Volvo C30 R-Design 1.6 petrol as a First Car
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- Опубликовано: 15 окт 2024
- In this video we evaluate the Volvo C30 R-Design (1.6L petrol) as a potential First Car, against ‘the Driving Instructor’s first car criteria’ we outlined in this video: • Choosing your First Ca...
By virtue of having a Driving Instructor dad, my son was probably exposed to more driver training than many young drivers, and his L-Test pass and Examiner’s feedback reflected this. By virtue of being human he as susceptible to making rookie errors of judgement as any novice driver. SAFETY is therefore our key criteria, ahead of fuel economy, road tax, etc.
For those looking for something slightly different to the usual suspects in the 10+ year old First Car consideration set, the Volvo C30 R-Design makes a strong candidate. Based on the Ford Focus platform, the sleek P1800 inspired 2+2 coupe styling is conceptually reminiscent of my 1995 Volkswagen VR 6 Corrado Storm. Derived from Volvo’s Safety Concept car, the R-Design variant adds ‘wings & war paint’ to appeal to a younger audience, while the 100bhp & 150Nm output from the 1.6L “Ford” engine coupled with an array of class leading safety features gain the approval of parents & insurance companies alike:
Insurance group 16.
Annual Road Tax currently £290.
Fuel Economy 40 mpg Combined.
CO2, 167 gm/km EURO 4.
Full model specification detail: www.ultimatesp...
B416S3 Engine: mymotorlist.co...
Volvo Safety Concept Car: • Volvo Safety Concept Car
Euro N-Cap: euroncap.newsm...
C30 rear impact protection & spare wheel well: • Краш-тест - Volvo C30 ...
C30 Whiplash seats: • Volvo Whiplash protect...
Crash Test 2 door cars: • Crash tests of 2-door ...
Latest crash testing: • Why New Cars Keep FAIL...
Understanding Tyres: • Tyres - Tyre Safety Ch...
Brembo Extra Brakes Discs & Pads: • Brembo X Range: the be...
Car & Driving’s Review: • Volvo C30 2006-2009 | ...
MoT History Checker; enter the registration number of any car: www.gov.uk/che...
Common C30 faults / MoT failure points:
1. Windscreens can come loose due to an adhesive bonding issue at the Volvo factory. Costs circa £100 to have the screen carefully removed and rebounded.
2. Front Lower Suspension Control Arm bushes wear out, circa £100 + fitting each side.
3. Handbrake ‘no reserve travel’, requires rear brake discs and pads; rear callipers auto adjust the handbrake.
4. Orange indicator bulb decolorisation circa £15 each.
5. Blown front & rear bulbs due to constant day-time running.
6. Cambelt replacement is due every 8 years/ 72k miles; circa £650.
7. ‘anti skid service required’ ABS pump / system related problems can be very expensive.
Reverse gear can be tricky to select on the 5-speed manual gearbox (Ford IB5) due to a lack of synchromesh on reverse - an ‘idiosyncrasy’ rather than fault.
* The decorative metal over-caps on the wheel nuts can expand with moisture ingress, making it almost impossible to remove the nuts without an oversized socket. Circa £44 for a complete set of nuts. Well worth replacing before getting stuck with a road side puncture!
Main Dealer Servicing:
£199 inc, oil & filter change Service - 12,000 miles
£ 79 inc, brake fluid change - 24,000 miles
C30s with their 1.6L Ford engines can achieve reasonably high milage (200k) if regularly serviced.
Important to replace Cambelt at the specified time/mileage interval (8 years/72k), along with the 2 aux belts. Spark Plugs have to come out during the Cambelt change, so replacing them at the same time (labour cost) with NGK Iridium Spark plugs (NGK LTR51X-11 4344) is worth doing; iridium plugs have a 50k mile service interval. Similarly, coolant can be refreshed during this belt service.
K&N Air Filter (E-2993) also has a 50k mile service (re-oil) interval.
Power Steering fluid also benefits from being refreshed.
This major ‘belt service’ would then leave just annual / 12,000 mile Oil & Filter Changes and 2 yearly / 24,000 mile brake fluid changes for the next 5 years / 50k of ownership.
