# Car rentals for Kauai and Maui



## talkamotta (Aug 6, 2016)

I usually get exceptionally good car rental rates from Hawaii Discount car rentals for Hawaii.  Checking for end of March and April Costco is beating them by just a little.  Does anyone have another site I can check?


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## Luanne (Aug 6, 2016)

A lot of people seem to like Autoslash.  You can either ask them to find you a price, or you can reserve with the best price you can find elsewhere, then give them that information and they will notify you when/if they find a better price.

I found with Costco I was finding the best price somewhere around 6 - 9 months out.


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## bobpark56 (Aug 6, 2016)

*Autoslash and Hertz have worked for us, beating Costco*

We have found autoslash to be good, usually beating Costco. Best for us, though, has been Hertz...rented a year in advance though our USAA link. But don't delay with Hertz. Prices soon start rising.


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## DaveNV (Aug 6, 2016)

Make your reservation with Costco, then keep checking back.  The prices often drop considerably. If you later find a better price, you can cancel.  But at least you'll have a place to start. Better safe than sorry.

DHCR hasn't been coming up with the best pricing for me lately.  Now that they're  renting cars on the mainland, their price model may have changed.

Dave


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## Ken555 (Aug 6, 2016)

I recently switched all my existing reservations from Costco to SFX. Surprisingly this saved a lot. There are several other car rental threads that have this info.


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## MuranoJo (Aug 6, 2016)

And I've heard here on TUG that RCI rental car rates have even beaten Costco fairly recently.
Worth checking.


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## daventrina (Aug 7, 2016)

For some cars on
Maui, rates seem to go down $10-$20 most every week.
We're now at $489 for two weeks in a std SUV.

Our Wrangler on the BI is $70 more than we first booked a few months ago and it only seems to go up.

Haven't found better prices anywhere yet ...


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## Luanne (Aug 7, 2016)

daventrina said:


> For some cars on
> Maui, rates seem to go down $10-$20 most every week.
> We're now at $489 for two weeks in a std SUV.
> 
> ...



The prices go down, then they start going back up again.  The trick is to book when they are at their lowest.


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## normab (Aug 10, 2016)

We usually get a full size sedan from Hotwire or Priceline.  Have done so multiple times over the past 15 years, and never paid over 250 for a week on any of the 4 major islands.  The trick is to have a backup reservation many months out, and start checking the discounters two months prior.  On a rare occasion Hotwire has a great rate nine months out but usually it's more like two months out.


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## osloboso (Aug 10, 2016)

The lowest rate for an economy car in Kauia for October that I've found Discount Hawaii Car Rental
1-800-292-1930

*￼

Proud to Announce our New Website

www.DiscountUSAcarrental.com



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## cgeidl (Aug 12, 2016)

*Priceline bid*

The car rental rates have been much higher this year than any in the last ten years and this is for three weeks in September and October. I have used Discount Hawaii car rentals for every year util this year where I took  their very high price and deducted 25% and tried the Priceline bid and got rentals on both islands. Of course you can not cancel and rates could drop but at least we are below $200 per week on all rentals.
Hawaii is getting much more expensive the last few years and probably will continue. Prices are going up much faster than the mainland except for Costco
where you can still buy the $1.50 lunch.Still much less to eat out than our beyond belief San Francisco restaurant prices.
San Francisco has almost ten times the annual budget of Indianapolis which has about the same population.


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## Ken555 (Aug 12, 2016)

Has no one else yet tried SFX as I posted? My first rental booking with them went very smoothly, and I've got another in a week or so in Hawaii. I'll be checking prices again today or tomorrow but it was already quite reasonable compared to Costco and all others I checked when I booked.


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## itchyfeet (Aug 12, 2016)

Has anyone used RCI--I checked for a trip to Kona and they are the cheapest I can find but must pay up front.  I couldn't find info. on cancellation.  Is the fee refundable with cancellation?


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## Sugarcubesea (Aug 12, 2016)

I leave tomorrow and had reservations with Discount Hawaii, Costco, Hertz, Autoslash and for me Costco beat them all.


