to ship me a few litres?

It just occurred to me recently when I went to top up the Primera's oil that I don't have any left.

I went through almost 5 litres over the last 12 months of the Focus' life when it was leaking like a sift. Didn't burn a drop (unlike the Nissan), just poured out of a hole somewhere in the sump.

Care to ship me a few litres?

It just occurred to me recently when I went to top up the Primera's oil that I don't have any left.

I went through almost 5 litres over the last 12 months of the Focus' life when it was leaking like a sift. Didn't burn a drop (unlike the Nissan), just poured out of a hole somewhere in the sump.

I remember cracking the sump on a Cortina, and having 14 miles to drive home :( It wasn't exactly pouring out, but I got through about one litre a mile! and had to stop at all the petrol stations on the way back, to replenish my supply

Failing a driving test at the first attempt isn't the end of the world & in my experience is often caused by nerves rather than being incapable.

No driving instructor should present a novice for test if that novice has not got a theoretical 90% chance of passing, as failing often leads to disappointment & a reduction in confidence.

Females have a far higher pass rate than males & I found with just a few exceptions females a joy to teach, mainly because they listen more . . . . :)

A driver that passes at the 2nd or 3rd attempt is often a safer & more knowledgeable driver as a result of the extra tuition received.

Failing more than 3 times is a major cause for concern which requires urgent investigation i.m.o.

I passed 4th time lol

1st time - instructor came with me...was more bad luck than bad driving (and the examiner is/was a *male chicken*)

2nd time - nerves got the better of me

3rd time - same examiner as the 1st time. In my opinion, he was excessively harsh and said I did emergency stop (Noo...I braked because a truck started to pull out then stopped)

4th time - same examiner again...this time...he was being watched!!

Found out later that the centre was being audited - primarily due to a high number of complaints about one particular examiner...guess who...

^^ Exactly my point Sean ^^

In your case the cause for concern was evidently the examiner & test centre - as 4 test failures are very rare

I do like finally getting to spend my 50 pound voucher from Ford m c , spending it on some lurvely rubber mats, winter screenwash and duxback

I do like having an unbroken record of 38 MOT's passed with no advisories; nor fails, across 6 vehicles and 18 years. The 38th was passed this morning, on my Mum's Mk1 Focus Zetec. :)

Yet, I'm not a time-served mechanic, just largely a self-taught one.

I do like having an unbroken record of 38 MOT's passed with no advisories; nor fails, across 6 vehicles and 18 years. The 38th was passed this morning, on my Mum's Mk1 Focus Zetec. :)

Yet, I'm not a time-served mechanic, just largely a self-taught one.

You got a MK1 Focus through an MOT without the trailing arm bushes advisory!? Jesus, you're lucky!

You got a MK1 Focus through an MOT without the trailing arm bushes advisory!? Jesus, you're lucky!

I've yet to experience the trailing arm bushes advisory, in fact, any advisory on my Mum's Mk1.

Probably, because I check absolutely everything (MOT required or not) in it's 12 month service, that occurs before, I even consider booking an MOT slot

Well done Ghana thats quite a good achievement, Every car I have had, has had an advisory, more often than not it's bushes or brake pipes(garage I use has a fetish for rusty pipes lol). No doubt my 61 plate will advisory on brake pipes lol. However in happier news I do like the fact my Heko's have come today. YAAAAYYYYYYYY no more getting wet when the car steams up