Please Register / Login to take part in discussions about the Virgin Islands.
Will be spending week in early March on stj. Considering renting at stt and taking the car ferry over. Will be staying on the paved roads when going to the beach and exploring. Do I need 4wd?
No. You can visit 90% of the popular beaches using standard sedan.
I get a 4wd not so much for off-roading as for traction when the roads are wet. STJ roads are very steep and windey. They become very slick when it rains ( and it doesn't take much rain to make them slick). Also, driveways to some villas are quite steep and rocky and I'd definitely want 4wd for some of them.
If you have 4wd and don't need it, it's not a problem. If you need it, but don'y have it, that could be a problem.
A front wheel drive car can drive on any paved road on the island, even when it's wet. Save some dough and get the cheap little rental car instead of the 4WD (if you don't have any interest in driving on trails, that is).
I would only agree if your rental car had very good tires. We rented a jeep on STJ and the tires had very little tread. It was a rainy day and I had to be in 4WD to make it up some of the steep windy roads. Going down hill was another thing. I hit the brakes and kept on going. Good thing there was no oncoming traffic.
If your rental "car" has inadequate tire tread (which many rentals do in my experience)... and you get caught on a rainy day... GOOD LUCK!
Personally I would advise STJ visitors to rent a 4WD Jeep over a front-wheel drive sedan.
TMax
coming to STT for month - need small sedan - what are some good rates to look for and where? Thanks for any help
