What's it like in Arizona? [Archive]

Jaymzz

03-18-2019, 05:30 PM

My wife and I have thought about moving to the phoenix area off and on for a few years now that the kids are grown up. I really like the Flagstaff area because from the pictures it reminds me of where I grew up but worried about a job for me there. I have lived in Oregon my whole life but we feel it might be time to move. The taxes are getting out of control here and the meth problem is even worse that everything has to be locked down or it will be gone.
This is going to sound odd but what are the scorpions like there? We read that you have to check your shoes and pillowcases, etc. Is this true? A little spoiled where we live, just have brown recluse spiders that I spray for every year.
How bad are the summers? We are used to fairly moderate temperatures with a lot of rain. Summers do get around 100 with some humidity here but it is short lived.
Crime and drugs bad there? The crime here is getting worse as the tweaker population gets worse. Meth is a huge issue here that the cops just shoo them away when they are causing trouble and not arresting them. Theft is horrible here to the point I try to not leave anything outside. Lawnmowers, shovels, hoses, etc. Wake up every morning wondering if my garage was broken into the night before or if our cars are still in the driveway in one piece.
What would be good areas of phoenix to live in? I work for Caliber collision as a body tech and can transfer to any area there.
The most important of all. How is the car culture there? I know I will have a long drive to do any hillclimbs so how is the road racing there for in between? Is there clubs that let you run track days with them? I used to be extremely involved in Oregon racing clubs (President or Vise president of a couple racing clubs)and want to get back into it.
Thank you in advance. I would love to hear about the areas and any info you would like to share good or bad.

68Cuda440

03-18-2019, 07:42 PM

Uhmmm it is hot, like an oven. From May to September. Scorpions are not that big a deal. Sure there are plenty, but they are fairly harmless.

We have Caliber here in the Dallas Texas area. I live in the suburbs north of Dallas. Good schools, low crime, no state income tax. It is hot here too...

BonzoHansen

03-18-2019, 08:44 PM

In for more feedback. Looking to get out of new jersey in a few years

Jaymzz

03-19-2019, 03:49 AM

I like Texas but my wife doesn't. We both really like New Mexico but jobs are very scarce there for me. From what I have read the car culture in Pheanix is really good.

nokones

03-19-2019, 04:29 AM

I have one more house to get sold and I will be gone from California to Arizona for the very same reason as the original poster has stated. I am looking forward to the move. There are a lot of things to do all year around. Looks like I may have to rent at first then buy into something. I made a couple of offers on a couple of houses in Litchfield Park but, it didn't work out for various reasons so I am waiting for the release of a new development in Goodyear. Also, I looked at an existing small development in Wittmann with 1 acre lots that have plenty of room for building a large RV Garage. I'm not sure that I want to live that far out from the conveniences. It is about 20 miles to a grocery store. I have about 12 miles now and I am not looking to extend that.

There a lot of major sports activities like baseball spring training, etc. The autocross events are held at the Arizona Motorsports Park on Camelback east of the 303. Also, there is NASCAR in Avondale, Good Guys twice a year in Scottsdale at West World and various car club activities. I think there are about 7-8 Corvette Clubs in the area.

I think it will be a great place to live and play all year around. I'm not worry about the heat and when it gets that bad, I'll just hook up the trailer and travel to various autocross or Time Trial events throughout the country during that time.

77thor

03-19-2019, 06:02 AM

My sister lives in Scottsdale just outside Phoenix... summers are brutally hot.
I could not live there, but I could live in Flagstaff.

Alponcho

03-19-2019, 07:37 AM

I moved the family to AZ in 2011 after living in Florida for 15 years (before that Michigan & Connecticut). The obvious downside of living here is the summer heat, which can be brutal if you have to work outdoors during the day. The upside to the summers is lots of folks leave town, so you can get around a lot quicker than when snowbirds are here, there's never a wait at nice restaurants, and you an go to the movies and have the theater all to yourself. Of course, you don't have to drive far to get out of the heat if you wish (Flagstaff up north, and Pinetop/Show Low to the East). Although we spend time in San Diego and visit family back in Minnesota and New England during the summers, I actually like it here that time of year. The airport is convenient, not typically busy, and roads are very good, so very easy to travel. We live in N. Scottsdale in an area of 5 acre lots pretty high in the hills, and we're typically 7-10 degrees cooler than in town, so we can sit outside in the evening during the summer and relax. I have a big air conditioned shop on my property so I can work on my cars during the summer in comfort. During Oct-April it's amazing here weather wise. We spend tons of time outdoors. The area we live in is a like a giant state park--really nice hiking and bike trails. As stated above, there are tons of car things to do here--auctions, huge cruise-ins, Good Guys, car club events, Wild Horse Pass Raceway, etc. The trip to Inde Motorsports Ranch in Wilcox, is about 3 hrs away, and worth the trip if you like road courses. Lots of amazing drives too--up north through backroads to Prescott, Jerome, Cottonwood, Sedona...or SE through Apache Junction, Superior, Globe. In sum, I like living here a lot. Though, my opinion might be colored by the fact that I work indoors and we're able to escape the summer heat when we choose to, and we also live in a really nice low-density area with no crime to speak of.

