# Rental Car on Maui



## LA_Transplant (Nov 26, 2017)

I have traveled to Maui the first full week of March the last three years.  Each of those years I was able to rent a convertible for $350-400 for my trip.  As I have been attempting to reserve a vehicle this year, I am encountering quotes for over $1,000 to rent a comparable car.  Is anyone aware of why the cost is so much more this year? Is Maui much busier this spring than last?  Does anyone know have any sense if these prices will come down between now and March?


----------



## mauitraveler (Nov 26, 2017)

LA_Transplant said:


> I have traveled to Maui the first full week of March the last three years.  Each of those years I was able to rent a convertible for $350-400 for my trip.  As I have been attempting to reserve a vehicle this year, I am encountering quotes for over $1,000 to rent a comparable car.  Is anyone aware of why the cost is so much more this year? Is Maui much busier this spring than last?  Does anyone know have any sense if these prices will come down between now and March?


We're going to Maui the last week of February and reserved a car earlier this year in June.  Now the cost has doubled for what we booked back then.  I have a feeling the prices will not decrease, but may even increase as you get closer to March, which is such a popular time for those who hope to see some whales!  On which sites are you searching?


----------



## Luanne (Nov 26, 2017)

I confirmed a reservation for a mid-size SUV on Maui for March 2018 for $539.31 for two weeks back in June.  The prices I'm seeing currently are at least double that.  I don't know why they are so high and I have no idea if they'll go down again.  

I had always said the "sweet spot" for the car rentals was about 6 months out.  That doesn't seem to be true time time around.  I had also always said that they didn't go lower closer to the date.  This year I found that to be untrue.  I checked our reservation about two days before our trip (again Maui in March) and it dropped by about $60.

I would suggest booking the reservation, then using AutoSlash to monitor it.  They will notify you if they find a cheaper rate.  You can also use them to book your rental originally.


----------



## flindberg (Nov 28, 2017)

LA_Transplant said:


> I have traveled to Maui the first full week of March the last three years.  Each of those years I was able to rent a convertible for $350-400 for my trip.  As I have been attempting to reserve a vehicle this year, I am encountering quotes for over $1,000 to rent a comparable car.  Is anyone aware of why the cost is so much more this year? Is Maui much busier this spring than last?  Does anyone know have any sense if these prices will come down between now and March?


It is possible that the destruction of several hurricanes in other areas has increased demand  for Hawaii as it is a tropical, easy to navigate destinations for Americans... I know my St Johns xmas vaca got cancelled - that's why we're headed for Kauaii instead.


----------



## DianneL (Nov 28, 2017)

I have a convertible reserved on Maui for one week, $266. Reserved about a year ago when I traded into Maui for an upcoming trip.


----------



## MOXJO7282 (Nov 28, 2017)

Yes rental prices for Maui have certainly gone up. I secured us a luxury sedan for $750 for 2 weeks in August through Costco and I checked to see if pricing had come down and saw that they have gone up 30% it seems.  I think I got a pretty good deal so I'm satisfied but was hoping it would come down alittle.


----------



## Stressy (Dec 2, 2017)

Luanne said:


> I confirmed a reservation for a mid-size SUV on Maui for March 2018 for $539.31 for two weeks back in June.  The prices I'm seeing currently are at least double that.  I don't know why they are so high and I have no idea if they'll go down again.
> 
> I had always said the "sweet spot" for the car rentals was about 6 months out.  That doesn't seem to be true time time around.  I had also always said that they didn't go lower closer to the date.  This year I found that to be untrue.  I checked our reservation about two days before our trip (again Maui in March) and it dropped by about $60.
> 
> I would suggest booking the reservation, then using AutoSlash to monitor it.  They will notify you if they find a cheaper rate.  You can also use them to book your rental originally.



Luanne, what are your dates?  I'm doing 3/25 to 4/1 which is Maui schools spring break and I'm finding that if I check Costco regularly, I see price breaks. I have 3 reservations currently,  but I'll also agree I was VERY surprised by the pricing. This is going to be the most I've ever paid for car rental on any island. I just figured it was because of spring break, but it sounds like that isn't the case. I'll have to factor that in for any trip after this.


----------



## DaveNV (Dec 2, 2017)

It has to be something to do with the dates. The rates I'm seeing for a convertible for the last week of February is over $800.  For the first week of March it's over $600.  The same car for the _first_ week of April is $414. The _second_ week of April it's $369.   I have a convertible reserved on Maui in mid-May, for just under $350 for the week. So there is a sliding scale happening, for sure.

Dave


----------



## Luanne (Dec 2, 2017)

Stressy said:


> Luanne, what are your dates?  I'm doing 3/25 to 4/1 which is Maui schools spring break and I'm finding that if I check Costco regularly, I see price breaks. I have 3 reservations currently,  but I'll also agree I was VERY surprised by the pricing. This is going to be the most I've ever paid for car rental on any island. I just figured it was because of spring break, but it sounds like that isn't the case. I'll have to factor that in for any trip after this.


We are there from March 5 through the 20th.  We'll just miss you!

I can't remember if I posted, but we have an intermediate SUV for those dates that is $540 all in.  I am feeling really good about that price right now.


----------



## LA_Transplant (Dec 2, 2017)

Thanks for all the feedback.

After checking my reservations for the last three years, I always made them in January and was able to rent a convertible for between $350-425 for 9-10 days.  It also seems as though prices have come down today because I reserved a convertible for a little over $600.  I will keep looking and expect prices to go down in January again.


----------



## Stressy (Dec 2, 2017)

Luanne said:


> We are there from March 5 through the 20th.  We'll just miss you!
> 
> I can't remember if I posted, but we have an intermediate SUV for those dates that is $540 all in.  I am feeling really good about that price right now.



Ohhh , you have that price for two weeks. I'd feel good about it too. I'll look forward to your pics ...will help me get excited knowing I'm next


----------



## Luanne (Dec 2, 2017)

Stressy said:


> Ohhh , you have that price for two weeks. I'd feel good about it too. I'll look forward to your pics ...will help me get excited knowing I'm next


Two weeks plus one day.


----------



## easyrider (Dec 2, 2017)

My intermediate suv in Maui was from Hawaiian discount car rental and was suppose to be a Chevy trax for $420.00 for two weeks. It ended up being a full sized , very nice, full sized dodge suv. We bought the bring it in empty option for $70.00 so all in with at least one tank of gas were at $490.00. It's big enough to haul about 7 or 8 people but I laid the back seats flat and thought we might go camping next week if the weather gets better. 

Bill


----------



## Luanne (Dec 2, 2017)

easyrider said:


> My intermediate suv in Maui was from Hawaiian discount car rental and was suppose to be a Chevy trax for $420.00 for two weeks. It ended up being a full sized , very nice, full sized dodge suv. We bought the bring it in empty option for $70.00 so all in with at least one tank of gas were at $490.00. It's big enough to haul about 7 or 8 people but I laid the back seats flat and thought we might go camping next week if the weather gets better.
> 
> Bill


March of this year we had a rental for an intermediate SUV.  We ended up getting a Mazda 9, which is no one's idea of an intermediate, it's the larget SUV Maxda makes.  If this happens again I would immediately turn it back and ask for the smaller vehicle.  It was overkill for tne two of us, took more gas, and was more difficult to manuver and park.


