Anyone in the Seattle area?

[Mekong84]

I see a bunch of SoCal, tons of North East, and some Portland stuff...not a whole lot of activity up here in Seattle though. Anyone on here in the area? It'd be nice to get some local info together...I've been looking for reputable shops, dynos, and drag/auto x tracks in the area. I'm pretty new to the west coast in general so some local stuff would be pretty awesome. Anyone know of a test and tune track day? I think I read about a track in Bremerton? Which is across the sound and would be a pain to get to...ferry ride and all. Anyone? Where my Seattle-ites at? Or are there nothing but hipsters driving Saabs around here?

[MisterEm]

I did my undergrad in Seattle and bought my M at Bellevue BMW in 2008. My favorite city to live in on the West coast. The Puget Sound CCA club is pretty active as well. Join up to see the events.

1. Competent Independent shop = Strictly BMW.

2. Track locations = Kent motor speedway, Spokane, Portland International, and Bremerton are all good track locations.

[Mekong84]

Haha Bellevue BMW is apparently too fancy for to me...rolled up there with my 350Z back when I was looking to buy my 335i and seriously, I walked that lot for 10 min, went to the door and looked in, then got in my car and left because NOBODY came out. I guess a young looking dude in a 350Z is just not the kinda person they like to sell to lol.

I just got out here...been here about a year. Moved from Florida and it's definitely NOT Florida lol. It's been nice here lately though...and when it's nice out...its GORGEOUS here. Can't complain about that.

I'm definitely going to have to check out that CCA club.

And thanks for the info on the shop/tracks! Bremerton seemed the closest but I'll have to check out Kent and see what's up there.

[MisterEm]

Haha Bellevue BMW is apparently too fancy for to me...rolled up there with my 350Z back when I was looking to buy my 335i and seriously, I walked that lot for 10 min, went to the door and looked in, then got in my car and left because NOBODY came out. I guess a young looking dude in a 350Z is just not the kinda person they like to sell to lol.

I just got out here...been here about a year. Moved from Florida and it's definitely NOT Florida lol. It's been nice here lately though...and when it's nice out...its GORGEOUS here. Can't complain about that.

I'm definitely going to have to check out that CCA club.

And thanks for the info on the shop/tracks! Bremerton seemed the closest but I'll have to check out Kent and see what's up there.

Bellevue BMW serves the Microsoft Big Whig crowd. I went there because the car I wanted was just traded in. You think they don't serve you in a 350z... I showed up in an old F150.

Strictly Independent BMW (across the street from BMW of Bellevue, ironically) is an excellent indy. Wish I had someone like that here in Denver honestly.

Seattle summers are my favorite - and I have spent most of my life living in California.

[Mekong84]

Yeah...I don't go to Bellevue too often...us Boeing guys can't hang with the Microsoft crowd

I'm definitely going to have to check out Strictly Independent; I'm going to install my FMIC myself but not quite sure I'll have the patience/ability to do the DPs. Also may end up getting some turbos so its good to know there's a good shop around.

Seattle summers ALMOST make the other 11 months of the year bearable But seriously...can't beat the views. Mountains, everything is GREEN, snowboarding is only like an hour away...freakin awesome. Just wish there were some beaches lol. Also...this weather is AMAZING for running the car. No more soggy Florida air bogging down your car...gotta love that!

[MisterEm]

. Just wish there were some beaches lol.

Are you serious? You are in the most popular location for water-skiing, and wake-boarding in the world. Home of HO watersports, Ski-doo test centers, dozens of boat manufacturers and beaches a-plenty.

You really need to spend time on the eastside for beaches populated with young folks. Bellevue and Kirkland - along Lake Sammamish have excellent beaches. Drive along east-lake sammamish or West-Lake Sammamish boulevard - there are 5 public beaches, 3 boat launches, and dozens of private locations packed on summer days. Lake Chelan is another great location but you need a full weekend to enjoy it.

You want the saltwater? Head to Alki beach in Seattle proper, Hood Canal down south or the Washington coast near Port Angeles or Ocean shores - but the last two are more of a retirement kind of crowd.

Time to branch out bro!

[MisterEm]

Where else do you get to the NCAA football game via yacht....

[Legionofboom]

i also bought my car from bellevue BMW

Currently in FL but I go back and forth.

[Mekong84]

Are you serious? You are in the most popular location for water-skiing, and wake-boarding in the world. Home of HO watersports, Ski-doo test centers, dozens of boat manufacturers and beaches a-plenty.

You really need to spend time on the eastside for beaches populated with young folks. Bellevue and Kirkland - along Lake Sammamish have excellent beaches. Drive along east-lake sammamish or West-Lake Sammamish boulevard - there are 5 public beaches, 3 boat launches, and dozens of private locations packed on summer days. Lake Chelan is another great location but you need a full weekend to enjoy it.

