Hello ladies and gents,

Like the title says, I'll be moving to western North Carolina for my new job. We're planning on settling down in Waynesville and I'll be commuting to Franklin. I'm looking to retire the S to a weekend/fun car only and pick up a daily driver. Anybody have any recommendations? I'd like AWD and a manual. Good gas mileage would be a plus since the trip is 45 minutes one way.

Moving on, is there a big car enthusiast presence in this area? Franklin and Waynesville seem to be mostly geriatrics, not that they can't be car enthusiasts, so I'm wondering if there's anything going on in Asheville. Or will I need to travel further east?

 

Asheville is kinda of a good place...but wow, you'll be living basically in the Mecca of awesome roads in the southeast. You're less than an hour away from the Dragon, hwy 28 is a totally awesome road, there's Wayah Rd west of Franklin...the list keeps going. What's your budget for a daily?

 

I make usual runs up past Waynesville and all over that area. i'm from Greenville. maybe we can get together for a drive.

 

I am in Asheville, and have yet to run out of curvy roads in my area. Of course the Dragon and the Parkway, but from Waynesville, you've got roads all around Maggie Valley, Johnathan Creek, Fines Creek, Spring Creek, and Hot Springs. Then near Asheville, you've got Town Mountain, and 74 and 9 that lead to Lake Lure. In Leicester you have Doggett Mountain, and Hooker's Gap. Since you said you would be working in Franklin, you can find some nice mountain rides in Nantahala, and Wayah rd. If you stay on 441 through Franklin you will come to Hayesville, NC. There is a really nice lake there, Lake Chatuge, and across the GA line you can take a really nice drive to Helen, GA. I recommend the soft pretzel at the Old Bavarian Inn also.

For the other question, for an AWD daily driver, I am fond of the Acura RDX personally...

 

If you go to Helen you might as well do Blood Mountain too

 

well sure, since you are just around the corner lol. while you are at it you should probably throw wayah and the dragon in there too

 

You've got Asheville, which is one of the best cities in NC for food, and Greenville SC, which has a lot of mid-city perks near by, so that's good.

For a daily, you'll want a Subaru - probably a WRX if you want a manual - or if you're fancy, get an Audi A4 quattro.

 

Welcome to the Carolinas! Is your move in the near future or are you already in place?

 

I went to WCU and washed dishes in Franklin for beer money, so I know the area well (or did 20 years ago). I had a 4x4 with mud tires and spent more time on unpaved surfaces than paved, so I am unfamiliar with the "fun roads."

You are moving to a beautiful area. If you enjoy the outdoors, there is more to do than a lifetime permits.

One caveat to your commute. Just outside Waynesville is Balsam Mountain. That pass gets snow before any other place in the area and can quickly get packed into a sheet of ice rendering it impassable. Fortunately, this is a well-known issue, and the HP does a good job of monitoring and reporting conditions. If snow is in the forecast, don't base your drive on local conditions, check on the pass too.

Oh, and Asheville is Beer City USA :-)

 

Not entirely sure honestly. I'll be buying the wife something with a Q on it from Audi so I'd like to keep my daily driver cheap. Especially since it'll mostly be used to keep the miles off the S. 20 would probably be the ceiling on it.

I'd say that'd be a good time. Ready to get started on tinkering with the S.

I'll be moving over around the beginning of March.

Someone mentioned this at the hospital. Are there backroads to circumvent this problem should it ice over?

Thanks for the responses everybody Love this part of the country. Especially coming from Louisiana where everything is flat and boring.