Relocating --- Honolulu, here I come!

[marauder307]

Yep...I'm gettin' out of St. Louis.

Got the call from my agency last night...I've been selected for a position in Honolulu (Pearl Harbor) and they want me to move---FAST. I'm going to be making a house-hunting trip within the month, and they expect me to be "on the ground" two weeks later. That's right...two weeks.

Are there any MM's based in Hawaii? A quick search of the Forums seemed to indicate that there is indeed one (RoadWarriorSVT). RWSVT, if you're out there, I need to get up with you and get the gouge on Honolulu---insurance rates, best gas, where's the best dealers/parts suppliers/everything/etc..

What's traffic like out there? Where's the best places to live? And all that jazz...

As Pogo the Possum used to say, "HALP!"

At least there's one unique title I can claim: Most Traveled Marauder. This baby started out at STAP, shipped to Daytona Beach, FL, was bought and driven to St. Louis, did a side trip to Port Arthur, TX and back to STL, and now is headed to Hawaii.

Maybe I can get Lidio or Dennis to come up with a pontoon mod... :baaa: :sweat:

[jgc61sr2002]

That sounds great. :D Goood luck with your move. :up:

[Shaft333]

Sounds like a real exciting oppurtunity. Have fun out there!

Hell, I wouldn't even mind living in St. Louis.

[Donny Carlson]

Yep...I'm gettin' out of St. Louis.

Got the call from my agency last night...I've been selected for a position in Honolulu (Pearl Harbor) and they want me to move---FAST. I'm going to be making a house-hunting trip within the month, and they expect me to be "on the ground" two weeks later. That's right...two weeks.


Does your company pay TCOLA for Hawaii? It's an amazingly expensive place to live.

[cruzer]

Well, from the frying pan into the pool :) After Texas in the summer, HNL will be heaven---flew 3 trips a month to HNL for 2 years---loved every minute of it---may be an island, but there's lots to do---keep us posted--Good luck with your new assignment--stay safe, have fun and occasionally let us mainland folk know how things are going---God Speed, Maury

[Rob1559]

Hawaii is great, but as stated earlier expensive. Really expensive. Plus there are not a lot of places to drive and open it up.

[mpearce]

Wow...I wonder whats going on out there? Heathers mom just moved out to Honolulu last month to live. Shipped everything out, and what didn't go, we got for our apartment. It's sad to see her go so far, but we will have a place to stay when we visit. Both Heather and I will be out there in February. We will look you up!

-Mat

[marauder307]

Does your company pay TCOLA for Hawaii? It's an amazingly expensive place to live.


Yeah, I've heard about it...the Coasties I used to work with said that Hono was a great assignment but it would've been untenable without the gov't-contract housing.

My agency's gonna pay me locality pay at the Wash, D.C. rates (right now 15% of base pay) AND COLA at 25% of base pay. So,...done right, this could still be a moneymaking possibility... :cool4:

[NAVCHAP]

Will be there soon for a little while. You won't be able to miss us. Couldn't bring my MM after all. Really wanted to. Can't really say any more, hope you can connect the dots. No information about past, present or future operations permitted. Gunslinger, steaks at Duke's on me brother! -kjs-

[Gunslinger]

Gunslinger, steaks at Duke's on me brother! -kjs-
Looking forward to it!

[Directedby]

there are 2 marauder members from this board in hawaii.

[marauder307]

Will be there soon for a little while. You won't be able to miss us. Couldn't bring my MM after all. Really wanted to. Can't really say any more, hope you can connect the dots. No information about past, present or future operations permitted. Gunslinger, steaks at Duke's on me brother! -kjs-

Durn...they wouldn't let you borrow a corner of the hangar deck? That sucks... :P

Now that the euphoria's died down a bit...I'm left with some hard questions.

I've actually considered parting with the Hulk. Trips to the Pontiac dealer (Grand Prix GXP), the Acura dealer (TSX), and Sunset Ford (500 or Freestyle) have proven to just be exercises in frustration. I just refinanced, but I still owe roughly 24k; the Pontiac dealer told me I was 10k upside-down and didn't have a clue what a MM was. The Acura dealer didn't even try, and still didn't know what a MM was. The Ford dealer was the rudest of all---he flat-out told me "forget it, kid, you're too far in the hole. We could put you in a Focus if you like." I walked away. This after Sunset Ford sent me a letter saying that they'd identified my MM as a high-demand vehicle on their used lot and that they'd give me anything for it just to get it in. I wiped my ass with that letter after my encounter with the salesman...