----------



## easyrider (Dec 3, 2017)

Luanne said:


> March of this year we had a rental for an intermediate SUV.  We ended up getting a Mazda 9, which is no one's idea of an intermediate, it's the larget SUV Maxda makes.  If this happens again I would immediately turn it back and ask for the smaller vehicle.  It was overkill for tne two of us, took more gas, and was more difficult to manuver and park.


I thought the same thing as I was looking for a parking spot but my wife and I are very skilled drivers and both drive suv's as daily drivers so it is not a problem. The last time we went to Waianapanapa we couldn't stay as long as we wanted. This big Dodge might be our new camper for a night or two so we can hang out depending on the weather. 

Bill


----------



## Luanne (Dec 3, 2017)

easyrider said:


> I thought the same thing as I was looking for a parking spot but my wife and I are very skilled drivers and both drive suv's as daily drivers so it is not a problem. The last time we went to Waianapanapa we couldn't stay as long as we wanted. This big Dodge might be our new camper for a night or two so we can hang out depending on the weather.
> 
> Bill


Both dh and I drive SUVs, so that wasn't the issue (even though I probably made it sound like it was).  It was just more car than we needed.


----------



## bobpark56 (Dec 3, 2017)

LA_Transplant said:


> I have traveled to Maui the first full week of March the last three years.  Each of those years I was able to rent a convertible for $350-400 for my trip.  As I have been attempting to reserve a vehicle this year, I am encountering quotes for over $1,000 to rent a comparable car.  Is anyone aware of why the cost is so much more this year? Is Maui much busier this spring than last?  Does anyone know have any sense if these prices will come down between now and March?


I think it pays to reserve early. We have a Hertz May rental for a Jeep Compass for 18 days for $679. It can be done...if you do it early (say a year or so in advance).


----------



## Luanne (Dec 3, 2017)

bobpark56 said:


> I think it pays to reserve early. We have a Hertz May rental for a Jeep Compass for 18 days for $679. It can be done...if you do it early (say a year or so in advance).


I usually book as soon as I have the flights booked.  So a year, or more, wouldn't work for me.


----------



## bobpark56 (Dec 5, 2017)

Luanne said:


> I usually book as soon as I have the flights booked.  So a year, or more, wouldn't work for me.


Why wouldn't it work? Take a guess as to your dates. One thing nice about (most) car rentals is that you can cancel for no fee. The worst that can happen is they they charge you the new going rates it you need to rebook your vehicle. But then you are no worse off than you would have been if you waited until your flights were booked.


----------



## Luanne (Dec 5, 2017)

bobpark56 said:


> Why wouldn't it work? Take a guess as to your dates. One thing nice about (most) car rentals is that you can cancel for no fee. The worst that can happen is they they charge you the new going rates it you need to rebook your vehicle. But then you are no worse off than you would have been if you waited until your flights were booked.


Well sure I could take a wild ass guess, but for instance for 2018 we ended up flying a day earlier than planned because of flight scheduling.  Since I usually book a flight as soon as they are available, I'm fine with waiting until then to book the car.  And since I've found the sweet spot for pricing to be about 6 months out, it works..................for me.  If you do better booking more than a year out, great.  How many times do you end up cancelling and re-booking?


----------



## Tucsonadventurer (Dec 5, 2017)

We need a mini van as we have my daughters family coming with all the baby equipment. For June in Maui it is 727 for 2 weeks.
We use auto slash so it could change. Don't usually rent mini vans so can't compare.


----------



## easyrider (Dec 13, 2017)

Occasionally I get our car through the rock or kids portals. A few years ago my best Hawaii rental car was through rock. 

Another thing that comes to mind regarding mini van vrs suv is that this Dodge Journey I'm driving seats seven and has the setup for car seats. It also has a roof rack so if a person had some rope they could tie stuff to the roof rack.

Bill


----------



## easyrider (Dec 19, 2017)

easyrider said:


> Occasionally I get our car through the rock or kids portals. A few years ago my best Hawaii rental car was through rock.



I was using my smartphone and it seemed to have auto corrected RCI into rock and II into kids. 

Bill


----------



## rickandcindy23 (Dec 19, 2017)

Check SFX Exchange > Travel for your car rental.  I don't know if you have to be a member.  The prices are very reasonable in comparison with every other site.


----------



## Stressy (Dec 19, 2017)

rickandcindy23 said:


> Check SFX Exchange > Travel for your car rental.  I don't know if you have to be a member.  The prices are very reasonable in comparison with every other site.


 Is what you see, what you get? In other words, it shows taxes and fees as zero in one place and then in another it says total including taxes and fees and it shows the same price. It wants you to pay upfront but the price is a lot lower than what I have booked. What has been your experience?


----------



## StevenTing (Mar 26, 2018)

I'm going to piggy back on this thread.  I currently have a reservation booked through Costco for $745 for 2 weeks in Maui for Full Size with Budget.  

When I check Costco Travel right now, the comparable is $915.  
When I check Expedia/Orbitz/Kayak, the equivalent rate is $548 - $578.  
Looks like the best rate is with Advantage.  With a coupon, it gets down to $508 for the 2 weeks.

Anyone have any experience with Advantage or Dollar or any of the other brands not used by Costco Travel?  For a $240 savings, I'm almost willing to switch.  If I do a prepay, which I won't, it would save another $12 and bring it down to $496.


----------



## Luanne (Mar 26, 2018)

StevenTing said:


> I'm going to piggy back on this thread.  I currently have a reservation booked through Costco for $745 for 2 weeks in Maui for Full Size with Budget.
> 
> When I check Costco Travel right now, the comparable is $915.
> When I check Expedia/Orbitz/Kayak, the equivalent rate is $548 - $578.
> ...


I keep getting notices from AutoSlash for Ace and Advantage.  Since I know nothing about either of these companies (and have read several bad reviews for one, or both) I continue to turn them down.

Have to checked AutoSlash, or had them monitor the reservation you have now to see what they can find that is cheaper?  We've gotten out last few rental through AutoSlash.  They end up being through Priceline, but have been with Hertz or Budget. Experiences have been good.


----------



## TXTortoise (Mar 26, 2018)

Steven, I've got three variations booked directly through Hertz Gold, with corporate code for 24 Feb/9 Mar 2019.   The largest vehicle is a Santa Fe Hyundai small SUV (or most like the VW equivalent at OGG) at around $1100 for two weeks.  The two small Corolla reservations are around $827.

I use AutoSlash to track these and almost always get lower fares as we get closer.  I used Costco once, but ended up in a huge line at the agency as all Costco reservations preempt any Gold benefits, like direct car pickup apparently.


----------



## Luanne (Mar 26, 2018)

TXTortoise said:


> Steven, I've got three variations booked directly through Hertz Gold, with corporate code for 24 Feb/9 Mar 2019.   The largest vehicle is a Santa Fe Hyundai small SUV (or most like the VW equivalent at OGG) at around $1100 for two weeks.  The two small Corolla reservations are around $827.
> 
> I use AutoSlash to track these and almost always get lower fares as we get closer.  I used Costco once, but ended up in a huge line at the agency as all Costco reservations preempt any Gold benefits, like direct car pickup apparently.


