Living/theft in Phoenix AZ?

hondaracer664
Edited Date/Time 1/25/2012 12:59pm
I'm currently at a university and decided this isn't the direction I want to go at this time. I decided to enroll in MMI in Phoenix and am trying to get a feel for how it's going to be down there. My main concerns are theft. I've heard it's extremely bad down there and was curious if any of you who do or have lived there agree? I drive a Chrysler 300C with 24" rims and an expensive stereo system (when I'm not driving my van to the races of course) and I'm scared of coming out of my house one day to find my car on blocks. Any other advice or things to look out for would be greatly appreciated.
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unknownmxr 6/11/2011 9:14pm
6/11/2011 9:14pm
spent two months there. Stayed at a campground, a hotel in 'a bad part of town', slept in my car at truck stops, had my bike on an open trailer, gas can secured only by a cargo net. Nothing disappeared, nobody bothered me. Oh, and the lap dances are $10 PER SONG.
hondaracer664 6/11/2011 9:25pm
6/11/2011 9:25pm
unknownmxr wrote:
spent two months there. Stayed at a campground, a hotel in 'a bad part of town', slept in my car at truck stops, had my bike...
spent two months there. Stayed at a campground, a hotel in 'a bad part of town', slept in my car at truck stops, had my bike on an open trailer, gas can secured only by a cargo net. Nothing disappeared, nobody bothered me. Oh, and the lap dances are $10 PER SONG.
You sold me in the last sentence. Thank you.
500guy
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500guy 6/11/2011 10:16pm
6/11/2011 10:16pm
Theft isn't real bad but like any big city you have to be aware of your surroundings.

Sounds like you already make more then most MMI graduates, because I doubt many of them can afford what you already roll out in.
hondaracer664 6/11/2011 10:43pm
6/11/2011 10:43pm Edited Date/Time 6/12/2011 1:45am
500guy wrote:
Theft isn't real bad but like any big city you have to be aware of your surroundings. Sounds like you already make more then most MMI...
Theft isn't real bad but like any big city you have to be aware of your surroundings.

Sounds like you already make more then most MMI graduates, because I doubt many of them can afford what you already roll out in.
Man all it takes is a little pocket change (down payment) and a signature on the dotted line (giving them your soul) and you can own whatever the hell you want. It's the American way. I'm very fortunate that my parents are willing to help me with tuition and living expenses so I can work part time and do a little bit of racing to pay for things like the car, my van and bikes. Although the van and bikes are going bye bye before I head down to AZ in Aug.

Thanks for the input. I understand in any big city shit happens, I was just looking for a little reassurance that it's not all that sketchy down there. I do work hard for my things and nothing feels worse than having it taken away from you.

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MX45
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MX45 6/12/2011 2:09am
6/12/2011 2:09am
There's always going to be opportunists. Apartment complexes have more theft than neighborhoods. I hear stories that large parking lots like the Home Depot are hot spots to steal cars, especially for those looking for larger load vehicles to run people and/or drugs.
I got some things stolen from my vehicle once, but I forgot to lock and arm it that night, so I felt like the dummy.
I do have an alarm with ignition kill. Such a setup has saved a few of my friend's vehicles from making it out of the driveway.

Here's some general crime stats.
http://www.azcjc.gov/ACJC.Web/Pubs/Home/Arizona_Property_Crime_Trends_C…

and common stolen vehicles.
http://www.aata.state.az.us/Protect_Your_Vehicle/frequently_stolen.asp
hondaracer664 6/12/2011 2:46am
6/12/2011 2:46am
Good stuff, thank you. I was going to do an apartment to cut costs a bit but maybe I will reconsider so I can park in a garage. Thank you again.
Febuary
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Febuary 6/12/2011 10:10am
6/12/2011 10:10am
There a quite a few apartments that have attached garages not too far from MMI. I know that renting a house here is getting more expensive lately so that might be another option for you to choose. I have lived in Phx for 25 years and had my truck broken into twice in that span. I didnt live in a nice area at those times too. If you dont mind driving a couple of miles to school, there are some pretty nice areas in the north valley.
Cygnus
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Cygnus 6/12/2011 10:35am
6/12/2011 10:35am
I have worked at lots of shops and have never seen an mmi grad hired. I have worked at a few shops where the first thing they do with your resume when they see you are an mmi grad file it right to the front of the trash can. don't waste your money. Go get a job at a local shop and learn hands on.
Tom_joad
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Tom_joad 6/12/2011 11:17am
6/12/2011 11:17am
I have a friend who went to MMI and the only thing he got out of that was the bill. If you havent yet, definitely talk with some MMI grads before going through with it.
hondaracer664 6/12/2011 2:23pm
6/12/2011 2:23pm
Appreciate the advice, but I already have a job locked down as soon as I'm done with school. I've been a riding coach/mechanic while going to school for an intermediate rider and have gotten hooked on being a race mechanic. I gave up the racing dream a couple years ago and went to a University. It's really not the direction I want to go and thanks to some contacts I have I should be on track to be a team mechanic when I graduate. I'm not looking to go work on Billy Bob's ranch four wheeler at a dealership. Smile
Tiki
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Tiki 6/12/2011 3:19pm
6/12/2011 3:19pm
Sounds to me - since you are more concerned with the dubs and the droptop hooptie. Turning a wrench is the right decision for you over anything with a Bachelors degree.

