Is there any need for four wheel drive 4WD or all wheel drive AWD on the big island? (Hilo: buy, camping)

[flipsidem]

Hello all. We may be relocating to the big island from Colorado. The areas we are looking at moving to are around, and to the east of Kona, like Puu Lani Ranch. Our current vehicles are either four wheel drive 4WD or all wheel drive AWD (sorry, I am trying to use all the possible terms for future searchers). I have a Ram 2500 4WD and my wife has a Kia Sorento AWD. The Kia will be shipped over regardless of the need for AWD, but I am going to get rid of the Ram prior to the move. I won't have a camper to pull with it anymore, so I won't need the towing capacity. So I am looking at possibilities for trucks to replace it with. Since two wheel drive trucks are undesirable here in CO, they tend to sell for less. Whatever truck I get will just be a stock pickup truck, no lift, no mud grip tires. I have read about the handful of tourist destinations where 4WD is recommended, or required. I'm not looking to go four wheeling or anything like that. I am just wondering if I would regret not having 4WD in a truck there on the big island. If it weren't for the snow, I would rarely use 4WD here. Is there anything about day to day life on the big island that would make having a 4WD truck worth it? As silly as it sounds, living here in CO has turned me into a person that gets nervous at the thought of not having 4WD.

[Arktikos]

I don't think so.

You may not be able to drive into Waipio valley (low range), or Green Sands (clearance), but it's better for the

health of you and fellow travelers to walk in to those places anyway.

Sometimes its convenient to have that extra ground clearance for rough roads that you may occasionally see,

though these are more typically found on the East side. However, I have a friend who drives a Prius on just

about everything, including the somewhat rough, unpaved road he lives on.

[flipsidem]

Thanks Blind Cleric.

[Grassyknoll]

I brought a 86 4wd Toyota 4runner over from the mainland when I moved. I did so primarily as I wanted the removable top, but also so I could access some of the more remote areas.
I don't regret my decision, but to be fair, if you put a mild lift and a locking or limited slip differential into a 2wd truck, it'll go just about anywhere a 4wd will.

[hotzcatz]

Ours gets put into 4WD occasionally for towing a small trailer up hills, for going across our friend's pasture, for visiting other friends on rough roads. Yesterday it was 4WD to back the little trailer uphill so we can beat up a hedge there and toss the branches into the trailer.

We don't use it often, but we do generally keep at least one car around that has a 4WD. If we get a boat, then it will be towed and the 4WD will be useful for that. A 4WD does come in handy occasionally, but we could also do without it, too, and not miss out on much.

[terracore]

If I had to choose between an AWD and a 4WD, I would get rid of the AWD. AWDs aren't allowed into Waipio (only 4WD because of the 4WD low gear requirement) and the AWD wouldn't have enough clearance for Green Sand beach. Mauna Kea requires a 4WD but the AWD might meet the requirement. If you ever explore or wind up living in Puna, most of the subdivision roads are in bad shape and a 4WD could be useful but the AWD wont. The same could probably be said for parts of Ka'u. The best summary I can think of is that AWD is useful in Colorado because of the slick winter roads. We don't have those (the Mauna Kea roads are closed to all non-official vehicles when that happens) so your 4WD would have some advantages here, but the AWD has no advantage over any garden variety sedan.

"Is there anything about day to day life on the big island that would make having a 4WD truck worth it?" I can't think of one, unless you lived in a private subdivision with poor roads. We used to have a 4WD Jeep Wrangler and the only times we ever used the 4WD was our one and only trip to Green Sand beach, the time we used it to drag a 20' shipping container on our farm 35 feet, and the time we used it to pull trees out of the road after Iselle. After 3 years of never getting to the top of Mauna Kea or down into Waipio we decided to sell it. Now we have a sedan for commuting and a rusted out 2WD old pickup truck for doing dump runs and getting livestock feed. Though when the old truck dies I'm going to replace it with a 4WD. I never know when the next hurricane is going to hit or if I finally get enough free time to go to the top of Mauna Kea or down into Waipio.

Need to add: Check Craigslist etc and see if your truck is worth more here than it is in Colorado. You may find that the resale value here - transportation costs are a wash. You may be able to bring your truck and break even (or close) if you change your mind and want to sell it. For some reason pickup trucks are harder to find here.