I still haven't found going directly through the rental site gets me better prices than Costco or AutoSlash.

However, we've had NO issued with premier pick up using both Costco and AutoSlash.  You just need to provide your member number when you make the reservation.  With Hertz on Maui we got an email with the space number and car type so all we had to do was go to the car and drive off.  With than rental we had a mid-size SUV (Nissan Rouge) for 15 days, in March at $541 all in.


----------



## DaveNV (Mar 26, 2018)

Have you looked at Discount Hawaii Car Rental?  Sometimes they can save a lot.  For my upcoming trip to Maui, they beat Costco's best price by quite a bit.  It's worth looking at:  https://www.discounthawaiicarrental.com

Dave


----------



## TXTortoise (Mar 26, 2018)

In hindsight, I think it was HNL where I had to get in line.  Steven is targeting mid-summer and I'm in mid-winter, so guessing those peak times may skew rates also.  But agree, always worth tracking, if not booking, with Slash.


----------



## Luanne (Mar 26, 2018)

DaveNW said:


> Have you looked at Discount Hawaii Car Rental?  Sometimes they can save a lot.  For my upcoming trip to Maui, they beat Costco's best price by quite a bit.  It's worth looking at:  https://www.discounthawaiicarrental.com
> 
> Dave


I always forget to check them since each time I've tried Costco price has been better.


----------



## DaveNV (Mar 26, 2018)

Luanne said:


> I always forget to check them since each time I've tried Costco price has been better.



I do as well, but when I do check, sometimes the numbers are better.  In the case of my current trip, they beat Costco's best price by more than $40.  That's dinner somewhere. 

Dave


----------



## Luanne (Mar 26, 2018)

DaveNW said:


> I do as well, but when I do check, sometimes the numbers are better.  In the case of my current trip, they beat Costco's best price by more than $40.  That's dinner somewhere.
> 
> Dave


Lately I've been getting the best pricing through AutoSlash.  I make the original reservation with Costco, then log that with AutoSlash.  They just cut our rate for a week in San Diego by $60!  That's dinner, plus dessert.


----------



## slip (Mar 26, 2018)

I ended out going through RCI and got an intermediate for two weeks for $500  it’s with Enterprise which i’m Alright with. A friend of mine used Advantage on a January trip to Kauai and said it was fine.


----------



## bobpark56 (Mar 27, 2018)

Luanne said:


> Well sure I could take a wild ass guess, but for instance for 2018 we ended up flying a day earlier than planned because of flight scheduling.  Since I usually book a flight as soon as they are available, I'm fine with waiting until then to book the car.  And since I've found the sweet spot for pricing to be about 6 months out, it works..................for me.  If you do better booking more than a year out, great.  How many times do you end up cancelling and re-booking?


Whatever works, works. I'm trying a new (for me) tactic now: I currently have 3 reservations for our 10 Sept arrival at Gatwick, England...2 for different car sizes and a 3rd for an automatic transmission. I will cancel 2 of them when I make up my mind what fits best. There is no prohibition about having more that one reservation, so long as you cancel redundant ones in a timely fashion. There is no reason that I know of for not having different reservations for different arrival days either, and then later cancelling ones that no longer work for you.


----------



## rickandcindy23 (Mar 27, 2018)

I wonder if the new Maui airport car rental structure will save us money when it's done.  I think some of those taxes we are paying are going toward that structure.


----------



## DavidnRobin (Mar 27, 2018)

This is a thread on Maui Car rentals that have significantly increased in cost regardless of AutoSlash, Costco, etc. being used.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## MOXJO7282 (Mar 27, 2018)

I have a luxury car booked for 2 weeks end of July-Aug for $770 through Costco, I think Budget,which is an amazing price so I don't think I'll beat that but will sign up for AutoSlash to see if it can find better.  Currently on sale at Costco is pricing that is twice that so something is definitely screwed up with the Maui rental car market it seems. I just checked my reservation and it is still listed so I should be good but nervous that it will disappear and I'll be stuck paying much more.


----------



## JIMinNC (Mar 27, 2018)

I just booked our rental cars for our three week trip next Feb/Mar 2019. Booked a convertible category through Budget for $519 all-in per week for Maui and Kauai and $568 all-in for the Big Island. Costco was about $10 - $15 or so cheaper for the week, but for such a small savings, I'd rather book direct with the company. Many of the discount sites aren't showing reservations that far out yet, but the only prices I saw meaningfully cheaper than what I was able to get through Budget required advance payment. No way I'm paying in full for a car this far out.

We won't be able to book our flights for several more weeks, but I know the days we'll be traveling and the approximate arrival time, so there's no reason not to go ahead and book the car since there is no penalty for changes or cancellations. Maybe prices will drop, but I'm at least protected from increases.

This will be our first trip to the islands since 2011, but I think I've always paid less than $300 for a week in a convertible in the past.


----------



## Tucsonadventurer (Mar 28, 2018)

We are paying 622 for a mini van for 14 days through auto slash with advantage. We reserved it a while back but its now up  close to 1,000.
Glad we reserved earlier.


----------



## Dean (Mar 28, 2018)

DaveNW said:


> I do as well, but when I do check, sometimes the numbers are better.  In the case of my current trip, they beat Costco's best price by more than $40.  That's dinner somewhere.
> 
> Dave


Costco includes 2 drivers if that makes a difference.


----------



## NTP66 (Mar 28, 2018)

My last five rentals in Maui (oldest to newest):


Hertz, convertible, 10 days, September, $505 ($51/day)

Alamo, midsize, 7 days, September, $267 ($38/day)

Thrifty, intermediate, 7 days, February, $257 ($37/day)

Budget, standard, 7 days, September, $200 ($29/day)

Budget, standard, 10 days, June, $389 ($39/day)
Minus the POS Mustang convertible that we rented years ago, our rates really haven't been that bad at all. The above prices are final totals, after all fees and taxes.


----------



## taterhed (Mar 28, 2018)

My advice never changes:
Costco
Autoslash
Hertz

I've had some bad experiences at LIH with other companies....I've had zero bad experiences with Hertz (except for a roach problem...don't ask)


----------



## DaveNV (Mar 28, 2018)

Dean said:


> Costco includes 2 drivers if that makes a difference.



I would appreciate having that, if I wasn't the only driver.  After all these years, it's an acquired skill - I'm a slightly-OCD lousy passenger with a great sense of direction.  Spouse is a photography nut who just wants to take pictures.  I drive along till I either see a great viewpoint, toward which I'll automatically pull over, or until I hear a quiet GASP! from the seat beside me.  That's my cue to stop - NOW - because there is something exciting visible in the camera viewfinder.  It's so predictable, it's funny.

If I was the passenger, I'd be on edge the whole time.  At the grocery store, I'm the one who has to drive the cart.  It's the law.  

Dave


----------



## Luanne (Mar 28, 2018)

Dean said:


> Costco includes 2 drivers if that makes a difference.


AutoSlash will as well.  You just need to let them know you have a Costco membership and they will apply that to your rental.


