Drive Dad's Car
Drive Dad's Car
5
Full view
About
A unique driving experience and car museum based in the Peak District. Pull out the choke, turn the key and take a trip down memory lane! You can drive Dad's Car, Mum's car, Your first car...or the one you always wanted, the Drive Dad's Car experience is the ultimate journey down memory lane. • More than 50 British Classic Cars to choose from • Instructor-accompanied 20 minute drive per car • Free Entry to the Great British Car Journey Experience and Car Museum included with each voucher. Driving experiences take place most Wednesdays and Saturdays and should be booked in advance to guarantee chosen car and avoid disappointment. Taster drives now available in 5 cars on Thursdays and Fridays - no booking necessary. Our attraction is based in Ambergate, Derbyshire, on the edge of the Peak District, just off the A6.
Travellers talk about
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
5.0
34 reviews
Excellent
32
Very good
0
Average
1
Poor
1
Terrible
0
Janice R
County Durham, UK445 contributions
Jul 2021
We were visiting the Peak District and had recently seen an article featured on tv about this car museum at Ambergate so we looked it up and it was only about half an hour from where we were staying so we decided it would be worth a visit. I am by no means a geek but thought it would be fun to see some of the cars we remembered as kids and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it as you imagine it would be something just the men would like! It was really well organised and we had pre-booked our tickets on line which were not expensive for what you are getting to see. Each person is given a hand held tablet and headphone set (all sanitised) and you get to listen to the commentary about each section and each car within that section and can go around at your own pace. It starts in the 1930's and takes us pretty much to present day, although it is sad there are very few British car manufacturers left now. I particularly loved the sections with the 1970's and 1980's cars from my childhood and teenage years and as there were a few other people of the same age group, we had a laugh and swapped a few stories. It was a really pleasant way to spend a good couple of hours and there is even a café serving coffee and cakes if anyone gets bored and wants to opt out whilst their spouse/partner carries on round. I thought this might be me but I was wrong, I loved it!! Thank you for the memories!
Written 20 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi there, many thanks for your review.
it's great to hear that you enjoyed you rvisit and tour through our collection and re-living the memories of your childhood and teenage years.
We so often hear visitors saying "I had one of those" and "I worked on these cars for years" along with "I can't remember the last time I saw one of these" and it makesup a large part of the experience visiting us, especially that 'old car' smell.
Thank you for coming and paying us a visit.
Written 5 August 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
DicktheBad
Redhill, UK49 contributions
Sept 2021
This is the opportunity to drive a museum exhibit around an off-road circuit.
The choice of cars ranges from a 1937 Austin 7 up to a 1980s Rolls Royce Silver Spirit with a whole lot in between. You can choose to drive just one car but I bought a package of 3 drives for £145. Great value for money; especially if you choose one or more of the expensive cars.
Everyone will have their own favourites but I do recommend the 1963 MG Midget; it really is a whole lot of fun!
Whatever you choose, not only do you get to drive the car but you are given free entry (normal price £15) to the Great British Car Museum.
I would love to drive an E-type Jaguar or a Ford Escort XR3 and would be happy to contribute to a crowd funding exercise to enable the museum to acquire one.
The choice of cars ranges from a 1937 Austin 7 up to a 1980s Rolls Royce Silver Spirit with a whole lot in between. You can choose to drive just one car but I bought a package of 3 drives for £145. Great value for money; especially if you choose one or more of the expensive cars.
Everyone will have their own favourites but I do recommend the 1963 MG Midget; it really is a whole lot of fun!
Whatever you choose, not only do you get to drive the car but you are given free entry (normal price £15) to the Great British Car Museum.
I would love to drive an E-type Jaguar or a Ford Escort XR3 and would be happy to contribute to a crowd funding exercise to enable the museum to acquire one.
Written 10 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi DicktheBad,
Many thanks for your review and all your great comments about our Drive Dad's Car experience.
The E-Type may be a bit of stretch to add to the driving fleet though!
Written 14 October 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
DicktheBad
Redhill, UK49 contributions
Sept 2022
It is a great idea, in theory, and it works very well in practice. I have now made five visits and driven 15 cars. Says it all really!
You have an instructor with you while you are driving and all the instructors are very friendly.
I think a good balance is to book three drives each visit. This enables you to buy a discounted ticket and gives you an hour of driving. Everyone will have their favourites but my suggestion is to try the 1938 Wolseley (easy to drive), the MG Midget (great fun) and the Daimler Sovereign (gorgeous).
