h&r, your 1st and 3rd points hide some value in them (albeit value that is already understood and practiced by most firms) but all the bits about land use in your second point are absolutely asinine.
I do absolutely agree about the need for clarity in structure / organization and in communication as well, and agree that it is commonly lacking in architectural firms. In particular, I would like to see a LOT more clarity with regard to salary structure & advancement within a firm, similar to the way law firms are structured (although somehow structured to place less emphasis on competition between employees).
I think the reason you're going to encounter a lot of opposition with your statements is simply because the field of architecture is an immensely varied field that contains many, many different models of practice within it. I can't say the same for any of the other professional fields that I've had experience with. Therefore, no matter what you say, it will only ever be applicable to 10% (or whatever) of practicing firms.
And I second snook... repeat business & making sure the client is happy is typically the number 1 goal of a successful architect - client relationship.
There are many other factors that go into the *monetary* success of a project, however...
har: "I know very little about architecture but in my 6 months of going to firms websites all over I have learned a lot about how some of them work."
Based on that experience, I would venture that you know nothing of any real value about how firms work. That's like saying you can learn how to make love to a woman by reading a few issues of Playboy.
ha, no joke stone. h&r, if you profess to know about marketing you should know that architect's websites are utterly irrelevant & contain little, if any, useful information! At least gleaning your information from reading interviews with firm principals is one tiny step about that...
our firm (which, by the way, has been very successful over the past 3-4 yrs, even now) flies in the face of everything you propose, h&r. we're an mba's nightmare, but it works great.
This is a really interesting conversation but I have to say, one thing that constantly disappoints me about architects is their inability to make their intentions known to a larger community. We're always hemming and hawing about what good ideas we have and 'why can't we get paid' and blah blah blah, but hillandrock comes on here, says he's an outsider, says he can't understand some things about our profession and then gets shouted down by a chorus of "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT." I mean, all I'm saying is, perhaps we should be a little more open and willing to listen. Certainly h&r has no idea how a firm truly works but let's be open to the possibility that we don't have all the answers.
In any case, like I said, really interesting conversation. Makes me wish I had a better attention span.
That post should be on its own thread, where it COULD be an interesting conversation, and a lot of people who don't frequent TC could engage. I might even engage in that conversation myself, though I'm busy enough right now being a design professional that I'm not sure I'll have time;-)
wk, HAR isn't asking a question, he is telling us the way it is. no reason to be self-conscious when he is called out. unless it is a strange kind of joke of some sort.
"h&r, if you profess to know about marketing you should know that architect's websites are utterly irrelevant & contain little, if any, useful information!"
That's why I pointed out that legally they have no responsibility to tell me the truth.
That's why I made the parallel that other fields very closely related to architecture do. If I look at planning (and by extension construction), they are legally obligated to tell you the "absolute truth."
Most of conjecture was trying to decide if there is a universal workflow, if specialization works better than generalization and what kind of real successes different offices have.
"but all the bits about land use in your second point are absolutely asinine"
I know at least three site plan specialists who will [unethically] reject drawings for the sheer fun of it. I mean they have every right to do it but generally it costs more money to resist than comply. Part of business is being the quickest and most cost-effective entity... basing design off of compliance has a better chance of going through quietly than a drawing that insults the asshole planner.
i am open to listening to NEW ways of doing business, but we need to listen to people with different ideas that are successful or innovative, not listen to someone who has clearly demonstrated little knowledge of the business or the multiplicity of possible models of success.
I'm voting for moving the conversation to another thread. It is indeed a complex topic, and unlikely to sum up quickly.
According to Architect Magezine, two of the top 50 firms in the US are in my area. I think I might send a letter to them about how I saw them in the mag, and how I would be a great asset to them. How would you feel if you recieved a flattering letter accompanied with a resume?
My MIL is coming until sunday. Its ok, though, cause we're friends again. I'm sure its the disapation of hormones on my part, and I think she's on meds now. Sad that my FIL isnt around anymore to see us.