You want the saltwater? Head to Alki beach in Seattle proper, Hood Canal down south or the Washington coast near Port Angeles or Ocean shores - but the last two are more of a retirement kind of crowd.

Time to branch out bro!

Hahaha well when I say "beach" I mean heat, sand, mild temp water, palm trees, and good looking women. Beaches here have...."sand" aaaaaannnnndddddddddddddd yeah. Pacific is cold and I haven't been to the east yet. I will have to check that out. Like I said, I've only been here for a year and its just now starting to dry up so sometime soon I'll be checking out the local "beaches" lol. I've heard of Alki beach just haven't had a chance to check it out yet.

@E90SoFlo if you got your car at Bellevue BMW and you're now in SoFla, you know the difference in beaches (assuming that buying your car here means you've spent some time here and know the beaches lol)

I've also heard of lake Chelan and I'm trying to get a camping trip together one of these weekends...I hear its pretty cool.

Yeah...maybe I do need to branch out. I don't like change!

[Mekong84]

and dude...this is where I watch games ...who wants to watch the game from a yacht?! Showing up to the game via yacht: you're doing it wrong

[MisterEm]

Hahaha well when I say "beach" I mean heat, sand, mild temp water, palm trees, and good looking women. Beaches here have...."sand" aaaaaannnnndddddddddddddd yeah. Pacific is cold and I haven't been to the east yet. I will have to check that out. Like I said, I've only been here for a year and its just now starting to dry up so sometime soon I'll be checking out the local "beaches" lol. I've heard of Alki beach just haven't had a chance to check it out yet.

@E90SoFlo if you got your car at Bellevue BMW and you're now in SoFla, you know the difference in beaches (assuming that buying your car here means you've spent some time here and know the beaches lol)

I've also heard of lake Chelan and I'm trying to get a camping trip together one of these weekends...I hear its pretty cool.

Yeah...maybe I do need to branch out. I don't like change!

Dude. Read again. Lake Sammamish, Chelan, Moses Lake - in that order. Get a boat and get back to me after you've learned the ropes. Scantily clad co-eds a plenty. Sand a plenty.

The salty stuff is cold here- hence why I listed them last. (Alki etc.)

I was a temporary transplant - no homer disease needed. I spent 20+ years in California.

and dude...this is where I watch games ...who wants to watch the game from a yacht?! Showing up to the game via yacht: you're doing it wrong

Who said you watch from the yacht? The boat is merely transportation and booze storage for halftime runs!

Who's doing it wrong?

EDIT: If I had a degree from that school - I'd be a half-employed barista!

[Legionofboom]

Hahaha well when I say "beach" I mean heat, sand, mild temp water, palm trees, and good looking women. Beaches here have...."sand" aaaaaannnnndddddddddddddd yeah. Pacific is cold and I haven't been to the east yet. I will have to check that out. Like I said, I've only been here for a year and its just now starting to dry up so sometime soon I'll be checking out the local "beaches" lol. I've heard of Alki beach just haven't had a chance to check it out yet.

@E90SoFlo if you got your car at Bellevue BMW and you're now in SoFla, you know the difference in beaches (assuming that buying your car here means you've spent some time here and know the beaches lol)

I've also heard of lake Chelan and I'm trying to get a camping trip together one of these weekends...I hear its pretty cool.

Yeah...maybe I do need to branch out. I don't like change!

Alki beach closest thing to a beach lol.. But really the beaches in WA are really amazing, but they are not white sand beaches. They are outdoor, go dig clams, have fun on the logs and rocks kinda beaches.

Lived and went to UW!

GO DAWGS!

[Legionofboom]

and dude...this is where I watch games ...who wants to watch the game from a yacht?! Showing up to the game via yacht: you're doing it wrong

Wait until all your friends have a boat and you put them all together and watch the game on the "log" of boats. Not to mention UW stadium is louder than the FSU stadium ..

Also UF or UW > FSU.

[MisterEm]

Alki beach closest thing to a beach lol.. But really the beaches in WA are really amazing, but they are not white sand beaches. They are outdoor, go dig clams, have fun on the logs and rocks kinda beaches.

Lived and went to UW!

GO DAWGS!

Wait until all your friends have a boat and you put them all together and watch the game on the "log" of boats. Not to mention UW stadium is louder than the FSU stadium ..

Also UF or UW > FSU.