Brembo Xtra front discs: 09.9464.1X
Brembo Xtra front pads: P 24 061X
Volvo rear brake pads: 31341331
LED DRL’s were fitted to C30’s, instead of Halogen Front Fog Lamps from chassis no 235668 onwards, 2012 - 2013. We retrofitted these light units to our 2010 car: Genuine Volvo LED DRL (3138206 n/s & 3138207 o/s) 4.8w each; Auto-Style DRL controller. Piggy back fused to Fuse 29 ‘Fog Lights’ in engine bay. OFF trigger feed to sidelight live wire - pin 7 Orange/green orange/blue)
The vast majority of other mechanical parts are interchangeable with Ford/MotorCraft items. Obsolete genuine Volvo parts sold off by Main Dealers are now available from specialists.
Technical Spec by model:
www.media.volv...
P1800 derived styling, 100bhp, an MG B GT for 2023!
In the 11 months since passing his driving test my son has managed to clock-up 12,000 miles, meaning the Volvo C30 was due an Oil & Filter Service today.
During these first 12,000 miles the car hasn’t missed a beat. A puncture on a stormy night two weeks ago the only unscheduled pause & expense. This event made me really pleased that I had renewed the ‘foil’ wrapped wheel nuts which are notorious for swelling/corroding making them extremely difficult to remove at the roadside.
The car also passed its MoT recently, with no Advisories.
We had undertaken an extensive post-purchase Service in January which included: Cam Belt, Spark Plugs, Coolant, Power Steering Fluid, Brake Fluid, Air Filter, Oil & Filter. In addition a full Brake Service including new front discs & pads, and rear pads.
Today’s service was therefore limited to an oil & filter service: 4 Litres of Quantum Longlife III (Castrol Edge) 5w30. With the engine under-tray off we also took the opportunity to Waxoyl some of the exposed subframes & arms to prevent surface rust forming through the impending winter rock salted roads months. I also replaced the driver’s side ‘winter pack’ Headlight Washer as it had been leaking and emptying the screen wash reservoir.
So, hopefully, the car is now set for Winter 2023 and the next 12,000.
My son continues to be very happy with the C30 as his first car, and the freedom of the road it has given him. As ‘dad’ and ‘DIY mechanic’ I am also very happy with the car, both in terms of its safety credentials, and also the cost & ease of maintenance.
Would you mind telling me costs of maintenance you mentioned? Only because I hear it's high which making me reconsider. Thanks
@@colinl5985 Hi Colin, I did the majority of the ‘labour’ on these Service & Maintenance tasks myself; I also shopped around carefully for the best parts prices. You can find Genuine Volvo Parts (‘old new stock’) for cars of this age quite reasonably priced as dealers dust off their shelves to make space for Polestar EVs! The model is also well supplied by the quality after market parts suppliers. Many parts will be interchangeable with the Ford Focus from which the C30 is derived. The engine and mechanicals are relatively ‘old school’ simple to work on for a normal general garage. Our local Volvo Main Agent has also been incredibly helpful & supportive with both Master Technician Advice and some parts sourcing.
Cambelt & Aux Belt at a Volvo Main Dealer £449 - the cost of one snapping significantly more!
Genuine Volvo Oil Filter £12.60, Sump Plug £7.50 - EuroCar Parts website will give costing on alternative brands
I have a TPS Account, so buy Quantum III / Castrol Edge 5w30 in bulk, but widely available ASDA, CostCo, Halfords.
Volvo Coolant £15.60, Coolant Header Tank £44.50
NGK Iridium Spark Plugs £36, though you don’t have to use iridium plugs for this engine.
We fitted a reusable Washable K&N air filter, £30 second hand washed & reoiled; at this age/mileage of car on a non-turbo engine it’s filtering will be adequate.
The Brembo Xtra discs & pads we fitted were a bit of a ‘Driving Instructor Indulgence’ on this car, and I happened to find someone selling a set - smaller 278mm discs £70 pair old-new stock, list price would be double that. Though normal non-drilled discs from any on the quality brands would be around what we paid, or less.