Hey, school can suck, but a degree will take most everyone places that a wrench will not. If you wanted advice, my advice is to stay in school and tough it out. The reality is, its a lot more tougher in the real world.

If you really, really want to be a wrench - enlist. Guaranteed job placement, before and after.
hondaracer664 6/12/2011 7:21pm
6/12/2011 7:21pm
Tiki wrote:
Sounds to me - since you are more concerned with the dubs and the droptop hooptie. Turning a wrench is the right decision for you over...
Sounds to me - since you are more concerned with the dubs and the droptop hooptie. Turning a wrench is the right decision for you over anything with a Bachelors degree.

Hey, school can suck, but a degree will take most everyone places that a wrench will not. If you wanted advice, my advice is to stay in school and tough it out. The reality is, its a lot more tougher in the real world.

If you really, really want to be a wrench - enlist. Guaranteed job placement, before and after.
Tiki, all I've done since I was 3 is race dirt bikes and be at dirt bike tracks. It's where I'm comfortable and it's where I excel. It has nothing to do with my work ethic, intellect or not having the grit to tough it out. I was doing just fine here, I just came to the conclusion that I love dirt bike racing and that's what I want to do every day. Am I going to make a fortune doing it? Nope but I'm not going to keep traveling down the road I was and hating every second of it.
Clapped
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Clapped 6/12/2011 9:30pm
6/12/2011 9:30pm
If you have wrenched before, and know a fair amount about a motorcycle, don't waste your time. I made the mistake of going there thinking I was going to learn how to race tune a bike and how to do suspension for different settings, yada yada yada. The classes are set up for kids that don't know crap about a motorcycle and want to learn, not kids that have already wrenched on bikes and get how a two and four stroke are different and want to learn advanced material. Also, the instructors are hit and miss. I had some awesome guys that would answer anything you wanted to learn if you were willing to learn. Then I had a few that really didn't seem to give a damn. One guy even told the class that he just accepted a job as a service manager and that he really didn't care what we learned because we weren't gonna get hired at his shop or anyone else's. Most of the bikes you work on, you'll spend half the class fixing them so you can actually do what's on the course schedule. They boast about how they have factory support and everything, but 90% of the bikes they have are old, missing parts, broken, and just beat. Some classrooms don't even have the tools necessary to work on the bikes. I remember walking down to the Suzuki rooms to borrow tools for my Yamaha class quite often.

As far as the theft situation, I've had my truck broken into three times in three different areas down here. Had my pitbike stolen out of my garage. Know quite a few people that have had stuff stolen from them. But if you're smart about not keeping your bike in the open and live in a decent neighborhood, you should be good.
jmc2
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jmc2 6/13/2011 8:28am
6/13/2011 8:28am
Tiki wrote:
Sounds to me - since you are more concerned with the dubs and the droptop hooptie. Turning a wrench is the right decision for you over...
Sounds to me - since you are more concerned with the dubs and the droptop hooptie. Turning a wrench is the right decision for you over anything with a Bachelors degree.

Hey, school can suck, but a degree will take most everyone places that a wrench will not. If you wanted advice, my advice is to stay in school and tough it out. The reality is, its a lot more tougher in the real world.

If you really, really want to be a wrench - enlist. Guaranteed job placement, before and after.
Good points...
Stay focused on the Bachelors degree part time (1/2 or 3/4 time), wrench part time and keep riding...
maicoman
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maicoman 6/13/2011 10:50am
6/13/2011 10:50am
That car of yours will not last in Phoenix, shit can the wheels, stereo, hell even the car cause those are high on the Vato "I want" list and move out here during the winter.
Tiki
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Tiki 6/14/2011 3:32pm
6/14/2011 3:32pm
Tiki wrote:
Sounds to me - since you are more concerned with the dubs and the droptop hooptie. Turning a wrench is the right decision for you over...
Sounds to me - since you are more concerned with the dubs and the droptop hooptie. Turning a wrench is the right decision for you over anything with a Bachelors degree.

Hey, school can suck, but a degree will take most everyone places that a wrench will not. If you wanted advice, my advice is to stay in school and tough it out. The reality is, its a lot more tougher in the real world.

If you really, really want to be a wrench - enlist. Guaranteed job placement, before and after.
hondaracer664 wrote:
Tiki, all I've done since I was 3 is race dirt bikes and be at dirt bike tracks. It's where I'm comfortable and it's where I...
Tiki, all I've done since I was 3 is race dirt bikes and be at dirt bike tracks. It's where I'm comfortable and it's where I excel. It has nothing to do with my work ethic, intellect or not having the grit to tough it out. I was doing just fine here, I just came to the conclusion that I love dirt bike racing and that's what I want to do every day. Am I going to make a fortune doing it? Nope but I'm not going to keep traveling down the road I was and hating every second of it.
I don't envy your decision but good luck. Try JMC2's idea before you make a rash decision. You can always go back to college. No rule or law says you cant at any age. It's just easier to do when someone else is paying the majority of bills.

Good luck.
Sherwood
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Sherwood 6/14/2011 3:44pm
6/14/2011 3:44pm
The heat keeps me from ever living in that place. Humans where not meant to live in that heat.
unknownmxr 6/14/2011 4:39pm
6/14/2011 4:39pm
All the mmi bashing is probably valid, but you are only there for a year. It is a small part of a 40 year working career.
The biggest threat in Phoenix is that some octanagarian Canadian might back into your ride.

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