Should the instructor cars come with the driving school I buy?

The instructor cars are how a driving school earns its income, so what happens to them is a real part of the deal. Our driving school due diligence guide explains how to inspect and list them. This page is about the decision that follows: which cars you take, in what form, and what that does to your first months as owner.

Taking the fleet in the deal

Buying the cars with the school means you start with a working fleet and no gap in lessons. The cost is more cash at closing and the risk of owning older vehicles you have not yet seen at their worst. Ask for service records and who holds the ownership papers. Ask your lawyer how the cars are named in the agreement so you receive clear title.

Taking over leases or financing

Some cars are leased or still carry a loan. Taking those over can lower the cash you need at closing, but you inherit the payments and the terms. The lessor or lender may need to approve the change, so ask early. Read what happens when a lease ends and who pays for wear. Your lender will set its own view of the debt you add.

Replacing the cars after closing

You may prefer to leave the old cars with the seller and bring in your own. That gives you vehicles you chose, but you carry the delay and the cost of getting them ready, and students may wait. Plan which cars stay on the road while the new ones arrive, and ask your insurer what it needs to see for each vehicle.

Questions to settle before you decide

• Which cars the seller owns outright and which belong to someone else.
• Who insures each car today, and whether that cover can move to you.
• How lessons will carry on during the handover.
• How the cars are treated in the purchase agreement and in the cost of the deal.