So...getting out of it ain't a option. It's going to HI with me. The warranty repaint's still kicking off on July 11th, but there's other stuff. Here's where the aforementioned questions come in...

Transmission: Still working, but I keep rereading the threads on here about failed transmissions and I'm getting progressively more nervous. Should I run it till it fails or be more proactive about getting it fixed? And what's Dennis charging for the retrofit/upgrade kits (specifically the one with the spiral-lock clip)?

Differential: Also still working...but on the long trip out to Junky City/Ft. Riley KS yesterday (came out to see my fiancee) I started hearing noises from the back. Couldn't determine if it was the road (certain types of road here in the Midwest will create a moaning sound against the BFGs), the mufflers, or the diff. What does a failing diff sound like? And, just like above, do I run it till it drops or fix it now?

For the HI folks: where's good places on Oahu to get a MM fixed, anyway? And just how expensive are we talking?

On a side note, I've been looking at condos in the Windward area...:depress:

All for now. Fiancee's taking me to see "Batman Begins"...I'll be back on the board later tonight...

[marauder307]

BUMP!

Anybody.....?

[sound of crickets]

Anybody......? :alone:

[NAVCHAP]

Here now, give me a call, my phone # is on the Bunny List and it works in all 50 states. Regards, -kjs-

[marauder307]

Just got back from a house-hunting trip to Hono...hoo boy :(

This place has got a TON of quirks about it. H-1's a near-total mess; H-2 and H-3 are better. The cops don't have a consistent vehicle; I saw everything from a Nissan Murano with a "bubble-gum machine" duct-taped to the top of it to a 10-yr old CVPI out cruising the roads.

Hawaiians, for some perverted reason, don't believe in central AC; they figure the trade winds are enough get by on. Most places I looked at---particularly in the Waianae and Makaha areas---are no better than the 60-year old farmhouse my family maintains in west Alabama. I don't care what the islanders think---I want my AC. And not a durn window unit either. There's absolutely, ABSOLUTELY nowhere that I can afford; the housing market's become so completely volatile on Oahu that the slums are priced at a 1/4 mill, and the good places are over 1/2 mill. There's no real middle ground either; you can either get someplace in the Waianae "shooting gallery" or a luxory condo. I finally found a rental place in Hawaii Kai---$2500/month for a 2bd/2.5ba townhouse, fully furnished---but now I'm looking at a 45-min commute, one way.

They say you should never ask a Southerner for directions. Anybody who says that never tried asking a Hawaiian. Now, for the record, I'm a former USCG cutter navigator (made 12 patrols in 3 yrs sea time, all around the Carribbean) and a qualified commercial/instrument general aviation pilot. I even make maps for a living. Bottom line, I don't get lost. Period.

In the absence of any really good street maps, I resorted to asking the locals for directions to get around during the week. I got lost 5 times and ended up just feeling my way around by guess and by gosh. What a bunch of jerks. I ask the valet at the Waikiki hotel for the fastest way to H-1, he sends me out to Diamond Head. :shake:

Hawaiian quarantine regulations are the pits too. I'm coming from St. Louis; going to be bringing out 2 kittens---not right away of course. But even though I'm coming from the States, I'VE still got to deal with a quarantine. Fortunately I'm able to beat this one---the quarantine consists of a 120 day waiting period while the results from some FAVN blood test screening come back and there's only 2 places in the US that do it. But that waiting period does NOT have to be done in the quarantine kennels on the island; if HI gets the results before the lil furries get to Oahu, then they can be cleared right at the plane. But even that will cost $165/cat. Fortunately my fiancee's younger sister will take care of them until December, when we can finally bring them over.

Actually got some time to go see the USS ARIZONA memorial/museum. Now,...you'd think, this being a memorial, that there would be at least a somewhat reverential air about the place. People might at least attempt to show some respect---righteously so, IMO. The place is a war grave.

NOPE. Walk into the place; 1000 screaming idiots parading around. Elementary school tour groups full of bored 10-yr olds wondering why they need to see "some dumb sunk ship" (actual quote!) The museum itself has its hand out for donations, because the folks who built it got the bright idea to do it on a landfill....and it's sinking, due to the weight of the building. So the museum wants money. Thought this was a NPS facility; where's their contribution? I paid my taxes last year....a bunch of 'em, too. Another bunch of semi-interested tourists wandering about. The place is so crowded that you can't take time to properly examine the exhibits; you just get shoved out of the way. The lines for the bathrooms go out the door and around the corner, and the parking's yet another nightmare. The day I went, there was a 3 1/2 hour wait to get on the ferry boat to go over to the memorial. I found myself not really interested.

