I'm wondering what would be best because I plan on coming back home after graduation.  I obviously don't know where I'm going to be stationed at, or if I'm going to get a boat or land base, but will there be a place to store a vehicle in case I end up underway somewhere?  Should I get a car and drive or just fly to my first duty station?  I know that I will have enough money to make a down payment on a vehicle after boot, but I need to know what the best option would be.  I don't wanna be stranded at a land base w/out a car.  Thanks.

Posted By sandeky5 on 09 Feb 2012 09:51 AM
I'm wondering what would be best because I plan on coming back home after graduation.  I obviously don't know where I'm going to be stationed at, or if I'm going to get a boat or land base, but will there be a place to store a vehicle in case I end up underway somewhere?  Should I get a car and drive or just fly to my first duty station?  I know that I will have enough money to make a down payment on a vehicle after boot, but I need to know what the best option would be.  I don't wanna be stranded at a land base w/out a car.  Thanks.

I'm sort of in a similar situation. I planned on selling my car before I left for boot as it's a little on the expensive side to own and maintain. But my recruiter instructed me that you want to have a car with you at your duty station. If you're stationed ashore, but the station doesn't have housing, you'll be on the economy and will have to drive to work. Not a situation where you don't want to have a car.

I have a question that kind of goes along with this. If I get stationed ashore and have to live on the economy, how would I get to work if I don't have a driver's license and the area doesn't have public transportation available?

You should get a driver's license prior to departing to cover that particular possibility.

I'm shipping out next month so it's not really possible. I'm just wondering what would happen in a situation like that.

@semperNYC I'm on the same boat, i ship out on march 13th, i have a NYS lerners permit and i dont have enough time to apply for a license, thanks for asking the question! when do you ship?

My son is 23, he doesn't even have a learner's permit. He has never wanted a license. Luckily his first station out of boot was Boston. Like NYC, a car is so unnecessary. Public transportation abounds and he loves to walk anywhere and everywhere. Well in a month he is headed to Petaluma for A school. I think he is going to find that increasingly more difficult. I'm worried about where his next station is going to be and if he will have to peddle a bike 20 miles to get to the office/ship?!?! Yikes!!

Sorry for hijacking your thread sandeky5.

@castnathanyc Same here, I only have my permit and never got around to getting my license. I ship out a week after you, on the 20th.

Try and carpool, look for nearby housing and use a bike.

nah ima get a car =) don't wanna fly to my duty station

A lot of people in my company got a car after graduation (myself included - but I was also in the middle of my drive from Florida to California, in the middle of nowhere Texas and broke down! I was hoping to wait 6 months...). For many, it was their first car. For some, like me, it was an upgrade from their first set of wheels. I say you're only young once. Just be responsible about it. You can't afford a brandnew BMW, so don't get one. If you fail to pay your bills while you are in the CG, you will be in a lot more trouble than just watching your credit score drop. It is the biggest reason people lose their Security clearances.

I would see where your first unit is. If it's a 378 and you're going to be gone for 3 months at a time I wouldn't go buy a new car or if it's somewhere where you can walk/have barracks etc. Some places like my unit you have to have a car because there isn't barracks and to live somewhere decent is a 25 minute ride to work. Also, if you're going to finance i'd look at penfed(which you'll get a chance to sign up for a credit card/bank account with them in boot camp).

Whatever you decide, make sure its a wise financial decision. Your pay fluctuates as you move from unit to unit. If your first unit gives you BAH, you move in with 3 or 4 other people; you will have plenty of money to save or put into TSP, and also have some fun with. Remember though that you might not get that at your next unit and you'll be stuck with a car payment and possibly not as much money to make that payment. If you're single and moving into Govt housing, its probably not a necessity to get a car. I'd say give it some time while you adjust and figure out whats going on. If you don't want to fly to your new unit, you can always rent a car or find a good friend, with a car, who wants to make the drive with you. Tons of options for every financial situation. Its always better to have the money in the bank and decide you need a car later than to not have any money saved, a car payment/insurance/registration/gas/upkeep that you don't want to pay, and no real necessity for the car.

Wait till you see where your going. Im stationed in a city and never use my truck.