WallaceMFG

03-19-2019, 08:25 AM

Some of the questions I would ask are what are you expecting for a home? Do you want to be in the big city or more open outside of the city? A couple people have replied saying Scottsdale, which is nice, but also one of the more expensive places in the valley to live. There are other places that are more affordable that are also nice, Chandler & Mesa for example. I tend to prefer the East valley over the West valley, less crowded and nicer in my opinion. The valley is a really big place, it is easy to get overwhelmed when looking. Flagstaff has a pretty bad drug problem like Oregon, just a heads up.

The biggest thing is the heat, however most people are over exaggerating how bad it is (or don't live in it). Yes, it is hot from May-September, but honestly it is only really bad from July-September because of the monsoons. That's when it gets humid & 100+ degrees. When it's not humid, even if it was 110* during the day it will cool off in the evening to the low 90s and feels nice. Swamp coolers work fantastic for garages in the summer due to the low humidity. You learn to live with the sun, don't stop walking until you're in shade, do outside work early, etc... It can be 100* but when you stand in the shade with a light breeze it is not hot.

Scorpions are not a big deal. Some people find lots, I've found less than 10 my entire life at my parents house and none at mine in Yuma. Even if you get stung, it's not much worse than a bee. Most people don't even go to the doctor. Snakes are only an issue when you get out of the city into the desert. Even then, everywhere is different.

The winter is when you realize why you want to live in AZ. It gets more crowded because of the snow birds, but the weather makes up for it. It is usually 60s-70s for the high & sunny all winter with some occasional rain. Beautiful. While the rest of the country is frozen and putting cars into winter storage we get to enjoy driving around with open windows and tops down. You can drive your car year round here if you have AC.

The car scene is good. Good Guys twice a year, all the big car auctions come through every year, lots of smaller shows all over most weekends. The Pavillions in Scottsdale is the longest running weekly car show in the US, every Saturday the place is packed. Cars and coffee happen all over and are great. SCCA is active in the valley & Tucson, Wildhorse Park has lots of events. If all else fails, there are lots of nice roads outside the valley to drive. Most roads in the city are in good shape except for the older parts of Phoenix & the west side.

I've lived in AZ my entire life, if you have more questions feel free to ask and I'll do my best to help.

Bugzilla

03-19-2019, 10:32 AM

I was a part time AZ resident for nearly 15 years. I loved it out there compared to CA. The weather was about the same as Socal. Ya it gets hot like everyone else says but you just learn to deal with it. It gets up to 120° where I live in CA anyways so not a huge difference. The thunder storms are awesome to watch. Ohh and if you arent used to some wind, get used to it.

The wild life never bothered me either. Ya there are scorpions but most of them you dont have to worry about. Its the small clear ones that are deadly but mostly to just animals. They glow at night so you can see them. Maybe it was just the area I was in but there were a lot of skunks. The snakes tend to stay away from the city. It was rare that one would come into the yard. Lizards, those things are everywhere!

What I really like is that if you dont live in a main city, the cops/BLM are really laid back, unless you are speeding. You can drive your off road vehicles on the street legally, no smog test to deal with and dirt cheap vehicle registration. Then there are the gun laws, basically none. Go drive out to the middle of desert and have fun. You wont be bothered. Once my kid gets a little bit older, I plan to move back to AZ full time.

BonzoHansen

03-19-2019, 05:47 PM

So AR is ok with old cars, emissions and such?

I suspect if we moved there the Phoenix/Scottsdale area. What is considered the east valley?

So there's a monsoon season? Is flooding an issue? What about dust issues? Just trying to understand the environment besides heat.

