How do driving instructors make money?

[Mr Macaw]

On Thu, 21 Jan 2016 17:20:06 -0000, JNugent wr= ote:

No halfpenny?

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Everyone has a photographic memory, some just don't have film.

[Mr Macaw]

On Thu, 21 Jan 2016 17:44:47 -0000, James Green wrote= :

Ok, even if fully booked all day and spending only =A33.50 an hour on pe= trol and maintenance, you'd make minimum wage. But then the prangs eith= er cost you money or a high insurance premium.

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A woman was standing at the edge of a cliff trying to get the nerve to j= ump off. A homeless drunk stopped and mumbled, "If you're about to kill yourself,= how about a shag before you go?" The woman was angry and said, "No! Fuck off you filthy old bastard!" The tramp turned to leave and said, "No problem, I'll just go and wait a= t the bottom then."

[James Green]

It clearly must be more complicated than that given that they have been doing that for decades now.

[James Green]

Its far from clear what the cost per hour is. I've just done it teaching a couple of kids to drive in their own car for free and I doubt it cost anything like that for petrol.

Which might well be acceptable for some given that your £10 an hour is the low end.

It's far from clear that they have any prangs at all. We didn't even come close to having any at all.

[damduck-egg]

Seems a lot, I paid £3.50 an hour in 73 if two hours were booked or £4.00 for a single hour. Sparsely populated area on Devon Cornwall border so the independent instructor had a reasonable distance to travel. Car was a one year old Datsun Cherry and was in good condition.

G.Harman

[Mike Tomlinson]

En el artículo , James Green escribió:

Fuck off, Rod.

[Brian-Gaff]

Maybe they are money laundering? Brian

[Mr Macaw]

At =A310 an hour, not much money goes through the wash.

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Two Irish couples decided to swap partners for the night. After 3 hours of amazing sex, Paddy says "I wonder how the girls are get= ting on".

[GB]

There is a simple answer to the OP's question.

First of all, I suspect most instructors charge more than £10/hr. For example, BSM around here will do 2 hours at £14/hr, but then the price goes up to £23/hr, which is a sustainable price (just).

Second, it's subsidised by the car manufacturers. Research has shown that a lot of newly qualified drivers (particularly women) buy the same model of car as they learned on. So, the manufacturers give driving instructors huge discounts on the new car price. The instructors then replace the cars at regular intervals, and they may even make a profit on the ownership. It certainly reduces the cost that you would expect, and it explains why driving instructors tend to have new cars.

"Vauxhall fleet sales director Maurice Howkins said: 'We are always looking to show just how good our cars are ? and what better way to do that than showcase them in town and country, across the roads of Britain.'"

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I've heard that one before and am sceptic. How many new drivers buy a new car? I'd say a tiny number. The vast majority have a banger as their first car. Could be some car makers like to see their products used by motoring schools. But my guess it that puts off as many from buying that model as do buy it.

[GB]

"The move is a blow to Vauxhall because, according to BSM, about 70% of learners buy the same car model as they pass their test in"

I'm not saying the 70% is true, just that BSM claim that it's true and the car manufacturers seem to believe it.

Even if it's not true, it may be worth the manufacturers' time. Suppose a typical instructor keeps the car for a year and I estimate he'll have

100 successful pupils during that time. (Assumes the instructor works 40 hours a week and the learners take 20 hours to qualify.) Suppose the percentage who buy the same car is 7%, not 70%, that's still 7 cars sold to the pupils. That's worth a really decent discount for the instructor.

These days, any newly qualified drivers may as well buy a decent car as a banger. The cost of the insurance dwarfs the cost of the car, anyway.

[spuorgelgoog]

I think women are less likely to buy a banger, and even those that do buy a banger will be more familiar with the car they drove on and that will affect their expectations of what cars should be like.

Also people do probably think that if a car is chosen by driving instructors it must be reliable, if unexciting.

Owain

[JNugent]

They have to be able to satisfice with a low income, perhaps as a supplement to an occupational pension or a spouse's income. The expense of the vehicle has to be met before any profit can be taken.

If it's their only income, they either have to make do with little or else be the top scorer at the driving school, the one all the ladies ask for. Only one per school can be that.

[ARW]

Not surprising really - especially for younger drivers.

Can my apprentice say something:-)?

He passed his driving test 5 months ago and he bought his first car 4 months ago.

He had his first accident just over a week ago [1] [2]

The stupid pillock pulled straight out in front of me without looking.............

[1] It was his second accident if you include the lamp post that ran into his rear bumper in the 1st month of owning the car. [2] My van was undamaged.

[Jonno]

GB scribbled

7% wouldn't be a decent return as there only a few different 'first' car manufacturers to choose from, and the chances are people tend to buy from the major manufacturers, if they can afford them.

There are still a lot using Dad's Insurance Co for the first couple of years. Unless these first time buyers you know are bankers, they won't be buying new any time soon. New cars have higher rates of insurance.

[Mr Macaw]

On Fri, 22 Jan 2016 18:28:56 -0000, JNugent wr= ote:

Even if you're top, you can only teach one person at a time, and at =A31=

0 an hour minus costs, I doubt that meets minimum wage.

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Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway

[Tim Lamb]

Huh! Doesn't work. I haven't driven a Triumph Herald since 1960.

[Tony Bryer]

I was always told - no reason to doubt - that one of the key reasons that the Japanese makers got a foothold in the UK was by targetting driving instructors. I learned (1970) on a Morris 1100 but a lot of instructors where I lived then went over to Datsuns etc because they didn't break down.

[JNugent]

I don't see that as militating against what I said.

It rather seems to support it.

[Mr Macaw]

On Fri, 22 Jan 2016 21:11:49 -0000, JNugent wr= ote:

I was responding to your "they either have to make do with little or els= e be the top scorer at the driving school", which suggested that they do= n't have to make do with very little if they are the best.

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The early bird gets the worm but the second mouse gets the cheese

-- Billy Wilson, Tough Guy,