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HELP - to 4WD or not to 4wd??
HELP - to 4WD or not to 4wd??
Looking for a bit of advice on the actual need for a 4WD on STJ. Seems like I'm reading most of the roads are paved. Are there any places that are completely inaccessible without a 4wd? My sense from reading lots of posts and trip summaries is that while a 4wd is much more useful on STJ that the streets of NY, it's not actually necessary. I'm a confident driver (and I'd like to think good as well). I don't get rattled by other drivers or narrow windy roads.
31 days 23hrs and counting........
31 days 23hrs and counting........
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Xislandgirl
- Posts: 4163
- Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:03 pm
- Location: Slightly left of center
We absolutely needed four wheel drive to get up to the villa we rented in Coral Bay in May. A regular car would not have made it.
Are you renting on St. John? Because most of the cars for rent on St. John are 4WD vehicles anyway.
Are you renting on St. John? Because most of the cars for rent on St. John are 4WD vehicles anyway.
It's like looking in your soup and finding a whole different alphabet.
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Tracy in WI
- Posts: 1624
- Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 8:39 am
- Location: Wisconsin
I don't know where you'll be staying, but here's a video of the drive up Calabash Boom.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PITOhT4n5R0
I wouldn't think of not having 4WD. We also take a good look at the tires before we drive off with the vehicle. Some driveways really can't be managed without 4WD. If your driveway isn't too steep and rocky, you might do okay as long as there's no rain. Roads on STJ get very slick when wet (and it doesn't take much rain to make them slick).I think of it as insurance---most likely we won't need it, but if we do need it and don't have it, there's really no substitute.
Most folks are intersted in going with a car in order to save $. I always like to save a buck, but that isn't a place that I would cut costs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PITOhT4n5R0
I wouldn't think of not having 4WD. We also take a good look at the tires before we drive off with the vehicle. Some driveways really can't be managed without 4WD. If your driveway isn't too steep and rocky, you might do okay as long as there's no rain. Roads on STJ get very slick when wet (and it doesn't take much rain to make them slick).I think of it as insurance---most likely we won't need it, but if we do need it and don't have it, there's really no substitute.
Most folks are intersted in going with a car in order to save $. I always like to save a buck, but that isn't a place that I would cut costs.
Last August, after an intense 12 min downpour, we left Trunk Bay to go out to Shipwreck Landing for early lunch.
On those switchbacks just past Trunk, we stopped dead in the road and watched as a Ford Taurus couldn’t make it up the first switchback, literally sliding backwards, gave up and turned around.
Next in line just ahead of us watching this was a Wrangler rental. Those jeeps are like mountain goats, right?
Watched in amazement as this guy also failed, watching the front AND rear wheels fail to gain traction.
Couple of locals came down the hill right behind them in one of those old 2 door bucket o’ bolts island Vitaras. They were quite amused. I waved em down to confirm that the switchback wasnt blocked up ahead possibly causing these aborted attempts.
“Yeah Mon no problem”. Indeed, I gassed it BEFORE the apex of the switchback and zipped up no problem. My wife turned to me asked how did you do that and weren’t you worried?
Nah, same as going up a snow covered hill – you need momentum before you hit the angle or slope – you cant be trying to accelerate on the steepest part, just maintaining the speed you already have.
Besides, as I always tell my brother Raymond, I’m an excellent driver.
Also helps to have good tires and if its NOT the first real rain in a long time, cuz thats when all the rubber and oils that have built up on the road come up to the surface, making it quite slick.
On those switchbacks just past Trunk, we stopped dead in the road and watched as a Ford Taurus couldn’t make it up the first switchback, literally sliding backwards, gave up and turned around.
Next in line just ahead of us watching this was a Wrangler rental. Those jeeps are like mountain goats, right?
Watched in amazement as this guy also failed, watching the front AND rear wheels fail to gain traction.
Couple of locals came down the hill right behind them in one of those old 2 door bucket o’ bolts island Vitaras. They were quite amused. I waved em down to confirm that the switchback wasnt blocked up ahead possibly causing these aborted attempts.
“Yeah Mon no problem”. Indeed, I gassed it BEFORE the apex of the switchback and zipped up no problem. My wife turned to me asked how did you do that and weren’t you worried?
Nah, same as going up a snow covered hill – you need momentum before you hit the angle or slope – you cant be trying to accelerate on the steepest part, just maintaining the speed you already have.
Besides, as I always tell my brother Raymond, I’m an excellent driver.
Also helps to have good tires and if its NOT the first real rain in a long time, cuz thats when all the rubber and oils that have built up on the road come up to the surface, making it quite slick.
When we come to place where the sea and the sky collide
Throw me over the edge and let my spirit glide
Throw me over the edge and let my spirit glide
I'll take the safer option of a 4WD. Get some first hand experience driving the island.Think it was a Vitara from Paris Car Rental. I think it had 4WD. Some of the Vitaras do and some don't, no?
The Jeep Wranglers actually probably have the better 4WD system for STJ and you have to engage it. I could see that guy had it on, but it couldnt make up for how lamely he approached the slippery switchback. You can use the 2WD when you dont need the 4WD in the Jeep and probably get a little better gas mileage.
But as my little story demonstrated, technique has something to do with it too. And, like Rick said, no matter what you get, good tires are probably most important.
The Jeep Wranglers actually probably have the better 4WD system for STJ and you have to engage it. I could see that guy had it on, but it couldnt make up for how lamely he approached the slippery switchback. You can use the 2WD when you dont need the 4WD in the Jeep and probably get a little better gas mileage.
But as my little story demonstrated, technique has something to do with it too. And, like Rick said, no matter what you get, good tires are probably most important.
When we come to place where the sea and the sky collide
Throw me over the edge and let my spirit glide
Throw me over the edge and let my spirit glide
I agree! When I see folks driving sparkling new sedans on St. John, I wonder "What were they thinking?"Lex wrote: I wouldn't think of not having 4WD. We also take a good look at the tires before we drive off with the vehicle. Most folks are intersted in going with a car in order to save $. I always like to save a buck, but that isn't a place that I would cut costs.
I drove that road up and down Calabash Boom a bunch of times this past March and it was a heck of a lot more washed out and rough going than that video showed! One MIGHT be able to drive up there in a 2WD car but it'll be really slow going and the car will take on helluva beating! Come to think of it, that's ANOTHER good reason for renting 4WDs on St. John. At least they're built to take the beating that rough roads and rental car drivers give 'em.