Learner Cars

[MedigoFlame]

Wait, what?

The only time I've driven an Aura was to move the neighbor's for her...

I've not felt steering that stupid light ever. So my question is... How light is the steering in the Camry? O_O

The Camry's is dead light... X_X I'm just so used to driving Toyota's since my parents love them. Our 2005 Sienna minivan can be turned with a pinky finger, that is...with quite a bit of play in the steering. The Aura just felt more tight, probably up until I drove my brother's 1999 Honda Accord. >_> Maybe the Aura's steering was light due to low speeds?

 

[SkierPS3]

I'm lucky to be learning on a Volvo XC70, I believe it's an '09. Great car.

 

[Crash]

While on my permit, I drove my parents Dodge Grand Caravan. The driver's ed car was a Daewoo Nubira and I learned manual on an early 90s Nissan Pickup Truck.

 

[motortrend]

Drove the first few times out on the road in the left one, Learnt how to drive a real manual transmission car on the right one:

 

[disinfected]

The most durable damn thing ever...still living in the family back in Ohio with some 500 odd thousand miles.

 

[YSSMAN]

OH YEEEAH!

When we did drivers training at my high school, we were sponsored by a local dealership annually to use their vehicles as training wheels. My year had the local Pontiac dealer, and we had a wide variety of vehicles available... Grand Ams, Grand Prixs, Aztecs and Montanas. We were assigned to our vehicles by name, and I was given the grandest of all the vehicles... The Pontiac Montana SE.

I handled it like a boss, otherwise. My co-trainee hit a pack of woodchucks on the first road drive. It was quite eventful. I was mad that I didn't get the hotted-up Grand Prix GTP that my friends had, but I suppose that in the end, that's alright. The Montana was better than what I took my graduated test in, a Chevrolet Astro van.

 

[Kylehnat]

I learned on, and drove for 2 years, a 1985 Mazda 626 5-speed. Slug of a car (85 hp or so), but it was roomy and reliable. For a 16-year-old, that's all that's really needed...and it wasn't a minivan .

 

[hawkeye122]

Drove the first few times out on the road in the left one, Learnt how to drive a real manual transmission car on the right one:

Thats quite a mix of cars... Early 2000's Corolla and a new-ish M3?

 

[Joel]

I did driver's ed in a 2010 Yaris Sedan. It was good because the handling characteristics and controls were all very similar to my mom's '03 Corolla, which has become my car (she bought a Golf TDI). I did most of my learning in the Corolla, an also drove my dad's '09 Buick Enclave as well. The Enclave was and is a nice car, but I prefer the Corolla a a daily driver. I really couldn't afford the gas and insurance on that car.

 

[motortrend]

Thats quite a mix of cars... Early 2000's Corolla and a new-ish M3?

Yes, 2001 corolla and 2011 M3. Te other car in the house is a 2007 IS250 which is sort Of a mid point between the 2 cars in all the aspects

 

[Rotary Junkie]

The Camry's is dead light... X_X I'm just so used to driving Toyota's since my parents love them. Our 2005 Sienna minivan can be turned with a pinky finger, that is...with quite a bit of play in the steering. The Aura just felt more tight, probably up until I drove my brother's 1999 Honda Accord. >_> Maybe the Aura's steering was light due to low speeds?

Asked the owner about it, she said that it didn't weight up much at speed either, but also that her previous Malibu Maxx was even worse.

-------

"Learned" to drive on 3 and 4 wheelers, then a 2000 F150 5-speed, then the stupid stupid stupid 500-based Taurus and a proper, '04 Taurus for driver's training. Then drove an '05 Mazda6 almost exclusively on my permit and then that got replaced with an '08 shortly after I got my license because other people are idiots and can't see you. And I was too new at driving to really realize that.

Still driving it, still learning. And starting to not get abysmal gas mileage. Driver mod ftw.

 

[AMCNUT]

My driving school car was an '06 Mustang. It was only the V6 model, but still a very cool learner's car nevertheless! That, coupled with the fact that my driving instructor was a major car guy, made for many interesting and fun lessons! 👍

 

[sumbrownkid]

That car made me feel like I could win the Dakar, WRC, Le Mans, and the F1 championship at the same time.

 

[marluxiaXI11]

The first thing ni drove was my moms Silverado

Then i went to texas to visit some one and drove his truck

and his wife's kia

Finally i drove a tacoma to get used to a stick shift

to prepare for what is going to be my car

 

[CAM]

My driving school car was an '06 Mustang.

My driver's ed car was a Honda Civic. Worst. Three. Days. Of. My. Life. The car wouldn't do anything fun, I had to fold myself up to fit and then every body part was asleep by the time I was done, and the instructor sucked.

It was only the V6 model.

Only.. Did I mention the Civic was a 4 cylinder? That's a good definition of only . You got it lucky, bro. Then I drove my mom's Volvo wagon during my permit, and now I have my car, which is much better than the previous two .