----------



## Luanne (Mar 28, 2018)

DaveNW said:


> I would appreciate having that, if I wasn't the only driver.  After all these years, it's an acquired skill - I'm a slightly-OCD lousy passenger with a great sense of direction.  Spouse is a photography nut who just wants to take pictures.  I drive along till I either see a great viewpoint, toward which I'll automatically pull over, or until I her a quiet GASP! from the seat beside me.  That's my cue to stop - NOW - because there is something exciting visible in the camera viewfinder.  It's so predictable, it's funny.
> 
> If I was the passenger, I'd be on edge the whole time.  At the grocery store, I'm the one who has to drive the cart.  It's the law.
> 
> Dave


Dh does all of the driving while we're on vacation.  I think both of us prefer it that way.  He makes me nervous when I'm driving.   So I always put the rental cars in his name, but like to know that I can drive it if necessary.  I had to a couple of times on our last trip.  

When we do major road trips we do trade off on the driving however.


----------



## taterhed (Mar 28, 2018)

Luanne said:


> AutoSlash will as well.  You just need to let them know you have a Costco membership and they will apply that to your rental.



The 'Free second driver' perk from Costco is actually also honored by some other companies and by law in some states:  Info about additional driver charges

Also, another tasty piece of info for those of you with young drivers that wish to share the driving or rent a car: Young driver discounts on rental cars 
While the above article (young drivers) is a bit old, the point still applies:  some affiliations provide discounts and not all rental car companies charge the same fees for young drivers.


----------



## slip (Mar 28, 2018)

After all these year and trips to all the main Hawaiian islands, DW still hasn’t driven there. It’s kind of a standing joke now that we have to make sure we get the free second driver because this time she’s going to drive somewhere.


----------



## JIMinNC (Mar 28, 2018)

Budget also provides the free second driver to a spouse for bookings on their web site


----------



## Luanne (Mar 28, 2018)

JIMinNC said:


> Budget also provides the free second driver to a spouse for bookings on their web site


I'm sure many companies do this.  However, as yet, I've found better prices by NOT booking directly on the car rental site but on the secondary sites.


----------



## JIMinNC (Mar 28, 2018)

Luanne said:


> I'm sure many companies do this.  However, as yet, I've found better prices by NOT booking directly on the car rental site but on the secondary sites.



For whatever reason, the only way I've reliably found to get meaningfully cheaper prices on the secondary sites is through pre-payment or the "name your price" bidding on Priceline. I won't prepay or go the Priceline route, except for sometimes when I'm fairly close to the rental date. As I noted above, when I shopped my March 2019 rentals for Hawaii, Costco was only about $10-$15 cheaper than direct, so for only that small difference, I prefer dealing direct with the rental car company.


----------



## Luanne (Mar 28, 2018)

JIMinNC said:


> For whatever reason, the only way I've reliably found to get meaningfully cheaper prices on the secondary sites is through pre-payment or the "name your price" bidding on Priceline. I won't prepay or go the Priceline route, except for sometimes when I'm fairly close to the rental date. As I noted above, when I shopped my March 2019 rentals for Hawaii, Costco was only about $10-$15 cheaper than direct, so for only that small difference, I prefer dealing direct with the rental car company.


I've found lately that when I've made the reservation through Costco, or AutoSlash (and lately those have been with Priceline), once the reservation is made it's like I made it through the company.  The rental shows up on the rental car website, if I'm a member.  And then, if I check the prices directly on the website, the one I've gotten through Costco or AutoSlash is still better.  But, everyone's experience is different.


----------



## NTP66 (Mar 28, 2018)

FWIW, if you pre-pay with Budget, you can always check the pricing later and change your reservation. They'll refund the difference after the rental has completed.


----------



## JIMinNC (Mar 28, 2018)

NTP66 said:


> FWIW, if you pre-pay with Budget, you can always check the pricing later and change your reservation. They'll refund the difference after the rental has completed.



I didn't realize that. If the difference between their pre-pay and flexible rates was more, that would be reasonably attractive. On the weekly Hawaii rentals, though, the pre-pay discount is only $39 on a $519 rental. For that small change, I'd rather keep my money for the next 12 months.


----------



## DavidnRobin (Mar 28, 2018)

I just looked at AutoSlash (14 days OGG in Sept, and 17 days LIH in June) - prices from the major rental agencies are more than current Costco prices - and both are significantly! more than my current Costco reservations made a couple of months ago.

Overall my current reservations (2018) are still much higher (per day) than my previous reservations (2017 and prior years).  This is an issue - with increasing MFs, taxes/fees, and car rental prices - I can imagine that HI vacation costs are getting to be prohibitively high for many.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Luanne (Mar 28, 2018)

NTP66 said:


> FWIW, if you pre-pay with Budget, you can always check the pricing later and change your reservation. They'll refund the difference after the rental has completed.


I still don't like the idea of prepay.


----------



## Luanne (Mar 28, 2018)

DavidnRobin said:


> I just looked at AutoSlash (14 days OGG in Sept, and 17 days LIH in June) - prices from the major rental agencies are more than current Costco prices - and both are significantly! more than my current Costco reservations made a couple of months ago.
> 
> Overall my current reservations (2018) are still much higher (per day) than my previous reservations (2017 and prior years).  This is an issue - with increasing MFs, taxes/fees, and car rental prices - I can imagine that HI vacation costs are getting to be prohibitively high for many.
> 
> ...


Did you register your current rental with AutoSlash?

The price we got for our rental in March I got about 10 months prior to our trip.  It never did go down from then.


----------



## JIMinNC (Mar 28, 2018)

Luanne said:


> I've found lately that when I've made the reservation through Costco, or AutoSlash (and lately those have been with Priceline), once the reservation is made it's like I made it through the company.  The rental shows up on the rental car website, if I'm a member.  And then, if I check the prices directly on the website, the one I've gotten through Costco or AutoSlash is still better.  But, everyone's experience is different.



One time I was able to find a considerably cheaper price for a Hertz car on Expedia compared to any other brand on other sites (like 40% to 50% cheaper as I recall), so I grabbed that one and experienced exactly what you state, that my reservation showed up under the Hertz confirmation # just fine. So I will absolutely book on the secondary sites when there is a meaningful benefit, but if the savings are small, I prefer to eliminate the middleman and book direct. The way I look at it, if I book direct and there is an issue, the car rental company/airline/whatever, can't point fingers at the middleman. They own the reservation from start to finish.

From what I've seen recently, when you book very far out (like 12 months) the differences between the company sites and the secondary sites are generally fairly small. The differences seem to widen as you move closer to the rental date, but that divergence can be in any direction.


----------



## Luanne (Mar 28, 2018)

JIMinNC said:


> The way I look at it, if I book direct and there is an issue, the car rental company/airline/whatever, can't point fingers at the middleman. They own the reservation from start to finish.


I figure if the reservation is showing on the rental company's website, they own it.


----------



## taterhed (Mar 28, 2018)

The Autoslash quotes (initial quotes when you log-in your current rental contract and start 'tracking') are rarely better than the initial Costco/USAA/other quote IME.
The Autoslash quotes on tracking....anywhere from 7 days to 6 months later....are typically unbeatable.

