Moving for PhD -- shipping a vehicle from Canada et al.

[Shedlock2000]

In comparison to places like LA there are no traffic jams. However, to the center public transport is often the cheaper and faster option. My parking quote was for the most expensive place you can find. Our neighboring building has a garage place for rent at 240€/month. Which two towns do you talk about?

240€/month... Thats enough. Thats over 2500€/year. Too rich for a poor student's budget! Unlike many other doctoral candidates at Helsinki, mine comes with no bursary -- its all on me (and my student loans are beginning to max out). I have $30,000CAD to take me to the end of my PhD -- and a touch from mum as a sweetener. I am not as well served as other students, financially speaking.

[rinso]

but I don't know if I could live there without a vehicle to transport groceries, and get out of the city to breath.

Living in the outskirts of Kerava is much more like countryside than urban area.

[betelgeuse]

When you rent an apartment in Helsinki, does it come with a parking space, or is this what the discussion is about? I was taken to understand that the issue was only parking if I drove into the city to the University for lectures/meetings/etc. Did I misunderstand -- is there no parking with property either?

It depends. In central Helsinki they often do not. As a resident you have the option to get a permit from the city to park freely next to a curb in your area.

http://www.hel.fi/www/Helsinki/en/maps- ... sidential/

I have seen a few properties in Kruununhaka, which is close to my Faculty building, I was hoping that I could take up a place there as it is within walking distance of the U. However, It has suddenly occurred to me that parking my Disco may be an issue, as a google image search does not seem to show property with parking areas or similar.

Some properties in Kruununhaka do have underground parking. If they have free space, they can be available to outsiders as well.

[betelgeuse]

240€/month... Thats enough. Thats over 2500€/year. Too rich for a poor student's budget! Unlike many other doctoral candidates at Helsinki, mine comes with no bursary -- its all on me (and my student loans are beginning to max out). I have $30,000CAD to take me to the end of my PhD -- and a touch from mum as a sweetener. I am not as well served as other students, financially speaking.

If you take the expected five years, that will not be enough. You will spend more on rent alone in Helsinkin unless you share. You do realize that gas here is around 200 CAD / 100l?

Part of the experience of going to Helsinki would be the opportunity to drive to Norway and Sweden to tour around. I couldn't do that without a car. Plus my current vehicle is rather specific, and I have spent many years building it -- I could leave it in Canada and replace it with something similar in the UK, or ship it with me, but not having a vehicle is a deal breaker, sadly.

From Helsinki by land to the Swedish border is 730 km. Assuming a consumption of 10l/100km just driving to the border and back will cost you 300CAD. Boat to Stockholm will be cheaper but you would still need to drive to Norway.

[inkku]

In my opinion there is a lack of understanding of the local conditions. I would say the best would be the OP to travel to Helsinki to study different areas, university campus and housing and transport options .

It will be extremely difficult, virtually impossible I would say to get a flat in Kruununhaka for e 800-900 where one can take a dog (without connections or special arrangements such as student targeted flats etc). Not talking about the other conditions he has posed. Even in Kallio, studio flats are close to e1000, and there is quite a lot of competition to get them. Most of them allow no pets. I saw an advert of a studio in Kruununhaka without shower for e 710. Go figure.

To travel around, there are various car pooling, car rental agencies. Much more easier than organising parking place in Helsinki centre. In addition, it is important to understand that the policies gear towards people using much public transport and discouraging the use of private vehicles, which is the contrary to Americas to my understanding.

[Pursuivant]

In the "inner city" there is no parking. Even in the suburbs you need to battle for your "pole position". If you moved to Kruunuhaka I'd be more worried about the dog tbh. Having a land-rover in Kruunuhaka would be... most polite term I would ask "you sure you are not an american" Driving your car to Norway sounds about as going to Yukon over the weekend from Toronto...

[Shedlock2000]

And many, btw, allow dogs!

That's good to hear! Though, over the last few days, my girlfriend and I have split up over my move to Helsinki (there is, as there always is, more to the story -- importantly, the split is not at all acrimonious). Anyway, it is looking more likely that she will keep Jyp.

People who live in the city and don't have a car and who feel like escaping to the countryside that isn't easily accessible by public transport, once a month, rent a car for the weekend. Much much cheaper than owning one's own.

