rented an fj on the big island yesterday

White Rim · 01-27-2008, 06:53 PM

I got one from harpers rental in kona. It was expensive but it was an actual 08 FJ. Apparantly that is one of the only shops which will rent a "real" offroad vehicle in these parts. The checked it very closely for damage on return, using mirrors to check underneath, etc.

I went up the saddle road and was going to go to the top of Mauna Loa but it was foggy so I just ran around in backroad lava areas alongside a nature preserve just south of the saddle road, an d took some pictures, trying to get used to my new 10x22 lens.. I turned back after venturing into an old miltiary gunnery range (which the locals say most of the west part of the island was at one point or another... anytime they build something they have to send in a crew with ground radar to look for shells).

anyway I figured odds of running over a live shell were small but with my luck a helicopter would come over and I would be busted.

It was an automatic, and that was a new expereince, I like the automatic a lot; it is very nicely balanced to the rig with intelligent shiftpoints etc.

I did miss having all time 4x4 though. A couple times I had to remember that in Hi in the auto you are 2x.

the new rims on the 08 are somewhat better balanced visually with the rig I think. Not perfect, but the 07 rims while cool in their own way have this irritatingness to them. PLus the 08 rims are are less prone to be whacked with rocks because they are concave

I wonder if they tweaked the suspension any between the years. Does anyone know? The rig was very nimble, but then I have hundreds of pounds of mods and gear in mine back home.

So I got my fix of offroad on the BI which was a lot of fun. I could spend a lot of time exploring up there.

k44 · 01-28-2008, 04:39 AM

Got any 10x22 pics of the 08 AT FJ on the BI?

Chaseman · 02-01-2008, 08:45 AM

too bad it was foggy as you were going up Mauna Loa, on a clear day it gives a great view of Mauna Kea, something you can't see unless you are in an airplane.

Sounds like you just missed Mana Road, that would have been a good way for you to head back toward Kona (very indirectly) done a little more offroading and seen some cool sights.