Jaymzz

03-19-2019, 05:50 PM

Thank you for all the great information! It gives my wife and I some more to look into. :)

Reckn8

03-19-2019, 06:23 PM

Moved to Mesa 40 years ago from Iowa! YES it's hot for a few months. Did you see the temps in the midwest this winter! No thanks! Mesa, Tempe, Chandler , Gilbert has lots of property's that have good size lots and extra garages already built. Car culture is top rated year round!! I drive my cars even when it's 110 plus degrees and AC works perfect. Technology today for fuel systems and cooling systems are readily available. No excuse to drive a car that overheats!!!

SSLance

03-20-2019, 08:41 AM

We relocated from the outskirts of Kansas City to the Phoenix area a year and a half ago. The thing about Phoenix is it is HUGE!! There are neighborhoods you don't go to after dark, neighborhoods that won't let you in without a million dollar ante and lots of everything in between at all levels. We looked pretty hard everywhere before moving as we had a specific needs and we ended up in the NW valley in Peoria. It is newer up here and mostly residential...but main reason was for the well built home and perfect size RV Garage on a larger lot but still close in to everything.

The way I look at the hot summer months is they are not nearly as bad as the brutal cold winter months we left behind. Havent thought twice about the decision...we love it here.

The car culture here is amazing! I've met so many people thru car stuff and the best part is it goes on pretty much year round. There is something for everyone as well, from road racing to off road, bikes to side x sides...you name it, if its done with an internal combustion engine, its done a LOT within hours of here.

If you ever have specific questions, just ping me and Ill do what I can to belp. I know exactly what its like trying to pick a new completely different place to call home.

CSG

03-20-2019, 08:56 AM

If I may ask a question in your thread...
I work in industrial engineering mostly petrochemical plants. I am a "Senior Instrument and Electrical Designer". Do they have jobs for me in these areas that ya'll speak of?

Alponcho

03-20-2019, 09:40 AM

There is emissions testing in the greater Phoenix and Tucson areas, but older cars (15 years old I believe) can be exempt if insured as a collector car.

East Valley is generally defined as Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, Tempe, Queen Creek, Ahwatukee...Scottsdale (just north of Tempe & Mesa) is sometimes thrown in there as well because it's east of Phoenix, but it's a big area so most consider it separately (approximately 30 miles long 10 miles wide). To the east of Scottsdale is Fountain Hills, and to the north of Scottsdale is Carefree and Cave Creek. Fountain Hills, Carefree and Cave Creek are nice alternatives to Scottsdale--quieter and less expensive, but still close enough to everything. To give you an idea of driving times, I live in North Scottsdale (near Jomax and Pima) and my drive to my office at ASU in Tempe takes me 30-35 min depending on traffic. I used to live on the edge of Scottsdale and Fountain Hills, and the drive was about the same. There are areas and times when traffic can be pretty bad, but not LA bad. That said, there is a ton of development expanding outward beyond the loop (101) so traffic will only get worse over time.

There is a monsoon season that starts in the summer. The storms are not as regular as in Florida, but the rain, wind and thunder storms can be more intense. There are occasional dust storms that leave dust everywhere, but not a difficult cleanup unless you do something stupid like leave your garage doors open (as I did once). The washes fill up and become dangerous during storms, but only if you don't know to stay out of them when it's raining or about to rain.

Jaymzz

03-20-2019, 05:18 PM

It is a lot of thinking and research when thinking about moving to a different part of the country and leaving everything and everyone we know. I had a shop last year fly my wife and I down to California to see if we liked it or not. Couldn't get past the car laws and forest fires so put that off of our list.

If I may ask a question in your thread...

This is great info so far, so glad others are wondering besides me. Ask away!

c4racer2

03-21-2019, 06:40 AM

Car laws? 1974 and older are exempt. They don't even look at them ever. That's about as good as you can get if you go classics.

I have thought about moving from CA prior to retiring - need to be on west coast near a major airport. I don't think I could deal with the summers in the desert unless at elevation - but then you are not so close to a major airport. I was thinking about Vegas out near Lake Mead and then get a summer place up in Gig Harbor WA. I found some pretty amazing houses with massive garages as big as my whole house in San Jose that I could get into and leave room for a decent smaller house in WA. Leave the cars in Vegas. Seems to be a good car scene there and it's not a far drive to Phoenix where my parents live in the winter and to go to a few car events. Might have to get a hot rod to leave in Seattle if I did that :-) Maybe the 2016 vert could stay up there if it's a summer place. Get another vert for winters in the desert.

minendrews68

03-21-2019, 07:01 AM

I don't live in Arizona but I spent a week there a few years back. I spent the night in Flagstaff and it was in the sixty degree range at night and when I got up. Drove to Phoenix two hours later it was 115 degrees. It's hot no doubt but it's different. I live in Arkansas where when it gets to 100 degrees with all the humidity it's stifling. I liked Arizona, I could see me living in Flagstaff. There are varmints everywhere, you got to learn to live with them. Here we have (our state bird) the mosquito, timber rattlers, cotton mouth, and copperhead are the snakes we watch for. Mostly those are out of the city, well, except for the mosquitos they're everywhere.