OH, and Husband just traded in his mustang for a 4dr chevy truck. He did it all without talking to me about it, but I'm ok with that now - we've already discussed it. Its just that the truck is SOOO big, and UGLY, and well, it makes me feel like I should gain 150 pounds so I can join the rest of women that ride passenger in those things. The typical fat wife/mother of the chevy truck owner. I know thats narrow of me to say, but its how I feel. At least with the mustang I felt sexy riding around in it. And the truck has cloth seats. Yes, I've become a leather seat snob. And if Im standing next to the front fender, I cant see across the hood - thats how big the truck is.
H&R's topic would be better on another thread, but I would just like to add that I think such problems exist in a lot of businesses, not just in architecture. Oh the stories I could tell about when I was doing association management, but alas, I try to keep those memories at bay.
SH - Couldn't help but chuckle at your gaining weight statement. May I ask why he traded in the mustang for the truck? Seems a little over the top to buy something that big, unless you need the towing power. And on the resume end, why the hell not? Everybody likes a little flattery from time to time.
I think that all homeowners need a truck - to haul things; i cant figure out how other homeowners do it, but I digress. It will save us lots of money, but it sure isnt pretty.
And not to keep whining about the truck, but its cavernous. Really. Maybe thats why I feel I should gain weight, just so I can fill in the empty space, and make it feel more comfortable. You know how you feel in an empty train station, just open and vulnerable? The tower space makes you feel even smaller...its like that.
I sympathize, SH. I can't stand huge cars like that, they make me feel so isolated and insignificant and remote / removed from the world around me. Whenever my SO and I head home to his parents' place we end up getting stuck borrowing the Suburban for the week. I feel marooned miles away from him and it bothers me that I literally can't reach to touch him unless I take my seatbelt off and physically move over. That's how far seperated we are! You have to sort of shout at each other to have a conversation in that thing, and it gets tiresome. So mostly we end up lulled into our seperate silences, miles apart on the uncomfortable cloth seat.
It's also, frankly, kind of annoying / scary to drive because you feel so remote from the surface of the road & you can't turn for shit. It's like driving a... brontosaurus? I don't know.
Sarah pick-ups are odd generally, despite being useful. Do you know that no European car company makes a pickup (unless you include LandRover/uk) - weird but true. I've been leaning to get a pick-up as well, but only because we've been doing work around the house and the haulage for materials has been about U$50 each trip. Nothing odious that rips a hole through the ozone or anything (like those typically advertised) by a compact. Sigh one day I'll be able to go to the dealership and buy an electric one...one day soon I hope
h&r, the land use comments are asinine because of your bizarre assumption that architects don't bother to check zoning / planning code before siting projects. Yes, we all just love randomly designing buildings that have no relationship to the complex sites on which they sit, and then spending months of our time and money fighting planners for the right to do it. Why on earth would anyone take this approach?
First of all, zoning amendments / interpretations / variances exist for a reason, and that's because not all projects fit the generic standardized rules developed by the municipality. The code anticipates this problem, and therefore allows for variances to be applied as necessary. There's nothing wrong with giving a little power to an educated, professional planner and allowing him or her to make decisions on grey areas in the zoning code, and there is nothing wrong with professional architects deciding that certain projects would better serve the clients' needs if they took advantage of a variance. Rest assured that none of us choose to take this route -- and add the headache of variance paperwork -- unless it is truly considered to be worth the time / cost. Clients are part of this decision-making process as well.
A lot of factors impact siting decisions, and code compliance is one of them. Doesn't mean it is, or should be, the be-all end-all of building siting. As a small example, a lot of municipal codes were written in the days before sustainable siting practices became current. Should we all still surround our buildings with acres of required parking and no bike lanes? Of course not. Why would you assume that every municipal code is the God's truth to building siting?
OK I PROMISE THAT'S ALL I WILL RESPOND TO, despite other weird statements (contractors are "legally obligated" to only report "truth" on their websites? PLEASE.) Now, go create a separate thread for this, I'm sure it will spark a lot of discussion.
Woops,
After checking it is for a ASR (Air Search Rescue) as oppossed to CSAR (Combat Search and Rescue) the difference being the former is an Air Force unit and the later an Army unit..