I think I understand now, why Jesus chased the moneychangers out of the temple....I was beginning to feel a bit psychotic myself. I had to take a few minutes when I got out to the car, just to "get right", as it were...I can only imagine that my fellow sailors in the ARIZONA must be supremely pissed, to think that THIS is their remembrance....

Bottom line: Honolulu couldn't suck more if it changed its name to Hoover. And the part that leaves me retching day-glo is the fact that I volunteered for this assignment.... :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke:

Wotinthuhail have I done? :shake: :eek:

[NAVCHAP]

M307: Sounds like a case of culture shock, give it a chance. Everyone that I know who has been there loved it.

If you think it's not going to work and you can get your orders cancelled, then roll the dice and take your chances on where they will send you.

Maybe we can connect you with someone in the Navy Community who can help you out, or be like a sponsor to your PCS move. Email, PM or call me.

Sorry to hear that your experience of the place has been negative.

All the best, -kjs- The Chaplain

[huot5]

like Navchap stated, give it a chance. I've had friends who grew up in HI (AF FAMILY) and loved it . and of course friends and family that visited and would love to live there.

Get your finances adjusted. you're keeping the MM, you'll be making some money but it will go to the cost of living in HI.

Either way, try your best to acclimate. You and your family are lucky to travel and live while serving your country. Easy, aloha.

[RF Overlord]

I can't speak for the living cost or conditions, having only been there as a tourist. I imagine it's roughly comparable to where I live...people who grew up here can't afford to LIVE here anymore...I'm one of the lucky ones, I bought my house when prices were still manageable...if I had to do it today, I'd be living somewhere else. It's ludicrous... :censor: :shake:

And I know EXACTLY what you mean about class trips...I'm always amazed at how disrespectful and obnoxious (most of) the students are. When I was a kid, field trips were a treat, and if we misbehaved they were cancelled...nowadays, it seems like they're just excuses to get out of the classroom... :censor: :shake:

[marauder307]

And, of course, I forgot to mention...the last morning I was there, I saw a MM parked about a block away from the Kaneohe/Windward Mall on Ohala St. License was HI NTY 410 (Naughty 4:10?)...wonder if this was the one that NAVCHAP mentioned seeing (see his thread on the subject).

Looks like I---I should say "we", see below---are confirmed for the Hawaii Kai property. It's a great place but I really wanted to buy something...writing the interest off on the taxes this last year was rather fun.

Maybe later...

Wasn't able to connect with Gunslinger...tried calling a few times, left a voicemail. I guess he was busy; he did mention something to me about having to go somewhere...

The week DID end on a high note tho...after riding a "red-eye" back from Honolulu, and the connecting flight from Minneapolis, and then getting in a rental car and driving for 6 hours to get out to Ft. Riley...my g/f accepted my proposal. We plan on being married sometime around May/June '06, being forced to wait until her Army activation is done and she can get moved out to HI. We'll probably come back to the mainland for the ceremony; tentative plans call for goin' home to Montgomery and having it there at FUMC.

I should offer this recommendation to y'all...if you ever plan on proposing....don't kneel down in a bed of ragweed. I spent the rest of the night going, "I lub you hodey...AAACK-CHOO!"

[NAVCHAP]

Glad it's going to work out! Best of everything to you.

Gunslinger has a lot of operational planning and troop leadership stuff, he's usually really busy. He had to jump through hoops in order to take a tour of the ship and go to lunch. He was impressed with the platform and our capabilities.

It's possible I saw the 410 guy. Not sure what the plate was on the MM Gunslinger and I saw when we went to lunch.

There was actually a MM owner who had plates with identical letters and identical numbers who I talked to.

Let me know if you need any help or any contacts while you are there. The military network is a small and close knit one, as you know.

Regards, -kjs-

[marauder307]

Thought I'd post some progress notes...

Warranty repaint is done. It was half-assed---they only did the hood, roof, and trunk, AND made me pay for the rental car because, according to them (Sunset Ford) I didn't have the ESP and therefore the rental (from their dealership, BTW) wasn't covered. Never mind that the car's still within the normal warranty period anyway (3/36) and the bodywork warranty runs longer than that anyhow....oh well. I guess I'm supposed to be happy at least getting what I got.

Tues-Thursday of this last week, I took it in for a host of mechanical stuff. Oil change (Royal Purple 5W-20), bleed the brakes 'cause the pedal's been spongy since the Hawk/Powerslot upgrade, realignment to David Morton's specs, and got the rear axle TSB done, along with installation of the Ford Racing axle girdle and had the diffy refilled with RP ATF. Was in a loaner Sable for three days and wasn't charged a thing (Dave Sinclair South County L-M) except for the labor and alignment---a grand total of $89 for all that stuff. Not bad.