TheJDMan

03-21-2019, 11:26 AM

First time I drove to Phoenix was in January of 72 and I was driving a 56 Chevy with no or very little heat. I was bundled in many layers of clothes as I drove from Kansas to Phoenix along I40 through sub zero temps and lots of snow. Once I reached Flagstaff and turned south on I17 towards Phoenix I was removing layers of clothes as I drove. The temps went from sub zero in Flagstaff to mid 70s by the time I arrived in Phoenix. Again, this was January. Phoenix is beautiful weather in the winter and hot as hell in the summer but it was a dry heat. I have heard that in recent years there are so many swimming pools in the Phoenix area now that they are actually raising the humidity in the summer over what it was 45 years ago. There are days in Phoenix where planes cannot take off from Sky Harbor fully loaded due to the excessive heat and low density air. Personally, I liked Phoenix and if I had an opportunity I would consider moving back there. Pointless side story here, after living in Phoenix for a little over a year the 56 Chevy was stolen one day while I was at work and I had to buy a replacement DD which is when I purchased a clean used 68 Camaro later to be named Dust Off.

The wife and I also lived in Albuquerque for five years and loved that area. Albuquerque is a mild climate with occasional snow in the winter but rarely gets much below freezing and seldom gets much over 90s in the summer with something on the order of 300+ days of sunshine annually.

Jaymzz

03-21-2019, 02:34 PM

We both love Albuquerque but the work is not there for me. One shop chain there monopolized the autobody industry. :(
I am a little worried about the heat there during the summer being out in the shop trying to work in it for a living.
In the early 90's moved to southeast Missouri and I know what you mean about the mosquito's. Lucky they can't team up or they could carry someone off. lol

SSLance

03-21-2019, 03:16 PM

I left 115 degree heat here last August and went to Grissom, IN just North of Indy for a race...it was 85 degrees with 80-90% humidity. I couldn't wait to get out of that nasty humidity and back to my dry heat once again.

Reckn8

03-21-2019, 04:04 PM

I can never figure out where some of these comments come from, Sky Harbor closed for days because of the heat!

Alponcho

03-21-2019, 05:45 PM

I might be wrong about this, but since I've been here, I don't ever recall Sky Harbor closing due to the heat, or even widespread cancellations. Now, there have been cancellations and delays for regional flights on aircraft that aren't approved above a certain temperature, say like 120...but this is extremely rare, and affects only those specific aircraft/flights. I think this happened in 2017 during the record heat. I remember the news made it sound much worse than it was...my mom was schedule to visit from the east coast and was very concerned about getting stuck.

68Cuda440

03-21-2019, 07:57 PM

I am a little worried about the heat there during the summer being out in the shop trying to work in it for a living.

I worked as a mechanic in El Paso Tx for years in a shop that was essentially "outdoors". El Paso would be weeks at a time in the 112-116 range, so not much different. First, you are not in the direct sun, so it is better. Second, a fan helps a lot. And third, one shop I worked at had a swamp cooler blowing in through the back door - it was like being on the beach! Swamp coolers are so much healthier for you than refrigerated air.

The dry heat is nice in the sense that sweat evaporates off your body, so you are not sticky hot. And you do acclimate quickly.

Steve Chryssos

03-22-2019, 06:31 AM

It's paradise. Great weather 9-10 months of the year. The other three months you got from your AC house to your AC car to your AC job. Same as going from your heated house to heated car to heated job in the winter in other geographical areas. Flagstaff has four real seasons. Many great destinationsThe scorpions are fun. Get yourself a UV flashlight and a rubber mallet. Every evening after dark, do a sweep of your yard with the light and WHACK - SPLAT! I have been stung by a scorpion. It's annoying, but that's about it. It can affect small children and the elderly. Hiking and sightseeing is exceptional -- especially around Flagstaff, Prescott, Sedona and the Grand Canyon. Flagstaff is a great starting point for trips to Utah and Colorado.

stevenb8

03-22-2019, 10:39 AM

I used to live in Prescott Az for 5 years.. Prescott is the best of both worlds.. Its in between phoenix and flagstaff just west off I17. When 110-115 in Phoenix it's 92-95 or if you want cooler run to flag for the day for 80-85 degrees. This town is surrounded by mountains, several small lakes, has a excellent small town feel to it and the downtown square has activities throughout the year. Car and motorcycle cruises come through this town to get away from the heat. The roads around this town are amazing, Jerome(89A), sedona, flagstaff, pine top, show low, skull valley etc etc.. It's the best of both (phoenix-flagstaff). Also if your a outdoor person they have unlimited activities.

