Washington DC metro area meet proposal

[morcheeba]

I used to live in McLean and Silver Spring, and I'm planning on visiting my old stomping grounds at the end of the month. Is anyone up for a meet on Saturday the 28th?

I don't have any plans in particular -- we've got 2 weeks to figure something out. I'll float some ideas in the poll, but feel free to propose something else. It doesn't really matter, though - it'll be fun to meet people in person and put faces with names.

note - this date doesn't conflict with sunday's NCCBMWCCA's Mountain Thunder Summer Tour (http://www.bcpl.net/~ncc/tour/calendar.html) in case you're doing that -- I'd love to, but unless plans change, I'm meeting some other friends that day.

[Guest]

I'm not sure if I'll be in town on the 28th, might be away for work, but if I'm here I'd like to meet up with you.

No mods yet, but I can show you my plans :)

[fcotanis]

Let's do it.

[morcheeba]

I forgot two show-and-tell things I've got:

- home made strut bar. It's made out of 2 pizza boxes and a yardstick. Yes, there's a reason for this.

- k-bus/i-bus demonstration - I just started playing around with it. It's not much to look at yet,. but kindof neat.

[morcheeba]

Ok, one week till the meeting - let's pick a place!

I'm kindof based in McLean; filip, are you in annandale (i forget)? Guest - where are you & any word on if you'll be able to make it? (and are you CubeFarmGopher?)

We could meet at my place in McLean, or at a coffee shop/lunch.

As for time, I've got a hair appointment at 11:45 (yep, I still have ties to the area), so I should probably be ready to be anywhere in the area at 1pm, and am free for the rest of the evening.

[topazblue330i]

This is "guest" finally got around to creating a profile. I'm in!!

I'm actually in the Clinton MD area, which is kind of off the beaten path, but I can meet you guys wherever.

I can't stay past 6, already promised my gf we could do something and since I'm going away soon for a while I don't want to be backing out.

Okay, let me know where and when and I'll be there.

Dave

[morcheeba]

Cool!

I'm talking with Filip & it looks like morning sounds might be better for him... how about 10:30am? (I got my appointment pushed back to 2) -- hopefully the drive up won't be too bad at that time.

[morcheeba]

Ok-

10:30am Saturday Jun 28 (I'll be there until 2pm)
Greenberry's Coffee & Tea
6839 Redmond Drive, Mc Lean, VA 22101
(703) 821-9500
McLean Shopping Center
[not the one on Old Domnion Drive in Great Falls!]
http://www.greenberrys.com/stores.html

FROM 495 BELTWAY TAKE EXIT 46B RT 123 TOWARD MCLEAN. Right on Old Dominion Dr. Right on Beverly at your first light.

FROM DULLES TOLL RD & OR DULLES ACCESS RD, EXIT 19B, RT 123 TOWARD MCLEAN. Right on Old Dominion Dr. Right on Beverly at your first light.

It's right across the street from the Staybridge Suites, at the end of an L-shaped strip mall. The store is actually closer to Beverly Rd than Redmond Dr. (which is basically an alley behind a different strip mall) and it's right off of Old Dominion.

Here's the entry from the yellow pages (http://yp.superpages.com/listings.phtml?SRC=&STYPE=S&PG=L&R=N&C=&N=Greenberry's&T=McLean&S=VA&search=Find+It) and hopefully this this map link (http://directory.superpages.com/supermaps/mapinit.jsp?T=McLean&N=Greenberry%27s&PG=L&STYPE=S&R=N&S=VA&AL=&MC=&map.x=212&map.y=125&level=8&lat=038934044&lng=-077179840&POI1lat=038934044&POI1lng=-077179840&POI1name=Greenberrys+Coffee+CO&streetaddress=&city=Mc+Lean&state=VA&zip=22101&LID=0005076375&LS=&display=1&AD=&GV=0&GL=&FN=&PP=N&CID=) will work.

If not, here's a
map to the Staybridge (http://go.vicinity.com/sixcont/bidMap.d?BID=WASML&brandname=_staybridge). The store is basically a little bit to the southeast of the blue star.

It's got indoor & outdoor seating, and plenty of places to park. It's been my on-and-off hangout over the last few years.

[fcotanis]

Nice to meet you guys.
Wish I could have stayed a lil longer. Traffic was crazy towards Richmond - took me 5 hours to get there because of this RIR race that was going on. *sigh*

Anyway - Dave - you asked if I did something withe the brakes. And at the time I said no but later it sprung to my mind why you felt that difference: the tires. They make such a huge difference in braking as you saw - indeed it almost feels like you have aftermarket in there. when it's actually all stock.
I've gotten so used to this solid braking that I forgot how much difference the tires have made when you asked me if I did something to the brakes.

So there is your answer.

