A self-employed driving instructor has told how his livelihood is on the line after Nissan failed to repair his leased dual-control car. The vehicle has been off the road for three months waiting for a spare part, and the instructor says he has now been informed it will be at least another month before it arrives.
In a letter to The Guardian, the instructor said: “My livelihood as a self-employed driving instructor is under threat owing to Nissan’s failure to repair my leased dual-control car.” He added that the car had been out of use for three months and the latest estimate was a further four weeks.
Costly hire and finance payments continue
To keep working while the car is off the road, he has rented a replacement dual-control vehicle. That hire has already cost him more than £2,500. At the same time, he is still paying approximately £1,500 in PCP finance for the Nissan he cannot use.
PCP, or Personal Contract Purchase, is a popular way to finance a car, involving monthly payments with an optional final balloon payment. Crucially for this instructor, those payments do not pause just because the vehicle is being repaired.
The instructor continued: “I have had to borrow more than £1,000 from relatives to extend the hire of the dual-control vehicle. After that, I will have no remaining funds to renew the hire, and will have to stop teaching and lose my customers and my income.”
Why dual controls are essential for driving tuition
Dual controls are a second set of pedals fitted on the passenger side of a car, allowing the instructor to intervene if a learner makes a mistake. In a manual car, the passenger has brake and clutch pedals; in an automatic, there is just a brake.
Although the DVSA does not explicitly state that dual pedals are legally required, they are considered industry standard. As the instructor pointed out, it is rare to find a driving school vehicle without them. They provide reassurance not only for the learner but also for the instructor, who is ultimately responsible for the safety of the lesson.
The instructor’s predicament shows just how dependent driving teachers are on their vehicles. With no dual-control car, lessons cannot take place, and income disappears overnight.
Nissan steps in after Guardian intervenes
After being contacted by The Guardian, Nissan agreed to reimburse the instructor for his expenses. A spokesperson said: “We are sympathetic to the customer’s experience, which fell below the high standards Nissan and its dealer partners strive to deliver.”
The company did not disclose how much would be repaid or when the instructor would receive it. However, the intervention appears to have unlocked the situation, offering the driving teacher a ray of hope.
This case highlights a wider issue for self-employed people who rely on leased vehicles. When a manufacturer delays a repair, the financial consequences can quickly spiral, affecting not just the owner but also their customers.
Automotive industry experts point to ongoing supply chain difficulties, with spare parts often taking weeks or months to arrive. For driving instructors, that means every day without a car is a day without income.
Now, the instructor is waiting for the spare part to arrive so he can get back on the road. He hopes his experience will prompt Nissan and other manufacturers to treat vehicle repairs for essential workers with greater urgency.
