Should I Buy or Lease My Instructor Car?

One of the most common questions we get asked as instructor trainers is regarding the relative benefits of choosing between buying or leasing a dual controlled car – should I buy or lease my instructor car? Our trainee instructors can start teaching learners of their own once they have completed a 40 hour training programme towards their Part 3 (instructional ability) test. They can then go on a trainee licence and get paid while they are still training. As ORDIT registered trainers, Christie and myself regularly monitor our trainees whilst they are giving tuition. To ensure the standard of instruction is what we want it to be.

A trainee’s car choice is probably the largest outlay they will make as part of their training so it is important they get the deal that is best for their own circumstances. A trainee licence lasts for 6 months. There are specialist companies that deal in leasing cars to trainee instructors but usually the shorted length of lease is 7 months. It is not uncommon these days for a trainee to require an extension to a second trainee licence.

Our accountant, Tim Seymour of TJS Business Solutions, has written a superb blog for his own website which outlines all the pros cons of each option – buying, leasing and PHP. He explains very clearly the qualities of each and gives an honest opinion of their relative merits.

There is no one right answer to this question – everything depends on your own personal circumstances and preference. Tim’s article is well worth a read though.

So – do I buy or lease my instructor car? Although we cannot give you a definite answer, hopefully this article helps you decide what is best for you.

Anyone who has any questions about this do please contact us! If leasing is your preferred option we can supply you with a list of companies who specialise in leasing dual controlled cars.