Thinking of moving to Seattle area

alaskan155 · Sep 20, 2015

As title says thinking of moving out to the seattle tacoma area.

What are the vehicle laws like out there
I have a 02 f250 7.3 diesel and 00 ranger.

Are there emissions?

Will i have problems with my ranger running 35s/no bed?/ cut fenders? Can i remove the doors with no problems?

Hows the offroading out there?

Have to be out of my house by jan. Here in colorado (Landlord is selling house) so ill be looking for a local cdl job / house to rent probally after the holidays. Hoping the job market is a little better out there.

Also looking at spokane as a option...

Spoone · Sep 20, 2015

Seattle/King County doed do emissions testing, every other year, on vehicles. The first year you're in state, you'll have to get tested, the next year you won't..it's an off/on thing. Weird, but that's how it is.

I'm not positive about the doors-off thing, but I'd imagine that with all the Jeep Wranglers I see running around the area sans doors, it's probably not an issue.

I've seen flatbed rangers, desert/prerunner rangers, and a few weird combinations of both. Other than perhaps being "outside the norm" for the area, you'll just be taken as a dedicated off-roader.

Speaking of off-roading..there's TONS to do out here, most of it slow, wet, muddy fun.

For the record, I live in Everett, about 20 miles north of Seattle..

alaskan155 · Sep 20, 2015

Spoone said:
Seattle/King County doed do emissions testing, every other year, on vehicles. The first year you're in state, you'll have to get tested, the next year you won't..it's an off/on thing. Weird, but that's how it is.

I'm not positive about the doors-off thing, but I'd imagine that with all the Jeep Wranglers I see running around the area sans doors, it's probably not an issue.

I've seen flatbed rangers, desert/prerunner rangers, and a few weird combinations of both. Other than perhaps being "outside the norm" for the area, you'll just be taken as a dedicated off-roader.

Speaking of off-roading..there's TONS to do out here, most of it slow, wet, muddy fun.

For the record, I live in Everett, about 20 miles north of Seattle..

mud will be a change of pace haha, use to playing on the rocks,

so are there any suburbs to stay away from, not looking at living down town, but i have seen some houses for rent in the Olympia area, looking for something that has a decent yard, and No HOAs for rent. Around $800-1000/month any areas you'd recommend?, open to about 40 miles or so radius of Seattle/Tacoma to keep the wife happy :icon_hornsup:

...

Spoone · Sep 20, 2015

In that price range, I'd look around the suburbs of the Tacoma/Puyallup area, or even in Thurston County (Olympia area). South King County (Renton) can get you into that price range, as well, but traffic can be a problem, depending on your commute.

Quick note..Thurston County doesn't do emissions testing (I grew up down there). Also, near there is the Thurston County-Grays Harbor County ORV park...super technical truck/jeep/stumper stuff, some nasty-ass technical dirt-bike stuff, and a kick-ass moto-X track..) http://www.ohwy.com/wa/t/thghorvs.htm

There's a butt-ton of companies in the Kent Valley area (north of Tacoma), loads of drivers, warehousing, and distribution centers.

If ya got more questions, I'll try to answer'em

alaskan155 · Sep 20, 2015

Spoone said:
In that price range, I'd look around the suburbs of the Tacoma/Puyallup area, or even in Thurston County (Olympia area). South King County (Renton) can get you into that price range, as well, but traffic can be a problem, depending on your commute.

Quick note..Thurston County doesn't do emissions testing (I grew up down there). Also, near there is the Thurston County-Grays Harbor County ORV park...super technical truck/jeep/stumper stuff, some nasty-ass technical dirt-bike stuff, and a kick-ass moto-X track..) http://www.ohwy.com/wa/t/thghorvs.htm

There's a butt-ton of companies in the Kent Valley area (north of Tacoma), loads of drivers, warehousing, and distribution centers.

If ya got more questions, I'll try to answer'em

i appreciate it, trust me i do. this whole idea of finding a new place and moving has been stressful as it is, :sad:

and i am sure i will have more questions.

enjr44 · Oct 3, 2015

Cruise the CL listings for rental prices in various areas. Traffic anywhere north of Lacey to north of Everett on the I-5 corridor is a nightmare 16 hours a day (on just about all roads; not just interstates). Seattle area commuters waste an average of 65 hours a year sitting totally stopped in traffic. WA.gov will tell you about vehicle licensing, DL requirements and emission testing (where, what and when needed). Driving with your doors off will be wet a lot of the year.

