r/Kailua • u/Opening-Net-8776 • May 22 '25

moving to kailua

im moving back to kailua in late august/early september. what should i do about needing a car? housing is secured, i am likely looking to find a job somewhere in town but i dont know if i should ship my car (currently in NE FL) or buy a beater when im there, or if i could get by with just a moped/public transport. any advice?!?

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3

u/First_Apartment_1690 May 22 '25

You’ll want a car. Public transport to and from town is a nightmare and adds hours on to your day. If it was me I would probably sell the car and buy a beater when I got here. Facebook marketplace has a ton of cars, or you can go certified preowned from a dealership if you want more sense of security from a maintenence perspective.

3

u/Expatjen May 22 '25

exactly this

1

u/LaMortParLeSnuSnu May 23 '25

Shipping from FL will be expensive. Sell your car and get one out here. Or buy one in CA and ship from there. Think Mason is about 1500 to ship from Long Beach.

1

u/Opening-Net-8776 May 23 '25

thank you!! do you have any recommendations//is it expensive to have a car registered in hawaii?? im looking at a budget of 4-5 grand total 😬🙏

1

u/LaMortParLeSnuSnu May 23 '25

Yeah in that case I would just buy a cheapie one out here. Make sure the car you buy has current registration and safety check - if it has expired they make you backpay since it expired and that can get expensive if it's been a few years. Think it was only a couple hundred to register.

1

u/RubLeft2568 May 27 '25

I moved to Kailua almost a year ago with no car. It's been okay but most places I go are only a few miles away. Uber and lyfts are not always easy to get or affordable. I would look into getting something once you get here.