...oh and guys - nice cars!
Filip

[morcheeba]

Great meeting, nice guys, good time! Here's a quick summary for everyone else...

I forgot how insane McLean is for fancy cars. I saw 2 vipers, a RR, and some other fancy RR or vintage RR look-alike (no, not the new hyundai). More M3's than I could shake a stick at, including one with an E46fanatics.com sticker.

It was funny that Filip checked out our tires ... Topaz and I still have original tires, and Filip told us we weren't driving our cars hard enough and that too much of our tires were left given our milage :)

Filip took us for a ride in his car. Very quick, even with 4 passengers. Filip's girlfriend is awesome - she didn't even look up from her harry potter book as Topaz and I were being tossed around in the back seat while Filip explored his limits of traction around a curve with a sharp ditch. Thankfully, Topaz had made the extra effort to dig out his belt... I had checked to see if Filip had rear airbags*. Topaz and I went out driving with less g-forces, and we covered the 3 major nice-to-drive routes that passed through mclean.

On a sad note, my car got its first dent that day. :realmad: :cry: I had always imagined that it would be a door ding, but instead I got it in a place where I can't figure out how it happened. It's on the hood and front 1/4 panel, above the front wheel well... and it looks like someone hit it with the back side of a butcher's knife. Or a one-legged leprachaun with an ice-skate jumped on it. It tooks some paint off, but only at the corner of the 1/4 panel. The hood polished out, but it still has the dent. darn. how did it happen?! Filip and Topaz can attest to the fact that I was careful where I parked - parallel, with no one in front of me either time. Anyone have experience with dent-wizard like repair? This is a slight crease rather than a bump, so I don't know if something like pops-a-dent would work.

Stilll a fun time, sorry I couldn't have stayed longer. TopazBlue has a neat color, plus tinting that goes well with it... we'll see how the clubsport wing looks when he gets it installed!

----
* he doesn't, and neither do I. I guess neither of us really like our friends!

[fcotanis]

...so I guess I scared the daylights out of you then when I drove you around huh? And to think that I have not even pushed it to the limits. Eh, next time I'll show you the limits :D :D :lol: :lol:

I checked out two things on your tires:
1. Front and rear tire scrub that starts at the edge of the contact patch and only occurs from hard turning - you guys had very very little to very very none :lol: :lol: :roll: .
1. Rear tire wear to see how long before new tires for you. Looks like you have at least 10.000 miles ahead before any kind of thoughts of tire replacement.

John, I'm sorry about your dent - I'd consult the dent magic guy about how well would he be able to fix it before spending the money.
Had a 25c sixe dent on the top of my trunk - I don't know how or who did that - dentmagic costed about 80$ if memory serves me right but the trunk it never had one.

Dave - you're awafully quiet but i doubt I scared you at all. What did you think?
Filip

[topazblue330i]

Filip,

You must have forgotten the comments I made about you being a crazy driver.

I was watching that ditch awfully carefully as well, and I noted that I was on the right side of the car as we went around that curve to the left, so, had we slid off into the ditch I would have been padding for morcheeba as he slid across the rear seat towards the passenger side door.

Anyway great meeting you two as well, as we discussed I'll be out of contact for the next few months, so take care.

Dave

P.S. Where can I find this dent wizard? I just found a dent in my passenger door no problem with the paint, but a round pushed in spot...hard to see except if your looking at the reflection in the paint...this dent wizard might be just the thing.

[fcotanis]

You got a PM (at the top of the page you will see "You have 1 new message"),
and my thanks in advance

As far as being a crazy driver - I'd just say I'm not your average driver.
I know what my car can or can not do. I would never get in a foreign car for the first time and do what I just showed you guys.
My vehicle is also custom tuned to my liking by myself by means of anti-roll bars.
If you call that crazy then ok. I don't mind. I just hope you enjoyed the demo of what a little bit of tunning can do. And I don't have the PSS9 yet! :D

Filip

[drd_330i]

I live in Oxford PA.... just a few minutes from the Marryland border and not too far from Deleware.... Sounds like it could be fun... but would probably prefer something near Philly or suburbs...

[morcheeba]

hey drd330i- I'm 4 1/2 hours away, so I don't make it back to dc too often... I'll probably be back around thanksgiving, but you guys can meet w/o me! They're fun guys!

Filip, you're a fine driver. No, I wasn't really scared... I'm just very very cautious whenever there is the slightest chance I could get smooshed. Honestly, my tires had more scuffing on them before I cleaned them that morning. Also, I'm kicking myself for not checking out your tires closer.

Dave - here's the dent wizard web page (http://dentwiz.com/pdr.htm) - they've got a locater here (http://dentwiz.com/locationsusen). Thanks for the price, Filip - that's not too bad. I'll ask about it at the dealership when I get my oil changed this weekend.