Big changes in my family's life - but the RS6 is not leaving.

[ben916]

About a year or so ago, my wife and I made a deal:
If either one of us loses their job, we would move out of California with particular interest in Seattle, Washington, as I have family there. As fate would have it, AIG took a big dump on the world economy and my wife was employed there for 9 years until Nov 2011. Meanwhile, California was in a $20B deficit so there were lovely furloughs, layoffs, zero backfill of retirees, hiring freezes, cost of living freezes, 20% pay increases for executives/administrators and the list goes on... The "nail in the coffin" was a Union letter about in February stating that there wouldn't be any Cost of Living increases for 2012/2013 and 2013/2014. That would be a total of 5 years without any increase in pay. I was graciously introduced to a top recruiter in Seattle who forwarded my resume to his network of other recruiters - BOOM! 6hr later I had two phone calls. Fast forward after an initial interview with an IT director and a face to face interview last week - I was offered a position on Tuesday. This all occurred in about three weeks.

I accepted a new position that is located in Renton Washington.
I am currently located in San Diego, California.

So that means that So Cal is going to be a nice place to visit in the future.

I will be moving in about two weeks, get settled, then move the family up in two months AFTER the school year is complete.

Looking forward to the PNW crew!
Gonna miss my So Cal crew, but that will give them an excuse to road trip their RS6 in the northern part of Cali!!!!

[alrightroad]

Ben, congrats on the new job. Sorry to hear the movement away from So Cal was a little unnatural Next chapter in the book of life. I'm in IT as well. We'll hook up off-board...

[4everRS]

Very exciting few weeks you've had Ben. Good luck with the new gig and the move. You'll like the boost better in the cooler climate!

[905084]

Change is exciting, fun, unfamiliar, and frustrating. You were and are going to be in the two best places that my wife and I love to to go to and would move to if we weren't here. Good luck and enjoy!!

[topcat_92]

Welcome Back!!! Bring some sun with you.

[NSU RS6]

Woohoo!! And to think that three weeks ago I was at Torrey Pines visiting a customer and thought it would be fun to get together for a beer.

Looks like that will happen up here!

Good luck with the new job - and the sunshine here will be starting in May! Err....maybe June? July I hope?

Oh well Crystal is going to be skiing into June!

Woohoo!

[JSRS6]

Good luck Ben.

[Cochese]

Good thing you have AWD. :)

[MaxRS6]

Congrats Ben!- I wish you and your family the best with the changes

[kevin]

Congrats Ben!

[speedtrapped]

Thats awesome Ben....I assume u love coffee???

[ben916]

Welcome Back!!! Bring some sun with you.

PM me your contact information

Hoping I don't need Blizzacks until next winter ;)

[Chung]

Welcome back. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help with the move from up here.

[lswing]

Glad to hear you'll be bringing the beast up to the Pacific NorthWet, welcome!.....now get a set of snow wheels and tires, work expense:)

[FacePalm]

Ben-Let me know if you need anything. My wife and I have been in Renton for going on 7 years now...

[ttboost]

Geez...the PNW doesn't need any more RS6's...oh well...good luck with the move Ben!!!

[lswing]

Also, if you've got time drop by through town and take my beast for a spin. Should have the W/M and Koni's on by next week....

[Brav]

I have a lot of family in Seattle are as well. We will have to get together before you leave so cal..

[ben916]

Does anyone know of a reputable car transport service?

I am relocating from San Diego, CA to Seattle, Washington.
I really don't want to put the miles on the RS6 (1250 miles or so) and/or subject it to the rock chips/road kill/etc...

Driving it would be fun BUT it really comes down to wear/tear and the $$$$ in gas.

Thanks in advance!

[hahnmgh63]

Ben, try www.uship.com (http://www.uship.com) I had some good luck with them in the past on one car and another time on a Motorcycle. Kind of like Ebay but they bid on your shipment and they have feedback you can look at like on Ebay.

[Brav]

Ben, I can help you ship.. I buy cars across the country often.

[Chung]

I have a car cover you can borrow if you would like to cover it up on the trip.

[Jimmy Joe]

Good Luck and best wishes on your new life, Ben.

