The Surprising Reality of Car Shopping in Hawaii - Stress, Costs & Tips

[@HelloFromHawaii]

We're really happy that our car shopping saga is over. It was a stressful time, but we had a lot of help along the way. Mahalo to all of those random strangers and family who helped us. And yes, the Toyota Cross Hybrid is great 🤙

[@CatherineMartin-z8t]

People in Hawaii are truly gems. I used to live in Hawaii, and my car has been broken a lot of times, and a lot of local people would stop and help. Here in Oregon, no one wants to help.

[@KingDrewPhilip]

I have two Japanese cars and I can confirm on their rock solid reliability. My 2015 Toyota Corolla is a lovely daily driver, and my older and sportier weekend car the 2008 Lexus IS250 are both rock solid. Definitely stick to Japanese cars for sure, if you take care of them, they won’t let you down.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

That 2015 Corolla must be great. Would love to find a Corolla like that in good shape for a reasonable price. But the used market here is pretty high.

[@grandmax4]

We were offered a Subaru Forester when the car rental company ran out of compacts and fell in love with it after driving it for a week. When we were in the market for a new car, we looked up the Forester in Consumer Reports, and were sold by its high ratings. We bought our 2004 Subaru Forester new in 2003 and are still driving it to this day. This car was the most reliable car we ever owned, practically trouble free in the last 21 years; in fact, we still see the same model frequently on the road. Last year at Don Quijote, we parked across from an identical one and after shopping, my husband unthinkingly went to open it 😂 Our last car buying experience was definitely painless and we definitely got our money’s worth. I would definitely buy another Subaru again 🙏🏼

[@HelloFromHawaii]

That's great to hear. We were looking at Subaru in Colorado since it snows a lot, but it was too expensive at the time. Glad to hear the car is still reliable.

[@gilbertahsam643]

You guys did your homework and you looked all over. You both did a great job. Be safe and watch were you park the car. It's stressful when looking for a new car. Its okay at least you did it together and you both talked it over. Good job.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Thanks for the encouraging words. It was a tough week or so, but glad we worked together on this decision.

[@tetama2agani]

Oh I think a lot of Pacific islanders can relate to that kind of story😁😁even here in French Polynesia it's monstruously expensive to buy a car me I was lucky because my van was a prize from a radio-show I participated in two years ago✨✨ but cars are absolutely essential when you live in Tahiti or the other islands of the Society Archipelago but when it comes to the other islands of the four other archipelagos there are less cars and more bikes and scooters because there's not a lot of vehicles' circulation on the roads than in Tahiti✨✨thanks for sharing that was an interesting subject

[@HelloFromHawaii]

That's amazing that you won a van. I didn't think people actually won those contests. 😆

[@tetama2agani]

@HelloFromHawaii yeah that's a kind of radio show show game it's like a live tombola you send an sms and if your number is picked you won one of the prizes me I wanted the second prize a package multigamer with the cash prize of 5000 $ but a minivan is still great

[@null1808]

Some advice for viewers: All the Toyota Dealerships in Hawaii are owned by Servco; and essentially they set the prices, so they can and will gouge their customers because they can. However; if you target the right cars, you should be able to get some wiggle room, or even if you have different sales reps from different dealers try to fight each other over the same deal for the commission. Also; shipping a car from the mainland to Hawaii is roughly around $1600 or less, so if you can get the same car in the mainland (i.e seattle, california) and ship it, it might be cheaper, but you need to factor in those costs.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Thanks for mentioning the shipping cost. I couldn't believe the delivery fee on all of the cars. 😅

[@BobbyHo2022]

I got a 2017 Toyota corolla from waipahu in 2019 for $13700 w 26k miles. Still had the new smell. Now days that price is cheap. Everything is 20k and above. I'm at 113k miles now in 2024 so I really ran that car down. Works great.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

That is cheap 😆

[@harveyh3696]

Toyota or Honda. Can't go wrong. My 20 year old Honda Pilot still going strong!