Stick shifts and safety belts
bucket seats have all got to go
when we're driving in the car
it makes my baby seems so far
I need you here with me not
way over in a bucket seat
But when we're driving in my Malibu
it's easy to get right next to you
I say "Baby, scoot over please"
and then she's right there next to me
Beat you to it, Steven.
Sarah, I would also flip if my husband traded one of our cars w/o telling me, though you said you had discussed it at least some time previously? Also, where does Abram sit?
two guys in my office have had their wives go out and buy new cars without consulting them. they both still gripe about it, but i don't know if either would actually confront his wife about it. one of them seriously had a 'oh crap how are we gonna pay for that?' kind of reaction. i guess it just depends on the relationship. we go to the other extreme and (probably to a fault) discuss even $10 purchases...
Ugh, I can't stand trucks. So sad that your pretty Mustang is gone, SH :o(
Relevant to the car conversation...
If I get the job in Denver next week - I'm trying to be positive about it - but if I DO get it, I will almost certainly need to get a car. I devised a hypothetical plan to sell the majority of my furniture, buy a car here in LA, and then move to Colorado with my stuff in the car, which I thought was a reasonable plan. My financial advisor thinks I should move all my stuff there and get a car in Colorado, and that I should consider getting an American car because they have never had such good deals as they do right now. HOWEVER....I have already decided I don't want a new car, AND it has to be green. Not painted green of course, but either a diesel engine or a hybrid or really super efficient. Actually what I really want is the TDI (diesel) 4-door version of my old VW GTI. And I mean, what if I don't want an American car? The thought of buying a GM makes me want to puke. I do like the Ford Escape Hybrids though.
Clearly, I am getting ahead of myself and should just wait for the interview to happen.
I know nothing about diesel. are they better for the environment than unleaded?
So Denver isn't bike-friendly, eh? Is it worse than LA? I thought it had a relatively green rep, no?
I would buy a used car, because the best thing is to not contribute to new cars being manufactured in the first place, right? Plus the best place on earth to buy a used car is in CA. I come from a family of mechanics and they all claim this. No rust!
There is more energy per volume in a diesel as a fuel, so in the end you are getting much more out of that diesel as a fuel. The lack of popularity of diesel cars in the US is based on perception from the early stages of diesel engine technology - noise, smell, soot, etc. Of course our perceptions were only strengthened by the use of diesel engines in trucks - due to the higher importance of torque vs horsepower in trucks and construction vehicles.
The diesel technology is at the point where it is clean and efficient, but we Americans have been quite ignorant for a while now. I think thats changing soon though. The other huge benefit is of course the ability to use bio-diesel.
Ohmigosh, melt are you still serious about coming to Denver with me? We won't have a kitty this time....so we could actually stop in places like Zion National Park, maybe even go on the glass walkway over the Grand Canyon! Woo hoo.
manta, Denver is actually pretty bike-friendly in that it is FLATish. I don't worry too much about bike lanes since I've learned how to make room for myself on roads in Los Angeles, and if I can do it here, I can do it anywhere.
If you can bear the thought of selling most of your stuff, then I think your first idea is the sensible one. Otherwise you'll easily drop a thousand dollars on renting a U-Haul truck from LA to Denver, and that's money that could otherwise go toward the purchase of a car.
Mantaray is right about California used cars: No rust, and they'll most likely have stricter emissions equipment installed.
Diesel is slightly more "green" in that it doesn't release as many greenhouse gasses into the air as gasoline, but it releases far more sulphur and particulate matter. They're also have a reputation for being more difficult to start in cold weather, and maintenance costs may be higher since diesel cars aren't as common.
Central Denver has a decent light rail system and seems fairly bike-friendly, but the outer parts of the city and the 'burbs sprawl as far as anywhere else. I don't think I could live there without a car. Even if I were able to commute on public transit, I'd still need a way to run errands and enjoy the mountains.
This is probably a good time to buy a car even if you're not buying a new one. With the glut of new GM and Chrysler cars on the market at dirt-cheap prices, prices for used and foreign cars will kept artificially low as well. For reliability and fuel economy, you can't beat Toyota and Honda.
uhmmm can I come too? Granted the last time I said that it backfired and I became employed! I'm actually researching to find companies that with retrofit your vehicle to make it into a switched hybrid or fully electric. Then I'd buy a used H2 or something equally unnecessarily large to put the mod in and park it at green rallies. I know this sounds like a puddleseque post but whatever
Denver was one of the most smog laden cities in the country at one time. I am not sure if they still hold that distinction. You could wait until you move to Denver and buy a car from John Elway...It is the west and the west is full of trucks. you sure you wanna be a part of that???
