If you are downtown and the partner is MGH, you will be fine. We've lived in the North End for 20 years and commute 15 min each way walking to work. If I need to get around the city, I walk or take the T. I only drive to get out of the city. Before we got a car, I did zipcar, which was $$$. Now if I need an SUV or something I rent last minute at Logan Airport and it's pretty affordable. Last week I rented a hybrid SUV and the cost was $130 for two days plus $12 in gas (I drove 200 miles on 1/3 of a tank)