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## NTP66 (Aug 12, 2016)

I'm glad I checked this thread, because it reminded me to check up on my rental for mid-September. Modified my current rental at Budget, selected the same car, and saw that the rate dropped another $20 ($200 total for 7-days). Costco is actually $15 cheaper for the same car at the moment through Budget, but the $55 membership fee negates the price. Also, I still can't confirm if reserving through Costco would allow me to use my FastPass at Budget [to skip the lines] without changing the base rate.


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## Luanne (Aug 12, 2016)

> Costco is actually $15 cheaper for the same car at the moment through Budget, but the $55 membership fee negates the price.


If this is the only time you would use a Costco membership, then your comparison is valid.  If however, you shop at Costco throughout the year, and use it for more than one car rental, the $55 membership doesn't even need to factor in.



NTP66 said:


> Also, I still can't confirm if reserving through Costco would allow me to use my FastPass at Budget [to skip the lines] without changing the base rate.



Yes, you can use your Budget Fastbreak to skip the lines, if it is at an airport that has this feature.  You just need to be sure to enter your Fastbreak number when you make the Costco reservation.  I can confirm this because we've done it.


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## NTP66 (Aug 12, 2016)

Luanne said:


> Yes, you can use your Budget Fastbreak to skip the lines, if it is at an airport that has this feature.  You just need to be sure to enter your Fastbreak number when you make the Costco reservation.  I can confirm this because we've done it.



Thanks for the confirmation. Now all I'd need is for the rental to drop another $50 to make the membership useful (I have no Costco nearby, and really have no need to visit one).


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## Luanne (Aug 12, 2016)

NTP66 said:


> Thanks for the confirmation. Now all I'd need is for the rental to drop another $50 to make the membership useful (I have no Costco nearby, and really have no need to visit one).



Then I wouldn't get a Costco membership for just one car rental.


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## Henry M. (Aug 12, 2016)

Costco might be worth your while while on the islands, depending on how much you'd use their products. They sell wine and liquor, and the rest of their food is good. They are significantly cheaper than the supermarkets. We buy meat, chicken, and eggs there, along with other foods. Bottled water and milk are a lot cheaper too. We usually stay more than one week and there are several of us, so we can finish most of what we buy.


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## Luanne (Aug 12, 2016)

emuyshondt said:


> Costco might be worth your while while on the islands, depending on how much you'd use their products. They sell wine and liquor, and the rest of their food is good. They are significantly cheaper than the supermarkets. We buy meat, chicken, and eggs there, along with other foods. Bottled water and milk are a lot cheaper too. We usually stay more than one week and there are several of us, so we can finish most of what we buy.



We found even when traveling with 4 to 6 people we couldn't use everything we bought at Costco.  Again, it's something you have to look at.  How many groceries are you going to buy, and what will the cost savings be if you buy them at Costco.  Costco's pricing on the islands is the same as on the mainland, which means it is a lot cheaper, if you can use up what you'll buy.


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## DaveNV (Aug 12, 2016)

NTP66 said:


> Thanks for the confirmation. Now all I'd need is for the rental to drop another $50 to make the membership useful (I have no Costco nearby, and really have no need to visit one).




You can use that membership to shop at Costco.com. No local warehouse required. But while you DO have that membership, you can take advantage of any number of things Costco has in the islands, including their cheaper-than-anybody gasoline prices.

Furthermore, if, at ANY POINT during the membership year, should you decide you are not satisfied with the membership, you can cancel that membership, and receive a 100% refund of your membership fee.  

Think a moment about that, and do the math. That $55 membership fee is never at risk to you.

Dave


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## NTP66 (Aug 13, 2016)

That last bit about the membership refund is certainly good to know, though I don't know how often it'd work. I'll definitely keep it in mind.


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## DaveNV (Aug 13, 2016)

NTP66 said:


> That last bit about the membership refund is certainly good to know, though I don't know how often it'd work. I'll definitely keep it in mind.



It is not a trick - it's part of the Costco marketing plan.  Trust me:  My spouse is the Senior Refund Cashier at our local Costco warehouse, so I know what I'm talking about.  People cancel their memberships all the time, and some even do it on the VERY LAST DAY of their membership year.  But it's completely acceptable, and is part of the Costco business plan.