 

[Joel]

I had a similar problem with driver's ed. They had 2010 Yaris sedans, I have no idea who came up with that plan, but they should realize most 16 year old boys are taller than 5'6". I'm only 5'10" and I was uncomfortable in the Yaris, let alone a friend of mine who is 6'10 . I just don't get why they couldn't have at the very least bought Corollas, because compared to the Yaris my '03 Corolla is spacious.

I think Young Drivers of Canada has a deal with Toyota, I noticed in all the videos we watched, the "good" driver was driving a Toyota, and the bad drivers were all in Volkswagens

 

[CAM]

I'm surprised that my Driver's Ed program thinks a Toyota Yaris is a good car to use.

They don't, it's about gas money nowadays. They're trying to get by on as little as possible, to save money for other things.

I'm only 5'10".

I was 6'6" trying to fold myself into that friggin' Civic .

 

[Joel]

I was 6'6" trying to fold myself into that friggin' Civic .

Friend of mine is 6'10" (Six foot 10, not a typo ), and he had to drive around in a Toyota Yaris for Driver's ed.

 

[CAM]

That is quite unfortunate, I can assume how he feels.

 

[GDII]

I learnt to drive a TT132 Toyota Corona like this except in brown

Then a Suzuki SJ40 like this. Can't find many pictures of the same type so this will have to do.

Then a Diesel Mazda Capella

And now I am driving this.

 

[Murcie_LP640]

Then a Suzuki SJ40 like this. Can't find many pictures of the same type so this will have to do.

Niiiice, repping the Sierra 👍 . I pretty much learned stick shift in my old LWB Sierra too. While off-road in some sand dunes, no less.

 

[SVX]

Incredible picture.

 

[GDII]

Niiiice, repping the Sierra 👍 . I pretty much learned stick shift in my old LWB Sierra too. While off-road in some sand dunes, no less.

My Dads one had white bull bars around the front and side. Was the same colour as that one too. It would go most places that big heavy 4WDs wouldn't go. Fit through tiny gaps between trees and rocks and would float on mud instead of sink.

Incredible picture.

Thanks. I took that in the carpark just north of Pukerua Bay. I'm sure you know the place.

 

[astrosdude91]

Driving School had a 2007 Toyota Corolla. It was bone stock.

It was bone stock. It didn't even have power locks. I didn't even know new cars still came without power locks.

And the car I used at home for practice, my mom's 2003 Ford Expedition.:

Only in a dark green color, and not off road. If I ever went off road, it was probably an accident. I really didn't like learning on it. I didn't have any feel for the road, and it was just too big to learn on.

And occasionally, my grandmother's 2006 Honda Accord:

Only in beige. I liked it more than the Expedition.

And finally, after receiving my full license, I homed my driving skills on my first car, a 1991 Ford Ranger:

 

[cjmpe]

Toyota Land Cruiser 40 series, manual transmission like this one:

except it was blue, and I never scraped the wall with it

 

[axletramp]

Awesome thread... I've been waiting to own up to this for years!

I learnt to drive in my mum's Austin Allegro, like the one here but in immaculate condition. I passed my test in a driving school Vauxhall Nova and then went out a bought a Renault 5 Gordini (non-turbo ) as my first car. Phew, that feels great - a bit like going to an AA meeting!

I know, I know. You're all jealous...



My R5 Gordini was like this, but metallic blue. Sorry no pics but this was waaaaaaaaay before digital cameras (1986! ):



I managed to kill it and completely rebuild it within one year!

 

[Grayfox]

Learnt to drive in a VW Polo MkIV 2003 automatic.
75hp of pain.

And i had 2 lessons in a Mazda 2 when i wanted to learn how to drive manual sevral months ago.

Me in a Mazda 2 equals being uncomfortable.

 

[Leonidae@MFT]

I learned to drive in MkI Focus 1.6i, and took the actual test in 1.8 model. First car was Ford Taunus never ever buy one if you can avoid it, and now I have a Lolvo 740.

 

[JJ72]

A Toyota Yaris and Diahatsu Charade!

 

[Sureboss]

Learnt to drive in a VW Polo MkIV 2003 automatic.
75hp of pain.

And i had 2 lessons in a Mazda 2 when i wanted to learn how to drive manual sevral months ago.

Me in a Mazda 2 equals being uncomfortable.

Never saw the point in learning Auto. Don't know if it's the same down under, but in Blighty if you pass the manual test you can drive auto as well, but if you take the Auto test, you can't take manual.

Can sort of see the appeal of Auto's in stop-start traffic but in terms of learning to drive, manual all the way. Just no real point when you'd have to take another test and probably some lessons in a manual and before you know it you're looking at £150-200.

Also, you tall? I had fun in the Panda (new shape) I did my test in. My elbow came to rest on the edge of the passenger seat. Headroom wasn't bad though.