Living Car Free - Considering carfree living: a few questions

I'm here home for the holidays with some family. One night I got to talking about how I pretty much bike everywhere now. I had to use my car for the first time in a month because my parking lot was being plowed. Anyway, my Uncle later comes up to me with an offer on my car.

I'm in college right now, and I can get anywhere in my town easily by bike or an excellent public transportation system (free for students as well). The only reason I still have a car is because my parents bought it for me, and still pay for insurance, repairs, etc (pretty much everything except gas). My sister also lives in town, so I could also use her car on occasion if I needed to drive to Minneapolis (about 60 miles away with no public transit option to get there. I sometimes take lessons or gigs in the city for my music studies).

So, in essence, other than my own smug satisfaction, the only thing I would gain financially from selling my car is around $1000 from selling, $200 or so from a yearly parking permit, and filling up the tank once in a blue moon. I plan on selling the car anyway when I start grad school in another city (probably Cleveland), as my parents won't be so generous after I graduate university. I've got 1.5 years of undergraduate study left, do you think it would be a good idea to springboard myself into a carfree lifestyle, even if unnecessary?

Also, how old do you have to be to rent a car? I'm a youngin' at 20.

You're already car lite, by the sound of it, so if you enjoy it I say do it. Talk to your parents, if the car is still in their name.

I finally just up and sold my car. Got sick of using it as a crutch and it's been great. Check and see if ZIP Car is on your campus for car rentals. Most companies list their rental policies online. I think most will rent 18+, but with a surcharge for 18-26.

most rental companies I've seen are 21+, sometime 18-21 with a surcharge. sometimes there are smaller local rental places or dealer ships that are less stringent with their rental policies. another consideration on rentals are the minivans and tiny trucks that uhaul rents, sometimes this can be cheaper than a rental car

What are your summer plans? If they don't involve the car, it does sound feasible for you to be carfree.

With your sister nearby, maybe you should just go ahead and sell the car. It appears that you don't really need a car right now, and your parents might appreciate being relieved of the financial burden of paying the expenses for it.

Zipcar or its available equivalent. My son used Zipcar (http://www.zipcar.com/) for his last 2+ years of college with excellent results. He also had access to the public transit in the area. He now lives car free in Leeds, UK.

Edit: I went and fished around on the Zipcar website. If you are a university student using the university based Zipcar 18 is the minimum age, if you are using a city based Zipcar 21.

Aaron:)

My sister also lives in town, so I could also use her car on occasion if I needed to drive to Minneapolis (about 60 miles away with no public transit option to get there. I sometimes take lessons or gigs in the city for my music studies).

That's the bit that worries me about your plan. Usually lessons are on a weekly basis, and it is asking quite a lot of your sister for you to borrow her car once a week for a 120 mile drive. (obviously, if you're talking master classes or similar, you can ignore me) And if you're going for a career in music, you want as many gigs as you can get in the Twin Cities... and farther if you can manage it. Performance credits matter a lot.

So with your course of study and planned career, I can't really see getting rid of the car right now. Even if you're "just" doing music education, you really do want a lot of performance time. So for now, I would keep the car and hustle for gigs... once you're out of school, you can land in a city with an active performance community and good transit so you don't need a car.

Yup, that's the other thing. I study bi-weekly at university in town, but I'll take lessons in the Twin Cities maybe once every month or two with someone in the Minnesota Orchestra.

The other reason I was considering keeping my car is for auditioning/playing in regional orchestras next year. There are a few groups within 150 miles that pay quite well, but more importantly, are useful for resume building. I can normally get a ton of little gigs around town, but not much worth putting on the resume.

Yup, that's the other thing. I study bi-weekly at university in town, but I'll take lessons in the Twin Cities maybe once every month or two with someone in the Minnesota Orchestra.

The other reason I was considering keeping my car is for auditioning/playing in regional orchestras next year. There are a few groups within 150 miles that pay quite well, but more importantly, are useful for resume building. I can normally get a ton of little gigs around town, but not much worth putting on the resume.

Did you see the PBS special about the "Freeway Philharmonic"? It's about classical musicians in the SF Bay area who drive--sometimes hundreds of miles a day--to gigs, rehearsals and auditions all over the region. Not a life I would like, but they felt it was the only way to pursue their careers.

Well it is a tricky balance, right now i'm car lite myself and am in a similar situation, except i am not looking to sell.

A few of the problems that my friends that are car free have trouble with as students is when things such as trying to get a trip home for holidays, emergencies and severe weather. Even though they bike or walk nearly everywhere like me (in all sorts of weather) they def have their limitations.

Personally i would also be concerned along the lines in dealing with such things as internships, co-op jobs and or gigs that you are possibly will be starting up as you are finishing your undergrad, you might get something near or around town, but in the instance that you have to relocate for a semester or so, you might not get so lucky to be in a city or location that biking to work everyday, or if at all is feasible. And honestly, i wouldn't find it wise to be commuting long distances with a stringed instrument on your back and being exposed to the elements, and i'm sure you know how cold temps can affect instruments.

I study percussion, so I only take gigs where large instruments are provided (I mean really, who would cart around timpani or concert bass drums to a gig, =). My hope is that I can eventually land a job that won't require any sort of large independent traveling commitments, IE- a professional orchestra or teaching at a university. But, I think this thread has helped me decide to at least keep my car for a while. I'll take some auditions this summer around Minnesota and then decide what I want to do my last year of school.

Thanks everyone!