So, yes, if you quote Costco and then check with Autoslash.....Costco will likely be cheaper.  But, in the long run, Autoslash usually wins.


----------



## JIMinNC (Mar 28, 2018)

taterhed said:


> The Autoslash quotes (initial quotes when you log-in your current rental contract and start 'tracking') are rarely better than the initial Costco/USAA/other quote IME.
> The Autoslash quotes on tracking....anywhere from 7 days to 6 months later....are typically unbeatable.
> 
> So, yes, if you quote Costco and then check with Autoslash.....Costco will likely be cheaper.  But, in the long run, Autoslash usually wins.



How does Autoslash work? Do you see who the rental is from, or is it like Priceline where you basically take pot luck and don't know who the car company is until after you pay?


----------



## Luanne (Mar 28, 2018)

JIMinNC said:


> How does Autoslash work? Do you see who the rental is from, or is it like Priceline where you basically take pot luck and don't know who the car company is until after you pay?


Yes, you can see who the rental is through.  

You can either have AutoSlash do the initial search, like Costco, or you can have them track an existing reservation.


----------



## taterhed (Mar 28, 2018)

And then AS will send you a link that says "we've found a lower price...."  and you go check it out.
IF you want the reservation, just click and it's booked.  You can see the whole process.  It's very transparent.
You ALWAYS need to remember to cancel the initial reservation if you choose to book and select the new reservation.

It's straight forward.
If you put your points/affiliation information in with the tracking request, you usually are already reserved as a member and can check your reservation at the website for the rental car company as well......


----------



## Luanne (Mar 28, 2018)

taterhed said:


> And then AS will send you a link that says "we've found a lower price...."  and you go check it out.
> IF you want the reservation, just click and it's booked.  You can see the whole process.  It's very transparent.
> You ALWAYS need to remember to cancel the initial reservation if you choose to book and select the new reservation.
> 
> ...


You also need to remember to set up a new tracking with AutoSlash for the new reservation.


----------



## slip (Mar 28, 2018)

Luanne said:


> I've found lately that when I've made the reservation through Costco, or AutoSlash (and lately those have been with Priceline), once the reservation is made it's like I made it through the company.  The rental shows up on the rental car website, if I'm a member.  And then, if I check the prices directly on the website, the one I've gotten through Costco or AutoSlash is still better.  But, everyone's experience is different.



Do you notice if you get points in your account if you are a member of their club. That would make a difference for me.


----------



## Luanne (Mar 28, 2018)

slip said:


> Do you notice if you get points in your account if you are a member of their club. That would make a difference for me.


I think so.  Let me check my Hertz account and get back to you.  But I'm pretty sure I have in the past.

I'm back.  Yes, we got the points for the most recent Hertz rental.


----------



## DavidnRobin (Mar 29, 2018)

Luanne said:


> Did you register your current rental with AutoSlash?
> 
> The price we got for our rental in March I got about 10 months prior to our trip.  It never did go down from then.



I can register my current reservations?
I didn’t see that option.
Is this like for like - I saw agencies on AS that I would not normally rent from. Also,  some were listed as Priceline - what does that mean. It goes thru Priceline? 
They would have to dramatically decrease - the LIH convertible would have to drop ~$1800 !


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## taterhed (Mar 29, 2018)

DavidnRobin said:


> I can register my current reservations?
> I didn’t see that option.
> Is this like for like - I saw agencies on AS that I would not normally rent from. Also,  some were listed as Priceline - what does that mean. It goes thru Priceline?
> They would have to dramatically decrease - the LIH convertible would have to drop ~$1800 !
> ...




Yes, you can 'track' any current reservation you have.
Make sure you put all the discounts you qualify for --not just the ones you used for that particular reservation--so they can search with everything you qualify for...
e.g.  USAA, Costco, AAA, Hertz Gold etc ...

Yes, once you get the reservation, go to the vendor site (Hertz for instance) and put your FF# in the reservation.  You will get credit.

Regarding the 'Priceline' reservations.... 
I had a Hertz res in Hawaii and.  I only wanted to re-book with Hertz (put that note in tracking request).  I was offered a 'Priceline' reservation.  So, I emailed AS.
They replied that yes, that reservation was with Hertz and met all my requirements.  I had trepidations, but booked it.  I called Hertz...it was the correct reservation.  The fact that it was Priceline was completely invisible.  I did have to call and request the actual rental car reservation number for Hertz in order to insure the reservation was correct and add my FF#, but once I did...it was perfect.
I saved $200+ on 1 week and $230+ on the second week.
I'm a believer.
Their customer service is very active and responsive...If you have questions, just email.

I have no affiliation or connection with Auto Slash, but I have now saved over $1000 in car rental fees....(or more).


BTW:  Once you accept a new 'lower offer' reservation with AS, I believe they continue to track the new accepted reservation (not the original) for better prices.  I know I have seen this behavior myself.  If you do not accept a suggested 'lower offer' reservation, then they will continue to monitor the original reservation and suggest new, lower offers.  You can cancel the tracking at any time.


----------



## slip (Mar 29, 2018)

I’ve been using AutOSlash for two years now and they haven’t beat a price I have gotten yet. Maybe just the times i’ve Gone but i’m about ready to quit trying.


----------



## NTP66 (Mar 29, 2018)

slip said:


> I’ve been using AutOSlash for two years now and they haven’t beat a price I have gotten yet. Maybe just the times i’ve Gone but i’m about ready to quit trying.


Same here. I'm using them to track my current Budget reservation, which I also check myself every week, but that hasn't resulted in anything. I did check Costco, even though I'm not a member, and even they can't touch the rate I got.


----------



## slip (Mar 29, 2018)

Same here. Costco is more than double what I booked at and I have gotten the best price from them probably the last four Hawaii rentals.


----------



## Luanne (Mar 29, 2018)

slip said:


> I’ve been using AutOSlash for two years now and they haven’t beat a price I have gotten yet. Maybe just the times i’ve Gone but i’m about ready to quit trying.


It just shows that everyone has different experiences. For the rentals we've had the last couple of years AutoSlash has come through with the best pricing.  I currently have one reservation for May in Vancouver (my every disappearing one with Budget) made through Costco.  I have registered it with AutoSlash.  They have come up with a cheaper price, but it was with a company I'm not familiar with and didn't want to chance.


----------



## Luanne (Mar 29, 2018)

DavidnRobin said:


> I can register my current reservations?
> I didn’t see that option.
> Is this like for like - I saw agencies on AS that I would not normally rent from. Also,  some were listed as Priceline - what does that mean. It goes thru Priceline?
> They would have to dramatically decrease - the LIH convertible would have to drop ~$1800 !
> ...


When you go into the AutoSlash site there are two "tabs".  One is to do the search through them, the other is the register a current reservation.

When you get the reservation through Priceline, that's exactly what it means.  It's not the pay ahead option, it's a pay when you return the car.