"No. 2 diesel (the grade recommended for most passenger vehicles) contains some naturally occurring paraffin (wax) and as the temperature drops, this paraffin crystallizes and affects the fluidity of the fuel and may cause hard starting and eventually lead to filter plugging. Unfortunately, this problem is exacerbated when biodiesel enters the equation—biodiesel tends to gel at a slightly higher temperature than diesel."
Tell the truth, I wasnt ok with it, and I calmly flipped out about it, but whats done is done, and theres nothing you can do. So I will just hate the truck forever, and refuse to drive it...which means at somepoint I will probably have to drive it, but I wont do it happily. And its a four door truck, so Abe will be in the backseat.
denver kind of sucks...i've never understood why so many people like it.
except for that crazy mexican restaurant, casa bonita (which actually has pretty shitty food) in the strip mall...i can't think of anything that i actually liked about it.
Thread Central
just saw terminator salvation
h&r, your 1st and 3rd points hide some value in them (albeit value that is already understood and practiced by most firms) but all the bits about land use in your second point are absolutely asinine.
I do absolutely agree about the need for clarity in structure / organization and in communication as well, and agree that it is commonly lacking in architectural firms. In particular, I would like to see a LOT more clarity with regard to salary structure & advancement within a firm, similar to the way law firms are structured (although somehow structured to place less emphasis on competition between employees).
I think the reason you're going to encounter a lot of opposition with your statements is simply because the field of architecture is an immensely varied field that contains many, many different models of practice within it. I can't say the same for any of the other professional fields that I've had experience with. Therefore, no matter what you say, it will only ever be applicable to 10% (or whatever) of practicing firms.
And I second snook... repeat business & making sure the client is happy is typically the number 1 goal of a successful architect - client relationship.
There are many other factors that go into the *monetary* success of a project, however...
You guys might like this: Tiny Art Director
har: "I know very little about architecture but in my 6 months of going to firms websites all over I have learned a lot about how some of them work."
Based on that experience, I would venture that you know nothing of any real value about how firms work. That's like saying you can learn how to make love to a woman by reading a few issues of Playboy.
ha, no joke stone. h&r, if you profess to know about marketing you should know that architect's websites are utterly irrelevant & contain little, if any, useful information! At least gleaning your information from reading interviews with firm principals is one tiny step about that...
our firm (which, by the way, has been very successful over the past 3-4 yrs, even now) flies in the face of everything you propose, h&r. we're an mba's nightmare, but it works great.
This is a really interesting conversation but I have to say, one thing that constantly disappoints me about architects is their inability to make their intentions known to a larger community. We're always hemming and hawing about what good ideas we have and 'why can't we get paid' and blah blah blah, but hillandrock comes on here, says he's an outsider, says he can't understand some things about our profession and then gets shouted down by a chorus of "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT." I mean, all I'm saying is, perhaps we should be a little more open and willing to listen. Certainly h&r has no idea how a firm truly works but let's be open to the possibility that we don't have all the answers.
In any case, like I said, really interesting conversation. Makes me wish I had a better attention span.
Nothing wrong with a little marketing, PR>
Nite all.
Lakers!
That post should be on its own thread, where it COULD be an interesting conversation, and a lot of people who don't frequent TC could engage. I might even engage in that conversation myself, though I'm busy enough right now being a design professional that I'm not sure I'll have time;-)
wk, HAR isn't asking a question, he is telling us the way it is. no reason to be self-conscious when he is called out. unless it is a strange kind of joke of some sort.
"h&r, if you profess to know about marketing you should know that architect's websites are utterly irrelevant & contain little, if any, useful information!"
That's why I pointed out that legally they have no responsibility to tell me the truth.
That's why I made the parallel that other fields very closely related to architecture do. If I look at planning (and by extension construction), they are legally obligated to tell you the "absolute truth."