The motorcycle and car culture in Az is one of the best I've seen. People drive year round and they have tons of cruises and shows. Always something happening. Prescott is little over a hour north of phoenix, 1.5 hrs to flagstaff, 1.5 hrs to grand canyon, 4 hrs to vegas and 6 hrs to the coast.

I had to move back to Dallas for Work reasons but will be moving back in the next 2-3 years. I lived in Dallas for 20 plus years and the phoenix heat never bothered me.

Jaymzz

03-22-2019, 05:50 PM

For my wife and I we see scorpions on tv and say NO WAY!!!! Here in the Northwest we are kind of spoiled with only a couple poisonous spiders and that's it.
The car culture seems way awesome there! We are starting to plan a trip there in a couple months to see the area. One question though about Flagstaff. Is it or isn't it meth ridden? I am not sure there would be a good job there for me but do like the pictures I have seen from there but don't want to waste a day going up there if not needed. Don't want to leave one bad area for another

Kenova

03-23-2019, 06:37 PM

You guys are killin' me!
I walked the dog this afternoon and froze my n@#s off.

Ken

Jaymzz

03-24-2019, 06:04 AM

So is there car inspections there and how is the emissions to pass? My wife and I both have modded cars.

68Cuda440

03-24-2019, 12:35 PM

You guys are killin' me!
I walked the dog this afternoon and froze my n@#s off.

Ken

82 degrees this afternoon in Texas. I have two chickens in the smoker...

SSLance

03-24-2019, 01:53 PM

So is there car inspections there and how is the emissions to pass? My wife and I both have modded cars.

Maricopa County (Phoenix area) has emission testing, how deep they dig depends on year of car. My 2002 truck they put on dyno and sniffed it at 35 mph, my 2012 Jeep they just plugged in and looked for check engine light. My 2016 RV didn't need anything. I plan on getting antique tags for the 85 Monte Carlo which means no tests and is allowed because I have classic car insurance on it.

Jaymzz

03-24-2019, 02:35 PM

Thank you. Going to have to dig into that a little more.

Kenova

03-26-2019, 11:51 AM

82 degrees this afternoon in Texas. I have two chickens in the smoker...

That's just great. Now I'm late for dinner too. LOL

Ken

WallaceMFG

03-26-2019, 12:35 PM

I can never figure out where some of these comments come from, Sky Harbor closed for days because of the heat!

People who have never actually been around AZ when it's hot and hear on the news that it is so hot in AZ that planes can't fly! Because we all know physics quit working once it gets above 120*F. I hate it when the gravity doubles lol.

In all seriousness, some of the comments above are right. One time in the early 90s the airport did close, because the takeoff charts were not complete above about 115*F. They did not know if the runways were long enough for the planes to get enough speed up to get off the ground. I recall that Sky Harbor had to get takeoff charts from Dubai, and they showed the runways at Sky Harbor were long enough. After that, the AZ charts were updated and go well above temperatures it actually reaches there.

When it does get above 120*F, they cancel some small regional flights because the plane models are not certified above that temp. Larger manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus are certified to higher temperatures and are not affected.

Long story short, the airport has closed before, but not anymore except for some flights being cancelled.

ilikeike

03-26-2019, 02:01 PM

We have the "dry" heat here in the Ca. central valley also, 20+ days over 100f. I think we hit 113 a day or two.
It sucks, the only thing I do after work is sit in my dark air conditioned house in my boxers, it frkin hot out!

I didn't like the SC. humidity while stationed there, and damn sure didn't like the middle East either.