So much win in both of these posts I don't know where to start. Woof? LoL

A UW game on Lake Washington is an experience every NCAA football fan must experience. ACC football is a snooze-fest since Deion Sanders left your conference and Marcus Vick got the boot. Lets beat up again on Southwest Meatball Tech University - and write about our epic football conference, mean OOC schedules and conference parity (but don't bring up North Carolina football please)!

[Mekong84]

Wait until all your friends have a boat and you put them all together and watch the game on the "log" of boats. Not to mention UW stadium is louder than the FSU stadium ..

Also UF or UW > FSU.

Granted, I've never been to a UW game so I can't compare...but have you ever been to a game at the Doak? Unless you've actually been to a big game in Tallahassee I'm not so sure about that lol. And even if you're right and its louder...I don't base my opinion of how awesome a FSU game is by how loud it is. I've got no ill will towards UW (except when I go down to the U District looking to party - nobody is out and nobody parties, what's up with that?!)...but UF?! Really?! I think this says it all:

Seriously though...FSU is like the beautiful peoples' club when compared with UF. And no, UF isn't the only legitimate engineering school in the state; I got a mechanical engineering degree from FSU and landed a sweet job designing airplanes for the biggest player in the game...all while living in the state capitol...how's THAT for a half-employed barista! I mean...even the UF kids would come to tally to party!

So much win in both of these posts I don't know where to start. Woof? LoL

A UW game on Lake Washington is an experience every NCAA football fan must experience. ACC football is a snooze-fest since Deion Sanders left your conference and Marcus Vick got the boot. Lets beat up again on Southwest Meatball Tech University - and write about our epic football conference, mean OOC schedules and conference parity (but don't bring up North Carolina football please)!

While I can't argue that a game on the Lake wouldn't be worth watching, wasn't the last conference championship for the Huskies like...13 years ago? Or does winning your conference only count if its in a conference you like? Hahaha we've beaten the gators 3 years our of the last 4...so much for your SEC powerhouse

Also, SW Meatball Tech U - touchè, salesman. That has been noted and is being addressed. Our upcomming season has fewer tard schools on the agenda...and we would ALL like to see that trend continue!

[Mekong84]

EDIT: half employed barista comment was incorrectly referenced. go me haha

[MisterEm]

EDIT: half employed barista comment was incorrectly referenced. go me haha

I am a well traveled sports aficionado with many NCAA experiences across the country. Some might call me a sports nerd. I have been to three SEC football games, including UF at Bama and the largest outdoor cocktail party in the world. Sadly, I've only personally attended one ACC football game with VT smoking a Meatball U. I have attended a couple dozen P10 games at 9 different stadiums.

Beautiful people abound all of the P12 stadiums with the best scenery at: ASU, The Farm (Stanford), USC (wife and brother in-law are alums), UW, CAL, CU and WSU in that order. Get back to us after attending the P12 campuses along the west-coast for any game and some nighttime social debauchery. . Unless you truly believe the coeds (beautiful people) you describe do not exist west of the Mississippi! As you stated - Florida is full of the beautiful folks along with the retirement community.

My take:
------
SEC football experience is #1. No contest. Last in basketball experience and proficiency (looks like middle school AAU Bball).

P10/12 #2 in football, #3 in basketball (Big East and ACC are difficult to beat), #1 in track and field, #1 CBB

ACC is up there but either tied with B12 or just below it in the football department. Bball is excellent as well.

[Mekong84]

SEC football is good...a little tired of all the nut hugging though. Not necessarily just you...but from everyone in general. Can't really argue with the scoreboard though...le sigh.

I don't even want to begin with how I feel about VT. It's mainly because of the people/area and I feel like that hatred spilled over to the football team. Unfair? Probably. But I've made peace with that.
Last time VT was in tally for a game, THIS


ASU no doubt has FSU beat when it comes to "beautiful people" but if you've never been to FSU, I suggest you pick a game (Miami or UF, maybe Clemson...though I'm pretty sure that's an away game this year) and get there. If the only ACC game you've seen was at VT then you are absolutely missing out! So far, my personal experience has shown me that no school anywhere knows how to party (referencing the nighttime social debauchery as you put it) like FSU lol. I will absolutely have to go to a UW game though and check it out. I can say first hand there is no night time shenanigans to be had there...I've tried!

Just a little entertainment for you

[MisterEm]

I have been to FSU and UF. Just not a football game for FSU. Again, based on your impressive research and stadium attendance record we have concluded that ALL of the beautiful folks attending college are east of the Mississippi. Florida is not just for convalescent homes and couples wearing Depends diapers - clearly every beautiful coed has but one choice to attend college - FSU.

Some objectivity would be nice, mekong.