----------



## Luanne (Mar 29, 2018)

taterhed said:


> Regarding the 'Priceline' reservations....
> I had a Hertz res in Hawaii and.  I only wanted to re-book with Hertz (put that note in tracking request).  I was offered a 'Priceline' reservation.  So, I emailed AS.
> They replied that yes, that reservation was with Hertz and met all my requirements.  I had trepidations, but booked it.  I called Hertz...it was the correct reservation.  The fact that it was Priceline was completely invisible.  I did have to call and request the actual rental car reservation number for Hertz in order to insure the reservation was correct and add my FF#, but once I did...it was perfect.
> I saved $200+ on 1 week and $230+ on the second week.
> ...


As I've mentioned our last reservation on Maui was through AutoSlash/Priceline with Hertz.  It came back with both the Priceline number and the Hertz reservation number, I didn't need to call.


----------



## SandyPGravel (Mar 29, 2018)

I just checked Costco car rental prices and the prices have come down some.   Not to the price I had previously booked a,t but not as outrageous as they have been for a while now.  (At least for the dates I looked at.)


----------



## slip (Mar 29, 2018)

Luanne said:


> It just shows that everyone has different experiences. For the rentals we've had the last couple of years AutoSlash has come through with the best pricing.  I currently have one reservation for May in Vancouver (my every disappearing one with Budget) made through Costco.  I have registered it with AutoSlash.  They have come up with a cheaper price, but it was with a company I'm not familiar with and didn't want to chance.



Yeah, but I want all those savings too.


----------



## Luanne (Mar 29, 2018)

slip said:


> Yeah, but I want all those savings too.


Not sure I understand.  You want the lower price with an "unknown" company, but not through that company?


----------



## slip (Mar 29, 2018)

Luanne said:


> Not sure I understand.  You want the lower price with an "unknown" company, but not through that company?



I knew that sounded confusing. I just want to get the savings that you and some of the others have mentioned through AutoSlash. I just haven’t had any luck.


----------



## Luanne (Mar 29, 2018)

slip said:


> I knew that sounded confusing. I just want to get the savings that you and some of the others have mentioned through AutoSlash. I just haven’t had any luck.


Got it.

I don't know why some of us are seeing better pricing, and savings, through AutoSlash and others aren't.  Since it doesn't cost anything to use it, keep trying.


----------



## oj777 (Mar 29, 2018)

I dont know if I just got really lucky or what. Back in February I booked with Priceline Express Deals for a car rental from OGG airport for 8 days for my upcoming trip in April.

Total cost for 8 days for an economy car: $192 CAD (roughly $150 USD). After paying in Cadian dollars Priceline revealed the rental is with Hertz at OGG airport. 

Usually I don't take the risk with Priceline Express or bidding because you don't find out the rental company until after you pay, but in this case the savings was roughly 60% lower than what Costco or Autoslash was quoting me. 

Costs broken down:

Rental Car Cost: CAD 80 (8 x CAD 10.00)
Taxes & Fees: CAD 112.83
Total Charged: CAD 192.83


----------



## happymum (Mar 29, 2018)

The fact that Costco has a free second driver , rather than a spouse driving for free makes a large difference. I often have a friend or family member other than spouse, as my plus one.


----------



## Tucsonadventurer (Mar 30, 2018)

Luanne said:


> It just shows that everyone has different experiences. For the rentals we've had the last couple of years AutoSlash has come through with the best pricing.  I currently have one reservation for May in Vancouver (my every disappearing one with Budget) made through Costco.  I have registered it with AutoSlash.  They have come up with a cheaper price, but it was with a company I'm not familiar with and didn't want to chance.


Often as you land in the airport you can recheck and at that point we get even better offers from auto/slash. Most times they are our best bet but not always.


----------



## rickandcindy23 (Mar 30, 2018)

I have never thought of this before, but when you have insurance with your credit card, and you let someone else drive your vehicle, what really happens if your friend gets into an accident?  I would bet the extra driver fee is just a ruse to get more money.  I would bet it doesn't matter who was driving the car to the police and to the credit card company.


----------



## taterhed (Mar 30, 2018)

rickandcindy23 said:


> I have never thought of this before, but when you have insurance with your credit card, and you let someone else drive your vehicle, what really happens if your friend gets into an accident?  I would bet the extra driver fee is just a ruse to get more money.  I would bet it doesn't matter who was driving the car to the police and to the credit card company.



The rental car contract doesn't allow you unlimited use of the vehicle for the period specified.  It allows the listed or authorized drivers to operate the vehicle for the period of rental.  It's a contract.  If you violate the contract, you are responsible for what happens next....  Which means that any terms specified on the contract (insurance waivers etc...) may be invalidated by the breach of contract.

Could you get your credit card to pay the damages anyway?  Maybe.  Some tales say yes. Depends on state law and familial/policy status.
Could you get your insurance company to cover the damages less deductible?  Maybe, especially if a covered family member on your policy.  Again, state law and familial status, policy language and court ruling.
Could you get somebody to pay all the 'loss of use' and 'loss of value' charges for the accident.  Probably not.

Florida actually FORCED GEICO to pay an injury/damages claim to the victims of an 'unauthorized driver' that killed/injured some minors.  Question about policy language concerning 'temporary substitute' vs 'not-owned' status.  But, that was in the case of wrongful death etc...

Long and short:  you will be responsible for damages and liability.  Who will pay the money owed.......credit card, insurance or you....is up for grabs.

Oh, and the only way to get coverage after the accident--at least in some cases--may be to file charges against the driver for unauthorized use. (theft)

Not worth it.  Too many ways to cover the extra driver for free!


----------



## Luanne (Mar 30, 2018)

Tucsonadventurer said:


> Often as you land in the airport you can recheck and at that point we get even better offers from auto/slash. Most times they are our best bet but not always.


I also found on a rental last year I think, that when I checked a couple of days before the rental was supposed to start the rates had gone down.  I had always found, or at least assumed, that they wouldn't drop so close to the rental.  But following the advice of another TUGGER, I checked.  I keep forgetting to do that now though.


----------



## rickandcindy23 (Mar 30, 2018)

Rob, thanks for that. 

I would think one's own insurance would kick in for driving a rental car, even if it was not rented in your name.  I just think it's odd that a rental car company could charge for another person to drive a car, when they are 1) insured, and 2) a legal driver.  

Rentals are just cheaper for Maui on SFX and RCI lately.  Since I have way more points than I need in RCI, I booked my 8/20-9/3 rental for my points, which was about $650 total with taxes.  Rick will do all of the driving.   I could have gotten the car for $600, but my points made it a little more.


----------



## taterhed (Mar 31, 2018)

rickandcindy23 said:


> Rob, thanks for that.
> 
> I would think one's own insurance would kick in for driving a rental car, even if it was not rented in your name.  I just think it's odd that a rental car company could charge for another person to drive a car, when they are 1) insured, and 2) a legal driver.
> 
> Rentals are just cheaper for Maui on SFX and RCI lately.  Since I have way more points than I need in RCI, I booked my 8/20-9/3 rental for my points, which was about $650 total with taxes.  Rick will do all of the driving.   I could have gotten the car for $600, but my points made it a little more.



So, if you loan your personal car to someone......and they wreck it, your insurance will cover the damages/injuries/lawsuits etc....   Your insurance, not theirs.