It is also worth joining the Great British Car Club (£39) because that gives you 40% off even the discounted ticket for three drives.
I am looking forward to my next visit.
You have an instructor with you while you are driving and all the instructors are very friendly.
I think a good balance is to book three drives each visit. This enables you to buy a discounted ticket and gives you an hour of driving. Everyone will have their favourites but my suggestion is to try the 1938 Wolseley (easy to drive), the MG Midget (great fun) and the Daimler Sovereign (gorgeous).
It is also worth joining the Great British Car Club (£39) because that gives you 40% off even the discounted ticket for three drives.
I am looking forward to my next visit.
Written 19 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael P
120 contributions
May 2022 • Family
My son was given this as a present and kindly invited me to accompany him which meant that we each got a chance to drive 3 cars. I am in my eighties and he is in his fifties and we both thoroughly enjoyed the visit. His selection was the XJS, mini (car he passed his test in) and TR7. My selection was the Minor convertible (my first car was a minor traveller), Ford Capri and the Bentley. The cars are not in concours condition but they give a very fair impression of how a decent used model would have driven back in the day. The real surprises were how awful the brakes on the Minor were and the heaviness of the steering on the Capri. My “instructor” was very helpful and an extremely interesting guy to chat to on our way round the circuit which is all off road on a large industrial site. Buying the drive also gave free entry to the museum which has a large and interesting collection of cars from the late 1930s onwards. We had travelled a long way so did not spend as much time in the museum as it deserved. Visitors are given an electronic guide with a full commentary and some detailed histories of specific cars that are on show.
Written 8 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Michael,
Many thanks for the 5 stars, great to hear you and your son enjoyed your driving experience with us.
Many of our visitors are surprised at how different each vehicle feels around our course having gotten used to power steering, power brakes and smooth selecting gearboxes!
Hopefully we'll see you back again to spend more time in the museum.
Written 21 June 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
DicktheBad
Redhill, UK49 contributions
Jul 2024 • Solo
I have been to this attraction on numerous occasions.
What happens is that you drive your chosen car(s) around an off-road circuit for 20 minutes with an instructor sitting next to you.
The circuit is not busy or difficult so you have plenty of room to become familiar with the vehicle. It is, however, varied with left and right turns, an optional slalom, a hill and a roundabout so there is enough opportunity to get the feel of the car. I think this is a great balance between granting us the opportunity to drive the cars, making the drive worthwhile and ensuring that the demands on the cars are not too onerous. There really is no reason for not having a go.
My tips are:
1) If finances permit, buy a package of three drives. This gives you an opportunity to try a number of very different cars.
2) If possible, come at the week-end. The circuit is used by other traffic during the week. Then again, that might make for a more realistic drive.
3) Everyone has their favourite cars but for those who want a suggestion, try the 1938 Wolseley (very easy to drive for a 1930s car), the 1963 MG Midget (great fun) and the Daimler Sovereign V8 (a gorgeous car).
4) It may best to avoid the Austin 7 (it is a difficult first time drive), the MGBGT (it is a black bumper version. Enough said!) and the Austin Healey 100/6 (it is cramped, the pedals are offset and it is very noisy).
5) Definitely visit the museum afterwards; admission is included in the price of your drive.
6) The café is competitively priced and the food is nice.
For management, I would be pleased if you offered a discount for any customer buying three sets of photographs. It is great that there is a discount for two sets so why not a discount for three?
Please may we have an XR3 (of some sort) on the driving fleet?
What happens is that you drive your chosen car(s) around an off-road circuit for 20 minutes with an instructor sitting next to you.
The circuit is not busy or difficult so you have plenty of room to become familiar with the vehicle. It is, however, varied with left and right turns, an optional slalom, a hill and a roundabout so there is enough opportunity to get the feel of the car. I think this is a great balance between granting us the opportunity to drive the cars, making the drive worthwhile and ensuring that the demands on the cars are not too onerous. There really is no reason for not having a go.
My tips are:
1) If finances permit, buy a package of three drives. This gives you an opportunity to try a number of very different cars.
2) If possible, come at the week-end. The circuit is used by other traffic during the week. Then again, that might make for a more realistic drive.
3) Everyone has their favourite cars but for those who want a suggestion, try the 1938 Wolseley (very easy to drive for a 1930s car), the 1963 MG Midget (great fun) and the Daimler Sovereign V8 (a gorgeous car).