Most of conjecture was trying to decide if there is a universal workflow, if specialization works better than generalization and what kind of real successes different offices have.
"but all the bits about land use in your second point are absolutely asinine"
I know at least three site plan specialists who will [unethically] reject drawings for the sheer fun of it. I mean they have every right to do it but generally it costs more money to resist than comply. Part of business is being the quickest and most cost-effective entity... basing design off of compliance has a better chance of going through quietly than a drawing that insults the asshole planner.
i know im late, but h&r (since that seems to be your new name), what universal truth is it you are asking architects to tell you?
fays, exactly, what universal truth?
what does this mean? I know at least three site plan specialists who will [unethically] reject drawings for the sheer fun of it.?
i am open to listening to NEW ways of doing business, but we need to listen to people with different ideas that are successful or innovative, not listen to someone who has clearly demonstrated little knowledge of the business or the multiplicity of possible models of success.
too right, beta.
feels a bit trollish really. perhaps better moved to a different thread so it can be discussed properly.
I'm voting for moving the conversation to another thread. It is indeed a complex topic, and unlikely to sum up quickly.
According to Architect Magezine, two of the top 50 firms in the US are in my area. I think I might send a letter to them about how I saw them in the mag, and how I would be a great asset to them. How would you feel if you recieved a flattering letter accompanied with a resume?
My MIL is coming until sunday. Its ok, though, cause we're friends again. I'm sure its the disapation of hormones on my part, and I think she's on meds now. Sad that my FIL isnt around anymore to see us.
OH, and Husband just traded in his mustang for a 4dr chevy truck. He did it all without talking to me about it, but I'm ok with that now - we've already discussed it. Its just that the truck is SOOO big, and UGLY, and well, it makes me feel like I should gain 150 pounds so I can join the rest of women that ride passenger in those things. The typical fat wife/mother of the chevy truck owner. I know thats narrow of me to say, but its how I feel. At least with the mustang I felt sexy riding around in it. And the truck has cloth seats. Yes, I've become a leather seat snob. And if Im standing next to the front fender, I cant see across the hood - thats how big the truck is.
H&R's topic would be better on another thread, but I would just like to add that I think such problems exist in a lot of businesses, not just in architecture. Oh the stories I could tell about when I was doing association management, but alas, I try to keep those memories at bay.
SH - Couldn't help but chuckle at your gaining weight statement. May I ask why he traded in the mustang for the truck? Seems a little over the top to buy something that big, unless you need the towing power. And on the resume end, why the hell not? Everybody likes a little flattery from time to time.
someone let me know when Intro to Professional Practice is over.
I think that all homeowners need a truck - to haul things; i cant figure out how other homeowners do it, but I digress. It will save us lots of money, but it sure isnt pretty.
LiG, that patch is odd.
And not to keep whining about the truck, but its cavernous. Really. Maybe thats why I feel I should gain weight, just so I can fill in the empty space, and make it feel more comfortable. You know how you feel in an empty train station, just open and vulnerable? The tower space makes you feel even smaller...its like that.
I sympathize, SH. I can't stand huge cars like that, they make me feel so isolated and insignificant and remote / removed from the world around me. Whenever my SO and I head home to his parents' place we end up getting stuck borrowing the Suburban for the week. I feel marooned miles away from him and it bothers me that I literally can't reach to touch him unless I take my seatbelt off and physically move over. That's how far seperated we are! You have to sort of shout at each other to have a conversation in that thing, and it gets tiresome. So mostly we end up lulled into our seperate silences, miles apart on the uncomfortable cloth seat.
It's also, frankly, kind of annoying / scary to drive because you feel so remote from the surface of the road & you can't turn for shit. It's like driving a... brontosaurus? I don't know.
Sarah pick-ups are odd generally, despite being useful. Do you know that no European car company makes a pickup (unless you include LandRover/uk) - weird but true. I've been leaning to get a pick-up as well, but only because we've been doing work around the house and the haulage for materials has been about U$50 each trip. Nothing odious that rips a hole through the ozone or anything (like those typically advertised) by a compact. Sigh one day I'll be able to go to the dealership and buy an electric one...one day soon I hope
h&r, the land use comments are asinine because of your bizarre assumption that architects don't bother to check zoning / planning code before siting projects. Yes, we all just love randomly designing buildings that have no relationship to the complex sites on which they sit, and then spending months of our time and money fighting planners for the right to do it. Why on earth would anyone take this approach?