Sometime during the week of the 22nd-26th, The Hulk begins it's trek from STL, through SoCal to a waiting Ro-Ro, and thence to HNL. I'm not going to sleep a wink until it actually arrives and I've got the keys back AND I hear the engine fire for the first time....hoo boy. Somebody pass me the coffee.

Looking forward to trashing H-1 with the Hulk for the first time. To all you HI-based Marauders: I've got a place set up in Hawaii Kai, you're all welcome, and that includes you NavChap---whenever you can get there.

P.S.: The rear axle TSB DOES make a considerable difference; I'd been hearing a steady growl back there for a couple thousand miles and couldn't tell if it was mufflers or diff. Judging by the relative silence back aft now, it was the diff...the new axles/bearings make a heckuva difference.

[marauder307]

The Hulk is gone...I took it in for shipping yesterday. Stuck in a rental Mustang for a while; I leave for HI next week. Fortunately the place I'm moving into out there has furnishings (I think I'M going to host the Super Bowl party for the local Marauder crowd this coming year! :beer: 50-in projection TV w/ surround sound speakers, HOOAH!).

I just can't seem to shake the sick feeling in my gut that I've seen my car for the last time. If you want to see a grown man cry, just be on the pier in Honolulu when they deliver a flattened 4-dr black pancake to me. I've already got a mental plan in place in the event the worst happens...hopefully I won't have to use it.

I'll check in with you guys after I get to HI...take care everybody!

[Eric91Z]

Good luck with the move and the new lifestyle. My mom has been on the big Island for the last 2 years with my Grandma who retired there about 20 years ago. They just got Grandma's house sold and are moving back here so my mom can take care of Grandma here instead of over there.

I know what you mean on housing prices. Market values are MUCH higher than appraisal values. The selling price on Grandma's house was almost twice as high as the appraisal value.

[MM03MOK]

The Hulk is gone...I took it in for shipping yesterday. Stuck in a rental Mustang for a while; I leave for HI next week. Fortunately the place I'm moving into out there has furnishings (I think I'M going to host the Super Bowl party for the local Marauder crowd this coming year! :beer: 50-in projection TV w/ surround sound speakers, HOOAH!).

I just can't seem to shake the sick feeling in my gut that I've seen my car for the last time. If you want to see a grown man cry, just be on the pier in Honolulu when they deliver a flattened 4-dr black pancake to me. I've already got a mental plan in place in the event the worst happens...hopefully I won't have to use it.

I'll check in with you guys after I get to HI...take care everybody!Safe journey, Baker. You'll never be far from our thoughts. The Hulk will be fine!! Check back soon.

[marauder307]

Well, in the midst of all this Katrina news...I can offer the good news that I arrived safely in Honolulu yesterday afternoon, and all of my suitcases made it too.

Good thing...the laptop was in one of 'em. Got to see "The Longest Yard" (Adam Sandler version) on the flight over...making the connection in Chicago-O'hare was fun..NOT. The airplane from STL landed and didn't let us off until 5 mins after my connection to HNL had started boarding! So I showed off my running skills getting through 2 concourses and 36 gates and made it...just in time to get stuck behind a buncha VERY advance geriatric cases who were going to HI for the first time and had apparently lost all sense of how to get on a plane.

I'm in a rental Charger from Thrifty until the Black Hulk hits the beach...we will wait and see how that works out.... :depress:

[MM03MOK]

Glad you made it safely, Baker!

[marauder307]

Picked up the Hulk today...and I got problems.

From the description given to me by the shipping/receiving inspector, Matson put this car on the top of a tractor-trailer car hauler...butt-first. So every single bug between southern IL and Oakland CA is smashed into the rear end paint. There's a bad score mark on the DS rear rockers (see picture); looks like those simian numbnuts tried to strap it down across the bumper and overtorqued the tiedown strap. Lastly, somehow or another they induced a leak in the PS rear tire. Don't know how...can't feel or see any nails/intrusion damage on the outer surfaces of the tire. But there is a "smoking gun"; the anti-theft valve stem cap on that tire shows distinct signs of having had pliers used on it. I wonder if they tried to wrench the cap off and ended up partially yanking the stem out. I aired up the tire at the Pearl Harbor AutoPort before heading home; 1 1/2 hours later, I'd gone from 34 psi to 18. I've got an emergency roadside air compressor, but it's weak (275 psi) and after 15 minutes of airing the tire with it I gave up and limped to the gas station.