That is interesting, but I have been a life long lover of Land Rovers -- I am on number 42 now. I am certain there are better vehicles out there, but I am not interested in driving one. I have driven over 2 million miles s a professional driver over the years; I have driven in the war, and over all but one continent; I have driven in 88 countries and was trained by the military as a evac. operative (meaning I was trained to do all of the stunt driving things you see in spy movies). Driving, for me, is a passion -- not a necessity; it is not that I want a vehicle to get places (though that is true), but that it is part of who I am. The opportunity to drive around the Nordic countries is extremely appealing, and though I am comfortable not having a car in a city where public transport is efficient, but that I would be a much sadder person if I were not able to escape in a vehicle that I have spent hours working on and experiencing the world in. I was British national champion of Land Rover RTV trialing for three years running 20 years ago and I belong to many Land Rover clubs the world over. We have a saying in the clubs "Friends don't let friends drive anything less than a Land Rover"!

Nevertheless, that said, I do imagine being able to spend time in a city which is not terribly car friendly, but I would have to be able to park my car somewhere such that I could escape the city at some stage. If this is outside the city proper, then that is fine too. I have a friend who lives in Merihaka, and she says that she parks (underneath her building) next to a Discovery 3 like mine; she pays e45 for her spot. Though she did say that it might be better to stay in Pihlajamäki or Roihupelto where i can find row houses or apartments withe free parking or similar. Apparently, as I think has been said on here, there are park and ride facilities to the tube/rail networks -- if I wanted to go down that route.

I considered shipping my car. I'm so glad I didn't. Do consider the opinions of others who've posted. It sounds like you've already made your mind up about bringing the vehicle. Listen to what people are saying. At least visit and see for yourself that we have a totally different way of getting around and a much healthier lifestyle because we walk and cycle much more. People with kids and people who need to travel a lot for work, i.e. salespeople, have vehicles. I would hazard a guess that those are the people one finds most often driving.

My town here, Lethbridge, has a large number of public transport groupies and cyclers -- though it's a bit of a stretch here, as everywhere is so spread out. I am certain that Helsinki does provide more in the way of developed infrastructure (especially given that it is set up in that way). I also have a peddle bike and cycle quite a lot, but I also enjoy my vehicle a great deal. I have cycled in -40 and on ice; it is over-rated!

I have planned now, to study with Helsinki remotely (from Halifax NS) for the first year, flying repeatedly to Helsinki for extended periods to network and speak with my supervisor etc. I think that this provides me the opportunity to visit districts and areas around Helsinki and plan more relaxedly for my move in the second year. At first, I did not think this option was a possibility, as, under the North American model, this would not be possible. However, doing so does free me up -- given my impending time constraints!

[Shedlock2000]

once a month, rent a car for the weekend. Much much cheaper than owning one's own.

Also there is option for occasional car hire service like https://citycarclub.fi/en

This will be rather helpful for me, as I now intend to come over for extended periods in order to better facilitate my move there.

[Shedlock2000]

If you take the expected five years, that will not be enough. You will spend more on rent alone in Helsinkin unless you share. You do realize that gas here is around 200 CAD / 100l?

I have been advised from my supervisor and others that my degree in philosophy should take about 3 years -- give or take a bit. I think you are right, and so I have decided to remain in Canada while researching and writing for a short time until I secure funding. I can then plan my move more successfully, and, with repeated visits over the next year, I should be able to physically see places and districts, and decide to where I would prefer to move. Yeah, I do. Much like my home in the UK! I am worried about the cost of living in Helsinki -- more important than the price of fuel is the price of Guinness!

From Helsinki by land to the Swedish border is 730 km. Assuming a consumption of 10l/100km just driving to the border and back will cost you 300CAD. Boat to Stockholm will be cheaper but you would still need to drive to Norway.

The world's a small place, and an interesting one. the destination should not always be considered the goal -- sometimes the journey will make you grow more! The most inexpensive way is not always the best way (thoughI do take your point about costs and feasibility). I think I may have demonstrated my motivation to drive in a previous reply. Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten, and one man's diamond is another man's coal. However, you are quite right to draw my attention to whether or not I could afford to drive the journey..... there's always a way!

[rinso]

more important than the price of fuel is the price of Guinness!

Be prepared to;
- spend a lot of time finding it
- take a second mortgage to buy it.

[Raaflaub]

I read the thread, but maybe missed something. You mentioned the vehicle is heavily modified, so I am a little concerned regarding eco inspections. I have a friend in Kouvola region that rebuilt a muscle car, and he had to "hide" modifications in the motor, with the vehicle appearing "stock". Of course, he said, if they knew of his hidden modifications, the car would fail also. Long time residents could verify if this is false or true.

