325xi purchased

Oh Comon!! BMW anyday!

UW is probably like UCLA. I remember at UCLA, it was extremely difficult to even get a parking permit around campus. There was a lottery, and if you were lucky enough to get a spot, it wasn't necessarily near where you wanted to park, and the cost was several hundred dollars a month. I don't know if it is the same for grad students - Anderson students may have some preference for the lot nearby but it will be expensive in any case. The thing about Westwood is that meter-maids run non-stop. You will absolutely get a ticket if you are 20 minutes over the time. Even if you have a parking permit, you'll probably be hit with several tickets a month because you'll need to go places not near your assigned lot.

Ann Arbor was a lot better. There was metered parking which was pretty cheap (compared with UCLA), and if you went over the time you wouldn't necessarily get a ticket right away. Also, if you paid your ticket right away (within 3 days or something), it was only $5 - compare that with $35 per ticket around UCLA. I laughed at my friends in Ann Arbor when they complained about parking.

Berkeley is just as bad as Westwood, and of course NY is probably even worse, but the public transportation in NY is good enough that I wouldn't take a car.

At Darden, they warn that parking can be expensive, $53 per month for a lot that is connected to the school. I had to bust out in a smile when I saw this. Just about everyone will rack up 3x that amount just in parking tickets each month in Westwood (and probably Berkeley too). They also have parking about 10 minutes away from the school for $13 per month - with a shuttle that will drop you off at the school. Now that is downright cheap.

The 2008 V-8 Lexus IS-F sure does have a nice arse

Things have definitely changed from about a month ago when I was considering giving up my cars for something disposable. I've decided on Darden and picked out an apartment with covered parking; Darden also has a large covered parking garage attached to the school; and Virginia gets some snow but considerably less than many other destinations. Also, my costs have gone way way down, so I've decided to get rid of my truck and keep my Porsche.

I should have noticed that. Too many white caps to be anywhere near the 520 floating bridge. Not to mention all the undeveloped land. Seems like a nice place.

Can't beat the sales tax in the region, eh? Do you guys have a Ranch 99 food store in Portland?

I will probably end up selling my car and then take that money to lease a cheaper car for 24 or 30 months. Since most likely I wouldn't be putting many miles on the car and wont want to keep a cheap car once I am back making a decent wage again leasing is just the easier option. Besides if you time it right you can get crazy deals on leases when the car makers are offering lots of incentives for them. The money I get out of my car should be able to be budgeted out to cover the cost for the entire lease. Depending where I go I would probably just lease a base model Subaru outback wagon with no options really.

Well, I'm not taking them with me for the first year. I think I'll just be too busy with classes, attending presentations, interviewing and traveling out of town. I refuse to kennel them, so they are staying with my parents. I hope to have a clear idea of my post-MBA plans by next summer and will make a decision at that time.

my wheels

2001 BMW 330i - all paid off - definitely coming with me