[@HelloFromHawaii]

20 years? That's great for a Pilot. 🤙

[@erickim2025]

I know what you mean cars are so expensive that it turns into stressful experience, but you went about it correctly & took your time to discuss together, congratulations & I bet you're just RELIEVED its over, toyota was also my choice, reliability is the key.😊 happy driving

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Thanks. It was an up-and-down experience. But we're happy with the car and glad things worked out.

[@garypalmer6848]

Very cool having you and your wife tell us about the experience. Thanks to you both.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Glad you enjoyed the video. It was a rollercoaster, but I'm glad it's done. We'll be able to look back on this video and remember how it was. 🤙

[@brendamclean8447]

Happy for you guys! You both really deserve everything great❤

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Thank you 🤙

[@Lopezflies888]

I haven't driven for years due to medical issues and this video made me relieved for that. I hope you guys find the right car.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Most people have to drive in Hawaii, since the commutes are far. Glad we were able to find a great vehicle for us.

[@elainesalvador8011]

I was in the similar situation 1.5 years ago. At that time, Honda, Toyota and Subaru were difficult to get due to the pandemic. I was lucky enough to find my new Toyota RAV4 which I love. Before purchasing the vehicle I set a budget, got a loan approval from my credit to fit my budget. I then took that loan approval letter to Servco and got my car for my asking price.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

The Rav4 is a nice vehicle too. A little long for us, but a nice option with good visibility.

[@32505]

The Subaru Forester would be my choice, as resale value would be much higher, and AWD is included. Interior wise it's the roomiest amongst mentioned vehicles in this video. The Nissan Rogue is perfectly named for its reliability.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

The Forester was nice too. The price was reasonable, but hybrid vs non-hybrid helped us lean toward the Cross.

[@sdhm808]

Congratulations on your new car! Cars are so expensive these days so stressful!

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Thank you. We're happy with our purchase and glad it's over 😆

[@joep4235]

fun vid ! I love getting a new car, but HATE the buying process. Kudos for sticking to the plan too... I've spent way too much money on cars in my life, and would have probably ended up with the Rogue ( and would have been kicking myself for spending too much 🙂

[@HelloFromHawaii]

We tried to have a budget in mind. Lots of wiggle room, but with the Rogue topping off in the mid-$40k range, it just wasn't possible.

[@64kaimuki]

I once had a T Avalon. I named it Aquarius. The doors were full of water. The trunk tire storage full of water. It sloshed as we went down the road. Then we got a S Ascent. Still have it. A bit bigger than the Forester. 3 rows of seats and 17 cup holders. Never needed that many cup holders. I have had no problems after 6 years with the Ascent. Just oil changes, air filters and windshield wipers. High enough in the rain that the car doesn’t get swamped on the highways by other cars or trucks. Great in snow and ice. But who needs 17 cup holders?

[@HelloFromHawaii]

We looked at the Ascent. A little big, but good to know that there are plenty of cup holders 😅

[@dennistani1986]

I think toyota is the best, although we have bought 2 new Suzuki's since I retired in 2019. My niece has a friend at the Suzuki dealership, so we went with Suzuki.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

That makes sense to go somewhere you know someone. Our family used to know the prior Toyota Windward GM, but he retired.

[@24242424s]

Don't want to ruin my own deal but the best way to get the best deal is to go to the dealership and find a car you want. While with the salesman haggle then tell them that you have a meeting you have to attend but will put 3k$ down on a card( that's the most they allow) leave and go have lunch give them a chance to start counting the money. Here's the dirty but works every time trick. Come back and say you changed your mind and you would like them to refund your card. The last thing they want to do is give you the money back. Let them stew and they will come back MUCH lower then the deal they offered before. Saved me 3500 last time and I'll be doing it again soon. Thank me later.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Interesting tactic. I don't know if I want to play all the games, but good to know. 🤙

[@miyakegaijin]

Congratulations on getting a new car and congratulations for getting a lot of mileage on your former car. I read if India was able to sale their dirt cheap no frills small automobiles in the US, it would be an environmental nightmare as Americans might opt to ride the India car to the ground with no maintenance and dump it after 3 years because it is like 1/4th the cost of the average US car. So every 3 years just keep getting a new cheapy car.