4) It may best to avoid the Austin 7 (it is a difficult first time drive), the MGBGT (it is a black bumper version. Enough said!) and the Austin Healey 100/6 (it is cramped, the pedals are offset and it is very noisy).
5) Definitely visit the museum afterwards; admission is included in the price of your drive.
6) The café is competitively priced and the food is nice.
For management, I would be pleased if you offered a discount for any customer buying three sets of photographs. It is great that there is a discount for two sets so why not a discount for three?
Please may we have an XR3 (of some sort) on the driving fleet?
Written 11 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
WOW thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a wonderful and comprehensive 5 star review of Drive Dad's Car and Great British Car Journey. Thank you for also sharing your top tips too - these are great. Another one to add to your collection and for you, if you're not already aware - is Great British Car Club membership! Amongst many other benefits, is unlimited entrance to the attraction and all our events, plus a discount on Drive Dad's Car and The Filling Station Cafe... The only question is what will you drive next!
Written 30 July 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
MattColeman6329
Salisbury, UK2 contributions
Jul 2024 • Couples
A brilliant idea - a museum with an array of British cars where you can actually drive the exhibits! We had an excellent day out at Drive Dad’s Car, I selected the three car driving experience from the Classic, Premium and Luxury selection and was not disappointed. This gives you access to drive cars ranging from either end of the spectrum, I chose the Morris Marina, Vauxhall Viva and the Rolls Royce Silver Spirit (how often do you get the opportunity to step out of a Marina and into a Rolls Royce!) but there are so many other options, if you’re into British cars there’s certain to be something for your taste. I would certainly recommend this one of a kind experience, it’s sure to be a trip down memory lane if you or your dad owned one of these cars in the past!
Written 5 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brilliant! SO pleased to read you enjoyed such a fabulous experience at Drive Dad's Car and trip down memory lane. We are indeed unique in the number and range of classic cars available to enjoy a driving experience in. Thank you for recommending our 'one of a kind' experience to others.
Written 9 September 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Darren C
Sunderland, UK3 contributions
Mar 2023 • Friends
Have you ever been stuck with buying a gift for someone who either has or done everything? Look no further than this experience. The booking process was simple, customer service is amazing and so relaxed on the actual day. Greeted warmly by staff, no pressure, no rushing around and no pushy aftersales. (Although we bought the professional videos, photos and souvenir wallet) I can’t recommend this place highly enough.
Written 27 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chris W
5 contributions
Jul 2022
A full range of older cars to drive! I drove the Austin 7 Ruby (1937) followed by the Bentley 8 (1986) - what a contrast! Two cars separated by almost 50 years. The Austin, a physical experience and test of co-ordination, the Bentley a totally relaxing drive, just wafting along! Absolutely wonderful. The museum is a delight and expertly curated. It's a real conversation starter with other visitors, swapping their stories of their first cars and experiences. Thoroughly enjoyable day out!
Written 17 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your 5* review of Drive Dad's Car and your experience of your drives - great choices! So pleased to hear you enjoyed your visit to Great British Car Journey too. Thanks again.
Written 18 July 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ritchie B
4 contributions
Apr 2024 • Family
FANTASTIC day! I mean, where else are you going to see these classics and drive them! I took three cars out, Rover, MG Montego and a Ford Granada and I was smiling throughout. The chap who sat with me was really knowledgeable about all the cars which made it even better. The museum itself was also fantastic, all the car windows of the cars open so you could savour that smell you only get in a classic. I could go on but anyway, pay them a visit, book yourself a drive in a classic and take yourself back to the good old days, no air con, no electric windows, no power steering, just pure driving
Written 26 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much Ritchie for taking the time to leave such a wonderful 5 star review. So pleased you enjoyed your driving experience at Drive Dad's Car so much! Thank you for recommending us to others and the kind words about your instructor too.
Written 5 May 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
ann
Nottingham, UK6 contributions
Jul 2023 • Friends
Absolutely brilliant day, I chose to drive the 1957 Morris Minor and had a fantastic time, the instructor was excellent, very patient and helpful. The museum attached has to be seen to be believed, the history of UK cars, so many memories and incredible cars. Well worth a visit.
Written 29 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SO pleased to hear you enjoyed your driving experience and visit to Great British Car Journey. Thank you for the kind words about your instructor and the attraction.
Written 15 August 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
No questions have been asked about this experience