I guess I'll need two homes when I retire to maintain a nice 72f or so. I did like living in San Diego growing up,but it's still Ca.:screwy:

nokones

03-27-2019, 04:40 AM

I was in Arizona last year when it was 117-119. It is a lot different than being in Stan Co. or anywhere in the California Central Valley during the hot summer days. The California Central Valley has some humidity at least in the double digits when it is well over 100 degrees. It definitely not in the single digits. In Arizona when it is in the 1teens at least it is in the single digits and that makes a difference. For me, I'm moving. I'm tired of the cold and wet weather in Northern California from November through March. I like to be out doors all year round. Yes, it is hot during the summer in Arizona. Just don't stand in the direct sun in the afternoon. I'm looking forward to Arizona.

c4racer2

03-28-2019, 07:45 AM

Sure has been a dreary wet and cold winter in northern CA this year - certainly nothing like San Diego! I'm tired of it too. Ready for spring to get here.

nokones

03-29-2019, 06:47 AM

Hell, I have decided that I am not waiting any longer for spring to get to Northern California so I am definitely moving at the end of April to Arizona.

ilikeike

03-29-2019, 09:17 AM

Hell, I have decided that I am not waiting any longer for spring to get to Northern California so I am definitely moving at the end of April to Arizona.

That must be exciting.
I'm sure you'll have a nice pool to chill in on those hot days, and no lawn to mow!

I can't wait to re-locate,someplace...

CampbellshotrodsAZ

03-29-2019, 01:28 PM

It's absolutely perfect now. It does get a bit warm in the summer time of course, but it's definitely manageable. For most, it's going from A/C'd building to building in your A/C'd car. For garage work, I just got into a new house with a fully insulated and A/C'd garage, so hopefully I can work comfortably in the summer now too.

nokones

03-30-2019, 03:39 AM

I just wish that the local SCCA Region would go back in putting on autocross events during the summer months again. At least, they are reconsidering it again and talking about it. Anyways, there are events in Tucson during the summer. I'm looking forward to the move.

Motoracer838

04-01-2019, 10:36 AM

I moved to Show Low AZ late last year (it's in the White Mountains about 3 hrs east, north east of Phoenix) the weather here is nice, not to cold in the winter with some snow, not to warm in the summer with highs in the 80's-90's... A much slower pace of life, I got tired of what Denver had become... oh yeah, no emisions testing here also about 2 hrs from Flagstaff.

Joe

arcane73

04-04-2019, 08:07 AM

I'll throw in my 2 cents. I moved to Phoenix (Ahwatukee area) in August of '13. I came here from New Orleans and have been fine with the heat. Sure, it's hot in the summer.....it's the desert. Stay out of the sun, you'll be fine. In NO, you break a sweat as soon as you step out of the shower!
My 68 has copper license plates (antique car) and allows me to skip emissions testing. I believe Maricopa county is the only area that requires testing, but I could be wrong. My daily is an 03 Mazda with 193k miles on it. Pull up to testing center once a year, they plug in a code reader, I pay and drive away. Done.
The spring/winter is gorgeous (minus all of the snowbirds and the added traffic) and like others have said, great car culture. GG show in scottsdale 2 times a year, the ongoing Saturday night cruise-in at the Pavilions in Scottsdale, SCCA races here and Tucson, not to mention all of the sporting stuff to follow if that's your thing. Plenty of great drives around if you want to get out and stretch your vehicle legs.

There are even local events (Vintage Air and Ridetech seminars as an example) at the local speed shops on occasion. The Vintage Air one is tonight and I'll be going there after work.

Scorpions.....my wife got popped by one in the bed when she rolled her leg over on it. There was an amusing amount of profanity followed by an early morning call to a pest control company. She now has a UV flashlight that she looks under the covers with before crawling into bed. We've seen a few in the house in the 5 years we've been here, but the pest control has curbed that to almost a non-issue now.

Jaymzz

04-04-2019, 04:52 PM

Been looking at different areas and there is some great deals on houses there compared to Oregon.

Cdog

08-01-2019, 03:49 PM

Hey Y'all. I just ran across this thread and thought I'd offer some input. I married an AZ native and relocated from SoCal back in 2007. We live in N Scottsdale and enjoy living here. We left CA for much of the same reasons I see in the thread. Politics, expense, taxes & crime. I'm into Cars, racing, boating shooting, outdoors and camping. All of which AZ is perfect for.

I race SCCA in SRF3 and just bought a Formula Enterprise. SCCA does auto cross here in the valley but is non existent for local club or Majors events. Locally I race Pro Auto events and NASA is here as well. For SCCA AutoClub/Fontana, Buttonwillow & Willow Springs is a reasonable drive. I just returned from Laguna Seca, It's about an 11 hour drive. Another track just opened on the outskirts of town called Apex and another is in the works called Attesa in Casa Grande. We also have Inde MSR in Wilcox, Wild Horse Pass/Firebird, AMP, Chuckwalla outside of Desert Center & Thermal club in Palm Springs.

