Moving to College with a Car? 5 Must-Know Tips for Parents & Students

That college journey is a tear jerker. It’s time to get out of mama’s house and become a grown-up. Bringing a car to college can be a lifesaver for you and your friends. Whether you're a parent stressing out about Billie leaving the house or a student dreaming about Taco Bell runs at midnight, here are 5 tips to survive the big move with wheels. We have your back here at iMoving- no matter what it is that gets you moving. 

This guide was written to help both parents understand the complexity of your first born driving off with your Toyota Prius as well as to help students understand the complexities of having a car on campus. We truly hope this guide gets your out and talking as a family about the topics that matter.

Before you let your child roll onto campus, figure out what the actual parking situation is with them. If you are reading this alone to figure things out then be sure and do your research. 

Some schools have extremely limited parking for students or they ban it altogether. Find out if they need a special permit, what it costs, and where you are allowed to park. Nobody wants their first big adult expense to be a $300 parking ticket. Trust us questions now save you dollars later. As a pro tipper I must say- beware of towing zones or you will come back to find that your car is a ghost.

See if you can find a free parking situation to keep the car located nearby, yet a spot that is off campus to save. Be sure you know that if not in use your car needs to be started and run at least once a week to save the battery.

Sending a barely-running car to college is like sending a kid into a candy store,  it’s only a matter of time before all hell breaks loose. Let’s avoid this together. 

Schedule a car inspection before the move. Make sure that they check tires, brakes, oil, lights, wipers, and air conditioning. If the A/C dies in the middle of a 98-degree September heat wave, your soul and grade point average will die there with it.

Make sure you have a spare tire, a jack, jumper cables, and some clue on how to use them. No, watching a five-minute TikTok once doesn’t count as a handyman.

Be real with yourself, once you arrive on campus you will be so irresponsible that you probably won’t have the oil changed even once. There is no time like the present to get these adult tasks done. Soon you will have all the fun worries of exams, you don’t need car exams on top of that. That being said, while in the planning phase, now is a great time to look up that local garage and find a close by spot where your car can feel it is going in to the beauty salon periodically.

This one is for the parents here. Handing over a set of car keys to an 18-year-old who just discovered freedom isn’t a walk in the park. Setting boundaries and rules now is key to making sure your kid stays safe. 

Discuss who can drive the car. Is it just your student? Set clear boundaries. Talk about responsible habits: no drinking and driving, no texting and driving, and distances that the car should be used for. Be sure to discuss who pays for gas, repairs and upkeep so that things remain clear.

College students are great at many things like writing last-minute essays they forgot are due at midnight, inventing creative ways to avoid laundry, and living off of Cup Noodles and free snacks from conferences. They are less great at remembering that gas costs money and tires need replacing.

Sit down on the numbers as a family. How much will gas cost monthly? How often will the car need maintenance? What’s the tow fee if they ignore the warning signs in the parking lot? Teach them to build these costs into their budget. What are their contingency plans? Things happen to everyone but having this pre prep and being aware of the situations that can occur is already one big piece of the puzzle.

College is a whole new world and when we are small our mistakes are small. As we grow up our mistakes become bigger. It's important your student knows how to stay safe with their car to avoid any mishaps.

Remind them not to leave valuables in plain sight, always lock the doors, and park in well-lit areas. Talk about what to do if they get pulled over, what to do if a friend is drunk in the car and all those touchy subjects.

Set expectation for giving them the freedom of wheels. If you expect them to drive home for the holidays or be present at family weekly dinners this should be communicated now to avoid later disappointments.

Watching your kid drive off to college can feel like a Nicholas Sparks movie you didn’t ask to see. Take a moment to prepare yourself, too. They’re growing up, making choices, and yes, sometimes completely forgetting where they parked. 

Give yourself permission to worry but give them the space to figure things out on their own. College is where they learn, sometimes the hard way. Go ahead and cry after they leave, we know it isn’t easy to watch your baby drive off.

We know you aren’t five years old anymore playing with hotwheels toy trucks and cars but for many families having a child leave the house and head to college is a big deal. Many families decide to provide a car for their kid’s freshman year so that they can get home easily when homesick and simply feel independent with support.

Whether or not you choose to let them roll with style into class life or if you choose to drop them off at the door with a big kiss is totally up to you. Now off you go, ride in style with iMoving for all your college dorm needs.