Rear Pads, genuine Volvo old-new stock £20 - really important to have good handbrake adjustment on these, they work really well if adjusted correctly, but a common MoT failure point.
OEM Volvo / Ford parts are widely available, and should give you good pedal feel and modulation; as would the quality aftermarket brands: Ferrodo, Pagid, Jurid, Bosch, etc.
From memory, matching in the Goodyear tyre that was punctured cost £120. We were fortunate that the car came with 4 reasonably new A-wet Rated Goodyear tyres. As you will see from my other videos, Tyres is certainly an area where I would encourage new drivers to ‘invest’ their money in their safety; along with brakes. My adage is ‘The car may be old, but the driver is young & inexperienced so likely to make rookie errors of judgement on speed, distance, severity of bend, weather conditions’. Quality tyres may just give you the opportunity to learn from those mistakes.
Removing & rebounding a loose windscreen, which C30’s are notorious for, circa £100.
Hope that gives you a shape of the typical Service costs. With a smooth driving technique, not ‘nailing’ the brakes, etc, I wouldn’t anticipate this car needing much more attention than oil & filter inspection services and tyres for the next 5 years / 60,000. So, divided across that time period, our costs were comparable to other insurable first car options; as well as making the car as mechanically safe as it can be - which is priceless!
If you won’t be doing the work yourself, have a chat with your local garage before buying a car, and see what they would charge for an ‘oil change’ service, and a ‘full service’. You can then budget accordingly. Adding a contingency pot for the things you will inevitably discover are wrong on a second hand car e.g. we had to replace a leaking headlamp washer which was emptying the screen wash reservoir. Relatively cheap to do for a DIY home mechanic, but professional garage labour costs would clearly add up. So check any potential purchase over carefully.
In reality, the Volvo C30 is a Ford Focus in a ‘pretty frock’, so Servicing costs should be similar to a blue oval Focus.
Also worth double checking Insurance Costs on the car. Prices generally seemed to have moved for young drivers (not specifically the Volvo C30); the tragic multiple fatalities reported in national news reports recently clearly having a significant financial impact on insurers.
Hi Colin, I did the majority of the ‘labour’ on these Service & Maintenance tasks myself; I also shopped around carefully for the best parts prices. You can find Genuine Volvo Parts (‘old new stock’) for cars of this age quite reasonably priced as dealers dust off their shelves to make space for Polestar EVs! The model is also well supplied by the quality after market parts suppliers. Many parts will be interchangeable with the Ford Focus from which the C30 is derived. The engine and mechanicals are relatively ‘old school’ simple to work on for a normal general garage. Our local Volvo Main Agent has also been incredibly helpful & supportive with both Master Technician Advice and some parts sourcing.
Cambelt & Aux Belt at a Volvo Main Dealer £449 - the cost of one snapping significantly more!
Genuine Volvo Oil Filter £12.60, Sump Plug £7.50 - EuroCar Parts website will give costing on alternative brands
I have a TPS Account, so buy Quantum III / Castrol Edge 5w30 in bulk, but widely available ASDA, CostCo, Halfords.
Volvo Coolant £15.60, Coolant Header Tank £44.50
NGK Iridium Spark Plugs £36, though you don’t have to use iridium plugs for this engine.
We fitted a reusable Washable K&N air filter, at this age/mileage of car on a non-turbo engine it’s filtering will be adequate.
The Brembo Xtra discs & pads we fitted were a bit of a ‘Driving Instructor Indulgence’ on this car, and I happened to find someone selling a set. OEM Volvo / Ford parts are widely available, and should give you good pedal feel and modulation; as would the quality aftermarket brands: Ferrodo, Pagid, Jurid, Bosch, etc.
From memory, matching in the Goodyear tyre that was punctured cost £120. We were fortunate that the car came with 4 reasonably new A-wet Rated Goodyear tyres. As you will see from my other videos, Tyres is certainly an area where I would encourage new drivers to ‘invest’ their money in their safety.
Removing & rebounding a loose windscreen, which C30’s are notorious for, circa £100.
Hope that gives you a shape of the typical Service costs.
