So, I might be moving to SD sometime in 2008....

[ProjectShadow]

Well the Girlfriend has applied to grad school at UCSD and if she gets in I've decided to tag along. If I do go I hope to join the SDPD but have a couple of questions.

First, where's a good area to rent a house for a decent price. I don't want to live in the slum but don't want to spend an entire month's salary on rent. I've got dogs, so I need a house.

Second, what will I need to do to the PGT (KLZE) so that it will pass CA emissions? If it's more work than it's worth I'll either sell it and get something else or leave it here and buy something else.

This is very tentative right now, but if it does happen chances are I won't have much time, so I'm trying to do some research now so I'm halfway prepared.

Thanks!

Adam

[s8n]

I don't know the downtown SD area well at all. I have no clue what the rent is like in NM... but uhm have fun with Cali cost of living. For what I rent a master bedroom in a townhome here, I could rent an entire house back east

As for the emissions part, I know you need to have your EGR hooked up and functional. The more stock your car looks, the better. I had to get my car smogged a few months ago and I just went to a little shop. The guy didn't care that I had an intake on. Oddly I spent the extra money for an Injen because it's supposed to be CARB legal. Of course it's been "Carb Pending" for god knows how long. At least my couplers say Injen on them.

[ProjectShadow]

well I would like something relatively close to UCSD, which as far as I can tell from Google Maps is quite a ways north of Downtown SD. Rent in NM is nowhere near rent in California. I was paying under $1100/month for my mortgage on a house that was 3 bed, 2 bath, almost 1700 sq-ft. But I've prepared myself for the increase in cost of living....mentally anyway HaHa

--Adam

Oh yeah, what are average utility costs in that area?

--Adam

[s8n]

Sorry man I meant to say south of me, in San Diego. I have a bad habit of referring to San Diego as "downtown". I should say down south of me. Er nevermind, I'll put a foot in my mouth. I don't know San Diego that well. Just outlining areas from myself... Encinitas, Carlsbad, Vista, La Costa, Oceanside, etc.

$1100 will get you a studio apartment

I have 2 roommates and utilities are in the $240 range for us a month. That includes water, electric, trash and cable internet. We could probably get at least our electric bill lower if we just shut the lights off, didn't run our computers 24/7, got rid of a fridge, etc.

[Dimitri]

for the ze motor, you can put the de intake on the ze motor for emmisions...
and a stock airbox for visual inspection. if ur gonna put headders on put the stock heatsheild so the tech isnt a wiser

[1stprobinator]

Stay out there. its only school. Unless your trying to become president or something then there would only be a need to transfer to a real good school.

save your money and stay out of Ca.

[apinn_25]

UCSD, as I'm sure you already know, is located in North La Jolla. This area is one of the high end communities in SD. I think it would be better to suggest places to NOT look at: La Jolla, Del Mar, Point Loma, down town SD, Spring Valley, Coronado and Torrey Pines are all relatively expensive. National City, Imperial Beach, west Chula Vista and San Ysidro are widely considered to be low end communities. I have heard that Lakeside is considered to be "Red Neck" and Hill Crest is predominately a gay community. This assessment in derived from what I have heard from others and my own opinion. There may be other places that could have been listed in those categories but I only listed what I am familiar with. Hope it helps.

SD, in general, is qiute expensive. I have no idea what utilities cost because I live in military housing (basic utilities are covered for us).

As far as your car goes, I can't offer much in the way of opinions. My car is registered in Florida and being that I am military I have managed to avoid a lot of the crap that locals have to deal with. I do know the law is rather strict.

SD is a pretty large city. The population is around 3 million. Drivers are rude and, for the most part, lack drive courtesy. If you are driving the speed limit you WILL be the slowest person on the road. Average speed is 75-80. The weather is nice, very little rain and there is almost always something going on. If you can afford to the expenses, don't mind millions of people and can live with some pretty stringent laws SD is a pretty decent place to live.

Sorry, I started to ramble a bit there. Hope this helps out a bit.

Shawn

[1stprobinator]

UCSD, as I'm sure you already know, is located in North La Jolla. This area is one of the high end communities in SD. I think it would be better to suggest places to NOT look at: La Jolla, Del Mar, Point Loma, down town SD, Spring Valley, Coronado and Torrey Pines are all relatively expensive. National City, Imperial Beach, west Chula Vista and San Ysidro are widely considered to be low end communities. I have heard that Lakeside is considered to be "Red Neck" and Hill Crest is predominately a gay community. This assessment in derived from what I have heard from others and my own opinion. There may be other places that could have been listed in those categories but I only listed what I am familiar with. Hope it helps.

SD, in general, is qiute expensive. I have no idea what utilities cost because I live in military housing (basic utilities are covered for us).

As far as your car goes, I can't offer much in the way of opinions. My car is registered in Florida and being that I am military I have managed to avoid a lot of the crap that locals have to deal with. I do know the law is rather strict.

SD is a pretty large city. The population is around 3 million. Drivers are rude and, for the most part, lack drive courtesy. If you are driving the speed limit you WILL be the slowest person on the road. Average speed is 75-80. The weather is nice, very little rain and there is almost always something going on. If you can afford to the expenses, don't mind millions of people and can live with some pretty stringent laws SD is a pretty decent place to live.

Sorry, I started to ramble a bit there. Hope this helps out a bit.

Shawn

So negative shawn. lol

But no matter where your at in SD your only 15 minutes from some of the best hookers in Tijuana

Thats a plus to living in SD

[Shwaykid]

If your girl is willing to commute by either car or train, you could check out Southern Orange County. I know the OC has a really rich reputation, but San Clemente, Dana Point, and San Juan Capistrano are some of the best kept secrets in Orange County for affordable housing. Especially San Clemente. Anywhere you look on the west side of the 5 freeway would be pretty descent, and you would be about a 1/4 mile from the beach. San Clemente is a good 45 min drive from the northern most border of San Diego. That's without traffic and doing about 70-75.

[ProjectShadow]

Well, I have an aunt in SD so as we move forward we'll probably take a few days out there and do some hunting. Thanks for the info guys.

--Adam

[apinn_25]

That sounds like an excellent idea.

[dmark101]

and in case any of you don't remember who adam is, he used to be a vendor on the board.

i got stacey's clutch and i think my SBC clutch from him.

[apinn_25]

gforceauto......I remember.

[ProjectShadow]

Yeah, that's me, hopefully one of these days I'll be able to become a PT vendor once again, but obviously a lot of other crap to deal with at the moment.

--Adam

[Hans[93GT]]

The average speed here is pretty sweet...........At 5 AM I'll be doing 90-95 down Scripps Poway, which isn't even a highway. And everyone else does too.

For a place to live, ignore anything with an El Cajon or National City address (mostly ghetto, and way too far away from UCSD). Limit your search to north of highway 8. You might be able to share a home in Pacific Beach for $900-1000. You are the right age for that community. It's mostly college and post-college bars and hangouts, with both nice homes as well as rented homes. And it's close to UCSD. Look on craigslist and the roomate wanted boards, otherwise you'll be paying 200-300 more to live by yourself.