First of all, zoning amendments / interpretations / variances exist for a reason, and that's because not all projects fit the generic standardized rules developed by the municipality. The code anticipates this problem, and therefore allows for variances to be applied as necessary. There's nothing wrong with giving a little power to an educated, professional planner and allowing him or her to make decisions on grey areas in the zoning code, and there is nothing wrong with professional architects deciding that certain projects would better serve the clients' needs if they took advantage of a variance. Rest assured that none of us choose to take this route -- and add the headache of variance paperwork -- unless it is truly considered to be worth the time / cost. Clients are part of this decision-making process as well.
A lot of factors impact siting decisions, and code compliance is one of them. Doesn't mean it is, or should be, the be-all end-all of building siting. As a small example, a lot of municipal codes were written in the days before sustainable siting practices became current. Should we all still surround our buildings with acres of required parking and no bike lanes? Of course not. Why would you assume that every municipal code is the God's truth to building siting?
OK I PROMISE THAT'S ALL I WILL RESPOND TO, despite other weird statements (contractors are "legally obligated" to only report "truth" on their websites? PLEASE.) Now, go create a separate thread for this, I'm sure it will spark a lot of discussion.
Morning all,
If I know my military patches at all that patch is for a CSAR unit.
It is another busy day at office. At least it is also a 4 night weekend...
Woops,
After checking it is for a ASR (Air Search Rescue) as oppossed to CSAR (Combat Search and Rescue) the difference being the former is an Air Force unit and the later an Army unit..
I'm so glad somebody understands.
Somewhat irrelevant, SH, what year is the mustang?
I swear I clicked submit, but Archinect is being strange today.
i'm still alive...thankfully no lion attacks this week
It was an 08 GT with supercharger! snfffff
SH, I'm glad you're ok with it, but I would flip my shit if my husband went out and traded in our car without discussing it with me.
bucket seats have all got to go
when we're driving in the car
it makes my baby seems so far
I need you here with me not
way over in a bucket seat
But when we're driving in my Malibu
it's easy to get right next to you
I say "Baby, scoot over please"
and then she's right there next to me
Beat you to it, Steven.
Sarah, I would also flip if my husband traded one of our cars w/o telling me, though you said you had discussed it at least some time previously? Also, where does Abram sit?
two guys in my office have had their wives go out and buy new cars without consulting them. they both still gripe about it, but i don't know if either would actually confront his wife about it. one of them seriously had a 'oh crap how are we gonna pay for that?' kind of reaction. i guess it just depends on the relationship. we go to the other extreme and (probably to a fault) discuss even $10 purchases...
whatever works for you! to each his own. i just meant that that was something i personally would have issues with.
you know what's cool? when you are watching top gear and they drive your car around and love it... that's cool.
Ugh, I can't stand trucks. So sad that your pretty Mustang is gone, SH :o(
Relevant to the car conversation...
If I get the job in Denver next week - I'm trying to be positive about it - but if I DO get it, I will almost certainly need to get a car. I devised a hypothetical plan to sell the majority of my furniture, buy a car here in LA, and then move to Colorado with my stuff in the car, which I thought was a reasonable plan. My financial advisor thinks I should move all my stuff there and get a car in Colorado, and that I should consider getting an American car because they have never had such good deals as they do right now. HOWEVER....I have already decided I don't want a new car, AND it has to be green. Not painted green of course, but either a diesel engine or a hybrid or really super efficient. Actually what I really want is the TDI (diesel) 4-door version of my old VW GTI. And I mean, what if I don't want an American car? The thought of buying a GM makes me want to puke. I do like the Ford Escape Hybrids though.
Clearly, I am getting ahead of myself and should just wait for the interview to happen.
I know nothing about diesel. are they better for the environment than unleaded?
So Denver isn't bike-friendly, eh? Is it worse than LA? I thought it had a relatively green rep, no?
