What kind of vehicle is best for Puna?

[DCrefugee]

Hi all! My family and I are looking to move to Puna in July/August and we'd hoped to buy a vehicle when we arrived, rather than deal with the hassles of shipping, but it appears that our current car isn't going to cooperate with that plan.

I know we will need 4WD for the unpaved roads and plenty of space for loading up on Costco trips, but I'm not sure which brands would be easiest to maintain on the BI. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

~MJ

“Anni, amori e bicchieri di vino, nun se contano mai.”

[kalakoa]

This has been discussed in other threads. Short version:

- pickup truck (with or without camper shell) or SUV
- Toyota (Tacoma, Tundra, 4Runner) or other import, not domestic
- best to ship from mainland
- 4WD "nice to have" but may not be "required" (my experience; depends on subdivision)
- high clearance more important than 4WD

Reason for shipping: suitable local vehicles will be premium priced and have usually been abused on the "unmaintained private road-shaped lots".

Unlike other states: up to a years' worth of unexpired registration will be credited towards a new Hawaii registration; any license from another state is valid until it expires.

[Chunkster]

I know a lot of people who bought 4WD and never use it. Unless you plan to live in a subdivision with really bad roads(Hawaiian Acres comes to mind) or do lots of off-road recreation, you might not need 4WD. As far as brands go, there are good mechanics who can repair almost any of the mainstream world makes. Check Consumer Reports for types that you like to see their reliability. Toyotas and Hondas are very popular here for a reason. They last.

[DCrefugee]

Thank you! We were thinking along the Toyota and Honda lines, just based on quality. Its good to know that 4WD isn't a 100% necessity,

~MJ

“Anni, amori e bicchieri di vino, nun se contano mai.”

[kalakoa]

Look for true "body-on-frame" not "unibody". The durability matters.

Tacoma, Tundra, 4Runner, and FJ Cruiser are all "body-on-frame".

I'm not aware of any Honda products that aren't unibody.

[snorkle]

A couple of Puna vehicle standards are a gas guage that hovers near empty, and a temperature guage that remains on hot. If you can find a vehicle with dents or duct tape, you will fit in just fine. It's also important that three out of four windows operate properly. Hope this helps.

By the way; I have a 89 Honda that meets all of the above standards for sale. Later,
snork

[bluesboy]

you'll want a vehicle that is

1. good on gas mileage - you will be doing lots of driving, including lots of climbs
2. lots of storage - you will be transporting quite often
3. runs dependably - all types of conditions and not always the greatest shoulders, so you want to not be breaking down
4. good tires - lots of rain so lots of slick
5. good clearance - 4wd not necessary, but good clearance goes a long way
6. common parts - you can order most anything - but if you have a honda or toyota - the part will most likely be in stock already, and that matters.

so, with that being said, some good options would be

Toyota Tacoma
Toyota RAV4
Honda CRV
Toyota Corolla/Camry
Honda Civic/Accord

[SBH]

Aloha MJ,

A 4x4 is not neccessary 99% of the time even in Hawaiian Acres, but it is nice for exploring some really beautiful places on this island. You need a true 4x4 (not AWD) to access the top of Mauna Kea or to drive to the bottom of Waipio Valley or even some beaches north of Kona or possibly the green sand beach at South Point.

Another thing to consider is Puna is home to Big Island Biodiesel which produces the highest quality Biodiesel in the US at their plant in Shipman Business Park. They recycle used cooking oil and even crush surplus mac nuts into a locally produced fuel cheaper and higher quality than petro diesel, it's better for the diesel engine, cleaner for our air and it creates jobs right here in Puna.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

I have a Honda minivan, I drive it on unpaved roads and 1/2 mile long unpaved, ungraded driveways.
Bought it on island used, have had it for 7 years, it's never needed a single repair, and is still going strong.

[Carey]

Not knowing your situation, and these recommendations would vary based on where you are living here... (some streets do need 4WD at least at times, and if you are living on one of them...well that changes everything!)
In a perfect scenario - the best is to have 2 vehicles...one with great MPG & one to explore..(or at least rent, or have a friend with a great 4WD that you can borrow)
One of the things many forget...garbage hauling here is something most of us do....and you either have to hire a waste hauler or haul your own...so a pickup, or at least a hitch & outside mounted tray on a SUV/car comes in real handy for waste runs... and on some water runs

Used Toyotas here are very pricey, and, after decades of Toyota ownership, we do not own one, and actually have Ford products the last few years...

It may be good to look at getting a couple of "liability only" vehicles if you are not going to ship (again...I would look to MPG for one...)
and be very aware, as we have just realized, some of the used vehicles for sale right now may have been "storm blasted" by Iselle....and may have some issues due to wind blown salt & debris

ADD: By "liabilty only" I mean very inexpensive older vehicles...but if you must have total reliability...well...not so much... this may work for you, or not...

also there are some very good lease rates lowest I've seen here this year is $98/mo 36mo lease (but be aware that 12K miles a year can zoom by in a blink of an eye here, esp during your first "exploration year"

ALSO- a family can get by with one car...but cabin fever can rule if one driver must take the car most of the time & you are living somewhere that is not near anything...esp if you are living in a neighborhood with wild pigs, dog packs or wacky neighbors....