If you won’t be doing the work yourself, have a chat with your local garage before buying a car, and see what they would charge for an ‘oil change’ service, and a ‘full service’. You can then budget accordingly. Adding a contingency pot for the things you will inevitably discover are wrong on a second hand car e.g. we had to replace a leaking headlamp washer which was emptying the screen wash reservoir. Relatively cheap to do for a DIY home mechanic, but professional garage labour costs would clearly add up. So check any potential purchase over carefully.
In reality, the Volvo C30 is a Ford Focus in a ‘pretty frock’, so Servicing costs should be similar to a blue oval Focus.
Also worth double checking Insurance Costs on the car. Prices generally seemed to have moved for young drivers (not Volvo C30 specifically); the tragic multiple fatalities reported in national news reports recently clearly having a significant financial impact on insurers.
After 20 months & 20k miles together the time has come for Jimmy’s First Car to go! 😔
Delighted that it’s going to my good friend & expert L-Instructor Jo (Driveswell). Hopefully her son will enjoy the car as much as Jimmy has, and will be able to feedback on the car so we can continue to update the comments attached to this video. Oil & Filter Service today at 116,405 miles, so should be set for the next 12 months / 12,000miles. Drive safe!
Had a 2013 c30 for a few months now and I would definetly recommend it so far
Thanks Felix, we’ve just passed 11 months and 12,000 miles, so just done oil & filter service. Passed it’s MoT Safety Inspection with no ‘advisory’ comments. We have Goodyear all season tyres fitted, so hopefully well set for the winter months - though we don’t get extreme temperature drops here on the south coast.
Hope you continue to have a positive & enjoyable ownership experience!
Braking Distance 62 - 0 mph: 38 meters
Source: www.media.volvocars.com/uk/en-gb/models/c30/2010/specifications
Excellent review, i own the 2.0l petrol (facelift) version, a very well built car,great handling and reliable.Only criticisms the car stereo can't be upgraded due to Volvos use of fibre optic wiring,the headlight are terrible even with upgraded Philips RacingVision GT200 H7 bulbs and the steering wheel is far to large,feels like driving a van/truck/tank! 😒
I found this video for a Blue Tooth Receiver upgrade, but haven’t tried it:
ruclips.net/video/tO6VIhpA5WY/видео.html&pp=gAQBiAQB
@@drivingvideos4238 Only car I could not install my Alpine unit. Lucky I have AUX, USB and AUX were factory option!
Yes, the AUX input seems to be keeping my son happy for now, and the ‘Upgraded’ sound system output seems OK, though neither of us have a finely tuned musical ear.
We found a very noticeable improvement from replacing/upgrading the headlight bulbs, though the ones which we replaced were clearly old and deteriorated from being on continuously as Daytime Running Lights. Finding a C30 with the optional Xenon headlights would certainly be an improvement in output; identified by the headlight washers AND the lack of a headlight height/level adjuster wheel on the switch as Xenons are self levelling. *Washers alone do not indicate a the headlight upgrade, they could be specified on halogen bulb cars as part of the optional ‘Winter’ pack. If a novice, post L-test, driver adheres to Highway Code rule 126: ‘Drive at a speed that will allow you to stop well within the distance you can SEE to be clear’, then the halogen headlights may actually be a useful self-regulator in the early months of developing night driving skills solo (along with the Insurance Black Box).
The 1.8 and 2.0 are different to the 1.6 cause they have the mazda engine which isnt as reliable as the ford engine. The stereo is really good in my 1.6 so thats strange
Puncture Sealant & Repair Kit added, in addition to Spare wheel, to give ‘get you home options’ in different scenarios. Our evaluation of some common options: ruclips.net/video/GEOZZAgZxZI/видео.htmlsi=ff6hDLpVuBIymXky
* It really is worth checking the ‘foil’ wrapped wheel nuts for water ingress corrosion & swelling BEFORE a puncture occurs. Very difficult to remove once the decorative covering is swollen without an over-sized socket. The £40 we had spent on replacing all nuts felt like money well spent when at the road side in the middle of a named Storm ‘monsoon’ trying to change the wheel! A proper socket & breaker bar also preferable to the Volvo wheel nut tool supplied with the Jack kit.
