New University student - trying to work out when she should take the car

Goldwing1

My daughter has confirmed her university place and will be going there on 26th September. Although the University runs a shuttle bus, we think she will need a car. My concern is that she passed her test on 29th October 2020 and she was added to my wife's insurance on 1st November 2020 as a named driver. The plan is to transfer my wife's car into my daughters name when she takes it and get my wife another car.

My issue is timing. On 26th September my daughter won't have held her licence or have had any insurance for a year. Would it be better (Cheaper) if we kept the car at home until after the first anniversary of her licence and insurance? We will keep either my wife or myself (Or both) as a named driver once she goes to Uni but clearly she will become the primary driver.

NSG666

Why not run the scenarios through a price comparison site to see how much difference it makes to the insurance quote? i.e. quote as is, then quote using earlier dates to give 12 months named driver.

Bigphil1474

Yes, leaving it until after October should mean a lower insurance premium given a year of holding her license. 

Having said that, I would recommend she doesn't have a car at Uni. I had one when I went, and the cost wasn't worth it. Yes it was convenient, but I ended up being a taxi service for my housemates, and more often than not, the nominated driver. Plus parking was a pain, and my car got damaged a few times. If I had my time again, I would have bought a push bike, walked, or used the bus. Would have saved me a lot of money and hassle. Just a thought.

Ibrahim5

She won't need a car but she (or her parents) might want her to have a car. In my experience it seems that there are parents who have no ability to access any other form of transport than the car. The offspring then think that the car is the only form of transport that can be used. The majority of students won't have cars. Most especially with COVID won't have passed their driving test. My kids were taught how to use all forms of transport and decided very easily that the car wasn't the best for a student.

Goldwing1

The Uni arranged a tour for us last week, Covid having stopped the normal open days. That rather planted the idea that a car was more important. My daughter is going self catering and the shuttle bus doesn't go to the cheaper supermarkets. Public transport being VERY limited. Having said that, the expected premium would probably buy a lot of taxi fares. Parking seems to be well organised but of course, the Uni wasn't in full swing at the time.

I guess we could play with the comparison sites and see what they offer.

NSG666

You could let her get to Uni and see how she gets on without a car giving her the opportunity to find out what both public transport and the parking situation is like during term time.

If she simply must have a car then it gives you and your wife an excuse to check up on her (make sure she's ok) when you deliver the car to her.

ontheroad1970

You could always do a big shop when you take her in - you can get more ambient things than you'd imagine in a big shop that will last for a fair amount of time.  The small amount of fresh produce could be bought from the shops the shuttle bus goes to or from a corner shop.  It will still be cheaper than running a car.

born_again

Goldwing1 said:

The Uni arranged a tour for us last week, Covid having stopped the normal open days. That rather planted the idea that a car was more important. My daughter is going self catering and the shuttle bus doesn't go to the cheaper supermarkets. Public transport being VERY limited. Having said that, the expected premium would probably buy a lot of taxi fares. Parking seems to be well organised but of course, the Uni wasn't in full swing at the time.

I guess we could play with the comparison sites and see what they offer.

But how much is the car going to cost over the year compared to spending a bit more at the supermarkets she can get too?

A taxi can take a few students to the cheaper supermarkets and they share the costs.

Add in Ins will not be cheap as parking in a public car park & uni's are a hot bed for stolen cars.

AdrianC

Or even, radical suggestion, taking the bus nearby and then walking...?

Goldwing1

AdrianC said:

Or even, radical suggestion, taking the bus nearby and then walking...?

Unfortunately I wouldn't be comfortable with my daughter walking the 2+ miles from where the bus stops along mainly unlit country roads which is what would be involved. Not too bad at this time of year but we are talking about October onwards.

AdrianC

Goldwing1 said:

AdrianC said:

Or even, radical suggestion, taking the bus nearby and then walking...?

Unfortunately I wouldn't be comfortable with my daughter walking the 2+ miles from where the bus stops along mainly unlit country roads which is what would be involved. Not too bad at this time of year but we are talking about October onwards.

Two miles from where the bus stops to these cheap supermarkets, along unlit roads?

Anyway, don't these cheap supermarkets sell torches?