[@jsurace]

My experience with buying a new car was that it was immensely cheaper to buy on the mainland and ship the car over (it's about a thousand bucks). Way cheaper than the local dealer markup.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Good to know. Bought it in Oregon?

[@AK2HI]

I went to Kona Toyota 3 weeks ago and bought a brand new Tacoma $36,000 plus additional $6,000 for 7 yrs bumper to bumper warranty, Total of $42,000 paid with a check going to pick up license plates today. It was super easy and took less than 2 hours. No way would I get on a payment plan especially with todays rates

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Sounds like a great plan. Not having car payments is nice 🤙

[@piperlani]

Congratulations 🤙🏼

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Mahalo 🤙

[@808lublabs4]

The fact that there aren’t many cars to choose from that are immediately available is not a Hawaiian problem. It’s been a world wide problem since the pandemic.Its tough in your situation where you needed something right now. Compound that with the cars you were looking at are the most popular cars on the market so you’re fighting the rest of the market. That would be hard for me as I tend to research for months before I decide on a car. Luckily the last 4 cars we’ve bought I was able to plan ahead and not wait until it was imminent. I had bought 2 cars before I got married but the first car we bought together and it was my wife’s first time she said her hand was shaking signing the papers too. It’s the second largest purchase you’ll make next to buying a house.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

That's great that you were able to research for months. I definitely would have loved to test drive the cars earlier this year just to get a feel for them. We knew the time would come to replace our car. Just didn't know when. By test driving early, there's no pressure later when you have to buy 🤙

[@tracyalan7201]

Buying a car always makes people feel like hindsight is 20/20. It's a decision, whether the buyer is a vehicle person who tinkers with their vehicle or doesn't. The tinker knows what they are looking for and the minimums. The non-tinker buys what they feel they justify to themselves. I usually think about the requirements of the vehicle before stepping in a showroom. I look at the dealer's and price ranges, needs for the person/family. I look at CR reviews on safety/repairs and reviews of the vehicles. Going into the showroom when the car is ready to go/has gone is like grocery shopping when one is starving. It added to the price, but doing rust proofing, reverse sensors/cameras might not be possible years later. As one ages/physical health, the amenities/extras sometimes are something to consider, as you know, it won't be easy to have if it never was put in. I also think about servicing and who can do it, and how it fits in my schedule. When something breaks, is it worthwhile to fix, even if several hundred/thousand versus starting new payments on something else. My last vehicle I bought for self was a 2002 Tacoma, which when I had to give it up, because the wife wanted a better car in 2020, it was still in darn good shape. Body solid (no rust/though parked outside), engine good, steering/brakes. It depends on the maintenance of oil and engine over the years. I sold it to my brother-in-law, who has a 2004 Tacoma. Both still running and in great shape. Good luck.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Mahalo for sharing. I bet that 2002 Tacoma is nice. Good size.

[@jt2553]

If you said it, I missed which vehicle you bought. I bought my Subaru several years ago & STILL look to see if similar looking ones is what I have or not.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

We chose the Toyota Cross Hybrid.

[@hankwnen8805]

That Corolla cross has the same engine and electric battery setup as the new Prius awd and that’s a good thing. The new Camry is basically the rav 4 hybrid.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Good to know. We didn't look at the Prius because we didn't want to deal with charging, but some of the bigger models are nice.

[@hankwnen8805]

@ aloha! The standard Prius never needs charging, just fill in gas when needed it’s exactly like your Corolla cross. The Prius prime has a charging port where you can charge it and get pure electric drive for up to 25 miles or so. Lastly you made a great choice the cross will definitely be more reliable and fuel efficient compared to the Nissan rouge and if driven properly your brakes will most likely last the lifetime of ownership because of regenerative braking

[@dukeloo]

random acts of kindness. Great support.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Yes, we're so thankful for the help we got from strangers. It was a crazy week and those people really helped us out.

