Owning a car in Ithaca has both its advantages and its drawbacks. Before plunging into the details of car ownership, consider some of the following thoughts on whether it is worth having a car during your graduate study in Cornell in the first place.
On the one hand, having a car will greatly extend your freedom of movement. Ithaca is a relatively small town with few traffic problems, so driving around is easy. During after hours, having a car becomes especially advantageous, since public transportation during that time is at best spotty and often non-existent. By car, the Cornell campus is no more than 10 minutes away from virtually anywhere in Ithaca. Grocery shopping is far more convenient if you have a car, especially if you tend to buy a lot during individual trips, or only have time to go shopping during after hours. On nights and weekends, parking is free in most lots on Cornell campus and in downtown Ithaca, making it especially easy drive just about everywhere within the town. Finally, having a car will make it much easier to get out of Ithaca once in a while: places like New York City, Washington DC., Montreal and the Niagara falls are a few hundred miles away from Ithaca, and are reachable by car in several hours.
On the other hand, owning a car in Ithaca can entail considerable costs and hassles. First there is the mandatory auto insurance. The costs vary widely in New York state, but depending on your age, gender, type of car, and the kind of coverage you choose, you could be paying between $500 and $1200 (or more!) a year. Then there are the maintenence costs. Ithaca's uneven topography, cold snowy winters, and weather-beaten roads will take their toll on your car, so if you own or plan to buy an older model, be prepared to spend a few hundred dollars per year for repairs. Furthermore, you will likely incur additional parking costs. All Cornell housing parking lots, and many of the private apartment complex lots require parking permits, which may cost between $100 and $600 for a year. You will also need to buy an additional permit if you want to park on campus during the day. With all these costs adding up, owning a car in Ithaca can become quite expensive.
It is also worth considering that, despite some obvious advantages, owning a car is not necessary for a typical Cornell graduate student. Ithaca's layout is very accommodating to alternate modes of travel. Walking and bicycling are very common in Ithaca, and are a good way to get some exercise while traveling from point A to point B. Those not so fond of walking, or living too far off-campus, will find that the local bus service (TCAT) covers nearly all residential and shopping areas. Long-range buses can provide coverage to cities like New York, Washington, etc., although the trip times will be longer due to multiple stops and transfers. And if you find that you really need a car, you can always rent one for a few days at fairly reasonable rates. Therefore many grad students, even those who had cars before starting Cornell, find that life in Ithaca without a car is still quite comfortable.
In short, there are good reasons to own and not to own a car while in Ithaca. Your particular situation will likely dictate your choice: however, if you do not have a car, do not feel pressured to rush out and buy one - it is not a necessity by far. If you already have a car, or are interested in acquiring one once you get to Ithaca, read on! Otherwise, you may want to skip to the section 4.5.