sports cars san diego image
Arthur B.
I have lived in Chicago for 11 years now and I am ready to make a change in my life. I am trying to decide between San Diego or Miami. I am like 98 percent SD but I wanted to know what are some things that I should know about the city. Like is living expenses high? Neighborhoods? How much should I have saved up? etc etc
Answer
San Diego is one of the nicest cities in the country. It's a major tourist destination and there are tons of things to do. With 70 miles of beautiful beaches, countless parks and gardens, major league sports, dozens of golf courses, world class museums, Tony Award winning theater, great cuisine, best weather in the country, high tech industry, major universities, and the best zoo in the world, it's my choice as THE place to live and play in the USA.
According to the following cost of living comparison calculator, San Diego is 14% more expensive than Chicago. A $50,000 / year salary in San Diego is equivalent to $57,000 in Chicago.
http://www.bankrate.com/calculators/savings/moving-cost-of-living-calculator.aspx
The big cost difference is housing and gas prices. People in So Cal are use to spending 30%-35% of our incomes on housing. If you are renting, expect to pay at least $1500-$2000 / month on a nice apartment.
We have some of the highest gas prices in the country so if you have a gas guzzler car, leave it behind.
As far as where to live, here is a quick summary of some of the areas within the city of San Diego.
La Jolla and Scripps Ranch are upscale and wealthy.
The nice middle class areas of town are Pacific Beach, Tierrasanta, Clairemont, University City, and Mira Mesa.
Pacific Beach is a mixture of apartments with college students and young professionals, and single family homes. If you can afford it, it's one of the best places to live in the city. It also has great nightlife.
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/neighborhoods/pacific-beach/
University City is near La Jolla and UCSD and is mostly upscale professionals.
Clairemont is middle class single family homes and has a lot of military families living there.
Mira Mesa has a large Asian population.
Hillcrest/North Park is the center of the gay community.
Mission Valley is young professionals and almost all condos and apartments. The trolley lines runs right down the middle of the valley and it's an ideal place to live if you commute to downtown or San Diego State.
Ocean Beach is a lot of druggies, hippies, and beach bums.
Mission Beach is the seasonal rental party animal types.
Point Loma is a lot of retired military.
The College Area is near San Diego State on the eastern edge of the city. A few blocks from the school is less than desirable.
Linda Vista is lower middle class and ethnically mixed.
In general, the farther south you go (closer to the border), the lower the property values. IMO you want to live north of I-8 and west of I-15. There are also nice bedroom communities along the I-15 corridor, such as Poway, Rancho Penasquitos and Rancho Bernardo.
The North County Coastal area is one of the best places to live in the county. The beach cities of Del Mar, Encinitas, Solana Beach, Lucadia, Carlsbad, etc. are all great and many people do the daily commute on I-5. Also, The Coaster is the commuter rail service along the coast that takes you right downtown.
Check out these sites for more info
http://www.sandiego.org/nav/Visitors
http://thebestplacesinsandiego.com/
San Diego is one of the nicest cities in the country. It's a major tourist destination and there are tons of things to do. With 70 miles of beautiful beaches, countless parks and gardens, major league sports, dozens of golf courses, world class museums, Tony Award winning theater, great cuisine, best weather in the country, high tech industry, major universities, and the best zoo in the world, it's my choice as THE place to live and play in the USA.
According to the following cost of living comparison calculator, San Diego is 14% more expensive than Chicago. A $50,000 / year salary in San Diego is equivalent to $57,000 in Chicago.
http://www.bankrate.com/calculators/savings/moving-cost-of-living-calculator.aspx
The big cost difference is housing and gas prices. People in So Cal are use to spending 30%-35% of our incomes on housing. If you are renting, expect to pay at least $1500-$2000 / month on a nice apartment.
We have some of the highest gas prices in the country so if you have a gas guzzler car, leave it behind.
As far as where to live, here is a quick summary of some of the areas within the city of San Diego.
La Jolla and Scripps Ranch are upscale and wealthy.
The nice middle class areas of town are Pacific Beach, Tierrasanta, Clairemont, University City, and Mira Mesa.
Pacific Beach is a mixture of apartments with college students and young professionals, and single family homes. If you can afford it, it's one of the best places to live in the city. It also has great nightlife.
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/neighborhoods/pacific-beach/
University City is near La Jolla and UCSD and is mostly upscale professionals.
Clairemont is middle class single family homes and has a lot of military families living there.
Mira Mesa has a large Asian population.
Hillcrest/North Park is the center of the gay community.
Mission Valley is young professionals and almost all condos and apartments. The trolley lines runs right down the middle of the valley and it's an ideal place to live if you commute to downtown or San Diego State.
Ocean Beach is a lot of druggies, hippies, and beach bums.
Mission Beach is the seasonal rental party animal types.
Point Loma is a lot of retired military.
The College Area is near San Diego State on the eastern edge of the city. A few blocks from the school is less than desirable.
