Well truth is at this point I really don't need my MINI anymore. My mom works right around where I go to school, and my sister (who for som reason my parents got her a car even though i already have one, very stupid if you ask me but its their money; also bothers me a little since i had to basically pay for my car and they jsut handed her one, but i know parents are always a little mroe concerned of their daughters safety than sons) goes to my school (except for my rare Community College Days, but thats also right by where my school is and where my mom works), and her dance studio which is her other home is right by where I work. Basically I very rarely am going to need to drive, though I still need a car on rare occasions.

Since I'm gonna be leaving for a College (I'm still a HS student; I do CC stuff just because I can and it gives me extra college credits) in around 10 months where i have no plans of bringing a car I'm at a dilemma. On one hand I want to keep my MINI since for my last 10 months itll be nice to have, but on the other hand i just really think I should sell it and buy a cheap-o car for the last ten months since i really barely need to drive anymore.

Then I think about the costs. If I get a cheaper car my insurance will def go down, and I'm trying to think resale 10 months from now, but I can't help feeling at this point I've already taken the biggest loss in resale from my car and in ten months it may be worth what liek a grand 1500 less maybe due to the added miles. I feel a cheaper car would have similar resale problems, as in I'd buy it cheap now but id have to sell it even cheaper ten months down the road.

So, what seems to be the smarter choice (in like a financial to fun equation) for the next ten months of my life. I'm pretty set on keeping hte MINI because my feelings are id prob just only be having to eat a little more insurance money than i need the next ten months, and id be eating similar costs on resale either way but I'd like ot know if you guys think i'll be eating more money than I'm expectng

 

I guess it also depends on your financial status. I know you are in HS now, but when you go to college, will you need the money or be fine. The reason I am asking is that when I went to college, I wasn't one of the starving students and used my car more than I thought. My family is in MD and I went to College Park, so family was close.

If you don't need the $, I would keep the MINI and just use it whenever that way you can keep the miles low and sell it later if you wish. I predict that the R50, R52, and R53 will be wanted more later on since it was the first NEW body style for the MINI/Mini.

 

I'm actually pretty set money wise. Except for the car I dont really spend irrationally, and i work a lot so moeny sint the issue, but i would get rid of the car for college as all my friends in college tell me it really is just an added burden and they tell me way to many horror stories of just plain *********s screwing with parked cars. I wouldn't want to put the little car in a situation where itd get molested constantly, so id prob at the very most get a beater car that has already been molested some for my first few years of college (until i move off campus).

thanks for the advice, though, JustJay, I really hadnt had any intentions of sellign the MINI until college, but now that my sister just got a car I can only really think of how rediculous it is we both have cars, and do I really need such a nice car at this point, and at what will it cost me to keep the MINI

 

Where are you going to college? I ask because when I went, freshmen weren't allowed to have cars period. However, I certainly got my car from my parent's house (not a MINI!) and absolutely loved having it after the first year. I guess it depends on where you go to school.

Also, remember you'll have to pay taxes on that new car & get registration. And selling a MINI is going to be a LOT easier than selling some cheapo car...

 

thats the thing; i don't exactly know where im going to college. Im elegible for florida 100% bright futures meaning if i keep my grades up in college the state pays for me to attend a florida school. Due to that im trying to stay in florida (though i am looking at a few out of state schools). The in states im looking at are FSU, UCF, and UF. FSU and UCF im told due to my SAT scores and grades i should have no problem getting into (though i dont want to speak to early personally) and UF im in their range but its kind of a 50-50 shot since im right in the middle of what they look for.
If i get accepted to FSU or UF i wouldnt bring a car as i have friends at both who have told me parking is a pain, and paying insurance on a car they barely use is also a pain, plus i can easily mooch rides from these friends if i need to.
UCF though, which is in Orlando area for those not in florida, is a newer school that has sufficient parking, and if i were accepted and went there i'd certainly bring a car, but hearing how rude kids are with molesting cars id want a beater. Also its location in orlando makes using the car more prevelant, so it doesnt sit as much, and paying insurance on a car barely used isnt really a issue
Like itd be so easy if i knew where i was going because if i was going to UCF for sure id def sell the MINI now and get a beater since id need it for college, but the other two and almost all the out of state schools im looking at would mean i wouldnt have a car, so with that in mind it may be better to keep the MINI for the next 10 months since as you said paceysgl5, itll be easier selling a MINI in ten months then a beater, but i feel like paying such high insurance on a car that for the next ten months wont be used much is kind of dumb too.

 

Hmmmmm, going away to college with a bunch of coeds..And you want to get rid of the Mini which probably girls everywhere think is cute? Hmmmm..think about that one....really think about it...