Here's a ling to Pro Auto Schedule.
http://new.proautosports.com/forms/pdf/2018%20EVENT%20SCHEDULE.pdf

I like to say while the rest of the county is freezing for 8 months we're out side BBQing. For the other 4 months we're the BBQ. LOL.

I'm a full time Real Estate Broker here in AZ since 2005 so if you need any help give me a call. You really have to watch out which areas you move to here as HOA's are very prevalent in the newer cheaper areas and they can be very restrictive.

Corey Condit
480-720-7649

Jaymzz

08-01-2019, 05:08 PM

Thank you! Still need to fly out there to see what it's like but is tough with my wife working six days a week at the post office.

Alponcho

08-01-2019, 05:15 PM

Seems like there are a few of us from the area...Wondering if folks know each other or ever get together? I’m kinda new to the scene and realize it would be great to connect with others as I approach the end of my build and start the transition to the driving/racing side of the hobby. I have car buddies here but they’re mostly Pontiac guys either into restoration or drag racing. I also have friends who do events with expensive new cars, but that seems like a different culture.

SSLance

08-02-2019, 06:50 AM

Cdog

08-05-2019, 05:01 PM

Great to see some activity here with us AZ guys!

SSLance - Unfortunately I'm going to miss that event this year. I did last year and the Memorial weekend. Great track! Stay in touch. Hopefully we will meet up sometime soon.

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Sbeck09

08-06-2019, 05:53 AM

I feel late to the party here, but I'm glad the idea of getting together came up. Non of my current circle of friends is very technical when it comes to cars/fabrication so I think it would be great to have an occasional get together and bench race. I sometimes hit the Pavillions in Scottsdale on Saturday evenings for the weekly car show. I can actually start hosting something for us monthly or quarterly after next April when I'm moved. I'm in North Phoenix now and won't be moving that terribly far. Just have to get away from some of these prying neighbors and porch pirates!

I moved here from Texas 7.5 years ago and compared to there, we barely do any racing. Easily 2 or more events to choose from in the region any given weekend Feb-Nov. I'm going to need to learn about all the smaller events here so I can stay busy running when my project is done.

-Sean

Cdog

08-06-2019, 04:58 PM

How’s the Desert Ridge area for a meet up? Tons of cool bar restaurants to meet at.

Alponcho

08-06-2019, 05:30 PM

Desert Ridge is convenient, right off the 101, has some good places to meet up...Barrio Queen as an example.. but the area is always slammed...couldn’t park together that’s for sure.

Sbeck09

08-06-2019, 08:02 PM

What about the Hooters or something along those lines by Metro Center? Not the greatest area, but it's much more central.

Cdog

08-07-2019, 10:12 AM

Desert Ridge is convenient, right off the 101, has some good places to meet up...Barrio Queen as an example.. but the area is always slammed...couldn’t park together that’s for sure.

Yeah that's what I was thinking. I don't have a running car LOL! So I'm just rollin the Duramax. I figure the first meet up could be just a get together. Beers, food. See how it all rolls out before we do any car stuff. There's an event on Saturday mornings off Scottsdale & Mayo that's pretty big and has a lot of exotics. I go to Lifetime fitness and see all the numbskulls out there in traffic trying to take pics of the cars.

- - - Updated - - -

What about the Hooters or something along those lines by Metro Center? Not the greatest area, but it's much more central.

I guess we will have to see what kind of participation we can put together and where everyone's coming from...

SSLance

08-07-2019, 06:37 PM

I'm good for Desert Ridge or anywhere near N. Scottsdale. Would like to bring my car though and I'm not real keen on parking it where I can't see it.

Sbeck09

08-07-2019, 06:41 PM

I thought the Scottsdale/Mayo event was our regional 1x a month Cars and Coffee thing? My truck ain't close to done enough to participate with that, but I would love some real car talk. I'll go anywhere in the valley.

oleyeller

08-08-2019, 06:49 AM

Just a thought.....

77thor

08-08-2019, 12:22 PM

Reminds me of this oldie...

""May 30th:
Just moved to Phoenix AZ... Now this is a city that knows how to live!
Beautiful sunny days and warm balmy evenings. What a place! I watched
the sunset from a park lying on a blanket. It was beautiful. I've
finally found my home. I love it here.

