u/Available_Nature_69

Hello all, im about to have my test so im looking at my local garages and dealerships. For 2nd hand cars that are the size im looking for and are automatic seems to be £4,500 - £12,00 for cars from the early 2000s. Is that the average now? I have a friend who brought a 2014 car for £2,500 but it was a manual so does that make a difference? I also have my parents saying things like "I brought my first car in the 90s for £150" or "anything over £2,000 is a scam" I obviously understand and have tried to explain to them that a functional car is not going to be under £2,000 in this economy but i just feel really out of my depth here. I have looked at a car that i like that is £5,200 is a 2008 with low mileage but when I said about it to my family I was called insane. I've looked at about 20 different garages and can't find any car thats automatic, small and reliable for under £4,500 is this the going rate or am I actual going insane and I need to start looking at garages further away?

Edit: thank you all for commenting. Just want to be clear im an auto only driver due to having a bad experience while driving manual so I understand i am going to have to pay more for an auto rather than a manual 😊

So my practical test is next Thursday. I have been learning to drive for almost a year now and im a somewhat confident driver but im starting to get nervous. I have an hour and a half lesson book for every day now leading up to the test so i still have quite a lot of practice before the test. My instructor is curtain that I will pass but with a few minors which I said was fine. Im just worried that my instructor and I are being to relaxed about it i suppose. I've not done any show me tell me questions, a mock test or a planned emergency stop. I have been revising the questions at home but I cant practice anything that involves the actual driving at home because i dont have a car. I am going to ask that my last lessons now we really knuckle down. I suppose my questions are;

Has anyone passed their test without ever doing a mock?

What are the absolute key things I should spend my last lessons going over?

Any tips for managing leading up to the test nerves? (Can't eat a banana as im allergic 🥲)