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I haven’t read the full thread, but I didn’t see anywhere that the original poster explained what their contribution was to the car. All they did was call it “her car.” I still think if it’s her car, it should be her decision, but it’s the parents choice how much they want to support the car with paying for gas/insurance/parking/… or keeping the car maintained and in good condition if it stays at home.</p>
<p>I went to college in a small town in CA where students could bicycle all year. Most students didn’t have cars, which generally worked fine. During my upperclassmen years, I had several jobs, including one off campus. Biking to work was awkward. My job included maintaining computers, so sometimes I had to pick up parts at Fry’s, which was especially awkward on a bike. Carrying groceries in a backpack on a bike was even worse. After getting a computer, the 2nd thing I did with the extra income from my work was buying a used Honda Civic from another student. My parents did not contribute anything to the car and of course they did not have any say in what I did with it. Overall the car made my life tremendously easier. However, it also was awkward to park on campus or in Palo Alto in general. I gave my roommates a ride every now and then, but I was under no pressure to do the negative things mentioned in this thread, such as let them drive the car or be a designated driver. After I graduated it became essential to have a car, so it was nice that I had purchased one earlier. While not necessary as an underclassmen, I believe my life would have been better with a car, and I would have had more opportunities for things like off campus work or research. As stated in other posts how much or little a car helps varies tremendously on the college and location.</p>