University and Vehicles?

[AJL]

How many of you go to school AND own a car?
Im going to school in September and im contemplating on wether or not to buya car.
I was just crunching the numbers and im not sure if I should or not. Its an added expense to all the huge expenses in first year.
And its not like Im buying a brand new car. Maybe $5000-6000 max.

What does everyone else do?

[Hakkola]

I go to school and own a car, if you go to UofC though it's pretty bad, I had a hit and run there on my car and I've heard of cars getting stolen.

To pay for all my car stuff I've had to go to school and work pretty much every day, it can get hectic, if you're in a hard program you're going to want to keep costs down as much as you can. If I were you I'd probably just take the train since it's included in your school fee. If you can stomach it, (I HATE public transit).

With a car you'll be looking at a couple bucks a day for parking, insurance, maintenance, gas, etc...

Not to mention possible hit and runs etc...

[kertejud]

It really depends on where you're going, if you're in a big city, you probably don't need a car and I would definitely recommend not getting one.

It also depends on whether you're in res or living off-campus and how easy it is to get groceries (but generally a cab twice a month will cost considerably less than gas, insurance and whatever other problems you might run into), how easy it is to commute to the university. If it takes a couple transfers and an hour just to get to the school, a cheap car might be a good idea.

And of course it can depend on how much you think you need a car (and whether you can afford it). If you're the kind of guy that just likes driving, or wants to be able to drive home alot, or whatever, then its really up to you.

I would not recommend it, the benefits dont really outweight the cost. You also have to consider that if you're the only one in your group who has a car, everybody will want to borrow it, or ask you to drive them places, be the DD, and do all the crappy things associated with being the guy with the car.

[Skyline_Addict]

yeah. commuting and parking at school everyday is expensive, and isn't exactly the safest. cars have been stolen from indoor parkades with tills and barricades. if you can find someone who has the same schedule as you to carpool and share the costs, then do it. i always felt it was inconvenient for me to do that as the times i came to and left was never strictly related to my actually class schedules. i dont like having to wait for other people when i want to leave, nor do i want to make others wait when i'm not ready to leave. with high gas prices, and the high (as always) parking costs at the U, being on a tight budget is very tough.

[kaput]

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[topmade]

Bottom line: If you don't NEED one, don't get it even if you can afford it. Save the money for other things. Sure some things may be more convenient, but that's all it is, CONVENIENT and not neccessary. My dad works at the UofC and his 89 camry has dents on the roof and hood from getting stomped on. And his 2001 pathfinder got keyed.

[Gondi Stylez]

when i was at mrc i owned my own car and went to school and this year im at u of a and would am doing the ALMOST the same thing... my parents lare lending me their car since i crashed my car last summer... but we dont have a upass here so parking is a bit of a rip off.. i pay 67 a month and next year ill be paying 80.... but i would assume that with a good summer job you can save up enough for ur car and expensies.. either way TAKE THE CAR... taking the bus sucks ass... i only resort to that and the train in the summer months working DT

[kertejud]

Originally posted by topmade
Bottom line: If you don't NEED one, don't get it even if you can afford it. Save the money for other things. Sure some things may be more convenient, but that's all it is, CONVENIENT and not neccessary.

Yeah this is what I was trying to say, but you said it much better.

[AJL]

im actually going to be moving to Saskatoon and going to school there, most likely living on campus. as much as I dont want to buy a car and suffer the costs, I really think I need one. It all comes down to money.
Thanx for all the suggestions, its a tough decision.
And MRC does have a Upass now included in their fees. When I went there for a year I remember the school had a big debate wether or not to have one and we ended up voting on it. I think the vote went for having the upass.

[kaput]

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[Ashkente]

Slightly different..I work at the U, but, I care for my car, so I take the bus. ;)

[mo_money2supe]

Saskatoon, eh? :clap: for another convert! From MRC too... I'm assuming you're in Engg as well like most Calgarians at U of S?

As for driving in Saskatoon while attending University and living on campus, honestly, you really don't need the car. The city is so small that unless you have friends from every corner of the city (which only takes me about half an hour to ride my bike from one end to the other), public transit or like I said, a bike, will suffice.

If you lived OFF-campus though, that's another story. I drove to school daily because a monthly bus pass costs MORE than a monthly parking pass (assuming you buy the whole year, that is). As for gas, I only lived 5.1 kms away from campus, thereby gas was not affect at all; and insurance, well, I have to pay for that anyway, so might as well make use of my car.