The whole Seattle area is a very high cost of living area (look it up online to get an idea). A heck of a lot of people who want to live in a house; but, don't make a ton, commute 50+ miles each way for work (why the traffic). A house with more than a 10,000 sq ft lot does not exist for less than 3/400K in King county. So rent is high.

The weather is what I would call mild. A hot day is 90 and a cold one is mid thirties. It does go higher and lower; but, not often. The sun doesn't shine much between October and June (mostly gray and cloudy with very light rain up to three/four or more days a week). We get less than 60 cloudless days a year on average. They will forecast sun breaks so you can go outside and look at/sit in the sun. So if you need the sun to be happy you will not be most of the year.

I have listed most of the negatives because a lot of folk move here and then are unhappy enough that they can't take it and leave. In the long run it isn't the good stuff that makes you happy. It is the bad stuff that drives you nuts......

It is a great place to live if you can manage the cost, the traffic and the weather.

alaskan155 · Mar 11, 2016

enjr44 said:
Cruise the CL listings for rental prices in various areas. Traffic anywhere north of Lacey to north of Everett on the I-5 corridor is a nightmare 16 hours a day (on just about all roads; not just interstates). Seattle area commuters waste an average of 65 hours a year sitting totally stopped in traffic. WA.gov will tell you about vehicle licensing, DL requirements and emission testing (where, what and when needed). Driving with your doors off will be wet a lot of the year.

The whole Seattle area is a very high cost of living area (look it up online to get an idea). A heck of a lot of people who want to live in a house; but, don't make a ton, commute 50+ miles each way for work (why the traffic). A house with more than a 10,000 sq ft lot does not exist for less than 3/400K in King county. So rent is high.

The weather is what I would call mild. A hot day is 90 and a cold one is mid thirties. It does go higher and lower; but, not often. The sun doesn't shine much between October and June (mostly gray and cloudy with very light rain up to three/four or more days a week). We get less than 60 cloudless days a year on average. They will forecast sun breaks so you can go outside and look at/sit in the sun. So if you need the sun to be happy you will not be most of the year.

I have listed most of the negatives because a lot of folk move here and then are unhappy enough that they can't take it and leave. In the long run it isn't the good stuff that makes you happy. It is the bad stuff that drives you nuts......

It is a great place to live if you can manage the cost, the traffic and the weather.

figured i would update, just got back to colorado yesterday, but i found a place in Lacey, just put the deposit on it. I was staying up in seatac in a hotel while we looked around and did notice it took a while to get between there and olympia depending on the traffic. (NB i5 was shutdown 1 day last week due to a accident, the helicopter got my truck as i was passing southbound) but we drove all over from everrett down to yelm, and up to Shelton. but between having a dog, there really isn't that many decent placed for under $1000 month.

but i did get my ranger up to Portland, it was a casualty off the move, blew the transfer case and front diff trying to flat tow it with the transfer case in neutral. ;brownbag;

for future reference to myself, remove the driveshaft :sad:

i will let the picture show the carnage..

my only guess is the chain let go in the transfer case at 70mph while i was flat towing it, locked the front driveshaft up(its siezed, wont turn) and gernaded the front end about 20miles from the house. (2000 rangers are always spinning upfront)

so i cant check out the trails when i get there. :sad:

we move in the 1st of the month though, gives me time to start applying for work.

have to haul the big trailer up there this next go around, she is going to be HEAVY.

have the front end loaded with our household goods and the wifes jetta is going in the back... going to be putting my old 7.3l to work getting out there. :icon_thumby:

dogboy · Apr 13, 2016

If you're new to this area, you'll have to try out Tahuya, Elbe Hills, and Evans Creek!

Elbe is probably the closest from Yelm.

alaskan155 · Jun 5, 2016

dogboy said:
If you're new to this area, you'll have to try out Tahuya, Elbe Hills, and Evans Creek!

Elbe is probably the closest from Yelm.

been here a couple months now, still haven't had a chance to check them out, and my ranger is still in portland :icon_rofl:

move killed me financially, so playing catchup

but we did find a place in hawks prairie, and im working in tumwater.
traffic hasn't been to bad commuting except on fridays. going to go get the ranger next weekend so might actually be able to get it going again. the only space i have for it right now is inside the trailer....thankfully the neighbors have been cool and haven't complained about the trailer.

So yeah... :dunno:

i guess it will be a ranger inside a trailer build thread :dunno:

or part out thread :dunno:

either way i really want to go offloading and explore some trails, so its tearing me up inside not having anything to offroad :sad:

Thinking of moving to Seattle area

alaskan155

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Spoone

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alaskan155

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Spoone

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alaskan155

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enjr44

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alaskan155

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dogboy

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alaskan155

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