I thought this topic was worthy of a blog post because a lot of people that don’t bring their cars to Guam end up wishing they did. They’re worried the environment here is going to destroy their car, rust is going to turn it to dust, etc. I had the same thoughts when I knew I was coming here. Keep in mind this post is being written by someone that can (and will) spend an entire day cleaning their car and count it as time well spent.

Guams weather is harsh. It does rain a lot, and we’re very near the equator. So it’s pretty hot and the sun is quite intense. I came from San Diego where it hardly ever rains, and you could go weeks without washing your car. I can report that I have never had one spec of rust on any of my vehicles. In my more pretentious days, I’ve had BMWs and Range Rovers, and none were ever garaged (garages are for motorcycles).

I’ve never had an issue with rust or paint fading. But I do take care of them. My cars are essentially my office, many days I’m driving around all day. But I keep them clean, and if I get a ding or a chip, I make sure to cover it with touch up paint right away. A good coat of wax on a regular basis is all it takes, and you can always go over the top with ceramic coating if you care to shell out the money to have it professionally done. There are many car detailers on Guam that will be happy to take care of your car if you don’t want to. I recommend Pat’s Window Tinting & Detailing in the Village of Tamuning. They do quality work both with tinting and detailing.

The downside of not bringing your car is that purchasing a vehicle here is more expensive, used cars seems to be particularly over-priced, and you’re going to need reliable transportation. We have no public transportation here to speak of, and things are spread out enough where you won’t be able to get by without a vehicle.

I have clients from time to time want to bike to work or ride small scooters. Those options aren’t for a faint of heart. Roads are bad in places and driving here, is, well, different. Combined with unpredictable weather even the clearest days can leave you looking like you took a shower with your clothes on.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to me. And we’d be happy to consider any suggestions for future posts. Just let me know what you’d like to read about.