EDIT: on another note, you don't get as much student loans if you have a car as an asset that's valued at over $5,000. Something to consider if student loans is in your plans.

EDIT2: I should mention as well that in Saskatchewan, because of the PST, gas costs more than in Alberta by an average of 5-10cents/litre more, so if you own a gas-guzzler, be cautious of that.

[nismodrifter]

AJL: Transit pass at the U of S is like $188/4 months x 2 semesters = $376 for a full year. A parking pass at the Stadium parking lot is like $55 a month (I don't know about all the other lots)...little bit more but the thing that I like about taking the bus is that on a day when it snows 40cm I don't have to worry about driving. I rarely even drive anywhere though because I am studying 99% of the time, in winter time the roads are pretty much undrivable for me so the only time I drive is when I go to get groceries (once a week).

Even though we have a car there, me and my brother take the bus because it seriously takes exactly 7 minutes. It takes me LONGER than 7 minutes to drive to the University. Bus drivers are pretty freaking quick. Find a place to live that is reasonably close to the University and has a bus route nearby (pretty much every single place is connected very well to the bus system).

That being said, during my first year at the U of S (which was my 2nd year of University...I did my first year at the U of C) I did not have a car (by choice) for the first 4 months. The thing that annoys the shit out of me is that when you need something (ie: school supplies, electronics) I had to take the bus. I did have a friend that I could get a ride from but I rarely asked. Most neighborhoods have a grocery store anyways (a mini version of Superstore...called Extra Foods) so for groceries you are ok for the most part but for other stuff it's kind of stupid taking the bus. I dunno, I had never really had to take a bus ever before (always had a car) so maybe it was just because I am so used to having the luxury of a car available whenever I wanted. If you are used to taking the bus everywhere then maybe it would be different.

If you need any help as to looking for a place/etc just send a PM, I'll be glad to help.

[RX_EVOLV]

I was living in campus for couple years and couldn't justify the cost for a car. trying to find all the money for Gas, insurance, payment, parking etc... just so I can go to superstore every 2nd weekend?? I ended up takin the bus for 4 years and it worked out fine. If it is a emergency then just bum a ride off a friend.

Of cause the first thing I did after moving home was to buy a car :D

[mo_money2supe]

Originally posted by nismodrifter
AJL: Transit pass at the U of S is like $188/4 months x 2 semesters = $376 for a full year. A parking pass at the Stadium parking lot is like $55 a month (I don't know about all the other lots)...little bit more but the thing that I like about taking the bus is that on a day when it snows 40cm I don't have to worry about driving. I rarely even drive anywhere though because I am studying 99% of the time, in winter time the roads are pretty much undrivable for me so the only time I drive is when I go to get groceries (once a week).


Hahaha...I knew you'd make it to this thread eventually nismo...

Nice try on the parking prices though. Stadium Parkade, from which my lovely sig pic is taken from might I add, only costs $360 (incl. taxes) for a year. And that's the most expensive parking lot pass on campus as well! The outdoor, uncovered ones, which are probably the same walking distances to most buildings on campus only cost less than $200 a year, so adding to my point earlier, taking the bus still costs more than parking on campus. By the way, unless you slam your car ridiculously low like my friend above here, no worries on not being able to drive through the streets in Saskatoon. But with your budget for a car anyway, that shouldn't be a problem.

In any case, AJL, I'm sure both nismodrifter and I could be of great help to you next year as you inevitably embark your way to the windy, cold, pothole infested city of Saskatoon.


Wait a minute...I think my original stand was telling you that a car is NOT necessary in Saskatoon. So feel free to just forget everything I said. :nut:

[AJL]

Thanx for all the info. It is all much appreciated. Makes this moving 6 hours away a little easier :nut:
I'll have to take nismodrifter and mo_money2supe out for a beer or something to thank you for all the help.
I will be living in residence, for the first year anyways. I think since I dont know lots of people there I can make friends easier in rez then I could sitting alone in an apartment off campus.
Residence parking is $225.80. (plus $15 for that automated vehicle identification device) So parking costs are not really an issue.
I will have to work a part time job, and taking the bus is just a pain. I had to do that at MRC to go to work and I hated it. Although it doesnt look like a transit pass is that expensive.
If I do buy a car it wont be a very expensive one, less then $5000.
And I wont be taking engineering. Most likely some sort of Social Sciences degree, I still have to decide on a major.

I am going to an information meeting about UofS on Wednesday, so that should clear up alot of my questions.