[@queenbionica7347]

I found the buy process on Big Island to be easy. We bought a 2024 Subaru Impreza last year, which was our first time owning a brand new car instead of used cars. Our used 2013 car was worth over $8000 in trade-in and went towards the new car.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

That's a great trade-in value. 🤙

[@JohnnyAloha69]

My general impression is that if you want to go ten plus years with a new car then Toyota or Honda is a good bet, especially if the VIN starts with a J (built in Japan). If you go for 3-6 year range then Kia-Hyundai or GM and Ford may be a better choice because of initial cost advantage. Cars to stay away from are Nissan (especially because of the CVT transmissions) and any Chrysler Jeep models due to many issues. If you want fancier brands it’s hard to beat Lexus, Cadillac or BMW aren’t bad but stay away from Mercedes (lots of electronics issues). If you go all electric Tesla is the best and the only ones with proven long track record. For hybrid Toyota has best reliability and regular hybrid is much cheaper than plug-in . And especially with very high electricity cost in Hawaii plug-in is not worthwhile.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

I'm glad we chose Toyota. The hybrid will help save gas and the vehicle size is great for us and our needs.

[@kai223noa6]

Hybrid is definitely the way to go. Great gas mileage.

[@Opai081]

Im in the process of buying my gf a Corolla Cross. Im hoping the availability would stabilize soon.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

It's a great car. You just have to keep looking for availability. There was another one on the lot the day we picked up ours.

[@pinkoceanflower3045]

Toyotas and Hondas are longer lasting. As for Nissan, they seem to break down at around 100,000 miles.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Good to know. The Rogue seemed like a great choice too. Maybe we might consider a hybrid version if they come out with one soon.

[@WestPacGlobal]

I would never, never ever buy a New Car in Hawaii. The Dealers are so scandalous here on Oahu. I just simply pick up the phone and call any Dealership on the West Coast, buy the car and ship directly to Hawaii. It is cheaper and you don't have to deal with that 80's (you're stuck on a ROCK) Dealer Mentality. JUST LIKE AMAZON, SHIP IT AND HAVE PEACE OF MIND NOT DEALING WITH THE AUTO DEALER'S ON ISLAND.

[@Makochan743]

I second this (though it may depend on the vehicle you're looking to buy) Mine still came out about 30+% less that what I would've paid for through local dealership.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Thanks for the advice. Good to know, but we were in a different situation. The delivery fees in Hawaii are 🫢

[@spang9782]

And an even better reason for buying a Toyota...most of the newer ones (past 5 years) are now made in Japan once again! You can tell if the VIN# starts with a "J." Not that the ones made in the US for many years were bad, but you know Japanese workers strive for absolute perfection. You know a car company is good when you still see 10, 15, 20-year old models still running like clockwork on the road. Have you seen a 2004 Chevy Cavalier lately? Hyundai Sonata?

[@HelloFromHawaii]

I heard about some of the Toyota models made in Japan. I believe the Cross Hybrids aren't, though. And yes, it's always great to see older cars still working on the road.

[@ZendreGlymph]

Chris, I say Toyota or Honda. I have always had Hondas up until 2009 and bought luxury German automobile. It’s still going good but miss low maintenance of driving a Honda. Nissans are reliable cars as well.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

The cost of maintenance is an important factor that we considered. Some of those German cars can be expensive to maintain.

[@derekdestep40]

New cars and used cars are so expensive today if you have a used car you should look at looking at getting car maintenance insurence like car shield or Endurance

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Good suggestion. The maintenance costs could bite you in the end.

[@benh3427]

Looking back more than a few year ago ,we took almost a year to think and decided on a Lexus. It was 5 years of car payments of over a thousand dollars per month. Thank God that was over. Fast forward to now, pay cash for a toyota and never look back on the monthly payments again.

[@wilfredmotosue2615]

I was shocked to find out how much cars cost now. I priced a car for about $40,000 with a monthly payment of $800 per month! 😮😮😮

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Yeah, we didn't want the car payments. That was important to me. Big check upfront, but worth it in the long-term.