I sure hope Gunslinger reads this; I really need some help...Gunslinger! I'm poppin' smoke here!

P.S. Can't upload the @#$#@#$% pictures....says I exceed the limit of 100 kb...trust me though folks, it's really bad.

[marauder307]

Bunny was able to fix the pictures for me...now brace yourselves...

It's hard to see in the reflection but the scrape from the tie down actually does extend down the rocker panel.

The Pearl Harbor Auto Shop wasn't able to fix my PS rear tire...the puncture was right on the shoulder directly where NO tire place will try to plug it. So I broke down and called the Tire Rack. (Note to Gunslinger: I did try calling Lex's, but the price they wanted for the tires was about $40/tire more than Tire Rack and it would've taken 'em two weeks to get it here---Tire Rack's gonna ship through Fed-Ex and they should be here this Friday.) In the meantime, I'm running on the spare. Car feels funny...like it's dragging a hind leg...and with the different series tires laterally across the rear axle, the handling characteristics seem funky. It'll do for a week...I hope...

[NAVCHAP]

M307: Make sure you submit a claim. Let "Uncle Sugar" pay for this. Sorry to hear about it. Hope it all works out to your benefit. Makes me wish even more now that we took it with us. Clay and I could have washed it up, put it away, and had it waiting for you when you got there. Regrets, -kjs-

[DeepSea117]

Ever since I had a bad experience with the company who shipped my car from Minnesota, I've been wanting to make a list of people/shippers to be avoided. I had problems with American Auto Transport, and now I'll be sure to avoid Matson as well if I ever ship a vehicle again. Regardless of whether they pay for damages or not, the disrespect with which they treat other people's property should bite them in the ass in the form of going bankrupt.

My case at American Auto Transport wasn't as bad, but when I saw telltale scratches on the mirrors from those stupid chains they forgot to tie down as well as other scratches, I sent pictures, TWICE. And the representative Ryan Riley claims they didn't go through BOTH times. I left several voicemails after sending the emails which he hasn't returned and I am pissed. I can't help but wish the worst on these f-ckers. Especialy cuz it's not rocket-science to TREAT CUSTOMERS' PROPERTY WITH RESPECT. Screw all those shippers who don't!

[marauder307]

[QUOTE=DeepSea117]Ever since I had a bad experience with the company who shipped my car from Minnesota, I've been wanting to make a list of people/shippers to be avoided. I had problems with American Auto Transport, and now I'll be sure to avoid Matson as well if I ever ship a vehicle again. Regardless of whether they pay for damages or not, the disrespect with which they treat other people's property should bite them in the ass in the form of going bankrupt.[QUOTE]


Actually I think the people you want to avoid are American Auto Logistics, out of Montvale, NJ...Matson just owns the ship that they used. But it's a good idea. Unfortunately, AAL is the lowest bidder for military/DoD POV shipping contracts, so I'll get to go through this hell all over again when I start back to the mainland in a few years...

[marauder307]

Got the reply from AAL this week on my claim. I claimed for the one tire that was punctured and the total cost of repairs to the scratched rear bumper cover. Here is their reply, verbatim:

"THIS CLAIM IS DENIED. NO DAMAGE WAS CLAIMED AT PICK-UP. WE ARE NOT ABLE TO CONSIDER ITEMS THAT ARE NOT CLAIMED AND VARIFIED AT PICK-UP AS NEW SHIPPING DAMAGE FROM THIS OFFICE. YOU HAVE THE OPTION TO FILE THIS ENTIRE CLAIM DIRECTLY WITH YOUR LOCAL LEGAL OFFICE OR JAG OFFICE."

Now,...to be fair, it did take me a few days to get the claim in, and I had to do it twice because they said ("they said" ...and you can read into that whatever you like) they never got the first set of paperwork (total elapsed time between the 2 attempts was two weeks). If I were a business owner, I would look at such claims with a skeptical eye too.

BUT,.....I did send photographic evidence of the damages. I think where I screwed up was that I did NOT send them the "before" pics that I took at the drop-off in Illinois. I made sure to take pics from every angle of the Hulk before I released it into their hands, and upon review I see that I do have a clear picture showing no damage before shipping.

I'm probably screwed, but I'm not entirely ready to give up just yet...MARTYO! I'm openly soliciting your legal advice sir! Drop me a line...wanna hear from ya. These guys are located close to you anyway...corporate/processing offices are in Montvale, NJ.

[kurly]

Thoroughly enjoyed your experiences! Good luck and congratulations!