 

I am a UF alumni, and when I was there, there was a lot more parking available for students living on campus than there is now, but less so for 1st year students. They used to base your parking decal on the number of credits you have. In your case, since you will be starting off with some credits already (VERY smart move by the way!), much like I did, you might be eligible for a "better" parking permit earlier on. I didn't have my car in Gainesville for the first semester I was there. My second semester, I brought it up. That said, I didn't use my car much even though I had it there (had to get home to Miami for the holidays, etc. somehow, and after taking the bus a few times, eh, that got old REAL fast) because I rode my bike everywhere in Gainesville for the most part - however, it helps to have a car or at least know someone who does when getting groceries. Though not a MINI, I had a newer vehicle at the time and no one ever messed with it; BUT, parking spots are really tight on campus, and I often saw people having to get creative to find ways into their cars because of that... Many times, if I found a decent parking spot, I would do my best to not move the car during the week! If I got stuck in a bad spot, I'd try to move it as much as possible until I found a decent one. Parking was a free-for-all on the weekends and at night, so that was no big deal. Since my dorm was right by The Swamp, football weekends I usually never moved my car once it was safely parked.

At the time I was deciding what university to go to (also had Bright Futures), FSU just didn't allow freshmen to bring cars, period. They had major parking problems, and just flat out didn't allow freshmen living on campus to have cars. However, more recently I have heard that FSU has had a shortage of on-campus housing for incoming freshmen, and have known a few people that HAD to live in an apartment their first year, whether they wanted to or not. In that case, no big deal on the car issue.

I can't speak for UCF as I didn't know anyone who went there, but it would stand to reason that they have more parking because they used to be primarily a commuter school. And life in Orlando would probably be a LOT easier with a car.

One thing to consider is that, depending on where you live now, insurance costs could go up or down based on where you go to school. My car insurance went down by HALF when I switched it from Miami to Gainesville. However, if you are already living in a reasonable area and move to Orlando, chances are good that your rate will go UP.

Anyway, I know what I would do (especially if my car was a MINI!). I'd keep it!

 

+1 x10 to the 47. Really, really think about that one. Hard.

 

GO TERPS!!! Always nice to see a fellow Maryland alum. I definitely agree that I used my care more in college than I thought I would.

Two words: Road trips. College is the time of your life when you should travel around (but not skip class ) and enjoy your life, and what is more enjoyable than motoring around in a Mini?

Since I am at law and grad school at U of Miami I cannot in good conscience recommend going to UF or FSU, although if you ask other people I hear that they are both excellent schools.

 

Thanks for the advice. I see consensus in keeping it def until i go off to college.

Once i get to college though i may need to get rid of it. I'm mostly set for college, but freeing myself from insurance expenses, and the money i can make from selling my car will def help, and except for UCF i know enough kids to mooch rides from.

Also gotta say i see the MINI and girls finding them cute, but the MINI has also caused girls to turn away from me. I mean not bashing the MINI but based off High School, as many times as the car has helped me by giving girls a good convo starter ("your car is so cute," "is it fast," or "I love your car") ive had many experiences where for some reason girls have seen the MINI and thought i swung the other way; though nothing against that for those who do. Having a car for some "alone time" in college would be nice, but ill have a dorm too, i just may unfortunately have a creepy roommate who sits in during my alone time with girls.

doodlez- I'm in Ft lauderdale area now so i hope either g-ville, or tally will bring my insurance down and i dont think orlando should add (or add much) to what i pay now. Also beyond the parking being a bonus for having extra college credits, UF bases tickets to games off college credits so I shouldnt be wanting for a lot of games I'd want to go to.

As to the possibility of living off campus at FSU; that shouldnt be a problem for me as I've alreayd put down a deposit for housing, which is pretty early right now, so I almost def should have on campus housing (just please a suite style and not a community style bathroom in it)

Also, I still feel id rather have a car a little more beaten for college. My cousin just went up to FSU and said his brand new Altima he just got has been through hell. Its been towed twice (which resulted in marks and dings along the front end), been hit by numerous door openings and closing since parking is tight, had two tires slashed (which replacing the low profile 17's wont be fun to pay if they get slashed), and was hit minorly in the back bumper, all in about 3 weeks, and one of his friends was broken into by breaking the drivers window.

Even, if he just has bad luck, thats just not something id really want to put my car through. High School isn't really the place for as nice a car as a MINI, I'm just lucky for the most part the kids at my school are respectfula nd don't molest the cars that sit there. But college really just seems like less of a place for a nice car since its not only a place of learning, its a place where people live to and all it takes is a few drunk partygoers who want to have a good time by messign with parked cars to ruin a good car. When I spent my cash on the MINI one of the numerous reasons i liked it was due to its solid resale value because subconciously i knew id probably be having to depart from it when i went to college.

 

Also to DJ Kazzer; the U was actually a school I was looking at. I've been raised a gator, but there's no question that UM is a great school, its just bright futures doesnt cover private colleges, and if that much money were to be spent id rather go out of state. I mean i've lived around SFL my whole life, I want some change for a little

 

I completely understand, if I were raised in Florida and part of the bright futures program I would definitely look towards UF and FSU, it just doesn't make sense to pay UM's absurd tuition when Florida has such outstanding public institutions.

It's also always a good idea to change your perspective, South Florida has a way of making you forget that the rest of the world exists.

Good luck!!