Moving to Boston and have some ?'s

[Verwilderd]

Hello all! I will be moving to Boston very soon (August 12th I start my drive) from Texas and had a few questions that I would like some help/advice on....

 

--- First, how much to state inspections cost?

 

---Are they real strict in MA on emissions? I have a catless DP and want to make sure I can find someone who will pass me. I've got plenty of people here to do this...so I am debating on getting my car inspected/reregisterd here so that it at least buys me a year up there (I will maintain a residence here, so I don't have to get my car registered in MA...or at least that's what I assume).

 

---Are winter tires a must or are the roads mostly ploughed enough up there where they helpful but not required? I will be buying some coilovers from AJWperformance once I get up there so that I can at least adjust the height of my vehicle for the seasons (plus I auto-x and would like them for that)....What are your thought on that?

 

 

 

---Any cool places/things I need to do in Boston/New England?

 

---How is the Legacy community up there?

 

Anyway, any help with these would be greatly appreciated! I look forward to meeting you guys soon!

[katalyst]

inspections don't cost too much, iirc it's like 25-30 dollars?

 

where in boston are you going to be living and how far is your commute going to be?

[cchen1]

- State inspections are $29.

 

- Inspections here work by plugging into the OBDII port and checking for codes and readiness codes; no tailpipe testing. So if your ECU is good to go with your downpipe, you should be ok.

 

- If you are going to be in Boston or around Boston, I would say winter tires are not an absolute requirement. Though it isn't Boston, my parents have driven thirty years in the midwest (which gets way more snow than here) without snow tires but with AWD and been just fine on rural roads that are not often cleanly plowed. However, I would highly recommend them; I've run them on my past 2 cars and my legacy and for the times I drove up into the mountains or hit some icy roads, they gave that extra bit of grip and security.

 

As far as suspension, if you have snow tires, I wouldn't worry about raising your car. I have RCE tarmac coilovers on my legacy and never raise it up. My previous car was even lower on KW V3, corner-balanced and setup for road course use - drove all over New England, through snow storms and all, no problem, without ever adjusting ride height.

 

- This question, well, what do you like to do?

 

- Don't know about the community - pretty new it myself.

 

Good luck with the move

[Underdog]

- State inspections are $29.

 

- Inspections here work by plugging into the OBDII port and checking for codes and readiness codes; no tailpipe testing. So if your ECU is good to go with your downpipe, you should be ok.

 

- If you are going to be in Boston or around Boston, I would say winter tires are not an absolute requirement. Though it isn't Boston, my parents have driven thirty years in the midwest (which gets way more snow than here) without snow tires but with AWD and been just fine on rural roads that are not often cleanly plowed. However, I would highly recommend them; I've run them on my past 2 cars and my legacy and for the times I drove up into the mountains or hit some icy roads.

 

As far as suspension, if you have snow tires, I wouldn't worry about raising your car. I have RCE tarmac coilovers on my legacy and never raise it up. My previous car was even lower on KW V3, corner-balanced and setup for road course use - drove all over New England, through snow storms and all, no problem, without ever adjusting ride height.

 

+1 to all this... No problem on coilovers in the winter as long as you aren't slammed. When my car was lowered on Swifts (-2" in the front) I could still make it up to Sugarloaf and Waterville Valley during some heavy snowstorms. With the RCE Tarmacs at -1" I've never had a clearance problem.

 

I also agree that winter tires aren't a necessity but are a huge advantage. You will find that snowy days are the most fun because most of the people stay off the roads leaving plenty of room to go out and play. Having a good snow tire will help keep you out of trouble.

 

For stuff to do... Go to a Red Sox game, take a harbor cruise, drive out to the Cape for a weekend, visitn Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket, go to a concert at the Hatch Shell, Museum of Science, Aquarium, get some good Italian food in the North End, visit Harvard Campus in Cambridge, go Skiing or Snowboarding at any of the great mountains only a couple hours away, drive up the coast to Kennebunkport, walk the Freedom Trail, go shopping at Faneuil Hall and get some great local seafood, do NOT go to Cheers!, go to the Boston Symphony, shop on Newbury Street, etc...