[nwcountrygal]

I have 4wd because I want to go to some places you can't get to without. That though is where I want to go and lava does not give. Taking to town, trying to find a parking spot to get into is horrible. If you have no plan on doing then not worth it. Parking is only for small kine cars. I would again agree with terracore check out craiglist as a 4wd here even older brings a good price.

[DerekS]

Originally Posted by flipsidem

Hello all. We may be relocating to the big island from Colorado. The areas we are looking at moving to are around, and to the east of Kona, like Puu Lani Ranch. Our current vehicles are either four wheel drive 4WD or all wheel drive AWD (sorry, I am trying to use all the possible terms for future searchers). I have a Ram 2500 4WD and my wife has a Kia Sorento AWD. The Kia will be shipped over regardless of the need for AWD, but I am going to get rid of the Ram prior to the move. I won't have a camper to pull with it anymore, so I won't need the towing capacity. So I am looking at possibilities for trucks to replace it with. Since two wheel drive trucks are undesirable here in CO, they tend to sell for less. Whatever truck I get will just be a stock pickup truck, no lift, no mud grip tires. I have read about the handful of tourist destinations where 4WD is recommended, or required. I'm not looking to go four wheeling or anything like that. I am just wondering if I would regret not having 4WD in a truck there on the big island. If it weren't for the snow, I would rarely use 4WD here. Is there anything about day to day life on the big island that would make having a 4WD truck worth it? As silly as it sounds, living here in CO has turned me into a person that gets nervous at the thought of not having 4WD.

Given the amount of rain in Hilo, my 4wd saved me numerous times. Just be careful, parking on grass can be very deceiving, lot's of people get stuck parking on a nice grassy area only to sink in 8" of mud. Kona is much drier but if you are going to visit ranches, remote beaches, or do a lot of hunting/fishing/camping, 4wd is a must. Keep in mind, many families out here have a commuter car and a 4wd truck. If anything, resale values, especially for Toyota's is much higher than the national average, especially the straight front axle, pre-85's. Easier to lift.

[Vector1]

Originally Posted by terracore

If I had to choose between an AWD and a 4WD, I would get rid of the AWD. AWDs aren't allowed into Waipio (only 4WD because of the 4WD low gear requirement) and the AWD wouldn't have enough clearance for Green Sand beach. Mauna Kea requires a 4WD but the AWD might meet the requirement. If you ever explore or wind up living in Puna, most of the subdivision roads are in bad shape and a 4WD could be useful but the AWD wont. The same could probably be said for parts of Ka'u. The best summary I can think of is that AWD is useful in Colorado because of the slick winter roads. We don't have those (the Mauna Kea roads are closed to all non-official vehicles when that happens) so your 4WD would have some advantages here, but the AWD has no advantage over any garden variety sedan.

"Is there anything about day to day life on the big island that would make having a 4WD truck worth it?" I can't think of one, unless you lived in a private subdivision with poor roads. We used to have a 4WD Jeep Wrangler and the only times we ever used the 4WD was our one and only trip to Green Sand beach, the time we used it to drag a 20' shipping container on our farm 35 feet, and the time we used it to pull trees out of the road after Iselle. After 3 years of never getting to the top of Mauna Kea or down into Waipio we decided to sell it. Now we have a sedan for commuting and a rusted out 2WD old pickup truck for doing dump runs and getting livestock feed. Though when the old truck dies I'm going to replace it with a 4WD. I never know when the next hurricane is going to hit or if I finally get enough free time to go to the top of Mauna Kea or down into Waipio.

Need to add: Check Craigslist etc and see if your truck is worth more here than it is in Colorado. You may find that the resale value here - transportation costs are a wash. You may be able to bring your truck and break even (or close) if you change your mind and want to sell it. For some reason pickup trucks are harder to find here.

I wouldn't live on Hawaii without 4WD, period. Granted some of the highlighted areas are more for tourists rather than people living there. Still if you like to hike/explore, or even show off those places to relatives/friends, why not have a truck capable of handling it. There are some pretty steep grades with dirt/muddy roads, so having 4WD capabilities seems like a no brainer to me.


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[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by Vector1

I wouldn't live on Hawaii without 4WD, period.

I find 4WD (or AWD) a complete waste if you buy gas - it is a huge mileage hit.

Moot point and worth it if you get the 4WD Tesla option.......