<p>Is having a car in Ann Arbor a necessity or a luxury?</p>
<p>Luxury.</p>
<p>This thread may help.</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-michigan-ann-arbor/698839-ann-arbor-scene.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-michigan-ann-arbor/698839-ann-arbor-scene.html</a></p>
<p>Actually, Mich, I’d go a step further and say: luxurious fiscal liability : )</p>
<p>What about grocery shopping and the like?</p>
<p>Accessible by bus.</p>
<p>Ann Arbor is a great college town, I doubt you would need a car as a freshmen. Maybe more so if you would like to drive out of the city, though you could probably meet someone to toll with for small errands.</p>
<p>Good luck battling for parking all over Ann Arbor.</p>
<p>In other words, it’s a luxury. If you live on Central Campus, you’re close to the main bus terminal that will take you all around the town. Just learn to plan well and carefully (and bring a very warm coat to protect you from the wind while waiting!)</p>
<p>ok good to know so thanks guys because where I live a car is, for the most part, a necessity but glad to know that I won’t have to worry too much about getting a car or something.</p>
<p>Really, if you’re living on campus you will not want the hassle of having a car unless you truly have a lot of extra money to spend on parking/insurance/maintenance to have a vehicle that sits idle 95% of the time. The town is exceptionally compact and the campus transportation system is great – free buses connecting campuses into the wee hours, relatively cheap cabs, but VERY FEW parking spots (eg. some kids who DO have cars have to park them up on north campus and then take a bus to GET their cars…). We offered my son our Jeep and he doesn’t want it (for the reasons above.) He’d rather take a bus home the few times a year he’ll come home to visit. It’s cheaper and easier. Getting around by car near the campus is also not exactly efficient – lots of people on foot and buses everywhere…So save yourself the money, at least unless and until you’re living off campus or have work-related reasons to leave the heart of AA. There’s plenty to do without a car! Greyhound and Amtrak also serve AA several times a day for trips to Detroit, Chicago, etc.</p>
<p>A car is necessary if you want to drive to the outer fringes of Ann Arbor and visit places in Metro Detroit, small towns in Washtenaw County, etc… </p>
<p>I have a parking permit because I am a commuter. Therefore, I park in the lots and take the shuttles to Central Campus. </p>
<p>The shuttle system is really good here.</p>
<p>Yeah, if you have a car I would bring it. I mean don’t expect to drive it a lot, but if you would like to drive to Chicago, or say a mall near by… a car would be helpful when you prefer not to take the bus. Then just to drive home, and not take a bus etc… Though speaking of the campus area, I wouldn’t expect to drive a car around downtown Ann Arbor. It appears to be very walkable, and more enjoyable that way most times.</p>
<p>There is also Zipcar service in Ann Arbor. There are four available cars along Main Street.</p>
<p>I recommend the membership. I became a member when I was an undergrad at Northwestern (I did not bring a car with me to Chicago). I still have my membership but I don’t use it much now.</p>
<p>The best way to have a car in Ann Arbor, is to have a good friend with a car. I spent four years in Ann Arbor without a car, but it was nice to know someone that did have one for the rare (and I do mean rare) occassion that we went farther than say downtown Ann Arbor, such as out to Meijer for food and supplies when I lived in an apartment.</p>
<p>Depends on what class you are in…if you are a freshman, everything you need should be on campus. If you live off-campus, have a car and can afford to have it, bring it…just thinking what it cost me…$1300 in insurance, who knows what in gas, metered parking on campus…so it will of course cost you some money. Last year was my first year with a car on campus…luckily my house had a huge lot so I never had to pay for storage parking. My new place in the student ghetto has fewer spots and we all have cars…nothing on-street because we’re on State so it will be a battle finding parking…but having a car is still so convenient that I will end up picking up a student yellow or paying someone for parking.</p>
<p>I can’t even imagine having to take the bus to Meijer for groceries. Sure it is possible, but be prepared to spend a few hours with that endeavor…you’ll have enough on your plate without having to worry about making a 2 hour run to Meijer.</p>
<p>And as far as people saying you don’t even want a car on campus…give me a break. So convenient. Want to head to an off-campus restaurant, mall, shopping center, grocery store, etc? Five minutes in a car vs. 30 minutes and battling a schedule on the bus. Want to take 20 extra minutes and avoid the cold before heading to class on North when it is 5 degrees out, etc…having a car at school is great.</p>