I would buy a used car, because the best thing is to not contribute to new cars being manufactured in the first place, right? Plus the best place on earth to buy a used car is in CA. I come from a family of mechanics and they all claim this. No rust!
Good luck with the interview!
There is more energy per volume in a diesel as a fuel, so in the end you are getting much more out of that diesel as a fuel. The lack of popularity of diesel cars in the US is based on perception from the early stages of diesel engine technology - noise, smell, soot, etc. Of course our perceptions were only strengthened by the use of diesel engines in trucks - due to the higher importance of torque vs horsepower in trucks and construction vehicles.
The diesel technology is at the point where it is clean and efficient, but we Americans have been quite ignorant for a while now. I think thats changing soon though. The other huge benefit is of course the ability to use bio-diesel.
DubK - just make sure that car has plenty o' room for me when you drive out to Denver. :oD
Ohmigosh, melt are you still serious about coming to Denver with me? We won't have a kitty this time....so we could actually stop in places like Zion National Park, maybe even go on the glass walkway over the Grand Canyon! Woo hoo.
manta, Denver is actually pretty bike-friendly in that it is FLATish. I don't worry too much about bike lanes since I've learned how to make room for myself on roads in Los Angeles, and if I can do it here, I can do it anywhere.
If you can bear the thought of selling most of your stuff, then I think your first idea is the sensible one. Otherwise you'll easily drop a thousand dollars on renting a U-Haul truck from LA to Denver, and that's money that could otherwise go toward the purchase of a car.
Mantaray is right about California used cars: No rust, and they'll most likely have stricter emissions equipment installed.
Diesel is slightly more "green" in that it doesn't release as many greenhouse gasses into the air as gasoline, but it releases far more sulphur and particulate matter. They're also have a reputation for being more difficult to start in cold weather, and maintenance costs may be higher since diesel cars aren't as common.
Central Denver has a decent light rail system and seems fairly bike-friendly, but the outer parts of the city and the 'burbs sprawl as far as anywhere else. I don't think I could live there without a car. Even if I were able to commute on public transit, I'd still need a way to run errands and enjoy the mountains.
This is probably a good time to buy a car even if you're not buying a new one. With the glut of new GM and Chrysler cars on the market at dirt-cheap prices, prices for used and foreign cars will kept artificially low as well. For reliability and fuel economy, you can't beat Toyota and Honda.
the primary difference between the big three and honda and toyota is not fuel efficiency nor is it reliability. it is resale value....
uhmmm can I come too? Granted the last time I said that it backfired and I became employed! I'm actually researching to find companies that with retrofit your vehicle to make it into a switched hybrid or fully electric. Then I'd buy a used H2 or something equally unnecessarily large to put the mod in and park it at green rallies. I know this sounds like a puddleseque post but whatever
I thought WK had a motorcycle or a scooter... I guess I'm thinking of something else.
Gin slight correction a diesel engine will ALWAYS start in the cold. That's why it's the fuel choice for the Russian army vehicles!
Slartibartfast you are mixing her up with the other Cincinyteur, ****melt
Denver was one of the most smog laden cities in the country at one time. I am not sure if they still hold that distinction. You could wait until you move to Denver and buy a car from John Elway...It is the west and the west is full of trucks. you sure you wanna be a part of that???
"No. 2 diesel (the grade recommended for most passenger vehicles) contains some naturally occurring paraffin (wax) and as the temperature drops, this paraffin crystallizes and affects the fluidity of the fuel and may cause hard starting and eventually lead to filter plugging. Unfortunately, this problem is exacerbated when biodiesel enters the equation—biodiesel tends to gel at a slightly higher temperature than diesel."
Diesel and Biodiesel Vehicles in Cold Weather
Tell the truth, I wasnt ok with it, and I calmly flipped out about it, but whats done is done, and theres nothing you can do. So I will just hate the truck forever, and refuse to drive it...which means at somepoint I will probably have to drive it, but I wont do it happily. And its a four door truck, so Abe will be in the backseat.
denver kind of sucks...i've never understood why so many people like it.
except for that crazy mexican restaurant, casa bonita (which actually has pretty shitty food) in the strip mall...i can't think of anything that i actually liked about it.
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