[Malt Beverage]

do NOT go to Cheers!

 

lol +1 on that. Go to F1 Boston and beat the snot out of some go carts. Really fun way to spend a rainy day. Oh and look up the "Kancamagus Highway".

 

Get a good set of snows if you don't have a ton of experience in the snow. We only need them maybe 5-10 times a year, but If you like to play in the snow like me, they will inspire enough confidence to keep you out of trouble.

[Underdog]

lol +1 on that. Go to F1 Boston and beat the snot out of some go carts. Really fun way to spend a rainy day. Oh and look up the "Kancamagus Highway".

 

Get a good set of snows if you don't have a ton of experience in the snow. We only need them maybe 5-10 times a year, but If you like to play in the snow like me, they will inspire enough confidence to keep you out of trouble.

 

You're in Groton? I'm right down the road in Ayer.

[Malt Beverage]

Heh, small world. I used to live in "downtown" Ayer. I like Ayer since you can actually get a cold beer or a hamburger after 10 pm .

[mrjk77]

if you're going to do auto-x here, i will go with you! haha. went my first time a few weeks ago and it was a blast.

[Malt Beverage]

I've been meaning to get out to an autox at Devens for about 5 years now. Though I really need to either built up my suspension on my 2.5i (since speed is not my key strength) or find an old Porsche beater to race so I can have some fun .

[mrjk77]

yeah i went to devens. i made a post about it the other week.

 

but...

good luck with the move!

[Verwilderd]

Thanks for all the info...All VERY good advice. As far as where in Boston, I will be in cambridge. I always forget the boston proper is only like 6 blocks (I kid), but here in texas, the distance between boston and cambridge would still fall in the major city (ie Fort Worth or Dallas)....so when I think of Boston, I always think it should basically be Boston and all the surrounding cities.

 

Anywho....I will be going to some auto-x up there so I will hit you up (mrjk77) if you wanna come out. I enjoy them. The only thing that sucks about going is that you usually get a total of 3-4 minutes driving and have to sit out there all day (and here that can be miserable because it gets HOT when standing on these concrete lots in 100+ degree weather.

 

I'm looking forward to moving up there. I think it will be fun. I'm flying up for a few days next week for a wedding, then coming back, only to turn right around and drive up there.

[mrjk77]

oh sure. actually i lived in cambridge for about 3 years...2 years in harvard sq and another year in inman sq (near central and between harvard and kendall/MIT). this will all probably make sense to you after you move. let me know if you have any questions regarding cambridge...i really liked it there. minus the crappy people who can't parallel park. purchased my lgt when i was there and got about 10 scratches in the rear bumper in the first week. off street parking is a bonus.

 

anyway. i'm just over the river now, near HBS, technically in brighton, but near newton/allston/watertown/cambridge. it's actually a nice location, near all of these places, and quick access to the highways.

 

my friend just moved to SA (from cambridge) and he's been telling me about it. rofl. TX is def. a different place. the building he works in is almost a mile long?

 

also, i went to the auto-x DRIVING SCHOOL. so i got about 3-3.5 hours of actual driving. no, i'm not exaggerating. i did about 50+ runs (timed) and at least that much on the other courses (slalom, etc.). i'd probably never do an *actual* event, being what you describe very accurate.

 

we were split up into two groups (25 cars/group). first group drove and we had to shag/replace cones for ~1.5-2 hours in the morning and then switched. and then repeated again in the afternoon. and yes, it did get HOT. either just standing in the direct sunlight or being in your car (no AC!!!!). some of the cone courses, clam-shells, whatever...i'd just run over and over and over...noone was there or maybe 1 other car would be waiting. many times, you don't even have to "finish" and just keep going and going and going. i managed to smoke the brakes once.