[ben916]

Thanks everyone!

I am excited at the new challenge!!!!

[Benman]

Wow! Sorry to hear you are moving Ben, but a big congratulations on the new job! :cheers:

Ben :addict:

[Benman]

Does anyone know of a reputable car transport service?

I am relocating from San Diego, CA to Seattle, Washington.
I really don't want to put the miles on the RS6 (1250 miles or so) and/or subject it to the rock chips/road kill/etc...

Driving it would be fun BUT it really comes down to wear/tear and the $$$$ in gas.

Thanks in advance!BTW, it would only be @ $250 in gas. Straight through I've done that drive solo (Temecula to Bellingham) in 18 hours, 20 minutes. An adventure you'd be able to relive again and again.

[vitalian]

The PNW'ers are going to have to get together for an Audi Nite at Feierabend when you get here! :cheers:

[kismetcapitan]

congrats, and I hope your new job turns out to be awesome - it's always a great feeling when everything just falls into place. Almost feels like fate, and opportunity is always there if you look for it!

[Amar]

Firstly, congratulations on your new job and all the best with the move. I can't get over the fact driving down will only cost you $250!! I am driving from the UK to the Nurburgring and quattro GmbH next week, which is 1350 miles. My fuel costs wil
be $900, that doesn't include the ring eitheir, and will possibly be a lot more. Fuel is dirt cheap in the USA. I was filling up my Mustang rental in LA just recently and thought there was something wrong with the pump when it clicked. Crazy.

[ben916]

BTW, it would only be @ $250 in gas. Straight through I've done that drive solo (Temecula to Bellingham) in 18 hours, 20 minutes. An adventure you'd be able to relive again and again.

Well, the fuel costs were $700+ in the Acura MDX in November 2011. That doesn't include food or lodging.

My record for driving from basically Coronado,CA to Seattle,WA was 17 1/2 hours (included gas stops, food, bathroom breaks) in an 86 Mustang GT 5 speed.

[PixieVC]

Ben,

This makes me so happy. I'm glad you aggressively followed-up, as I suggested. :-)

Have fun. As luck would have it, my mother is relocating to Southern California, and as such, will be spending more time down there. My husband's whole family is in the greater LA area as well - I'm finding myself making regular trips down there. I-5 is the most boring drive in the world - only way to make it fun is when you're doing 30 over the limit... but then that brings in all sorts of potential repercussions such as felony charges, impound of your vehicle, and jail time. Have to balance and weigh that against the fun factor. Then there's the minor issue of the fact that at those speeds, I'll only get about 16 mpg, if that, necessitating a fuel stop.

When does your job start?

Good idea relocating to the Pacific Northwest - as climate change gets moving ahead at full swing, you'll be much safer and more comfortable there - while LA burns. There's also a ton of latent civil unrest. Cut the power for 3 days in the San Fernando Valley and the place will burn to the ground... things will quickly spiral out of control.

Smile. Embrace your good fortune. Life is good.

[ben916]

Ben,

This makes me so happy. I'm glad you aggressively followed-up, as I suggested. :-)

Have fun. As luck would have it, my mother is relocating to Southern California, and as such, will be spending more time down there. My husband's whole family is in the greater LA area as well - I'm finding myself making regular trips down there. I-5 is the most boring drive in the world - only way to make it fun is when you're doing 30 over the limit... but then that brings in all sorts of potential repercussions such as felony charges, impound of your vehicle, and jail time. Have to balance and weigh that against the fun factor. Then there's the minor issue of the fact that at those speeds, I'll only get about 16 mpg, if that, necessitating a fuel stop.

When does your job start?

Good idea relocating to the Pacific Northwest - as climate change gets moving ahead at full swing, you'll be much safer and more comfortable there - while LA burns. There's also a ton of latent civil unrest. Cut the power for 3 days in the San Fernando Valley and the place will burn to the ground... things will quickly spiral out of control.

Smile. Embrace your good fortune. Life is good.

A,

I was 100% on my aggressiveness on this one as the opportunity was perfect!
The family is ecstatic on moving to the PNW and leaving So Cal as a vacation destination and visiting the wife's family.