In the case of the rental car, the company is not 'loaning' or authorizing anybody but those named on the contract to operate the car.  Therefore, the purchased coverage (from the rental car company) only covers the authorized drivers.  Further, while your insurance company will cover you to operate a 'temporary' or 'non-owned' car, these coverages (from your insurance company) do not normally apply to 'unauthorized' drivers.   In at least one case, the courts have forced the issue (due to death/injury of a minor and liability issues).

When an unauthorized person operates a car that they do NOT have legal permission to operate--from the owner--then that 'unauthorized' person's insurance will likely NOT cover damages/liability for the vehicle or accidents, because the insured was operating the vehicle without knowledge/permission from the owner (rental car company).  It is very analogous to 'stealing' a car and asking your insurance company to cover the damage when you wreck it.   The glitch here is not so apparent:  a 'temporary substitute' vehicle--think service loaner from insurance or bodyshop or dealership--is a car that you would use as though it were owned by you.  So, as the temporary owner, you have more control and authority over the vehicle.  As a non-owned car (rental) intended specifically to be a short-term rental and not a substitute for your permanent car, you have less control/authority over that car.  It's all in the lawyer's details and wording of your policy of course.

Enough of that.  What's the point?  If an unauthorized driver--not a family member or legally protected driver (partner, spouse etc....)--wrecks a rental car, you have an uphill battle to prove who is as fault, who will pay and what charges will be covered.  Lots of headaches.


----------



## rickandcindy23 (Mar 31, 2018)

We have rented many rental cars since 1996.  We rent a lot now that we are retired, and really for at least the last 12 years.  We spend a lot of money on rental cars, and I don't begrudge the rental car companies for making a buck.  

So today I was playing around with Kayak searches.  I found a Maui two-week car rental 2/23-3/9/2019 for $343 (with taxes included) for a car at Dollar through Holiday Car.  When I went to book it through the link, the website showed the prices, then it asked me to enter the dates again.  I couldn't enter dates that far ahead on their site, so no car.  That was weird.  

Rick was rear-ended this last trip from The Holyland Experience going back to Cypress Harbour.  It was a four-hour ordeal, the kid who hit us was arrested for not having a DL.  The kid was so sweet, but I guess it's a felony to drive without a license in FL.  My stepdad was with us, and he is 83.  I was worried about him only.  

That was the only accident we have ever had on vacation.  Knock on wood.  Chase Sapphire Reserve is ideal for car rentals.  Another use for my beloved CSR.


----------



## Luanne (Mar 31, 2018)

If you are ever going to be in an accident with a rental car, be sure you are out of the country.  We've had two minor scrapes (no other car involved) in Canada with rental cars.  The insurance on my credit cards (first one with Capital One, second one with B of A) covered the entire thing, no need to report to my insurance company at all.


----------



## WatsonC2 (Apr 1, 2018)

Picked up my dodge caravan today at enterprise (OGG).  Old reservation and $607 for sat-sun (9 day reservation).  No one there and great service.  Our friend rented a small suv from budget (also OGG-don’t know the price) and waited through really long lines over an hour to get her car.  Could be a fluke but I’m sticking to enterprise.  Current pricing is $1100 before tax for same timeframe so glad I booked it months ago.


----------



## JIMinNC (Apr 1, 2018)

Corey Watson said:


> Picked up my dodge caravan today at enterprise (OGG).  Old reservation and $607 for sat-sun (9 day reservation).  No one there and great service.  Our friend rented a small suv from budget (also OGG-don’t know the price) and waited through really long lines over an hour to get her car.  Could be a fluke but I’m sticking to enterprise.  Current pricing is $1100 before tax for same timeframe so glad I booked it months ago.



The key with Budget is to sign up for their free Fastbreak program. Bypass the line and get your keys and go straight to your car. Never had to wait behind more than one or two people in the Fastbreak line.


----------



## Stressy (Apr 1, 2018)

Just back from Maui this morning. We managed an INT SUV (Jeep Cherokee Latitude) for a week for 283.00 all in with Budget through Costco. I signed up for Fastbreak during my booking and rebooking period. My gosh, that was great. Nothing like just walking ahead of the masses and driving away. My strategy, though not for everyone, is Hotwire and Costco. Hotwire because they are relentless in emailing you EVERYDAY to show you the current rates on your same dates. I click the email, see if anything has changed, then go over to Costco to compare. Now, I'm very OCD about this, I'll look and book and rebook every darn day if I have to. As previously mentioned, you can hold as many reservations as you like until you find the one that suits you and then cancel the rest. Sounds like Autoslash does this for you, but I don't mind the work. Sort of like hunting down that perfect exchange. I enjoy the rush. I did notice Hotwire was throwing about some REALLY good rates 24-48 hours before...less than 200.00 but the cars were with Advantage or Dollar and I didn't want to experiment with companies I had never used, so I passed. Your mileage may vary but that's how I do it.


----------



## CalGalTraveler (Apr 1, 2018)

deleted


----------



## Luanne (Apr 1, 2018)

CalGalTraveler said:


> Recently we rented a car from Alamo in Vegas.  The salesman at the counter gave me a really hard sell that any damages would be billed directly to the credit card and not handled by insurance because "this is Nevada.' When I said that we have primary coverage through our credit card, he said, "we don't take insurance anymore."
> 
> I ignored him and declined their extortion price of  $26/day insurance, but he had me wondering if I had gotten in an accident, would we be covered by the primary insurance on our chase reserve credit card (which would be the same card they would bill BTW.)
> 
> Any thoughts on this? or is this just the latest sales gimmick to convince us to buy insurance we don't need?


Check your credit card coverage.  You should be able to find it somewhere under benefits.  What I found with my credit card was that if the accident happened in the U.S. we would have needed to get our automobile insurance company involved.  I don't know if that meant the credit card insurance would pay the deductible.


----------



## controller1 (Apr 3, 2018)

Luanne said:


> Check your credit card coverage.  You should be able to find it somewhere under benefits.  What I found with my credit card was that if the accident happened in the U.S. we would have needed to get our automobile insurance company involved.  I don't know if that meant the credit card insurance would pay the deductible.



You don't have to get your automobile insurer involved IF your credit card has Primary Coverage.  Most credit cards with rental automobile insurance coverage have Secondary Coverage meaning it will pay whatever your own automobile insurance company does not pay.  I know of a couple of cards with Primary Coverage: Chase Sapphire Reserve and the top-of-the-line Chase United Airlines card.  Both of those have $400+ annual fees.


----------



## DavidnRobin (May 8, 2018)

I was doing one of my standard re-search for OGG car rentals on Costco, and it stated that Budget no longer participates in the Costco car rental program.
I already have a Budget reservation from months ago - I hope it is still valid.

Also, having performed searches for LIH and OGG for years - the car rental prices have soared.


----------



## NTP66 (May 8, 2018)

DavidnRobin said:


> I was doing one of my standard re-search for OGG car rentals on Costco, and it stated that Budget no longer participates in the Costco car rental program.
> I already have a Budget reservation from months ago - I hope it is still valid.
> 
> Also, having performed searches for LIH and OGG for years - the car rental prices have soared.