My son is in Boston. Parking on the base is LIMITED! So when he gets underway if he had a car to get a spot on base it is a juggle and if one of the other ships is already gone, God forbid both of the other 270's are already underway, parking is a premium!!! Plus where the base is located in Boston there is absolutely no need for a car. Everything is within walking distance and publis transportation is very, very readily available. He has no insurance, no gas, no car payment, no repairs... his money is spent on hockey jersey's, going to Bruins/Celtics/Red Sox games, out to dinner with his girl, anime (weird)... nothing spent on a vehicle he doesn't need! So I agree, just hang back a bit and see what your living situation is first.

If you want to drive to your station... What about mom and/or dad?? I have heard both young Coasties and parents say the drive together was so wonderful and a lot of laughs and some really excellent time just spent together!!

I'll never forget the drive out to Key West with my dad and the drive out to Mobile with my dad and at the time girlfriend.

My mom made the cross country trip from Florida to California with me. We've never had a "Girls" trip. It was amazing. Both of my parents made the drive/ferry ride with me to Alaska. That was....well, there was a lot of sea sickness involved there! Mostly on them. I feel bad it wasn't me, but I was also kind of grateful. Can't be a coastie and get seasick now can you?

I too am in that situation.
I'm in Hawaii, leaving for boot camp April 24. My family is moving to VA. My truck is in SD, where I used to live, with my girlfriend. My dad is planning on going to San Diego and driving it to VA so he'll have a car there while his cars are getting shipped there. So pretty much when I graduate I'll have my truck, will I need it in A-school? I'm going to FS A-school in Petaluma California. I wouldn't mind a cross country road trip but not if it takes away from my leave that I could be spending with my family/ I plan to get married right after boot camp graduation, court wedding. Would I have enough time to get married, spend at least a day with my family, and drive to Cali or should just fly to Cali and have more time with my family?? Who covers the flight to Cali, me or the CG?

The big question is this... Do you graduate and Friday and A school convenes on Monday? Then you won't have time to do much of anything. If boot camp graduates on Friday and your A school doesn't start for a week, 2 weeks, even a month... you'll have plenty of time. Let them know you are planning on driving and you will get travel time on top of your leave time. If you chose to fly, the CG will pay for it. You are only going to Virginia, so I think that would pretty much pay for the whole thing. You will figure this all out in boot camp. That is why sometimes getting married in those 5 days can be a struggle at best. Right now the CG doesn't recognize a marriage that isn't in place. So it gets tricky. But they will help you and get you all the answers while you are in Cape May.

As a little PS... ask your recruiter, tell him your plans, your concerns... he/she should be able to help you with a lot of those answers as well.

You will want a car, whether afloat or ashore, and you will definitely want one in A-school. If you're stationed afloat, you will have a place to put it. I would wait until you get to your new unit to buy one, though.

Hey, I can't say enough about a quality bicycle.  If you play by the rules, you can make a very viable transportation option out of it.  Cycle and Conquer!!  Also, it doesn't take up nothing in the way of parking.

Other than that, check out a motorcycle.  You can get around town, commute to work, parking is usually wherever you make it and it's great on gas.  Again, all this as long as you play by the rules and you're not one of these yahoos you see doing wheelies on the freeway.

And lastly, carpool, carpool, carpool.  You meet some new people, you get to work on time (usually - knock on wood), and you leave the driving to someone else (most of the time).


Final Thought - Having your own car is a beautiful thing.  Road trips, dating, groceries, drive-ins, Designated Driving, and everything else.  But the responsibility of keeping the thing clean, working correctly, and within accordance of state law can be a real buzz-kill.

motorcycle!

Carpool...the best thing ever. I drive 200 miles a week to and from work. My roommate and I trade off which drops it to 100 a week and we have another guy in our shop who lives here so we might all team up. It keeps miles off my jeep and his v8 truck and is a lot nicer on the wallet. I wish this town was more bike friendly and motorcycle friendly as i would have opted for one of those two.

Thanks for the all the responses. My son is in boot camp right now and won't see these for a while. He does have a place to park the car should he decide to get one and can't have it where he will be stationed..ole dad will keep it for him..I like all the car pool and bike ideas..everyone's input is great!!