I start on 23rd of April.

Life is good, except for the coolant leak this afternoon but I am unable to control that so I will just have to roll with it.

[Benman]

Well, the fuel costs were $700+ in the Acura MDX in November 2011. That doesn't include food or lodging.

My record for driving from basically Coronado,CA to Seattle,WA was 17 1/2 hours (included gas stops, food, bathroom breaks) in an 86 Mustang GT 5 speed.

Bellingham is another hour north so yep, our times are spot on.

As long as you're not pushing hard, the Beast should return nearly 22mpg on that drive. 1300 miles is @60 gallons. At $4 it's $240 and at $5 it's 300. When I bonzai'd, there was no food and lodging costs. ;) Heck, just the plane ticket would be close to that. Is the whole family driving up in the MDX or flying?
:cheers:

Ben

[ben916]

Bellingham is another hour north so yep, our times are spot on.

As long as you're not pushing hard, the Beast should return nearly 22mpg on that drive. 1300 miles is @60 gallons. At $4 it's $240 and at $5 it's 300. When I bonzai'd, there was no food and lodging costs. ;) Heck, just the plane ticket would be close to that. Is the whole family driving up in the MDX or flying?
:cheers:

Ben

MDX is gone.... CR-V is in it's place...
RS6 is in the shop @ Hoehn with a oil cooler tube crack and a hole in the radiator...

there was a A8L W12 there - it looked great and very clean!

[Benman]

MDX is gone.... CR-V is in it's place...
RS6 is in the shop @ Hoehn with a oil cooler tube crack and a hole in the radiator...

there was a A8L W12 there - it looked great and very clean! Well, before you leave, we need to meet up for a beer! :cheers:

[lswing]

MDX is gone.... CR-V is in it's place...

We've been thinking the same thing, reasons? Gas? Upkeep?Here's to the repairs going smooth...

[ben916]

Well, before you leave, we need to meet up for a beer! :cheers:

I have been trying to organize something with So Cal peeps and C5 peeps...

Iswing: the MDX is a great SUV for lots of bells/whistles and putting around. It is worse than the BEAST for mpg anywhere. On our recent trip from San Diego, CA to Seattle, WA along I-5 the entire way, we averaged 18-19mpg @ 70-75mph. Any faster, the mileage dropped. Any slower, other drivers would get pissed off and tail you... It shifts into 3rd gear by 20mph, I was constantly paddle shifting trying to keep it in the power band as it wanted to stay in the low RPM range for the fuel economy (it didn't have enough torque to really pull this off). If you put your foot into the gas, it is decently fast for an AWD V-6 3.5l. Also there was this odd knocking in the engine and we thought it was timing being pulled due to fuel octane (or lack of octane) - we even put in 92 from Chevron and same noise. It was a shiny expensive not so good SUV and probably more than we really needed. The CR-V suits and fits the purpose of what the wife needed...

[hahnmgh63]

The MDX really Sux. My Cayenne Turbo S (521bhp) averaged exactly 18.0 on a 2900mi trip (purchase) including 2 snowstorms, and I was still smiling when I got it home.

[ChrisOCT]

Good luck and best wishes to you and your family. FWIW as a fellow MDX owner can I ask if you have had the transmission software updated as per the recent recall?

[ben916]

Good luck and best wishes to you and your family. FWIW as a fellow MDX owner can I ask if you have had the transmission software updated as per the recent recall?

We purchased a 2010 MDX technology in Jan 2010.
There were no recalls or anything during our regular service intervals or oil changes.

I had expressed displeasure multiple times to the Service Advisors and it fell on deaf ears...

[ben916]

Well I drove the RS to Seattle will all my crap in it.

I had a choice of driving I-5 to Redding (my 1/2 point) or driving 395 to Redding.
I took the 395 north from Riverside, CA towards Reno, NV. The route adds about 2 hours and 75 miles but hell, the road was empty but slower and more scenic...
Effortless passing when safe and necessary.
I was averaging 21.5mpg or so with 8100' mountain passes along the way and would fill when I could.
I didn't fill up near Mammoth Lakes as the price was $5.49/gl for 91.
I was making decent time.... until around Susanville, CA....
I passed 4 CHP and one of them "instant on-ed" his radar and said I was doing 81 in a 65.
I think it wasn't correct as I had the cruise set at 73 and it was a downhill grade.

