Bringing a car to university is just another thing you need to think about when moving out and living in a new city. There are pros and cons to taking a car to uni with you and, as someone who didn’t have a car until my final year of uni, I feel qualified to give you an honest guide.
Do you actually need a car?
The first thing to weigh up is whether or not you actually need a car. If you are living in a big city, it is unlikely you’ll need a car at uni as public transport is usually very well-connected and easy to use. Most first year accommodations won’t even let you bring a car or, if they do, you will have to fork out a good hundred or so pounds to park there during term time.
A better use of money may be investing in a railcard. They allow you to book train and bus tickets home at a reduced rate.
If you do decide to bring a car in first year, you are likely to be one of the only ones, meaning that you may be stuck giving lifts to all your friends. While you may not see this as a bad thing, it could become inconvenient very quickly, and also costly in terms of petrol.
Do you have to pay for parking?
I’ve already covered first year accommodation parking costs. But this may be something you also need to take into consideration in second and third year. Some areas will be permit enforced, meaning you will need to pay for a parking permit from the council in order to leave your card on the road. There could also be a limit on how many permits each household is allocated. If you are living with five people and everyone has a car, perhaps only two of you are likely to be able to actually bring them to uni.
How safe will your car be?
A final year student, who has chosen to remain anonymous, shared with Freshered their experience of having their car stolen from outside of their house at university. They said:
‘I was unfortunate enough to have my car stolen. I did feel as though the car was safe on the road where I left it. We were broken into and I had left my keys in my sock drawer in my locked room. But, when the door was kicked in, they clearly knew what they were looking for and drove off with my car. There are extra safety precautions you can introduce like a wheel lock or find safer places to put your keys. I don’t think this should deter you from bringing a car to uni. Theoretically your car could get stolen anywhere. Just be aware that people know you’re in a student area and rates of crime are higher.’
‘I wouldn’t wish dealing with the insurance company on anyone. This is not to say they were bad. It was just a long process, which meant the feelings of that night were dragged on. The fact it was on going made it difficult to deal with. It was a massive inconvenience and I was left without a car, meaning that getting to work and home was a lot harder than it would have been. Despite all this, I will bring my new car to uni,’ they told us.
In the predominant student area for the University of Birmingham, Selly Oak, car theft and damage is extremely prevalent. In 2018/19 alone, the West Midlands Fire Service were called out to 808 deliberate vehicle fires in the West Midlands. Birmingham is also fifth on the list of the UK postcodes with the most car thefts, although topping the list is Leicester, followed by Slough, Swindon, and Aldershot.
How can you secure your car at university?
Park in a well-lit place.
Lock your car.
Do not leave personal belongings on display.
Store car ownership information at home, not in your car.
Secure number plates with anti-theft screws available from car accessory stores.