[sinikala]

I read the thread, but maybe missed something. You mentioned the vehicle is heavily modified, so I am a little concerned regarding eco inspections. I have a friend in Kouvola region that rebuilt a muscle car, and he had to "hide" modifications in the motor, with the vehicle appearing "stock". Of course, he said, if they knew of his hidden modifications, the car would fail also. Long time residents could verify if this is false or true.

Are you talking about the Euro CoC, that is needed to register imported cars in Finland?

https://www.eurococ.eu/en/certificate-of-conformity

As I understand a CoC is needed to show that the imported car conforms to EU standards.
If it's a Landrover it presumably can't be that much different to the EU version, but heavy modification migh make it harder to get through the registration inspection

https://asiointi.trafi.fi/en/web/asioin ... isterointi

The import tax angle, don't know the exact situation today... the rules were you had to have lived outside Finland for the last 12 months and owned the car for 6 months for it to be a tax exempt removals vehicle.
BUT you were not able to sell the vehicle in Finland for a period of 3 (?) years. If it would be sold then tax would be payable ... and THAT is why a tax inspection is done when the car is imported.

The op should also look into insurance cost - will no claims discount be transferrable from Canada to Finland. I was lucky enough to have 10 years of NCD proof from England, and IF (insurance company) gave me a really good NCD to start here.

And the annual road tax - a lot more for diesels.
http://www.trafi.fi/en/road/taxation/ve ... unt_of_tax

If driving your car is your hobby, perhaps contact the Finnish Landrover appreciation society, or whatever they call themselves... seems to be here http://www.roverfriends.fi/index.php/fi/

If I understood right the OP is coming to do a Ph.D. in an Arts/Humanities department, to do it in 3 years depends on how they want the thesis made... by monograph?
If like the Science departments here it's by publications (usually 5 peer reviewed publications), then 3 years might be possible... IF you are coming over to work your bollocks off (as quite many foreign students often do).
But if you're coming over to work 08:30 - 16:30, monday - friday ... as many locals do & dick around with your Landy at the weekends, perhaps then expect to do it in the same time as the locals ... 4 to 5 years.

Also if the OP is going to be struggling for funds ... sitting on a big depreciating asset which here is a defacto money pit doesn't make much sense to me.

Best of British in any case.

[llewellyn]

Oh and the new metro scandal... ooops, how could anyone not see that coming.

This makes me so angry! The councils are in all sorts of financial trouble and cutting even essential services and then, in a project which everyone knows (from experience) that could go very wrong unless professionally and expertly managed, they allow almost half a billion in extra costs plus getting a very bad service with shortened trains for the whole "system" plus a significant postponement that no-one apparently saw coming just weeks before the launch date. Bloody hell! And now the politicians are innocently whistling and saying that "the important thing is now to get the service running" and let's investigate it later, or maybe never and that no-one is really responsible, just one of these things. This corrupt farce is beyond belief!

[Rosamunda]

Maybe a case of,"Too many engineers spoil the broth". It was equally frustrating driving down to the southwest of Finland on the old Turku road running parallel to a spanking new Turunväylä highway that was closed to traffic while the engineers debated whether or not it was 'safe' enough to open. It had been under construction for several years. And Oikiluoto - when will that epic ever end?

What is totally incomprehensible in this case is not that there may be safety issues, but that there was a complete and utter breakdown in communications. A lot of people must have had their heads buried very deep in the sand hoping the issues would vaporize magically before the 15 August. And as for the politicians and the municipalities - they just assumed everything was going to plan and carried on distributing new bus timetables regardless. Naive or stupid (both).

Why is it that Finns don't get angry about this stuff? After all, the taxpayers will be footing the bill. Nobody minds, or too drunk to notice? (Aku Louhimies was once interviéwed by the Financial Times and lamented that, "Finns are too drunk to get angry".)

I am dreading mid-August. It's going to be one big traffic jam in southern Espoo and, being self-employed, that is going to cost me time and money.

[Raaflaub]

Are you talking about the Euro CoC, that is needed to register imported cars in Finland?

https://www.eurococ.eu/en/certificate-of-conformity

As I understand a CoC is needed to show that the imported car conforms to EU standards.
If it's a Landrover it presumably can't be that much different to the EU version, but heavy modification might make it harder to get through the registration inspection

Yes, I believe that was the one.