Discovery Harbour Subdivision, Kau, Big Island - what you should know before moving there (Kailua: rental car, buy)

[Buckeye77]

Originally Posted by Dreaming of Hawaii

C'mon, Hoot, you're moving to Discovery Harbour! You have to have a car with a large trunk or a pick-up truck for the obligatory Costco runs to Kona.

lol - my lovely bride does have a Cadillac DTS, which has a huge trunk, but she wants to buy a Lexus convertible before we move. Are convertibles a good idea? (the Lexus doesn't have a "rag top" - it's a retractable hard top). Also, she says it has to be red.

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Originally Posted by Hoot N Annie

lol - my lovely bride does have a Cadillac DTS, which has a huge trunk, but she wants to buy a Lexus convertible before we move. Are convertibles a good idea? (the Lexus doesn't have a "rag top" - it's a retractable hard top). Also, she says it has to be red.

A Lexus convertible? Maybe in Princeville, but not in Ka'u. Flaunting big money around people living in a depressed economy is not a good idea. However, there are several people here who do have convertibles and sports cars, and nothing bad happens to them, but you may want to consider something a little less showy. Personally I think it would be fun to have a convertible.

I have a red Chevy HHR

[Grassyknoll]

Originally Posted by Dreaming of Hawaii

A Lexus convertible? Maybe in Princeville, but not in Ka'u. Flaunting big money around people living in a depressed economy is not a good idea. However, there are several people here who do have convertibles and sports cars, and nothing bad happens to them, but you may want to consider something a little less showy. Personally I think it would be fun to have a convertible.

I have a red Chevy HHR

I will second the above. I sold my Lexus before moving from the mainland here to Ka'u (Oceanview) but my wife wanted to bring her Acura. Here there dosen't seem to be quite the car culture that seems to exist on the mainland and particularly along the West Coast.
Her Acura has seen more damage and degredation in the last 6 months here than in the last 3 years on the mainland. We have had two incidents requring insutrance claims. One was a tourist hitting the passenger side door as they were pulling in and the second was someone backing into the front end at Oceanview Market.
We keep out cars garaged, but the elements and island life are taking their toll. We haven't washed my wife's car once since we moved, and I have been remis in not waxing it either. It just dosen't seem to be much of a priority anymore. I'm sure if we lived in Waikaloa or in-town, then perhaps keeping up appearances (of the car) would be more of a priority. There are nice cars here, but they definitely seem to be in the minority.

[Buckeye77]

Aloha - I don't know where Princeville is, so that's lost on me. And it's just a gussied up Toyota - surely that doesn't count as flaunting big money. Cheaper than her current car (albeit newer).

I was more concerned about the salt air's impact on the mechanical moving parts of the top. And when I look on Craigs List and autotrader I don't see that many convertibles. Just checking.

Of course, it's up to her. I'm planning on buying a pick up to haul the TP home from Costco.

Mahalo!

[OpenD]

I agree, Grassyknoll. I know several people who are quite well-to-do in the Volcano area whose cars range from nice but not flashy down to nonedescipt. Clothing, pretty much the same range. There's far less overt public display of wealth except among the wannabes. Real money doesn't shout.

Convertibles could be fun in Ka'u and Kona, I suppose, but make sure the top is in good repair when heading into Puna District or Hilo.

[Buckeye77]

Mahalo for the input but I guess I just don't understand why anyone would care what someone else drives? I was just looking for some mechanical advice. Salt air versus moving parts. I guess I'm on the wrong forum for that.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by Hoot N Annie

Mahalo for the input but I guess I just don't understand why anyone would care what someone else drives? I was just looking for some mechanical advice. Salt air versus moving parts. I guess I'm on the wrong forum for that.

What people drive is hugely important in Southern California, among other places, and is a primary avenue for asserting social status. Many Hawaiians are more relaxed about all that . There are pockets of status display, yes, most notably among young men with excess testosterone who get into big trucks and SUVs with lifts and big wheels and darkened windows and widened wheels and massive bass speakers in that whole gangsta thang. Or lowered Honda Civics that have been chipped (today's hot rodding) and lowered and fitted with loud exhaust systems to show how bad, uh huh, uh huh, they really are. We had a kid on here a couple of years ago who was whining about not being able to find a job, but who was simultaneously looking to buy a big bad SUV like the cops drive for $35K used. Typical mindless youth stuff.

Here's a little illustration of what I mean IRL. Because of some volunteer work I had done, I was invited to a fancy social event that was a bit upscale, and the closest thing to full-on formal I've been to in the islands. As the saying goes, "I didn't have a thing to wear," having discarded my suits and ties and dress shoes and all when I retired and moved to Volcano. That turned out later to have been a bit of a mistake when I had to reacquire some basics when I had to return to the mainland for a family funeral, and subsequently when I was lured back into doing some consulting work and special projects with old, old friends, although no tie was required or I likely would not have agreed to do them.

But anyway, I thought it would be fun to go to this fancy party and sip some champagne and eat some fancy pu pus and rub elbows with some movers and shakers, but I didn't want to rent a tux, but I also was not to be discouraged. Plus, by training and by experience I am a great improvisor, so I found a black on black silk aloha shirt with three dimensional embroidery and paired it with black slacks (hey, wearing anything but shorts was already semi-formal to me), a traditional Hawaiian fishhook pendant, and my best black slippahs, and I headed out.

Nobody batted an eye, and I felt completely relaxes and right at home, alongside ladies in fancy dresses and men in formal wear. Matter of fact, I ran into a neighbor who is old family and quite rich, and we have chatted together on the roadside many times, but I didn't recognize him at first in his designer tux. It was actually cause for some merriment at the time, because for everyday wear he dresses down the way I normally do, in cargo shorts and faded cotton shirts. Comfort is mutually important.

Anyways, my point is, most people won't give a rat's patootie what you wear or what you drive, and you probably wouldn't like the ones who do. What's far more significant here is what kind of a person you are... how you treat others... how kind and generous you are... how friendly you are... how much aloha you bring to the party.

To me that's the best kind of status to earn in your community.

BTW, slowww on the uptake, but I just realized from your reference to "your bride" that you must be Hoot, referring to Annie. Amirite?

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by Hoot N Annie

I was just looking for some mechanical advice. Salt air versus moving parts.

You don't need to worry about salt air. Think of the tens of millions who live close to the West Coast, Gulf Coast, and the entire Atlantic Coast. It isn't any different.

[Buckeye77]

Originally Posted by whtviper1

You don't need to worry about salt air. Think of the tens of millions who live close to the West Coast, Gulf Coast, and the entire Atlantic Coast. It isn't any different.

Mahalo! That's the answer I was looking for! The home inspector we hired made several references to how the salt air damaged some exposed metal parts on the house we are trying to buy, I was getting a little paranoid, I guess.

OpenD - Technically, Hoot is our 8# toy poodle "son" and Annie is our slightly larger Shih Tzu "daughter". But feel free to call me Hoot! He doesn't mind either. But he is really a mama's boy and Annie is daddy's girl.

DoH - I'll be on the lookout for your HRR - Too bad the don't make a convertible version.

p.s. we are about 60 day from lift off, and are getting very anxious to finally get there.

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by Hoot N Annie

Mahalo! That's the answer I was looking for! The home inspector we hired made several references to how the salt air damaged some exposed metal parts on the house we are trying to buy, I was getting a little paranoid, I guess.

Cars are made of galvanized steel nowadays and doesn't rust unless scratched. Exposed metal in your house or outside will often rust if you don't have AC.