Sounds like you do like NCAA sports. If so, I highly recommend you learn a bit more about about the Conference of Champions (and ugly folks). The P12 roadtrips were a blast - even to lowly Pullman. Eugene can get rough if you are in purple and gold but the rest of the locations are welcoming.

Unlike the SEC, at least you will find other amenable activities outside of the football game and campus on the West Coast. The SEC college town setup is really odd.


Cheers,
Mike

p.s. Love the VT sign!

[Legionofboom]

Here is how I feel most of the fsu people are. (hahaha I'm sorry. I'm sorry. )



everytime I've been to a FSU party, its been very... Interesting.

[Sticky]

I did my undergrad in Seattle and bought my M at Bellevue BMW in 2008. My favorite city to live in on the West coast. The Puget Sound CCA club is pretty active as well. Join up to see the events.

1. Competent Independent shop = Strictly BMW.

2. Track locations = Kent motor speedway, Spokane, Portland International, and Bremerton are all good track locations.

I've never been to Seattle, what can you tell me about it?

I hear it just rains a lot.

[Sticky]

and dude...this is where I watch games ...who wants to watch the game from a yacht?! Showing up to the game via yacht: you're doing it wrong

Showing up via yacht is about as right as it gets... how does walking in beat that again?

[Sticky]

SEC football is good...a little tired of all the nut hugging though. Not necessarily just you...but from everyone in general. Can't really argue with the scoreboard though...le sigh.

I don't even want to begin with how I feel about VT. It's mainly because of the people/area and I feel like that hatred spilled over to the football team. Unfair? Probably. But I've made peace with that.
Last time VT was in tally for a game, THIS


ASU no doubt has FSU beat when it comes to "beautiful people" but if you've never been to FSU, I suggest you pick a game (Miami or UF, maybe Clemson...though I'm pretty sure that's an away game this year) and get there. If the only ACC game you've seen was at VT then you are absolutely missing out! So far, my personal experience has shown me that no school anywhere knows how to party (referencing the nighttime social debauchery as you put it) like FSU lol. I will absolutely have to go to a UW game though and check it out. I can say first hand there is no night time shenanigans to be had there...I've tried!

Just a little entertainment for you

My school was so $#@!ty for partying it's not even on there.

[MisterEm]

I've never been to Seattle, what can you tell me about it?

I hear it just rains a lot.

It rains a lot. Everyone is miserable. Stay away from there. Put it this way: I kept my home in Seattle when I left in 2009 for reasons beyond slum-lording and tax-havens. My last two job locations I sold the homes as soon as I could dump them.

If you like to experience things of the outdoor variety - skiing/snowboarding, fly-fishing, white-water rafting, racing/tracking, wakeboarding/jet-skiing, hiking, crabbing, camping, surfing/wind-surfing - it is a location that cannot be beat.

If that is not your bag - the dining, breweries and wineries - especially seafood - in Seattle is second to none (Vancouver, B.C. is a close second and San Francisco firmly in third). I am a marine biologist by trade so I am a seafood snob. Some of the crap they send to California is often not the same species you think you order.... scallops, snapper, and "wild-alaska" salmon come to mind.

I have a long 5 day weekend up there next month. I cannot wait to get my rod bent by a fat Chinook and sip some Mac and Jack's in the evening.

Showing up via yacht is about as right as it gets... how does walking in beat that again?

An awesome experience for an "objective" NCAA football fan. Night game or day game. Arriving via boat through the Montlake lock after a day of debauchery on any of the private beaches that line Lake Washington is a game day experience that is truly unique. I would also say that an SEC game-day is a must for any NCAA fan as well. Epic memories for sure.

[Sticky]

If you like to experience things of the outdoor variety - skiing/snowboarding, fly-fishing, white-water rafting, racing/tracking, wakeboarding/jet-skiing, hiking, crabbing, camping, surfing/wind-surfing - it is a location that cannot be beat.

Why can't SoCal beat this?

If that is not your bag - the dining, breweries and wineries - especially seafood - in Seattle is second to none (Vancouver, B.C. is a close second and San Francisco firmly in third). I am a marine biologist by trade so I am a seafood snob. Some of the crap they send to California is often not the same species you think you order.... scallops, snapper, and "wild-alaska" salmon come to mind.

Ok making a stronger argument here.

I cannot wait to get my rod bent by a fat Chinook

I can't stop laughing LOL. This can be read a few ways.

An awesome experience for an "objective" NCAA football fan. Night game or day game. Arriving via boat through the Montlake lock after a day of debauchery on any of the private beaches that line Lake Washington is a game day experience that is truly unique. I would also say that an SEC game-day is a must for any NCAA fan as well. Epic memories for sure.

Ok, I think my next trip is going to be to Seattle. I'm just concerned about the weather.