Based on the posts I've read on Trip Advisor's forums, everyone who has/had an existing Budget reservation via Costco was fine. Still, I'd probably call Budget in Maui to confirm for my own peace of mind.


----------



## DavidnRobin (May 8, 2018)

NTP66 said:


> Based on the posts I've read on Trip Advisor's forums, everyone who has/had an existing Budget reservation via Costco was fine. Still, I'd probably call Budget in Maui to confirm for my own peace of mind.



Good to know.

Surprised not more people aren’t discussing the large increase in rental vehicle costs in 2018 as compared to previous years.  I have plenty of examples of this.

An extreme example is I have a convertible reserved for LIH that is (and has been) now 3 times more!

Others are up 50%+ from my current reservations.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## NTP66 (May 8, 2018)

Not all of us have experienced that, to be honest.

My previous post from page 2:


NTP66 said:


> My last five rentals in Maui (oldest to newest):
> 
> 
> Hertz, convertible, 10 days, September, $505 ($51/day)
> ...


----------



## DavidnRobin (May 8, 2018)

NTP66 said:


> Not all of us have experienced that, to be honest.
> 
> My previous post from page 2:



My 2018 rentals are also low - but new searches (checked every couple of days) these same rentals are 50% and greater.

Have you looked at what they are now?

I have a convertible (17 days in June: LIH) for $941 and now ~$2700 !!! (and has been ~$2700 for at least 2 months)

That is an extreme example.

I have a 14 day convertible for OGG (Sept) for $573. Now  ~$1400 !!! up from ~$900.  I have made a convertible OGG reservation for over 5 years in Sept (same time period) and has run around $280-$300 per week.

I have more examples.
AutoSlash has not come close to my current Costco rentals for my LIH or OGG rentals.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## NTP66 (May 8, 2018)

I always book 9 or 10 months in advance, and check pricing every Tuesday. Prices are higher right now for June, but I'd expect that, to be honest. Discount Hawaii Car Rental has shown relatively consistent pricing for the past 4 months or so, as well. I haven't been recording the prices, but if I had to guess I'd say that the same car is now about $50-75 higher than it was a few months ago.


----------



## DavidnRobin (May 8, 2018)

NTP66 said:


> I always book 9 or 10 months in advance, and check pricing every Tuesday. Prices are higher right now for June, but I'd expect that, to be honest. Discount Hawaii Car Rental has shown relatively consistent pricing for the past 4 months or so, as well. I haven't been recording the prices, but if I had to guess I'd say that the same car is now about $50-75 higher than it was a few months ago.



I also make mine way in advance, and glad I have.  I also track every few days to get the drops (which I have), but for months now these prices have gone up without dropping.

I don’t go to Kauai in June normally (usually Sept in odd years) - so perhaps this is normal... but, we go to Maui every Sept - and my comparisons for 3 vehicle types (convertible, Int SUV and Std car) are much (much) higher than past years.
And have not dropped, and AutoSlash has not come close at least for Alamo and Budget (these are the only ones I have used).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## DavidnRobin (May 11, 2018)

There has been a drop in Costco Car Rental prices for LIH and OGG.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## slip (May 11, 2018)

DavidnRobin said:


> There has been a drop in Costco Car Rental prices for LIH and OGG.
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



I haven’t noticed anything for January 2019 yet, do my dates anyway.


----------



## DavidnRobin (May 11, 2018)

slip said:


> I haven’t noticed anything for January 2019 yet, do my dates anyway.



Pays to check frequently - I used the Costco App now that I am not on a computer regularly anymore.

I am at ~$52/day for LIH and ~$37/day for OGG for Int SUV.
And $55/day and $41/day for Convertible 

The current convertible prices are much (much) more - liking going to go with Int SUV for north Kauai, and convertible for Maui


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## slip (May 11, 2018)

Yep, I have the app too. It helps me check more often. Best I have right now is $335 for a week in an intermediate both on Maui and Kauai.


----------



## DavidnRobin (May 14, 2018)

slip said:


> Yep, I have the app too. It helps me check more often. Best I have right now is $335 for a week in an intermediate both on Maui and Kauai.



Our LIH Int SUV dropped again. 
AutoSlash (for Alamo and Budget) has not beaten Costco. $840 for 17 days.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## slip (May 14, 2018)

DavidnRobin said:


> Our LIH Int SUV dropped again.
> AutoSlash (for Alamo and Budget) has not beaten Costco. $840 for 17 days.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk




I have mine entered in AutoSlash also but I have never had any luck through them. Right now I have both Kauai and Maui through Costco but both $335 for a week in an intermediate. I keep watching.


----------



## geist1223 (May 14, 2018)

So the other day I started shopping for our car rental on Maui for August 4-18, 2018. Most companies including Costco were running at just under/over $1,000 for the two weeks. I rechecked this morning and prices were still around $1,000. I went to Discount Hawaiian Car Rental. I got a car (Yaris) for $500 For the 2 weeks. It was funny on Costco the cheapest car was a 4 door Jeep at about $980 For the two weeks.

For the first time we are staying in Kaanapali. All our precious stays were in Kihei. We are spending one week at DRI Kaanapali Beach Club and one week at Hona Koa that we got through Club Select through Diamond. We were suppose to be going to Molokai (1 week) and Maui (2 weeks) in October but without my participation Patti let a "friend" talk her into New Orleans vice Hawaii with the "friend." Patti I have had had a long talk about while we may invite "friend" to travel with us, she has no say in where we decide to travel. Patti knows to never let this happen again. But then I had a whole lot of Diamond Points that were going to go unused and lost this year. So the unscheduled trip to Hawaii in August.


----------



## DavidnRobin (May 16, 2018)

DavidnRobin said:


> Our LIH Int SUV dropped again.
> AutoSlash (for Alamo and Budget) has not beaten Costco. $840 for 17 days.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Dropped another $10 ($830) 
and then just popped up to $930.

Doubt I will see lower than $830 ($49/day for Int SUV), but will continue surveillance - Costco App takes <1 min


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## NTP66 (May 17, 2018)

Costco still can't touch my rate at Budget (direct). They have been $100 total higher since I started planning the trip. AutoSlash actually did find one rate better ($10 cheaper), but it was with Advantage who doesn't have anything equivalent to FastBreak.


----------



## StevenTing (May 30, 2018)

StevenTing said:


> I'm going to piggy back on this thread.  I currently have a reservation booked through Costco for $745 for 2 weeks in Maui for Full Size with Budget.
> 
> When I check Costco Travel right now, the comparable is $915.
> When I check Expedia/Orbitz/Kayak, the equivalent rate is $548 - $578.
> ...



I'm circling back 2 months later as my trip is in a couple of days.  Best rate I've found out there was with my corporate travel for $699 for a Full Size with Alamo.  However, I was also able to snag a Standard SUV with Alamo through Costco and that's what I'm going to go with.  The rate are crazy expensive right now.

Even worse, I'm planning a trip back to Kauai in August 6 weeks later and an 8 day car rental is about $660 for a Standard SUV.  That comes out to over $80 a day.  Right now my Corporate travel rate can get me down to $522 for a Minivan, which is what I really want for my family, but that's still about $65 per day.


----------

