Uh oh...

cormie

I have my full test tomorrow and I cleaned my car for the first time and all that. I just went to fill the windscreen fluid tank and noticed that the cap wasn't there on the funnel! Do you think this will be a problem? Where can I get a new one for a 96 Nissan Micra L by tomorrow if I need it?

I also checked my fog lights... and only the right one was working, I also noticed I have only one reverse on which is in the position of the left fog light with a white lens rather than red. I went to the garage to get a new bulb (reverse light was working by the way) and was told that my car only has one reverse and one fog light and this is normal. That's all ok yeah?

I have to get used to the side mirror/indicate/side mirror/turn routine, I do look in the side mirror but not before indicating usually

Keep an eye out for my L plates in the for sale forum if I pass, I bought them new today, I had old ones, but they aren't the best :rolleyes:

jayok

Funny thing here, it's all to do with the law. You could actually pass your test if you didn't have wing mirrors on the car. The only stipulation is that you have a rear-view mirror. Don't know about using the side mirror, my understanding is that you only have to use the rear view mirror. i.e. mirror, indicate, mirror, move

I don't think the water filler cap or the fog light is going to make a difference as this aren't specific as compulsory for the test (unlike L plates).

Anyhow, best of luck tomorrow!

CrowdedHouse

cormie wrote:

I
I also checked my fog lights... and only the right one was working, I also noticed I have only one reverse on which is in the position of the left fog light with a white lens rather than red. I went to the garage to get a new bulb (reverse light was working by the way) and was told that my car only has one reverse and one fog light and this is normal. That's all ok yeah?

Yes - thats a fairly common set up

Good luck

unkel

cormie wrote:

was told that my car only has one reverse and one fog light and this is normal. That's all ok yeah?

One reverse light is normal. I've never heard about one fog light though - I don't think that was right. Anyway afaik front fogs are not part of the NCT

ondafly

Single rear fog lights are very common, in fact I can't think of a car with 2 rear foglights. As for the single reverse light, also very common, although on Japanese imported Hondas they'll have 2 reverse lights and no rear fogs, where as Hondas sold in Ireland from Irish dealers, will have holes cut into bumpers for the fog lights on the rear.

cormie

Hi,
Thanks for the good wishes. It's actually my full driving test I have, not the NCT. They check all that before you go out so I don't want to be turned away for a missing cap, do you think it's ok without the cap so?

CrowdedHouse

Any bottles/containers around the house that might have a cap to fit ?

cormie

I'd be surprised if there wasn't the amount of clutter in our house but I guarantee there is every size but that :rolleyes: As long as I'm not told I can't take my test because of it I'll be ok!

Healio

Could you not "borrow" one off a friend or relative?

cormie

I was thinking that yeah. Sure we'll see how it goes

stratos

Unless things have changed, I admit i did my test 20 yrs ago, the tester would actually only notice if the car was actually on fire when he got into it.

Though maybe things have changed, but on my test the guy just got into the car and probably only noticed things any other passenger would notice.

Good luck with the test.

ZENER

I brought my sister-in-law for her test 6 months ago and the tester made her turn on and test all exterior appliances to check for operation, i.e. lights, wipers etc.

He checked that the tax and insurance and NCT discs were current and correctly displayed and that the L plates met the standards - red L on a plain White background that is NO Driving School Logo's permitted on the plate.

Also that the number plate was to spec.

Tyres were also inspected.

He didn't open the bonnet to check bottle caps or anything like that.

I saw one poor girl in floods as her - well battered - '90 Micra was deemed unsuitable because of poor tyres and an out of date tax disc !!!

Good Luck !

Zen

Edit: Also remove any dangly ornaments, cushions, blankets, football team scarfs etc. from front and rear windows and rear view mirror and be sure the car is reasonably clean inside and that your demister is working to keep the windows clear 'cos you'll be swettin' believe me !

stratos wrote:

Unless things have changed, I admit i did my test 20 yrs ago, the tester would actually only notice if the car was actually on fire when he got into it.

Though maybe things have changed, but on my test the guy just got into the car and probably only noticed things any other passenger would notice.

Good luck with the test.

unkel

ondafly wrote:

Single rear fog lights are very common, in fact I can't think of a car with 2 rear foglights

Ah was thinking of front fogs hence the pic, never thought he meant rear ones. Probably because I rarely to never use them. Them as in plural, my car has 2

AMurphy

I know my moms Pugot has one of each. PITB, cause the white rev lamp is on the wrong (ie left) side and not behind the operator.

Otherwise, it appears to be a common cost saving technique.

As for the bottle lid, forget it, these bozos are not going to get their hands dirty opening a hood.

fjon

stratos wrote:

Unless things have changed, I admit i did my test 20 yrs ago, the tester would actually only notice if the car was actually on fire when he got into it.