June 14th:
Really heating up. Got to 100 today. Not a problem. Live in an
air conditioned home, drive an air conditioned car. What a pleasure to
see the sun everyday like this. I'm turning into a sun worshipper.

June 30th:
Had the backyard landscaped with western plants today. Lots of cactus
and rocks. What a breeze to maintain. No more mowing lawn for me.
Another scorcher today, but I love it here.

July 10th:
The temperature hasn't been below 100 all week. How do people get used
to this kind of heat? At least it's kind of windy though. But getting
used to the heat and humidity is taking longer that I expected.

July 15th:
Fell asleep by the pool and got 3rd degree burns over 60% of my body.
I missed 3 days of work. What a dumb thing to do. I learned my lesson
though. You’ve got to respect the sun in a climate like this.

July 20th:
I missed Fluffy (our cat) sneaking into the car when I left this
morning. By the time I got to the hot car for lunch, Fluffy had died and
swollen up to the size of a shopping bag and stank up the $2,000 leather
upholstery. I told the kids that she ran away. The car now smells like
Kibbles and ****s. I learned my lesson though. No more pets in this heat.

July 25th:
The wind sucks. It feels like a giant freaking blow dryer! And it's hot
as hell. The home air conditioner is on the fritz and the A/C repairman
charged $200 just to drive by and tell me he needed to order parts.

July 30th:
Been sleeping outside by the pool for 3 nights now. $1,500 in damn house
payments and we can't even go inside. Why did I ever come here?

Aug. 4th:
It's 115 degrees. Finally got the air conditioner fixed today. It cost
$500 and gets the temperature down to 85, but this freaking humidity
makes the house feel like it's about 95. Stupid repairman. I hate this
stupid city.

Aug. 8th:
If another wise ass cracks, "Hot enough for you today?" I'm going to
strangle him. Damn heat. By the time I get to work the radiator is
boiling over, my clothes are soaking wet, and I smell like baked cat!

Aug. 9th:
Tried to run some errands after work. Wore shorts, and sat on the black
leather seats in the car. I thought my ass was on fire. I lost two
layers of flesh and all the hair on the back of my legs and ass. Now my
car smells like burnt hair, fried ass, and baked cat.

Aug. 10th:
The weather report might as well be a damn recording. Hot and sunny. Hot
and sunny. Hot and sunny. It's been too hot to do **** for two damn months
and the weatherman says it might really warm up next week. Doesn't it
ever rain in this damn desert? Water rationing will be next, so my $1,700
worth of cactus just might dry up and blow into the damn pool. Even the
cactus can't live in this damn heat.

Aug. 14th:
Welcome to HELL!!! Temperature got to 115 today. Forgot to crack the
window and blew the damn windshield out of the car. The installer came
to fix it and said, "Hot enough for you today?".....
My wife had to spend our $1,500 house payment to bail me out of jail.

Freaking Arizona,,,
What kind of a sick demented idiot would want to live here?""

silvermonte

08-09-2019, 05:26 PM

I always get a kick out of it when they talk about the humidity in Arizona. Living in the midwest with humidity easily being in the low to mid 90s is always a joy. My god parents moved to outside of Flagstaff a few years ago, when they come back to visit in the summer they always say that they cant believe they ever considered the Iowa weather to be decent now that they are used to weather in Arizona.

ProjectSideOiler

09-22-2019, 12:02 AM

I moved to AZ January 1986. South Scottsdale area. There until Early 1999 then moved 10 mi north in Scottsdale. Great place to live but now About 10 min north of Desert Ridge Mall.
Typical 5-6 deg cooler here but can be up to 15+ deg cooler in summer. This morning it was 66 deg out and high around 90 but humidity under 20% even now. I love it when humidity is in the single digits.

Being on edge of desert when we first moved in would see scorpions but now it’s been close to a year without seeing any. Have had 2 rattlesnakes on back patio in 8 yrs, javelina, Mountain Lions, Bobcat are around. Had Bobcat watching me a couple days ago and did not know until I replayed security video.

I will never move from where I am at now if someone gave me a free house in another state or even in AZ.

It is without question one of if not the best states for car people.

Our property taxes here are a fraction of anywhere else.

On a 1 1/4 acre lot with total privacy. I do have a couple cheap cameras but mostly to watch for the parts being delivered by UPS, FedEx and truck freight.

I have A/C ~ Heat in shop so outside in summer does not matter as much as fighting cold and or bugs elsewhere.

From here it’s 1 hr 15 min to Prescott and not much more to Flagstaff.

The positives outweigh the negatives by such a large margin as I said above will never move.