 

next driving school is not until oct, but thats with the bmw boston chapter at least. i'm on the look-out for other events, but probably won't have time until mid-aug...and after that i'm pretty free.

[Verwilderd]

Well if you hear of any events, def let me know!!!

[rice_rocket]

Wow good to know you finally made it to auto-x Mrjk77! Fun stuff for sure! I'm so out of the game now. Just had our first baby girl. Time to be a family man, I even sold my motorcycle!

[2005hondakilla]

I run directions in winter. Makes the snow more fun. Boston is a very good time as well. For local/>75 miles you have six flags, drag track, f1, bar after bar, the cape, and a large amount of Subaru meets

[Malt Beverage]

No death penalty here

[mrjk77]

Wow good to know you finally made it to auto-x Mrjk77! Fun stuff for sure! I'm so out of the game now. Just had our first baby girl. Time to be a family man, I even sold my motorcycle!

 

lmao. well, congrats! you shoulda given me the motorcycle. or at least teach me how to ride one.

 

here's a song for you (just watched knocked up on tv):

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVam-fshUgw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVam-fshUgw[/ame]

[Fossil2k2]

There is plenty of good information here about the city and the surrounding area. cchen1 and Underdog hit the nail on the head.

 

Before I had my LGT I drove a slammed Celica, I always had 1/2 way decent all seasons for the winter and they did just fine putting around town without any drama. Whenever I went up north I would hijack my mom's outback . I'm contemplating buying snow tires for this coming winter.

 

As far as things to do in the area:

1) Go to Bleacher Bar in Fenway Park for a Sox v. Yanks game

2) Go to The Harp for a B's or C's game

3) Take a drive to Patriot Place

4) Go to Salem on Halloween

5) Visit North Conway are (skiing, mtn biking, white water rafting, hiking)

 

For auto-x see:

http://www.renegademiata.net

http://www.ncr-pca.org/

http://www.boston-bmwcca.org/

http://www.ner.org/solo

 

My Celica is going into the shop to get tuned up very soon, there are a couple good events coming up in August that I need to get to.

[bigdadi]

Subaru with Snow tires = King of The Road in Winter Wonderland. Speed-limit speed while others slowing down due to traction and braking distance.

[cchen1]

Subaru with Snow tires = King of The Road in Winter Wonderland. Speed-limit speed while others slowing down due to traction and braking distance.

 

The only problem with that is that you become a target for police. Happened to me several years ago - coming back from NH down 93 during a big snow storm in the morning. I was going well under the speed limit, but faster than surrounding traffic. A police officer pulled up going really fast beside me on the left, then gave me a look and mouthed slow down - okay, I slow down to the same speed as everybody else giving plenty of distance. The officer then proceeds to slow way down, slower than other surrounding cars - I'm surrounded by traffic at this point. Going the same speed as traffic, I slowly inch past her; she pulls me over because I was going "faster than her". Pretty stupid ticket - first and only in my 16 years of driving.

Best/worst part was, after she pulled me over, I watched her fishtail her cruiser all over the road as she attempted to merge back onto the highway.

[Malt Beverage]

I remember when I first started driving, I had seen a snow rally a couple weeks prior to heavy snow storm we had. As a result I really wanted to try out some moves. I did a perfect drift around a hard corner right past a cop sitting in parking lot. As if in slow motion, my car drifted sideways around the corner. I made eye contact while looking head on, he shook his head and I difted on my way. It's a wonder I never killed my self .

[__raj]

Subaru with Snow tires = King of The Road in Winter Wonderland. Speed-limit speed while others slowing down due to traction and braking distance.

 

While true sometimes, the fact is everyone is driving pretty slow and typically very hard to pass safely.

 

IMHO, the best approach to winter driving is timing. If your job or otherwise allows you to wait a bit to go somewhere wait till the roads are decently plowed and treated.

 

25 minute commutes turn into 1-3 hr affairs irregardless of vehicle or tires during a storm peak.

 

Check out NESIC on NASIOC.com, a really decent group of folks for Subie community.