Is there any need for four wheel drive 4WD or all wheel drive AWD on the big island? (Waimea: HOA, buying)

[Ofthesea123]

We have been out to the Big Island twice with just a small 2 WD rental. We have been ALL over the island and even took the back upper roads past green sands on our way to Volcano when Hawaii Belt was closed after a storm. The upper roads were rough and partially flooded as well but the 2WD got through no problem! Their are obvious higher elevations but through her roads are taken care of and no problem.

[Irish Eyes_Mrs. Z]

Originally Posted by flipsidem

Not to knit pick, but the TJs are actually 1997 - 2006.

You're right, of course. MINE is an '02, and I conveniently forgot that they went back farther than that .

[Irish Eyes_Mrs. Z]

Originally Posted by Blind Cleric

LOL. You'll fit right in!

I hope you're not making fun of Beauty--or me. I have heard the "Wrangler drivers are tourists statement more times than I care to count, but in my "massive" experience of a 2 week visit, there, the tourists were always driving either JKs or JKUs. TJs, YJs, CJs, MBs--those aren't the vehicles of choice for most tourists. Maybe because the rental car companies only rent late model vehicles?

Anyway, I truly hope that wasn't a snarky comment. I can't tell, because I honestly don't know what you mean when you say I'd "fit right in".... I LOVE my Jeeps, and I see absolutely zero reason to leave them behind when we get a place of our own over there, just because locals seem to stereotype Jeep drivers. Like my mother always said about her fun old Gremlin, I tell people I'm going to be buried in one of mine. Then again, she left the Gremlin to my daughter, while my niece got the '50-something Willys, so who knows what I'll do?

So, no dissing the Jeep Wranglers, or their owners, please. I'm passionate about mine. Dogs and Jeeps Rule! *grins*

[Arktikos]

Originally Posted by Irish Eyes_Mrs. Z

Anyway, I truly hope that wasn't a snarky comment..

It was, sort of. Locals love jacked up 4x4's. The more extreme the lift, the better.
Every make, not Jeep specific.
So, you will indeed fit right in.

Jeeps are quite popular with the rent a crowd. Not sure why.

A six inch lift won't be of much practical use, as it may be in Moab, and it will necessitate a vehicle reconstruction permit (obtained locally) to register.

Disclaimer: I own a 4x4 Nissan pickup, but it's not lifted. OK, it came with add a leafs in the rear, so maybe a bit lifted. But, they're good for hauling heavy loads of gravel or cinder.

[Irish Eyes_Mrs. Z]

Originally Posted by Blind Cleric

It was, sort of. Locals love jacked up 4x4's. The more extreme the lift, the better.
Every make, not Jeep specific.
So, you will indeed fit right in.

Jeeps are quite popular with the rent a crowd. Not sure why.

A six inch lift won't be of much practical use, as it may be in Moab, and it will necessitate a vehicle reconstruction permit (obtained locally) to register.

Disclaimer: I own a 4x4 Nissan pickup, but it's not lifted. OK, it came with add a leafs in the rear, so maybe a bit lifted. But, they're good for hauling heavy loads of gravel or cinder.

Perhaps. Both of my Jeeps came lifted, and with proper suspension modifications (none of my Cherokees were that way), and I actually find it a bit of a PitA to have to use a step-stool to get into them (and out of the CJ, because I want to avoid that hot muffler that sticks out by the door when exiting it), but I fell in love with both of them for other reasons, so I live with the lifts rather than go to the bother and expense of lowering them again. Indeed, I'd probably be able to purchase others cheaper than I could if I spent the money and time to lower the ones I already have--not to mention that we don't have a welder, and neither of us knows how to weld. But I'm not going to do that. I love them just the way they are :-). I didn't "soup up" the engine and other mods on the CJ-7, either. An off-roading mechanic did those 2 owners before me. Makes it handy on the beaches here in the summer, when they build up lots of sand, though. The Beast will plough through anything! I don't know about the vehicle reconstruction permit, as I don't know your local laws, but the VINs match all over the Jeeps, as well as on the Titles, and neither of them has ever been wrecked, so hopefully it won't be a big problem. Even if it is, we'll deal with it. I'm not giving up my Jeeps.

Maybe tourists like them because of everyone saying how many roads are impassable or vehicle-damaging without a 4WD? I don't know. The Nissan Altima got us wherever we needed to go--but we weren't about to drive "stupid" on roads that obviously weren't car-friendly, either. I just know that renting a Wrangler is extremely spendy, so we didn't, as I preferred to spend my budget on other things. Besides, I don't like the JKs and JKUs, which are the only Wranglers available for rent from the car rental companies on the BI .

[whtviper1]

I don't think many tourists prefer them at all - it gets forced on them especially at the Hilo airport. More often than not when I go to the counter for my reservation I get a sorry - the car you reserved isn't available- all we have left is Jeeps. Cars are especially sold out in Hilo as it is the most heavily traveled day trip as most visiting don't spend the night.

[Old_Rider]

I have a 2000 Ford F150 4X4 (210,00 on the odo , no lift, but torque bars are maxed to level it), will I have to add any weight to it to go up the steep grades? LOL, born and raised in the mud and snow.... but never ever taken it to a mountain...
And how are tire prices there?

[Grassyknoll]

Tire prices can be steep, I would guess about 20% above mainland prices, but that is just my experience. I will also add that any amount of off-roading on lava will eat up your tires quickly. Actually just about anything synthetic. I run 5k every night, much of it on lava and a pair of trail running shoes lasts me about three weeks.
My annual running shoe budget is way more than my tire budget

[flipsidem]

Just to follow up, my conclusion is that it depends on where you live and what you do, just like pretty much anywhere else. We went looking around for places to live on the BI, and our rental "car" was a Jeep Renegade, which happened to be 4x4. While we were there, we went to look at the Mahai'ula beach area, and we took the trail south to the black sand beach. We didn't need 4x4 for that trail, but I think that the Renegade had very little ground clearance to spare on that trail. A Jeep Wrangler would cruise right through the same trail, but I doubt a regular car would make it, AWD or not. If you lived in a town with paved roads, and never intended to test the limits of your vehicle, I agree that 4x4 is not needed, and probably just a waste. If you lived on the wet side in a situation where unpaved roads could come into play, I would say that 4x4 is necessary. As I think I mentioned earlier, I have developed a mental condition with regard to not having 4x4 (and probably a lot of other things, but this isn't the place for that), so I am happy to drive the extra weight everywhere I go in exchange for peace of mind.

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Originally Posted by flipsidem

Just to follow up, my conclusion is that it depends on where you live and what you do, just like pretty much anywhere else. We went looking around for places to live on the BI, and our rental "car" was a Jeep Renegade, which happened to be 4x4. While we were there, we went to look at the Mahai'ula beach area, and we took the trail south to the black sand beach. We didn't need 4x4 for that trail, but I think that the Renegade had very little ground clearance to spare on that trail. A Jeep Wrangler would cruise right through the same trail, but I doubt a regular car would make it, AWD or not. If you lived in a town with paved roads, and never intended to test the limits of your vehicle, I agree that 4x4 is not needed, and probably just a waste. If you lived on the wet side in a situation where unpaved roads could come into play, I would say that 4x4 is necessary. As I think I mentioned earlier, I have developed a mental condition with regard to not having 4x4 (and probably a lot of other things, but this isn't the place for that), so I am happy to drive the extra weight everywhere I go in exchange for peace of mind.

Are you still planning to move to the Big Island? I saw your post in the Colorado forum that you are looking to share a container to Oahu.