Things definitely have changed! I once didn't get to do my test because my rear indicators were not orange enough. :rolleyes:

cormie

I started off great with every theory question conquered. 15 minutes into the drive I notice I had knocked up a load of Blue X's, 8 and you fail. Within 5 minutes we were back at the test center and the test was over. He closed the book before I got a look but walking back I realised I didn't get tested on a hill start, probably because I reached the 8 before he had the opportunity Anyway, I walk up, he sits me down I see 7 blue X's and he starts writing my cert!


Thanks for the positive wishes! They worked a charm. I stuck the cap of an aerosol can on the washer funnel and he didn't even notice that part under the bonnet, he just asked about oil, coolant and brake fluid. Anyway, I put my L plates up in the For Sale forum if anyone is interested:D

Eoin

ondafly wrote:

Single rear fog lights are very common, in fact I can't think of a car with 2 rear foglights. As for the single reverse light, also very common, although on Japanese imported Hondas they'll have 2 reverse lights and no rear fogs, where as Hondas sold in Ireland from Irish dealers, will have holes cut into bumpers for the fog lights on the rear.

Going a bit OT: I am pretty sure my alfa has two rear fog lights and two reverse lights

Cormie - well done on the test.

cormie

Thanks:)

CrowdedHouse

Well done

Funxy

Thats great news, well done

Stephen

No hillstart? You jammy bastard

My hillstart was on a big steep bastard of a hill. The tester must have needed to go to the jacks or was hungry or something!

cormie

Thanks again for the congrats.

I've no problems with hillstarts, it was the thing I was least worried about. I think he was a bit harsh with the blue ones though.

Just before the test my instructor told me if a pedestrian is on the road crossing, they have right of way. I was approaching a junction and a lady was wheeling a buggy, the buggy and he were on the road at the side of the path, I stopped waved with a smile simply to let her know she has right of way as she was about to stop and go back on the path. I got a blue for that. I think it should have at most been a green! Ah well, I'm happy with the result.

I hope I get cash in hand as a refund from the Insurance now:)

causal

eoin_s wrote:

Going a bit OT: I am pretty sure my alfa has two rear fog lights and two reverse lights

Yeah, lots of cars do, should be standard imho.
cormie - well done on the test
- now apply for your full licence ASAP - coz you know you're not allowed on a motorway with a certificate of competency

causal

causal

cormie wrote:

Just before the test my instructor told me if a pedestrian is on the road crossing, they have right of way. I was approaching a junction and a lady was wheeling a buggy, the buggy and he were on the road at the side of the path, I stopped waved with a smile simply to let her know she has right of way as she was about to stop and go back on the path. I got a blue for that. I think it should have at most been a green!

Anyone or anything already on a junction has control of it and you must yield.
You got the blue mark for signalling to another road user - tut tut

btw - make a concious choice now whether or not to remember and (mainly) drive by the ROTR for the rest of your life - or choose now to be one of the majority of people who pass their test and forget all about the rules (bar one or two which they consistently quote to demonstrate their vast knowledge). It's your choice

causal

unkel

Congrats

Well done and make sure you always drive safely

Alfasudcrazy

Congrats on passing - passed mine in 1978 and was right proud of the achievement - next thing they introduced all these free licences - was a bit sour over that. :rolleyes:
I was a bit dissapointed with the effect this had on my insurance though - premiums barely changed at all :mad:

cormie

Thanks again:)

Yes I will try and drive as safely as possible, I have stuff I want to do with my life, I'm only a young'n. However I'm not going to be dangerously twisting my neck around looking in mirrors and if I'm on a country road at 4am going 100kmph with a clear road in front of me, I'll be over the white lines rather than skin to skin with the ditch, just incase;)

Alfasudcrazy, at least you got to prove you're competant. I think that's ridiculous about the free licence distribution.

kluivert

Your going to a driving test not knowing the basics... I wonder if you ll pass.

cormie

kluivert wrote:

Your going to a driving test not knowing the basics... I wonder if you ll pass.

Who was that directed to?

a_ominous

I'll add my congrats cormie.
Since you did make a comment about the 7 Xs, you should spend time working on those areas over the next few weeks. After spending some time working on the problem areas, it might be worthwhile taking a lesson from an instructor with advanced driving qualifications to get some positive criticism. Hibernian Ignition course might be worth doing. You could try them for a quote on your next renewal, or ask your current insurer for discounts for advanced driving qualifications. But sounds like you need a few lessons before you get to that stage.

Safe motoring.

Just an afterthought: there was some comment about making mistakes and passing the test. I would reckon all drivers make a mistake every day, or might not choose the best option in a specific scenario. But in most cases, we get away with it. We're not perfect and not machines, but we should be trying to maintain high standards. IMHO

cormie

Oh yeah, I forgot about the ignition course, that's what my next goal is so:) I passed the provisional ignition course but I think the full one is quite different. Plus it costs about €250:(

Thanks for the congrats!

