Driving Instructor with Diesel Car- Cork

Hi,

Have my test coming up & am looking for a driving instructor with a diesel car as i've only ever driven a diesel. Did my test a few months back in petrol car & failed mainly due to the clutch issues. Think i would have a better chance passing it this time round in diesel Test is in Wilton. Does anyone know of any instructors with diesel car?


Thanks in advance for your help!

Usually and especially in older diesels, diesels have more torque and are less easy to stall than a high revving petrol car with low (relatively) torque. I've seen diesel instructor cars, but I wouldn't have made a note of any names etc. Usually they petrol though. Your problem is really that you've switched to an unfamilar car for the test. Eventually you get used to either.

eh........hello..........does anyone else find this disturbing?

I'm very sorry for you as a driving test is nerveracking, but if you are having difficulty driving a petrol instead of a diesel engined car, then I would be a very worried driver in the Wilton area.

I accept that there may be a difference in terms of how high the revs on the end=gine are, but if you are any way a competent driver you should be able to master this issue, after all the same techniques are required to drive a manual car whatever the engine.

Secondly if Towger is correct and you are confusing diesel with automatic, then you really are in trouble!

Randy said:

eh........hello..........does anyone else find this disturbing? ...

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I'd be inclined with Randy on this one. Diesels have more low-down torque and power "tops-out" at lower revs than a petrol, but other than that (and watching for the little glow-plug light to go out on start-up), there are little or no operating differences.

Randy said:

.....I accept that there may be a difference in terms of how high the revs on the end=gine are, but if you are any way a competent driver you should be able to master this issue ....

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Er...

tobomacdobo said:

...Did my test a few months back in petrol car & failed mainly due to the clutch issues....

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In fairness to the OP. In my experience, most learners usually have most difficulty with learning the bite point of the clutch and stalling from moving off. Only after they've been driving a while do they get feel for it, (and an ear for it) and a lot of people take time to adjust to an unfamilar car. Its quite common to stall a new car, or a hire car until you get used to it. So I imagine those problems are made worse by the pressure of the test.

If I was the OP. I spend some time doing starts from stopped, both on the flat then on hills till you get used to it. At lot of people spend 30 mins driving around, which isn't going to help them with clutch/starting difficulties. They would be better off doing starts. Then stopping and starting again and keep repeating that. After 10mins of that they would be much better. Assuming the clutch survived.

OK thanks for your replies. Can't do test in my own car as it hasn't passed NCT. Can ye recommend any good driving instructors then? Preferably Wilton area so they would know route.