Well I'm turning my plates into the DMV. Wouldn't that be the correct way?

 

yeah as long as you turn them in you will be fine

 

Well I didn't get to go down when I originally said I was going to but I will be flying into Dulles airport this coming monday and staying til tuesday night. My friend just got an offer with the same company (Lane Construction) and he thinks hes going to take it, and I have another good friend that will be moving down there the same time. They give company vehicles to there employees which makes it nice for commuting. I hope I like it when I get down there but then again the pay doesn't seem like much for the cost of living, but should continually increase. I pretty much live in the sticks right now, northern ny, so this would be quite a change I'm sure. I like the idea of driving my car nearly year round (we currently have over a foot of snow here and its 10 degrees) and the fact that there will be an oppurtunity to meet several other car enthusiasts. It seems like its a busy place with lots stuff to do. On the other side I like doing alot of outdoor activities up here, hunting, fishing, camping, snowmobiling, the Adirondack park is only 30 minutes away. I have a pretty serious girlfriend here (we've been together for almost two years) and I'm not really sure if she wants to leave. I guess I have a lot to think about. I know I would be happy living in my current area but I think I'd always be wondering what I missed and if I could've been happier getting out of the northcountry.

 

I've got to reply this and tell you I dont think you're going to be happy living here at all. You cant drive your car year round around here because this area gets snow and ice. Virginia is not far south enough for there not to be snow. The second year I moved down here from the southeast area of PA in 2003 this area had 2ft of snow!! We've had snow here many times to the point where I couldnt drive my car. Last year it seemed to snow every week Jan-March. Even April of last year we had snow. The place where you live now is very much like where I lived in PA and this is NOTHING like it. There really isnt alot to here despite what you might think. It's nothing but traffic and self-centered people that don't know how to drive. It takes forever to just go down the road. When I lived in PA I could drive to King of Prussia which was about 30 miles away in 40 minutes. Down here if I had to drive that far it would take 1.5-2 hrs!! You have to spend a week to a month here for you to understand. The cost of living is going to just hit you too. DMV sucks and again so do the cops. Now just to register your car starting in Jan it's going to be $50 for a plain ole tag...personalized will be $60. While you may have a company car you'll still have to pay for gas which is going to cost alot since everyone sits in traffic so long.


Don't even think about being sorry for not moving down here because like I said you will regret it if you do. Again there is nothing nice about this area. I'm stuck here because my b/f just got a promotion and has to stay here for a year. As soon as he can ask for a transfer he's going to do it so we can get out of here.

If you want my b/f and I could meet up with you on Monday night for dinner and tell you all about this area. He has off Mondays and I work till 5. Shoot me a PM if you want. We dont live or work far from Dulles.

-Michelle


Oh and here's a pic taken last March. We had a foot of snow but about 1/4" inch of ice before it

 

Well I won't be there til late on monday, but thanks for the kind offer. I can understand where you're coming from, I think I'd probably turn into that psychopathic road rage ******* if I were to drive in that type of congestion. I get pissed driving in Syracuse, NY lol. But anyways I'm gonna check it out for the hell of it, since its a free trip anyways. BTW all the gas and matainence for the company vehicle is paid for by the company which would be really nice. However I'm really not feeling the cost of living in that area, where I live now it is dirt cheap and when I say dirt cheap I mean it. The average income in my county is a whooping $22,000 dollars, I'd be making alot more. property is fairly cheap, so I could build a home fairly young too whereas buying house in that area in Virginia seems like it would be impossible (just looked at some realestate down there).

 

one other thing that sucks about being here is they charge you property taxes on your cars and other things

 

I am PCS'ing there next week but the Z06 will be put up for the winter as soon as I get up there. No road salt for him.

 

I dont blame you i cringe everytime i run it over. very nive Z06 you got there cant wait to meet you and the car in person

 

I've heard Fairfax county is the only county that does not do this. I haven't lived here long enough to find out.

Also, how is the emissions down here? Do they do a sniffer test or hook your car up to anything? How about visual? Can you get away without cats? Do you have to go to a state run place, or are there redneck places you can go to get a sticker?

As for the snow and stuff down here... So far, it's not too bad, but that's not the problem. If you're from a northern state where you've spent time driving in snow and ice, you'll be ok with it. The thing that WILL be the issue is everyone else on the road. They are the WORST winter drivers I've ever seen. The snow we had here last week was a miniscule 3-4 inches. These people were all over the place! I've never seen such a catastrophe. They were shutting businesses down and everything.

I will still stick by my opinion that this is a great place if you are just starting out, especially if you are from the middle of nowhere. You will be cultured and around some great experiences and amazing things to do (DC and all the museums, etc). Don't write this place off by the opinions of a few. Come down and experience it yourself.

And for your serious girlfriend... chances are, that with whatever sort of work she does up in NY, she'll be able to make a lot more money doing it down here. If she's anything like my gf, she'll LOVE the shopping and dinning!

 

for emissions as long as you have obdII all they do is hook up a scan tool and if you dont have check engine lights on you pass but they do check to make sure you have cats on your car. There are ways to get around emissions though . As for farifax they dont have the county stickers anymore but you still have to pay property taxes which sucks. Also the snow here isn't bad, I drove my car everyday for 3 years without a problem..even when we had snowstorms i drove my car. The snow is nothing like how it is in upstate NY and honestly you may not be able to drive your car maybe like 2 or 3 days out of the whole year.

 

i live in winchester va about 30-45 min from chantilly the commute isn't bad. the housing is much cheaper and they area is very nice. i have some buddies that live in chantilly and falls church and i would never do that. it's not a bad area but i would live outside and commute if i were you.

 

Same here. It was good to meet you too g-ryde. Your welcome to swing on by anytime. I figured out what was wrong with my car yesterday. My MAP sensor went bad. I can't order another one until tomorrow.

 

so that is what was wrong with your car this whole time? That sucks

 

No there's still something else wrong with it. The MAP just went out. I can't do any more troubleshooting until after the holiday break. No money.....

 

This is good to know. It sucks about the property tax thing, especially with something that continually decreases in value. I guess at least you know your taxes are going down each year!

 

thats true..it really sucks though if you have a fairly expensive car, the taxes will be high on it for a long time

 

Good to meet you too. damn those map sensors. Hopefully thats all that was wrong

 

Down here, if you can afford the really expenisve car, chances are you already have the really expensive house and a bunch of other expensive toys. Money isn't an issue when you're making mid to high six figures.