Adding to Volvo solid build quality n comfort!
You could probably step up in engine size aswell for first car, I just got the 2.0 petrol as a second car, I actually got a refund on my yearly insurance down from 430 something to 410 something for the year (never had a black box), my first car was a ford fiesta 1.25l non turbo, so should be a "cheap" first car in that sense, but for insurance the volvo is cheaper. Been driving 2 and a bit years, get yourself as named driver on as many policies as you can if your a first time driver and it'l pay for itself in insurance cost. Out of interest aswell I got a qoute for my girlfriend who has been driving about 6 months, on the 2.0 petrol it wouldve cost me £30 to add her as a named driver, it cost me £300 to add her to my fiesta!!! Sometimes if a car is more popular, from what I understand it scews the crash statistics making the insurance unjustly high. TLDR: 2.0 petrol c30 cost me less to insure than a 1.2l fiesta. You get ALOT of car for your money in these C30s! But other costs like economy (i get 25mpg) and tax can get you (£325).
I could see the high clutch being an issue for a new driver maybe, and the poorer visibility than youd get out of something like a focus. The 1.8 and 2.0 have chains not belts but owning one now, I would probably go down the diesel route if you want a bit more power or just the top end t5, the economy is as bad as going for the t5, but you dont get 200bhp to go along with it lol! That said from what I understand only the 2.4 volvo made 5 cylinder is the most reliable engine offered in these cars, second is the 1.8 and 2.0 petrol
Funny you should say that, I went through exactly that thought process this week. My son is really happy with the 1.6 Petrol and enjoying the car, but I happened to spot a really low miles immaculate 2.0 petrol R-Design locally so just thought I’d explore insurance on a Comparison Site.
My son (18) only passed his L-test in January, so less than a year’s experience, and the quotes were at least double what he was paying on the 1.6 (with me as a named driver). Admittedly it was just a very quick search on a comparison site. A couple of years No Claims is clearly helping you.
@@drivingvideos4238 I still dont believe how low my insurance is for a driver of 2 years no claims and just a bit longer than that for actually holding the license. The only thing I can think is both my brother and girlfriend are through the same insurance company both policies I am a named driver, I do wonder if they can tell that and adjust my price accordingly. When I got qoutes on the 2.0 c30 I was expecting to be in the region of £800 a year from comparison sites as it is insurance group 22, my fiesta was insurance group 11.
To be honest the red would have been my only other choice over white. It looks like the one you managed to get hold of is in particularly good condition, they still hold up fairly well in terms of spec for old cars. I manage with a bluetooth to aux adapter fine, and use "hey google, next song" when im driving, does the trick, that is the only thing that I would consider missing. Oh and I feel like I should be able to play snake on the nokia looking screen lol! Being a ford engine, I do like how much you can actually do yourself on the car mechanical wise.
DVSA L-Test Tyre ‘Tell Me’ Questions:
DVSA Question: ‘Tell me how you’d check the tyres to ensure that they have sufficient tread depth and that their general condition is safe to use on the road’.
DVSA Answer: ‘No cuts and bulges, 1.6mm of tread depth across the central three-quarters of the breadth of the tyre, and around the entire outer circumference of the tyre’.
DVSA Question: ‘Tell me where you’d find the information for the recommended tyre pressures for this car and how tyre pressures should be checked’.
DVSA Answer: ‘Manufacturer’s guide, use a reliable pressure gauge, check and adjust pressures when tyres are cold, don’t forget spare tyre, remember to refit valve caps’.
RUclipsr JayEmm’s views on the 5 cylinder, normally aspirated, petrol engined version of the C30. Probably not insurable as a first car, but interesting thoughts on the car generally: ruclips.net/video/POd28egDfWE/видео.htmlsi=WU0RxeQ1zn170C2W
Empowering Young Drivers with Road Safety Education, RAC Foundation Report, November 2023: www.racfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/Road-Safety-Education-report-Box-November-2023.pdf?
Great video. Thank you.
Thank you, glad you found it useful.