My personal opinion is if you save more than the $55 annual membership fee over the course of the year, (which is VERY easy to do), even if it's on gas or those $1.50 hotdog/soda lunches, then you've earned the cost back.  But for those who are unsure of whether the membership works for them, the above cancellation policy guarantees that person is placed at zero risk.  There is a reason Costco dominates in the membership warehouse industry.

Dave


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## Ken555 (Aug 13, 2016)

FWIW, the Costco membership is a bargain. I've had the more expensive Executive membership for a very long time since it offers 2% back on all purchases as well as other discounts on third party services. I don't think I've paid for any part of the membership in over 15 years with these discounts and cash back programs. It's also one reason my new A/C system I bought a couple years ago was less than other vendors, since Costco had a cash back card offer at the time that made it significantly less than others.

Of course, if you don't have a Costco near you then you won't find it as valuable unless you order online and use their travel and other services.


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## NTP66 (Aug 13, 2016)

DaveNW said:


> It is not a trick - it's part of the Costco marketing plan.  Trust me:  My spouse is the Senior Refund Cashier at our local Costco warehouse, so I know what I'm talking about.  People cancel their memberships all the time, and some even do it on the VERY LAST DAY of their membership year.  But it's completely acceptable, and is part of the Costco business plan.
> 
> My personal opinion is if you save more than the $55 annual membership fee over the course of the year, (which is VERY easy to do), even if it's on gas or those $1.50 hotdog/soda lunches, then you've earned the cost back.  But for those who are unsure of whether the membership works for them, the above cancellation policy guarantees that person is placed at zero risk.  There is a reason Costco dominates in the membership warehouse industry.
> 
> Dave



I certainly appreciate the information. Part of me would feel guilty about benefiting from the membership, only to have the fee refunded every two years (we own EOY units in Maui), but I'm going to investigate whether or not it would be worth it for our situation. We do have a Costco relatively nearby, but I just read that they don't offer guest passes like Sam's does to check it out. The 2% rewards thing doesn't really interest me since I use my credit cards for AA miles, and do 90% of my shopping online elsewhere.


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## Ken555 (Aug 13, 2016)

NTP66 said:


> The 2% rewards thing doesn't really interest me since I use my credit cards for AA miles, and do 90% of my shopping online elsewhere.




The exec membership 2% cash back has nothing to do with your method of payment.

Regardless, you're not an ideal candidate for a Costco membership. There are plenty of other solutions for affordable car rentals. Why make life difficult?


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## Thunder Up (Aug 13, 2016)

*Car rentals*

A strategy that I use is to rent off site for the pickup (that will require a uber or taxi) and return to the pickup location (usually this results in the lowest fare) or return to the airport location(this results in a higher fare than if returned to the pickup location but still lower than picking up at the airport).  One caveat is that most offsite pickup locations do not usually stay open after 5:00 pm.  A two week rental in January with a pickup at the airport is $762, the rate to pickup up off site and return to the same location the rate is $422 and the rate to pickup offsite and return to the airport was $484.  Rates changes frequently, a few weeks back, I made a reservation for two weeks in January, the vehicle was rented offsite and returned to the airport for $376.

Good luck.

Thunder up


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## Luanne (Aug 13, 2016)

Thunder Up said:


> A strategy that I use is to rent off site for the pickup (that will require a uber or taxi) and return to the pickup location (usually this results in the lowest fare) or return to the airport location(this results in a higher fare than if returned to the pickup location but still lower than picking up at the airport).  One caveat is that most offsite pickup locations do not usually stay open after 5:00 pm.  A two week rental in January with a pickup at the airport is $762, the rate to pickup up off site and return to the same location the rate is $422 and the rate to pickup offsite and return to the airport was $484.  Rates changes frequently, a few weeks back, I made a reservation for two weeks in January, the vehicle was rented offsite and returned to the airport for $376.
> 
> Good luck.
> 
> Thunder up



I've never really looked into this option as it always seemed "easier" or more convenient to rent at an airport location.  The only time we did do this was on Molokai.  It took us much longer to get the car than if we'd just rented at the airport.