So with my butthurt, I was sticking to +2 or +3 over the posted...
Then the gas mileage was 24.5 and would routinely get 270 miles on 1/2 tank.
Coming down towards Shasta on the 44 to Redding, the road was empty!

The next morning, getting onto the I-5 North towards the pass between CA/OR = tons of CHP/sherriff/locals.

Oregon and Washington have 92 octane, nice!

I apologize to all my So Cal peeps for not getting to say goodbye in person, but I will be routinely visiting.

[Chung]

Sounds like a good drive minus the ticket.

Thanks for bringing the good weather.

[lswing]

Glad to hear it went well all things considered, yea the mileage at the speed limit is great:), and you've got some good welcoming weather, for a day or two...

[NSU RS6]

Well I drove the RS to Seattle will all my crap in it.


Welcome!


So with my butthurt, I was sticking to +2 or +3 over the posted...


Was your wife in the car? I hate getting tickets with the wife in the car. It must be the closest thing there is to getting a ticket, and having it shoved up yer butt.

[ben916]

Welcome!



Was your wife in the car? I hate getting tickets with the wife in the car. It must be the closest thing there is to getting a ticket, and having it shoved up yer butt.

Thanks, I am back to my hometown, getting re-aquainted with the lay of the land and 60mph ($hit that is so SLOW!)

No, I was solo. It was rather weird also as the officer didn't really bust ass to catch up to me after he did his u-turn, he was about 1/2 mile back with lights on but no siren. The cars that were on the other side of the road, they pulled over, I did the same thinking he was gonna rip by and go to an emergency or something, nope...

[kismetcapitan]

CHP is a major factor in why I chose not to attend Stanford. When you love driving, and have a lot of horsepower, CHP is nothing but trouble. Five years in the Bay Area, and anytime I needed help from the cops, it was a joke. But anytime I had any sort of driving infraction, no matter how minor, they were on me in seconds like white on rice.

[Benman]

Sounds like a good drive minus the ticket.
That was karma for ditching us So Cal folk without even a goodbye. ;)

Actually you'll look back on the ticket with fond memories. I can still remember the time I was pulled over in backwoods Louisiana AND was forced to drive 35 miles BACK the way I just came to the police station... :cheers:

[ben916]

ouch! busted me in the chops...

I still have to get the wife and kids in San Diego in June.
Then yearly vacation visits during spring break!

[Benman]

I still have to get the wife and kids in San Diego in June.
June it is! Beers are on me! :cheers:

[ben916]

June it is! Beers are on me! :cheers:

deal!!!!1234

[Jimmy Joe]

It is really sad that having such splendid, safe roads you have speed limits so low, 80, 90 MPH. in many of your Interstates should'nt be any problem for the Beast in the hands of a safe, competent driver.
But of course, speed limits are designed for the lowest common denominator using the roads, but, it's still sad.

[papadoc]

CHP is a major factor in why I chose not to attend Stanford. When you love driving, and have a lot of horsepower, CHP is nothing but trouble. Five years in the Bay Area, and anytime I needed help from the cops, it was a joke. But anytime I had any sort of driving infraction, no matter how minor, they were on me in seconds like white on rice.

With the Redline detector, the CHP appear well before you see them or they see you. They are sneaky with their laser, but it's pretty obvious where they will hide. Can't drive in the Bay area without a good radar detector. But I still appreciate the CHP; they do seem to help quickly when you really need them.

[4everRS]

WTF is going on here.
http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab210/crocodile64/GTFOHippo.jpg

[ben916]

If you have time to drop by the town, and I spin beast. There should be next week's PS Vita Accessories (http://www.meritline.com/ps-vita-accessories-console-games---c-14793.aspx) W / M and the swan.

Thanks for the SPAM, now go away...

[Erik]

Spam deleted, thanks for reporting.

However, please do not reply to or comment any spam, just report it, otherwise it leaves me with a few other posts to delete.

:)