<p>My daughters used my old car as “theirs” until it became unreliable enough that we felt it better to replace it. We bought a used rental Kia and they shared it until #1D went to college OOS. Her college is far enough away that our insurance was reduced while she was there. #2D drove it while her sister was gone to school, lessons, etc. When #2D started college, #1D took the car to her college. It meant no driving to/from school or dealing with Amtrak for us. My MIL is no longer able to drive, so she gave her barely used car to #2 last year. Now they both have cars at school. With #1D graduating, the car will help with her job search/volunteering/GRE prep. One less thing she will have to pay for out of limited entry level salary.</p>
<p>There wasn’t much reason to have a car freshman year for either of them, but it definitely made our lives easier when older daughter took it her JR yr. younger daughter gets annoyed when friends don’t offer gas money for trips home, but otherwise it is a good transportation option for her.</p>
<p>Most kids here drive and have access to a car. I shared with my sisters from age 16 until I was married, then bought a car at age 23. We can afford the vehicles and insurance and full pay college tuition. So I guess it works for us ;)</p>
<p>I had my car soph-senior years. I used it to go to the grocery store and to go home on breaks, and to go to the airport when I was flying (or driving) out of town for the weekend to participate in a music ensemble that rehearsed far away.</p>
<p>Having a car does not mean you will drive it every day or not make friends or be used by people to go places or go home every weekend or any of that stuff. It just means you have access to a car when you need it. All the other stuff is on the individual.</p>
<p>Until soccerguy, I had forgotten about the grocery store. For a student who lives off campus, that certainly does make a car a significant convenience. But that wouldn’t include most freshmen.</p>
<p>I don’t dispute that a car makes trips home easier (unless you go to, say, Stanford and you live in, say, Wichita), but I wouldn’t want my freshman to make too many of those. Ditto, those other trips out of town.</p>
<p>When I was an upperclassman and needed a car occasionally, I used the services of a small rental car agency near campus that had a fleet of really basic, inexpensive cars that they rented cars to students. I am sure that Brody Auto Rental has long since gone out of business, but a student who uses a car only occasionally may find Zipcar (if it’s available) much less expensive than keeping a car at college.</p>
<p>Having a car if you are in another part of the country is great for weekend exploring of the area. Also often useful for school projects that require some running around or off campus field work. Also makes working much easier if you do that off campus.</p>