[@howardfukuda7565]

You likely got a much better car with the Toyota Corolla Cross. Nissan CVT transmissions are known to be especially weak and more likely to give you problems. With that said, we have friends who got lucky with winning a Nissan Rogue in 2019 in a church raffle and it's still running fine for them.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

What luck! Never thought people actually win those car giveaways. 😆

[@darrylk808]

Mazda? They are so much fun to drive.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

I like Mazda, but only their Mazda 5. Wish I could find one. Love that design.

[@derekdestep40]

I recommend the forester

[@HelloFromHawaii]

It's a great car. We tried it, but just didn't like it as much as the Toyota.

[@hunterl4328]

Which car did you end up purchasing? Corolla cross hybrid?

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Yes, Cross Hybrid. We like it. 🤙

[@tomp9447]

I have a 2010 hybrid still going.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

That's great to hear. Need to replace the battery?

[@romari2706]

They picked the Toyota Cross

[@HelloFromHawaii]

🤙 It's a great vehicle.

[@paulmiyashiro7791]

How are you going to charge the car? A hybrid is great for driving locally.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

No charging required, as it's a hybrid. It's already saving us money on gas, which is nice.

[@charlieireland5422]

So how much will your Insurance go up? I like car shopping but not where you have to pay for it 😳

[@HelloFromHawaii]

That's something to consider with owning a car in Hawaii. Registration also going up.

[@pinkoceanflower3045]

A lot of People are having car trouble this year I noticed. Hmm 🤔

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Maybe people were waiting off to buy because of the pandemic.

[@pinkoceanflower3045]

@@HelloFromHawaii - True.

[@hachiback6018]

In hawaii its way better to get a car where i live used cars are more expensive than new ones with high mileage or beaten up and new ones are usually out of stock. At least you guys got options.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

The new stock is low and the used stock is low here. Just have to buy when things are available 😆

[@MKKSeabreeze]

Didn't look at Mazda? I've never owned one, but wow they're pushing heavy in my social media 😁

[@HelloFromHawaii]

We were going to look, but I'm really only interested in the Mazda 5, which they don't sell anymore. Missed out on a great car.

[@scottsachs2547]

❤❤

[@HelloFromHawaii]

🤙

[@sktub569]

Which car did you end up with? Was hard to follow. But congratulations!

[@lilyschlossin]

Yeah I didn’t hear which car you got.

[@loganz]

hyrbid cross

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Toyota Cross Hybrid 🤙

[@derekdestep40]

I watch this KZbinr called nomadic introvert she bought Subaru forester she lives in it

[@HelloFromHawaii]

I guess you could live in it. The seats come down. Lots of room.

[@drregmonster4371]

How cold is it for you to wear a hooded sweatshirt?

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Sorry, I was too tired to change shirt. It was late and I was feeling lazy 😆

[@chaystafari3228]

It’s not hard . I just went to the dealership and boom got a truck . Pau . Idk what the big deal is

[@HelloFromHawaii]

😆 You move fast!

[@chaystafari3228]

@ I guess they get choke tacomas ready for da braddas to buy that’s why hahahaha .

[@markvader8083]

I wouldn't buy an ev right now, especially if you live in a condo(no place to charge it).

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Great point. This is something I've been meaning to make a video about. EV sounds great on paper, but charging can be tough in Town.

[@LettuceJuice]

No Mazda?! 😢 they’re more reliable then Nissan

[@HelloFromHawaii]

I like Mazda, but only their older Mazda 5. That would be a dream car for me. Three rows and sliding door on a car. Love it 🤙

[@ElseAndrecool]

just take TheBus and Skyline

[@HelloFromHawaii]

lol. We took a few Ubers 😆

[@guytaniguchi]

Skip Nissan, their reliability is lame.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

We actually really liked what they had to offer. Lots of add-ons at the Windward location.

[@derekdestep40]

New cars and used cars are so expensive today if you have a used car you should look at looking at getting car maintenance insurence like car shield or Endurance