Osram Ultra Life H7 bulbs, with 4 year life expectation, are the bulbs rebranded ‘Volvo’ though exterior packaging still shows ‘Osram’, so cheaper to buy the Osman item: www.osram.com/ecat/ULTRA%20LIFE-Halogen%20headlight%20lamps-Car%20lighting-Automotive/com/en/GPS01_1056961/ZMP_1013618/
IIHS Safety evaluation: www.media.volvocars.com/us/en-us/media/pressreleases/20347
High Peaks Auto’s thoughts on alternative First Car contenders in this price bracket: ruclips.net/video/D7Y2bTqjvh8/видео.htmlsi=LtvPjZ8vfusUoTOH (Volvo C30 comments at Timecode 2m 30s) as a car dealer / trader they will be better experienced than me to comment on longevity / reliability of a car model, as ‘problems’ come back to them!
2008 (pre-facelift) C30 R-Design 1.6 - Walk Round & ‘Point of View’ Drive in more urban location: ruclips.net/video/tW-61vSftms/видео.htmlsi=2mOxAxSvI0OuWq4X
Misha Charoudin demonstrates setting up your car for you to drive it (CockPitt drill): ruclips.net/video/-Et-K8ilt08/видео.htmlsi=FDG_5jd4J-US50Yk
Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) explained: ruclips.net/video/98DXe3uKwfc/видео.htmlsi=tjNThdF4355_hNjW
Porsche brand has always been fantastic at ‘cradle-to-grave’ as this classic ad illustrates: ruclips.net/video/KRbzJ0L1Zn8/видео.htmlsi=Qz09qBjJd2QqN63j
….but brand placement on this Volvo C30 ‘First Car’; clearly feeling the pinch from all the Young Guns on RUclips driving Lamborghinis! 🤣 If you are fortunate enough to get finance on a Porsche or Lamborghini early in your career, please watch this video on Aquaplaning, and get some Driver Training commensurate with cars of this performance: ruclips.net/video/Ut94FcAZy1c/видео.htmlsi=v_m3OGv2fCTuoG9Y
Drive Safe, Always!
Happy New Year, 2024!
We must all live in our current time and navigate the world as we find it at that moment in time; arming ourselves with enough knowledge to avoid becoming ‘victims of current circumstance’. A car or motorbike remains the thing most likely to end a young person’s life prematurely, or do them Life Changing Injuries (KSI).
Road Safety Campaigner Dave Taylor, MBE, highlighted what was needed to make a difference in the high-risk years of my own novice driving:
(Top Gear, 1993, time code (3m 10s): ruclips.net/video/1mTIOk0NDEc/видео.htmlsi=_u0vqye7RiIu5R)
1. Compulsory Basic Training for Car Driving
2. A stiffer driving test
3. P-Plates (‘Probationary’ period)
30 years on this November 2023 Guardian Article, in response to 4 teenage deaths in one car, summarises contemporary Road Safety research / collective wisdom highlighting essentially the same points (albeit within the context of modern technology):
1. A a minimum learning period (minimum number of ADI hours as required in other countries).
2. More extensive training & testing, including high-risk rural roads.
3. A Graduated Driving License system, which could include a probationary period when new drivers are not allowed out late at night, & restrictions on the age of their passengers. (i.e. a ‘P’-plate PROBATIONARY period, because newly qualified drivers are up to four times more likely to die in a crash when carrying passengers of the same age than when driving alone).
RAC Foundation Research 2023:
“A phased approach to licensing, with a minimum learning period and passenger and night-time rules for young drivers, could reduce casualties from collisions involving teenage car drivers by as much as 20%.”
The AA, said it believed the government should restrict passengers for about six months after a driver passes their test. It highlighted research from the AA Charitable Trust showing that 71% of fatal car crashes involving young drivers took place on rural roads. “There needs to be much more of an awareness about the dangers of rural roads,” Edmond King said. “We advocate that even learners in cities take a couple of lessons on rural roads.”
