Advice for returning your tuition car

One of the benefits of being an AA Driving School franchisee is getting a shiny new car each time you renew your franchise. To ensure a smooth handover here are our top tips.

For more information on Fair Wear and Tear visit: BVRLA Fair Wear & Tear Standard.

What happens when your tuition car is replaced?

Your tuition vehicle will be replaced each time you renew your franchise. We’ll get in touch once your new car is ready for delivery to arrange a convenient handover with you.

The collection driver will return the car ready for it to be inspected in line with the BVRLA guidelines. If the car is in good condition, that’s great – but if there’s any damage or missing items then you might be charged a fee, more details can be found in your Franchise Agreement.

Top tips for returning your car

To make sure the handover goes smoothly, it’s well worth following these handy pointers:

• Check your vehicle for any damage – both inside and out – that exceeds the BVRLA Fair Wear & Tear Standard.

• Make sure the car is roadworthy. Make sure all the lights still work, and check you have a tread depth above 1.6mm on your tyres.

• Make sure that everything that came with the car is still there. This includes the vehicle handbook*, spare key, locking wheel nut key, spare wheel* and toolkits. It also includes items of trim such as the parcel shelf, mats, and interior trays and compartments. Any items which are missing may be chargeable.

• Delete any personal information from the vehicle’s computer, especially phone numbers, or addresses on the car’s sat nav.

• Keep the car clean and tidy. Having a vehicle that looks in good condition inside and out goes a long way – whether you’re meeting pupils (and the bill payer!), or getting your car inspected. It also doesn’t hurt to make sure it smells fresh.

^{*Not all cars come with these parts.}

What to bear in mind during your contract term

Rather than trying to get on top of everything at the last minute, follow these tips:

• Keep an eye on your mileage. Your agreed mileage per 52 weeks is set out in your Franchise Agreement. If you go over this limit you’ll have to pay a High Mileage Fee.

• Service the car regularly. You must get your car serviced in line with the servicing intervals document. If you skip one, you risk getting a Missed Vehicle Servicing Fee, but more importantly, regularly servicing your car will keep it ticking over nicely, both for you and your pupils.

• Avoid fines. Any fines linked to the vehicle after its return will be passed on to you. A common way to get a fine is taking pupils to a private car park to perform manoeuvres, so be aware of this when out on lessons.