Linda Vista is lower middle class and ethnically mixed.
In general, the farther south you go (closer to the border), the lower the property values. IMO you want to live north of I-8 and west of I-15. There are also nice bedroom communities along the I-15 corridor, such as Poway, Rancho Penasquitos and Rancho Bernardo.
The North County Coastal area is one of the best places to live in the county. The beach cities of Del Mar, Encinitas, Solana Beach, Lucadia, Carlsbad, etc. are all great and many people do the daily commute on I-5. Also, The Coaster is the commuter rail service along the coast that takes you right downtown.
Check out these sites for more info
http://www.sandiego.org/nav/Visitors
http://thebestplacesinsandiego.com/
Do I need chains in the snow on a Jeep Wrangler?
David S
I am going up to Lake Tahoe next week and the weather reports say it will be snowing all week. I live in San Diego so I have obviously never driven my Jeep in the snow. Does anyone know if I need chains or will the 4 wheel drive be enough to get through it?
Answer
you may not need them but you may be required by law to have them.
first, check your manual to see if they can be used on your jeep. my 2006 manual says ok on x's and sports but not on rubicons or shara's due to larger tirs not having enough clearance between the side wall and shocks.
if you have upgraded your wheels, you may have a problem.
if you can fit them, chins are a good insurance policy. you can always buy them alongside the road from the chain monkeys but i bet you would get a better price off the internet. i doubt that sd has too many retailors stocking chains.
do a little research with the internet, there are several sites that have large selections of chains, i couldnot believe all the different types, roller cross x, ladder, etc. a good site will explain the differences to you and help you choose the correct size.
don't forget tensioners also, some chins come with them some are optional.
you will have to fit them before you go. it is a lot easier removing an excess link in your driveway in sd in 80 degree weather rather than on the side of the road in 20 degree weather.
remember top speed in chains is about 30 mph.
i found a company that makes non-metalic chains for cars and trucks. they have very low sidewall profile so that wranglers with oversize tires can use them. i will try and find th site and post it later.
be sure to carry some emergency supplies like extra water and a couple of blankets in case you run ito difficulties. a shovel on't be bad either. if you buy a sno shovel up north, you can always bring it back to amuse your friends.
the trick to driving in snow or ice is to match your speed with the conditions and skill levels. try to anticipate any stops or turns. kep moving at a constant rate. driving is like sking, if you don't have forward motion you have no control.
you don't want to drive in constant four wheel drive unless the road is slick and the wheels can slip everyonce in a while. the part tim four wheel drive on wranglers doesn't allow the axle to rlease tension like a limited slip differential will. over time the axel ill build up a torque and snap, especially the dana 30's on x's and sports.
that' why wrnglers are not the best for on road extreme driving conditions.
ps make sure your rad is covered for lower temps, antifreeze and that your indshield washer fluid is rated for the temps you expect.
check with chp on conditions before you leave. thier web site should have driving conditions on it and chain advisories
you may not need them but you may be required by law to have them.
first, check your manual to see if they can be used on your jeep. my 2006 manual says ok on x's and sports but not on rubicons or shara's due to larger tirs not having enough clearance between the side wall and shocks.
if you have upgraded your wheels, you may have a problem.
if you can fit them, chins are a good insurance policy. you can always buy them alongside the road from the chain monkeys but i bet you would get a better price off the internet. i doubt that sd has too many retailors stocking chains.
do a little research with the internet, there are several sites that have large selections of chains, i couldnot believe all the different types, roller cross x, ladder, etc. a good site will explain the differences to you and help you choose the correct size.
don't forget tensioners also, some chins come with them some are optional.
you will have to fit them before you go. it is a lot easier removing an excess link in your driveway in sd in 80 degree weather rather than on the side of the road in 20 degree weather.
remember top speed in chains is about 30 mph.
i found a company that makes non-metalic chains for cars and trucks. they have very low sidewall profile so that wranglers with oversize tires can use them. i will try and find th site and post it later.
be sure to carry some emergency supplies like extra water and a couple of blankets in case you run ito difficulties. a shovel on't be bad either. if you buy a sno shovel up north, you can always bring it back to amuse your friends.
the trick to driving in snow or ice is to match your speed with the conditions and skill levels. try to anticipate any stops or turns. kep moving at a constant rate. driving is like sking, if you don't have forward motion you have no control.
you don't want to drive in constant four wheel drive unless the road is slick and the wheels can slip everyonce in a while. the part tim four wheel drive on wranglers doesn't allow the axle to rlease tension like a limited slip differential will. over time the axel ill build up a torque and snap, especially the dana 30's on x's and sports.
that' why wrnglers are not the best for on road extreme driving conditions.
ps make sure your rad is covered for lower temps, antifreeze and that your indshield washer fluid is rated for the temps you expect.
check with chp on conditions before you leave. thier web site should have driving conditions on it and chain advisories
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