(www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/nov/24/its-not-their-fault-calls-for-curbs-on-young-drivers-after-fatal-welsh-crash?fbclid=IwAR0RQdDYFGo8_WJIyIUS5qeZRuNukvTlUPVjfA1o1HZ--417IZEnaRQI1T4_aem_AdwjPRl6HOpP7UAOmKDo3qcbXHfk1md0zYP0l6IUKDYW4OOTpUudi2IcQSl6lPeHauk)
The statistics are stark: In 2022 in Britain, about a fifth of all fatal or serious injury crashes involved young people. Young male car drivers aged 17 to 24 are four times as likely to be killed or seriously injured than over-25s.
RAC Foundation Research, published November 2023:
“The research tells us there are many ways in which we can reduce death and serious injury within this at-risk group, and they have been shown to work in other countries. The issue now is not analysis but political will. We need decision makers to take action.” www.racfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/Road-Safety-Education-report-Box-November-2023.pdf?fbclid=IwAR391WMSex5JcbqLnuGRT-r_FRFMo3AHzmCAR91Fyijn-tjZi643dNtLXfU_aem_AdxN1xQ0m3EqT_SRRP7UMWWd03BG-va_4yOWVSzQJsSTbPctTGTuhSCYORfNQAgALBs
In a turbulent political environment policy change & implementation is unlikely within your driver training period, although the Insurance Industry does seem to be changing their policies on ‘Black Boxes’, Curfews, Limited Passenger Numbers, etc.
You can, however, address these 3 points for yourself, if you chose to:
1. Seek out a driving instructor who refuses to teach you how to ‘Life Hack’ your Driving Test; it’s your LIFE you are hacking with this approach!
2. Recognise that the L-Test is the legal MINIMUM standard required to operate on our roads and is now considered by many as outdated and inadequate. As DVSA themselves advocate, seek out post L-Test driver training. This can be done very cost effectively in your own car. It is an investment in your safety, and also enjoyment of driving; a higher-level of skill you are likely to use most days of your life: www.iamroadsmart.com/courses or www.rospa.com/policy/road-safety/rospa-advanced-drivers-and-riders
3. Set your own Passenger Limits & Curfews, and embrace the Telematics feedback your insurance ‘Black Box’ can give you. Pride yourself on achieving high-scores reflecting smooth application of the major controls and functions: smooth steering/cornering, braking & accelerating. Though understand thier limitations, ‘Black Boxes’ don’t see the full picture and make no judgement on your (‘legal’) speed being appropriate for the prevailing weather / traffic conditions; something we demonstrate in this video:
Messing-up your A-levels / BTECs won’t kill you, messing-up on the road just might: ruclips.net/video/qnh6jJyk3Bk/видео.htmlsi=GD_1uvc60Y-yQmY8
If, like me, you are dyslexic and find reading a bit of a chore, in this video I cover most of the points made above:
“Fifteen to Twenty-Four” - Understanding the limitations of L-Test Training: ruclips.net/video/ZzCt2Nk5HsI/видео.htmlsi=MFEl2txBRWlG0PZ9
Amy K gives a young person’s perspective on Advanced Driver Training: ruclips.net/video/tqZBmQgfkV0/видео.htmlsi=8o31pkG4PpDSRxLx
As we begin 2024 you have life’s journey ahead of you and, as young adults, must decide for yourself the road you chose to travel!
Drive Safe, Always!
Scotty Kilmer on EV & Modern Safety Feature development: ruclips.net/video/e4M-59gVwys/видео.htmlsi=_g-XGzB3p95Ekh-y
Choose your FIRST CAR’s TYRES 🛞 carefully too, as an inexperienced novice driver you need all the help quality A-wet rated tyres can give you.
This is an expert driver (you aren’t!), hitting a foam person is amusing, hitting a real person is horrific…. ….at that moment you’d wish you’d spent a few more quid at the tyre fitters:
ruclips.net/video/7Nm9jq8PWFs/видео.htmlsi=_WWHP0KVpKn-exn-
Volvo Car Crash Centre: ruclips.net/video/A3Agd_YGDu0/видео.htmlsi=PyWfo4Pq9Z7pvCQs
First Car Tyre Safety Checks: ruclips.net/video/2PJ68uYylyU/видео.htmlsi=uo-jrPDhXoRYm8ul
When does a car stop being safe? ruclips.net/video/OnWpZKhDgAo/видео.htmlsi=c1mbn51BziPIKoJZ