Hm this is extremely variable. Are they friends from high school as OP starts their freshman year? OR is OP going into their sophomore year and living with good friends they met in college?

If it’s college friends then I’d say it’s not a bad idea. I lived with my best friends I’d met in college and we’re all still best friends 10 years later.

Dorms are great and necessary freshman year to find your people, but after an apartment is MUCH better in terms of the overall college experience. But a free car is a damn good deal. Idk though, I wouldn’t change a thing about how I did it. Some of the best memories I’ll ever have were made in that shitty college apartment.