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## DaveNV (Aug 13, 2016)

NTP66 said:


> I certainly appreciate the information. Part of me would feel guilty about benefiting from the membership, only to have the fee refunded every two years (we own EOY units in Maui), but I'm going to investigate whether or not it would be worth it for our situation. We do have a Costco relatively nearby, but I just read that they don't offer guest passes like Sam's does to check it out. The 2% rewards thing doesn't really interest me since I use my credit cards for AA miles, and do 90% of my shopping online elsewhere.



I completely understand your point.  If you're thinking of getting a membership, just do it - you don't need a guest pass to look around. If you decide you just won't be using it, then cancel the membership on the way out the door. But you may want to hold off for awhile - remember, you have a whole year to decide:

If you drive a car, the several dollars per tank savings on gas over time will surely pay you back the minimum $55 fee.  The 2% cash back membership fee is $110 per year.  Don't go with that until after your first year of use, and then you can ask them to "run your shopping history" and tell you exactly how much you spent, and how much you would save if you had the Executive membership. It will surprise you - people always spend more than they expect.

Savings with Costco are hidden everywhere:  I just bought a new laptop computer for work through Costco.com.  Comparing it to prices with other vendors, it comes with twice the memory as the same item being sold by others, and it was on sale for about $75 less than I found for the lesser model elsewhere.  So with the one sale I've saved $75.  There's the membership fee for the year.

And please don't compare Costco to Walmart's Sam's Club.  They are as different as any two companies can be.  About the only similarity is they both have a membership fee.  The differences are glaringly apparent as soon as you walk in the door.  But that's just me.  

Dave


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## tpaine (Aug 14, 2016)

*Maui car rental*

We have rented through discount Hawaii for several years now and find them first class, however this year the rates appear to be up over 80%. Last year from Budget the rate was $29.00 a day. The same firm today (and all the others) were approximately $53.00 a day. We are arriving Maui Jan 30 for 17 days.

The nice lady's advice at Discount Hawaii was to maybe book and keep watching rates to fall. Costco didn't seem to be any cheaper. That is a humongous one year increase. Any thoughts or idea on this board. Thanks.


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## Luanne (Aug 14, 2016)

tpaine said:


> We have rented through discount Hawaii for several years now and find them first class, however this year the rates appear to be up over 80%. Last year from Budget the rate was $29.00 a day. The same firm today (and all the others) were approximately $53.00 a day. We are arriving Maui Jan 30 for 17 days.
> 
> The nice lady's advice at Discount Hawaii was to maybe book and keep watching rates to fall. Costco didn't seem to be any cheaper. That is a humongous one year increase. Any thoughts or idea on this board. Thanks.



You have to just keep checking.  

You could also try autoslash, which will search for you for lower rates.

We've usually done the best with Costco, but I've found I've gotten best rates somewhere between 6 to 9 months out.  The rates drop pretty low, then they start going back up again and never go that far down.


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## taterhed (Aug 14, 2016)

I'll jump in on the Costco bandwagon.....


 At some locations, the gas savings alone--often .20c a gallon or more--will quickly start to pay your membership fee.

 And, as sad as it may be, even if we don't use 100% of the product we purchase at Costco (a large piece of cheese is my example) the product is better than we could buy and still cheaper than purchasing a smaller (and inferior) product at the grocery store.

 Of course, the new Safeway in Lihue is stunning and has good (not great) prices.  More importantly, the quality of the products is very very good. IMHO.


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## NTP66 (Aug 14, 2016)

When I was thinking about the Costco gas savings, I was only thinking about in Hawaii. Upon further investigation, my local Giant gas station is within $.02 of Costco, and that's before my usual $.10 off/gallon discount. Costco membership likely isn't for me, but this is good information for the board as a whole.


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## Ken555 (Aug 14, 2016)

In summary, competition is good for the consumer. Costco offers very good prices, but they aren't the only retailer to do so. There are always exceptions. 


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