My companion and I traveled to three islands of Hawaii last year on a spiritual quest you could say. The vacation was just outstanding, at least until the very last day. Our last week or so was spent on the Big Island. Our last day, she... decided to take the Buick Rendezvous on a 4x rated trail to what the guide book stated was a relatively easy drive to a hot springs... sounded good. Along this dirt road we had been on for about 20 minutes or so, there were about 5 cars that seemed to have been abandoned and flipped off to the side.... and I jokingly mentioned those must have been other guests that had visited the island. Well, about an hour later, we are in the midst of nothing but jungle, no room to turn around, brush was hitting every part of the car, massive water holes, trees were laying across the trail, lava.... you name it, we came to an area I just could not see the car getting past.

I had been walking in front of the car giving directions for about the last half an hour, on how best to avoid all these obstacles. I finally decided to try and back out to an area to turn the car, and at least get out of this place. Problem is, you can not see much out the back of one of these cars. There was so much vegetation, we could not leave the mirrors out, open the window or the rear door. LSS, the car hits a soft spot in the very narrow trail, and slides down an embankment, and is wedged in the vegetation. Now, the insurance was voided on any non-macadamed surface. The vehicle was about 3' below the trail, and I thought it was going to catch fire due to the exhaust laying right on top of the grass. It was wedged in tight and going nowhere.

We removed all our gear, took a photo of the car, and started walking out of the jungle, not knowing how far we had to go, nor that this was a wild boar hunting area. It was mid day, we had half a bottle of water between us, and we were scheduled to catch our plane back to LA at 5am the next day.

After many attempts and finally getting to an open canopy in the jungle, we were able to get a signal on the cell phone and call the man we were renting a room from, and he said he would come get us in his 4x. Well, he never made it, the trail was too rough. As we are now pondering how to pay for the $26K rental, and just completely astounded we could have gotten in such a mess to begin with, we hear a truck in the forest.

Turns out, there was one very old Chevy 4x and a slightly newer Toyota, with about seven people and four hunting dogs. I suggested they might not be able to get through the trail with our rental somewhat blocking the trail. They offered to drive me back, and suggested we pull it out with really old piece of rope. Seemed like the only alternative we had. There was no way any tow truck could have made into this area. I really could not see getting it out, without at least having a winch.

I left my companion at the area we had carried our stuff, still not aware of the wild boar. The guys (native Hawaiians) were able to pull the car out, and drove it down the lava rocks for me, to an area safe for us to drive out. Thankfully, she did not have to run up any trees to escape an attack....

One hubcap was pretty bent out of shape, the front fender was popped out, and some other minor damage. At least we had something to take back. We gave the guys some money and my snorkel fins, extremely grateful to have gotten out of there.

I was able to pop the fender and hubcap back on, it rained for about two hours prior to returing the car, and you would never know what it had been through. It was all we could do to keep a straight face when the rental agent asked if we had any problems or damage to declare on the car.

Many thanks to those friendly guys that saved our vacation! Mahalo!!

Sorry, but I could not figure how to paste the pic from my docs file to this post.

 

You didn't happen to scribble down the VIN of that Buick, did you so I don't inadvertantly buy it

 

Oh yes, the fun that takes place when one rents a car.

 

What's the difference between a 4x4 and a rental car? A rental car CAN go anywhere!!



Jim

 

My brother works as the damage manager for a local rental agency. He's seen some unbelivable things. My favorite one is about a Monte Carlo that someone managed to get about ten miles up a very narrow 4x4 trail before it got fully stuck. The 4x4 wrecking truck they hired to pull it out couldn't make it in, so they had to hire a second truck to pull it out. They finally hired two professional off road recovery vehciles that had to winch themselves in to the car and then all the way back out.

 

Thats an awsome rental car story. I for one, would never buy a used rental car, I have worked in a job for 25 years where I travel regularly with macho, beer drinking guys that love to "Test Drive" thier rental cars. Having seen what the average business traveler does to rental cars (of course not me, I would never mistreat a rental car) I'm surprised they hold up as well as they do.

 

My brother took a brand new Ranger Edge 4x4 (126 miles on it!!) out in the stateland of upstate NY to do some fourwheeling in the snow. 60+mph through fields with 10" of snow, dirt roads with massive mud holes covered in ice 2" thick. I can still hear the noise that ice made when hitting the drivetrain at 50-60mph. Even jumped it a few times....nothing big...just about a foot or so. The next morning, all 4 brakes were frozen with 1/2" layer of ice on them. Took a full throttle run in 4-low to break them free.

That poor thing. But its a FORD! It took a beating and kept on ticking...never had a problem out of it in the 400 miles he had it.