Adjusting to a larger car

**Timbuk2**

Hi everyone. I'm a newly qualified driver - I've only had my full licence for 2 months. I learned to drive in a Toyota Starlet 1.3L, and it's the only car I've ever driven (apart from my instructors' Opel Corsa and Toyota Yaris)

I'm being insured on my dad's Nissan Primeira 1.6L for the next two weeks to split the journey while travelling on holidays. It's massive! I've only been driving it around the house so far, as my insurance doesn't start until Saturday, and while I don't find it difficult to control (at slow speeds around the house - not a great indicator of how hard it is to drive) but I find it much harder to judge dimensions, and the physical size of the car.

Are there are tips people have for adjusting to a larger car? I will be practicing before I leave once the insurance kicks in. I'm particular worried about parking, multi-storey car parks etc. where a good knowledge of the physical dimensions of the car is required.

Thanks for reading - sorry for the silly question.

daveharnett

Spending time behind the wheel is really the only way to learn I reckon. For the first few days, take the longer inter-city stretches (provided the roads are ok), and hand over to your dad when things start to get urban and space tightens up.

Even on open roads, you will gradually develop a sense of where the corners are. Faster than you'd expect, your confidence will increase to the point where you'll be able to handle almost any kind of maneuverer. Finding the rear bumper is the toughest, you may want dad to step out and give directions the first few times you reverse park up to a wall/vehicle.

**Timbuk2**

Thanks for the reply! I forgot to mention that finding the rear bumper isn't too difficult as the car has a reversing camera (just above the registration plate) so that is helpful. However, when looking out the back window I forget that because it's a saloon car, there is an extra 'bit' sticking out that I can't see. In hatchbacks, the back of the car is roughly where window is, so I can manage that without difficulty.

I find judging the front of the car quite hard. I can't see the hood/bonnet of the car at all from the driver's seat (maybe I'm too short?). But I've been practicing judging that by driving up to walls with my lights on, so I can see where the lights 'disappear' and know that I am at the wall!

I'll be doing proper practice once the insurance starts! I don't know if it will be very beneficial driving on main roads / motorways as this doesn't really give me a sense of judgement.

Maybe I'm overworrying? After driving the car for a few hours I'll probably be comfortable with it!

sentient_6

I'm a year in a big car & i still have trouble in the likes of multi stories. Now iv never hit anything though. you just need to take it easy. If you need to readjust while getting into a space its no big deal(no pun intended...) Wish i had one of them cameras btw! Iv been know to get out & have a quick look when fininshing reversing with a wall behind me.

I find reversing into a space alot easier btw, while turning front first to the right the worst as its hard to judge the front far left of the car, & a pillar or another car beyond the front left in that situation makes it a bit difficult.

ha-ya-said-what

Use wheelie bins, cones etc what ever ya can around the house to make a parking space shall we say and practise with that until the insurance kicks in, it'll give you a feel for reversing or driving into a space.

You'll get used to it very quickly, I used to drive an A4 and I loved it, i just used to open the door slightly or stick my head out the window for the first go off of reversing. With good observation you'll soon learn your marking points to tell you where you are, without having to get out and check or any of that.

**Timbuk2**

Thanks for the replies everybody! They were extremely helpful and I appreciate all of your advice!

daveharnett

Oh, one more thing to bear in mind, the length of the car will affect the turning circle:

1. The car won't turn as much at full lock -this can mean making a 3-point turn instead of a u-turn for example.

2. You will need to take corners a little wider, or you will clip the footpath on sharp left turns. In any car, when you take a turn, the back wheels will take a 'shortcut' - they will take a narrower line around the corner than the front. This effect gets more pronounced as the wheelbase gets longer. Think about how busses approach corner and you'll get the idea.

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

Maybe I'm overworrying? After driving the car for a few hours I'll probably be comfortable with it!

Absolutely. Once you get going, you'll find you can drive along with no worries at all. Parking, very narrow streets, or multi-stories will be a hassle for a bit, but it's nothing to worry about.

highlydebased

I've only ever driven a large car. Beware of how long it may be compared to your starlet. In general you'll find it is not much different at all.

**Timbuk2**

Sorry to drag up this thread, but thanks for all the replies! I'm back now, and I got on really well in the bigger car. As people told me, I got used to it in no time!

The Nissan Primera 1.6L was an absolute pleasure to drive - much more powerful and smoother than the Starlet that I am used to. The gear changes were a lot smoother in the Primera (I am not sure why though!). Parking wasn't as bad as I had imagined, but I can't park front ways in the larger car, as I can't judge the front of the car. I had to reverse in each time, as it's all I could do, but that's not really important unless you need access to the boot.