Thumper Long

congrats

when i did my test all i could see when i looked out my PS mirror was X's all over the sheet and was convinced id failed but i passed and after i got my cert i asked him about the X's and told him it was very offf putting and he promised to use ticks in future, im sure your X's were all positives i cant see them allowing you to pass the test wit 7 or 8 marks against you in less than 30 mins

causal

cormie wrote:

I passed the provisional ignition course but I think the full one is quite different. Plus it costs about €250:(

Are you sure about that - you could be right but -
I thought the idea was you 'pay' €250 - but once you turn up and complete the course they refund you (assuming they deducted it in the first place) - the reason was to stop people booking and not-showing all the time.

causal

cormie

I'm not too sure of the details, I think what it MIGHT be though, is, you pay €250 or whatever the fee is, if you pass, they deduct it off your premium. I could be wrong, the info is available on their website I'm sure but I'm a bit tired at the moment As far as I know the test is done by IAM so they probably get the money and they pass the results on to Hibernian, if you fail, you don't get a refund, if you pass, you get it refunded off your premium.

causal

From the Hib Ignition FAQ
Basically they refund the €225 (when you take out or renew a policy with them) even if you fail.

Will you charge me for taking part in Ignition?

We aim to provide Ignition free of charge to anyone who is insured with us. However, we have to charge a course fee when you make your course booking, to prevent people from not turning up. People who do not turn up for the course cost us money and prevent others from taking part. The procedure for payment and refund of this fee is as follows:

* The course fee is €225.
* We will accept payment by credit or debit card at the time you book the course.
* If you are not already a Hibernian policyholder and you successfully finish Ignition, we will refund the fee in full when you take out a new Hibernian private motor policy. You must take out the new policy within three months of finishing Ignition.
* If you are an existing Hibernian policyholder and successfully finish Ignition, we will refund the fee to you once we receive your course result from the IAM.
* If you are not successful we will also refund the fee once we receive your course results from the IAM.
* We will not refund the fee if you fail to turn up for your Ignition course without giving us 48 hours' notice (by phone).

causal

unkel

Congrats cormie

cormie

That's the second congrats from you Unkel:)

I think I'll give ignition a shot so, it will be worth it if it can save me a few bob in the "he's under 25, he must be a boy racer" years.

unkel

cormie wrote:

That's the second congrats from you Unkel:)

Oops so it is

cormie

well thanks again!

So I just got off the phone to Tesco, have to wait till I get my full license posted till I can change the policy, but I was told some info on Ignition.

You pay the €225 which is refunded after you show up. It starts at 9.45 am and goes on till about 4 or 5pm with a free lunch in between :eek: hehe, so it starts off with a presentation and then you go out for a test drive to get the feel of the car and the route in a car they provide (:(), they then take you back and assess you, tell you where you need to improve etc, then you go back out and do the route under test conditions, observation etc being the main factor. If you pass (she said they have a very high pass rate) you get a MINIMUM of 20% off your premium, however depending on how well you do, you can get up to 40% off, if you opt for a curfew (no of me opting for that) you get an extra 10% off.

It sounds pretty good actually, I think I'll go for it, I wonder if you only get 20% off can you do it again to aim higher, even still, I wonder if you do get 40% off can you do it again to get another 40% off and so on:P I doubt it.

So it's free anyway and you get a free lunch so you're actually making a profit by going to it! Great.

Strange enough, I'm getting NO discount off my current policy for passing the test because I passed the provisional ignition course which made the price as if I had got a full license, which is a bit of a pain but it was by far the best quote I got so I'm happy with Tesco anyway (oh yeah, I have my policy with Tesco who are with Hibernian, but cheaper, so they do ignition too).

Anyway, my policy if I got 20% off would be €1144 and if I got 40% off it would be €858 which isn't bad for a 20 (21 soon) year old who's only been driving for about 16 months under in his own name, considering my first policy 16 months ago cost me €3,600 with Quinn Direct (which was the best quote at the time!). This is all on a 1L nissan Micra with residence in Co. Wicklow.

causal

Nice one Cormie thanks for posting the info about Ignition.
It's definitely worth doing - I did the motorbike version last year - and it was great. I got one to one training from a top instructor all day for free - free lunch (there is such a thing) - and then reduction on my premium. Unfortunately the bike ignition only gave a 10% discount :rolleyes: and now it's worthelss for the bike coz Hib don't do bike insurance anymore (bar seeing out existing policies).

Anyway, good luck with your Ignition course and enjoy driving
causal

stroppy

Had an argument with an inlaw about the lights on the back of my Alfa 146. I have one fog light, one reverse light and one relflector. Is this right? Brought it to the garage twice to make sure. But the egit whos never driven in his life is insisting im wrong. (think its because im a girl)

thatkindofgirl

Thumper Long wrote:

when i did my test all i could see when i looked out my PS mirror was X's all over the sheet and was convinced id failed but i passed and after i got my cert i asked him about the X's and told him it was very offf putting and he promised to use ticks in future, im sure your X's were all positives i cant see them allowing you to pass the test wit 7 or 8 marks against you in less than 30 mins

As long as they were all minor problems, I believe 8 is the limit. If you get fewer than that, you pass.