Should You Take Your Car to Uni?
Should you take your car to uni? 4YoungDrivers.co.uk has got you covered when it comes to great student car insurance, but there are a few things you might want to think about before deciding whether to take the car with you to university or leave it with Mum and Dad.
Can you afford to run it?
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There are more costs associated with a car than just insurance; consider fuel, repair bills, parking costs and tax, all of which will make a sizeable dent in your student loan. |
Do you really need a car?
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If you're going to university in the middle of a city you have to ask yourself whether you're really going to need a car. Public transport is usually pretty good in bigger towns and most cities. Can you see yourself making many journeys anyway? |
Where will you park? Is it safe?
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Many universities have a student car park, but they're often way over-subscribed. Will you be guaranteed a parking space? If not, where's the closest parking outside the campus? Public car parks can be unsafe due to drunken idiots, thieves and vandals. In particular, first year students are often required to live in the university's halls of residence, where allocated parking is even more restricted. If you live out from year two, perhaps your parking options will be easier. |
A note about car insurance for university students
When you live away at uni, it's considered for insurance purposes as being your main residence. You'll need to let your insurance company know if you take your car to uni as they'll want to assess the risk of that location. Unfortunately, this may not work out in your favour - big towns and cities which universities are often found in can have higher crime rates than suburban and rural areas, which might affect your premium.
Freedom
Putting aside practical considerations, having your car with you at university will allow you to really enjoy your independence. If you've not long passed your driving test, the novelty of having such freedom is unlikely to have worn off just yet - it'll be difficult to go back to relying on public transport or friends for getting around.
At the end of the day, taking a car to university can be very handy and will make it much easier to come home at weekends, but you need to make sure that you can afford to run it. It's inevitable that a big bill will arrive just as your money runs out and believe us, you don't need the hassle!
Related Information
- Teenage Driver Insurance
- Learner Driver Insurance
- How the No Claim Bonus system works
- Student Driver Insurance
- What are the best cars for young drivers?
- After the Test - Tips to help new drivers gain experience and have fewer accidents
Released On 13th Sep 2015