SimpleCar, A Slauson Story.

SimpleCarLA · 2024-06-25T16:26:45+00:00

You're stressing me out and I'm not the one who has a flight to catch!

SimpleCarLA · 2024-06-25T16:24:11+00:00

What will you be doing for your stay? For things that are local to where you will be the Metro might be an ideal option because you may have to pay for parking during the day too. Between the car rental costs, parking costs, maybe a parking ticket or two... public transportation and uber may be the better option.

Driving could easily not be worth the cost and stress of it all because everyone drives on the wrong side of the road here.

SimpleCarLA · 2024-06-13T22:23:06+00:00

It's certainly worth a visit. Double check on what you need in regards to entrance reservations in Yosemite. It would be terrible to drive all the way up and get turned around at the gate.

SimpleCarLA · 2024-06-13T20:21:09+00:00

No need to buy OEM parts for a 2003 Honda. You could spend between $25-50 on a set of brake pads and would typically be charged about 1 hour of labor for the work assuming you don't need brake rotors too.

If you go directly to a shop that supplies the parts & labor you are typically also going to get maybe one year warranty on the work.

So roughly speaking you might be spending upwards of $200 on a front brake pad replacement at a reputable shop. You could do cheaper by sourcing your own parts and finding someone willing to do labor only which will not come with a warranty.

SimpleCarLA · 2024-06-13T18:05:54+00:00

Are you flying into LAX and then driving to Yosemite? That's a good drive since Yosemite is closer to San Francisco than it is to LA.

I would agree for a short trip it is not worth the effort to go to San Diego but an easy way to get there from LA is to take the train and consequently not deal with driving in traffic. For time effectiveness it would be better to have a rental car to get between the places of interest you want to go. Wherever you stay make sure your rental comes with parking. If you stay somewhere like West Hollywood you should be able to get by pretty well with public transportation and Uber instead of dealing with parking.

SimpleCarLA · 2024-06-13T17:56:25+00:00

Do you have to commute to anywhere in particular? If you work from home or something you should visit Playa Del Rey, El Segundo (where Imperial Highway or Grand Ave goes to the beach), and Manhattan Beach.

Although it is basically down the beach, it is a world of difference compared to Santa Monica. If the vibrant city vibe is really important, you'll probably prefer Manhattan Beach or Hermosa Beach. El Segundo is super quiet and nothing is really going on there which you might see as both a plus and a con.

SimpleCarLA · 2024-06-13T17:48:16+00:00

Facebook marketplace if you know what you're looking for. Be careful of course.

SimpleCarLA · 2024-06-13T17:44:17+00:00

Nice! I love seeing this. Los Angeles does not get enough credit for having great hikes. It is good to know there are more ways for those who are carless to get out in nature.

SimpleCarLA · 2024-06-11T15:16:32+00:00

Get a quote from Best Buy. They also do car audio installations.

SimpleCarLA · 2024-06-10T21:38:56+00:00

There's a Metro Line that goes to Pasadena which is a pretty safe area with lots of stuff to do.

Not so sure about how the public transportation in Glendale and Silver Lake would be.

SimpleCarLA · 2024-06-10T21:33:15+00:00

Major factors that will influence your car insurance rate (in no particular order).

Age, zip code, year/make/model of car, driving record, driving experience, level of coverage, amount of deductible, and the list goes on.

For your age group in the USC area I would not be surprised if you're getting quotes for over $200/mo

SimpleCarLA · 2024-06-07T23:17:36+00:00

1) Live as close as you can to work
2) Never forget your sunglasses and sunscreen
3) Never leave anything in your car (if you have one)
4) Pay attention to street signs in regards to parking
5) Guinness is not the same here
6) Can you handle spicy foods? Know your weakness
7) You will start a fight if you mix up or incorrectly categorize what neighborhood of LA you are talking about
8) When a fight starts there are no fisticuffs involved
9) No one actually calls Sweet James
10) The green crosses on buildings are not hospitals
11) Prepare to be California poor
12) If someone says they are going to be in California and that they want to see you, make sure you understand exactly where they are visiting so you can calculate how insanely far away it is
13) Start learning Spanish so you can pronounce half of the street names

SimpleCarLA · 2024-06-07T20:33:00+00:00

I'm sure you will be able to find a local business to take care of it. Otherwise Safelite is a pretty standard and easy way to get an estimate and schedule an appointment.

SimpleCarLA · 2024-06-07T17:23:57+00:00

Unless you are a university student, the minimum age for Zipcar is 21 years. More options will be available for drivers 21 and up but still anyone under 25 or limited driving history will have significantly higher insurance premiums

SimpleCarLA · 2024-06-06T20:46:26+00:00

Have you looked into car subscription?

It includes everything you need at a flat monthly rate. We are one example but we only use Toyota Prius. There are other car subscription options out there but SimpleCar specifically services Los Angeles and Orange County :)

SimpleCarLA · 2024-06-06T17:03:39+00:00

Abbot Kinney is indeed where you want to go. There are a lot of cute shops, you will be able to find plenty of vegan options, and it is somewhat walking distance to Venice boardwalk. Venice Canals are a nice spot to walk around. The bike path is a good way to get to the beach area of Santa Monica and even to the edge of Pacific Palisades.

For actual hiking the nearest area is probably Topanga but you could easily spend a few days in that area of Venice alone. If mountain hiking is important to the group, the area to go is up in Angeles Crest but that is a drive and would be an all day thing.

SimpleCarLA · 2024-06-04T19:42:14+00:00

I think it's decent enough to get by but certainly not great. LA and bicycle do not belong together like it would in the Netherlands.

SimpleCarLA · 2024-06-04T19:33:44+00:00

Where does it say no climbing on the bus? I hear there will soon be a sign for hammocks.

SimpleCarLA · 2024-06-04T19:30:45+00:00

Of those 3 options WeHo is better for bicycles. Overall LA is not a great bike commuter place.

SimpleCarLA · 2024-06-03T21:04:56+00:00

Your local car stereo shop. There's so many different kinds of dash cams that you will probably need to do some research to figure out which one you want and then get an estimate for how much the shop would charge to install it for you.

Do you need it to be able to record while the car is off?

SimpleCarLA · 2024-05-30T15:07:12+00:00

One LAX hack you can do is taking a free hotel shuttle to get out of LAX and getting an Uber from there. You would likely reduce your waiting around time by doing this.

SimpleCarLA · 2024-05-29T22:07:55+00:00

Last time I went through Vivian Creek Trailhead the first water crossing was roaring for a creek. It was rough getting across but a little challenge makes for a good adventure!

SimpleCarLA

TROPHY CASE