# Car rental in Kauai



## classiclincoln (Jan 2, 2016)

We're going to be in Kauai over spring break and want to drive around the island.  Will we need a Jeep or will a regular car do?  Also, any pointers would be appreciated since it's our first trip there.

Thanks!


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## BocaBoy (Jan 2, 2016)

A regular car is fine.  The roads are good.  One time they were out of regular cars and gave us a jeep.  I hated it.


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## slip (Jan 2, 2016)

You'll be fine with a regular car. Where are you staying at, Kauai Beach Club?


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## Kauai Kid (Jan 2, 2016)

We had requested an intermediate and got a Chevy Impala.  Visibility in all directions except forward was so bad we went back and got a small Ford SUV.  Both had backup cameras.

Be sure and get the book "The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook-Kauai Revealed by Andrew Doughty"  Wizard Publications ISBN 978-0-9814610-1-4  for my version.  I'd get a used one since not much changes from each edition.

Sterling


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## DaveNV (Jan 2, 2016)

I think a lot of Jeeps at rental places are overrated anyway - they're either two-wheel drive, or if you take them off road, you void your rental warranty and become liable for all sorts of fees. Given how people tend to abuse rental cars, it's probably not a bad thing.

That said, as others have said, Kauai is an easy drive.  Roads are good. (Don't go off road at Polihale Beach. That would be a bad thing...) You'll do fine with any sort of car you like. I prefer renting a convertible, because the hills and trees are so interesting. The view from a convertible is better.

Dave


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## geist1223 (Jan 2, 2016)

Just remember to allow for driving time. It is mainly a simple two lane HWY. It is only 53 miles from Princeville to Waimea but it can take 90 minutes or longer depending on traffic. Last February we had reserved a med-sized Sedan but they were all out. So we got upgraded to a nice SUV for no extra charge.

The Chevron Gas Station at Princeville has good Lemon Pepper Chicken. The Snack Shack at Sueoka Store in Koloa has really good Loco Moco. There are tables out back to sit and eat. Plan an all day for Waimea Canyon and take a picnic lunch to eat in the Park near the top. We had a good time with the Koloa 
Town Ziplines. We also enjoyed the Sugar Cane Irrigation Canal Tube Float. Gaylord's at Kilohana has a good Sunday Brunch. There is also a decent Luau at Gaylord's and. Rum Distillery. We also enjoyed the Kayak Trip up the Wailua River. There are so many beaches - Poipu, Anini, Hanalei, Ke'e Beach (end of the Road), etc. There is also the Na Pali Coast. See many things to do and see. We go to the Hawaiian Islands about every 12 to 18 months. We divide our time between Mau'i and Kaua'i. We try and go for 2 weeks at a time. However next August/September we are splurging and visiting Kaua'i for 3 weeks.


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## artringwald (Jan 3, 2016)

Kauai Kid said:


> We had requested an intermediate and got a Chevy Impala.  Visibility in all directions except forward was so bad we went back and got a small Ford SUV.  Both had backup cameras.
> 
> Be sure and get the book "The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook-Kauai Revealed by Andrew Doughty"  Wizard Publications ISBN 978-0-9814610-1-4  for my version.  I'd get a used one since not much changes from each edition.
> 
> Sterling



Kauai Revealed also has an an $8 smartphone app.

For the best car rental rates try Discount Hawaii Car Rental. Not only do they have great rates, there's no pre-payment required. If the rates go down (which they often do), you can cancel and rebook at the lower rate. If you have a Costco membership, I've heard they have great rates too. When selecting a car type, remember that many of the parking lots have tiny little spaces.


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## taterhed (Jan 3, 2016)

Personally, I own a Jeep and loved renting a Jeep in Kauai.
Jeeps are NOT for everybody of course.... Taking the tops on/off can be a pain; the soft tops are also tough for people who have limitations or lack mechanical know-how.  It also rains quite frequently without much notice (seasonally).

Speaking of open tops
If you rent a convertible or Jeep (with soft top), just remember that locking the car/Jeep with a soft-top means that the criminal will need to slash your top when they break-in.   Better off not locking.
The better advice might be:  never leave belongings in locked car, in plain sight.  Of course, around the really busy places, spotters will see you putting all your camera gear, purses etc... into the trunk and can just as easily break the lock.  So, maybe not leave lots of expensive stuff locked into the rental car.  Especially a Jeep or SUV with no truck and lots of windows.

I've not had any problems, but just a thought.  Have fun!


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## geist1223 (Jan 3, 2016)

A local once told us leave nothing of value in your car and leave it unlocked. That way if someone wants to break in they will not have to shatter a window.


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## Kapolei (Jan 3, 2016)

The Suzuki Samurai was the best Hawaii rental. It had an all plastic interior and drain holes in the floor.


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## DaveNV (Jan 3, 2016)

Kapolei said:


> The Suzuki Samurai was the best Hawaii rental. It had an all plastic interior and drain holes in the floor.




I knew someone in San Diego who bought a Samurai when they first came out.  After a day of four-wheeling in the hills, she would park in the yard, jack up one end of the car, and hose it down - with the top off. Didn't seem to hurt it one bit. 

Dave


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## presley (Jan 3, 2016)

classiclincoln said:


> We're going to be in Kauai over spring break and want to drive around the island.


I was under the impression that there was no way to drive around the island. I thought you could drive around a large part, but had to double back. Is that incorrect?


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## BocaBoy (Jan 3, 2016)

presley said:


> I was under the impression that there was no way to drive around the island. I thought you could drive around a large part, but had to double back. Is that incorrect?


That is correct.  The road doesn't go around past the Na Pali coast.  You can go around maybe 2/3 of the island (just a guess from memory.)


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## sjsharkie (Jan 3, 2016)

presley said:


> I was under the impression that there was no way to drive around the island. I thought you could drive around a large part, but had to double back. Is that incorrect?


Unless you have some magical winged vehicle that can get through the Napali coast terrain, there is no way to drive around the island.

The road stops at Ke'e beach and you will need to turn around (or use your magic car).

-ryan


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## DeniseM (Jan 3, 2016)

Along the Kauai coastline, you can drive from Polihale to Ke'e - in-between is the Napali Coast.  

It's handy to have a Jeep for high clearance, and possible 4WD, because there are also lots of dirt roads - some of them quite good.   

Also - many places where you might want to park along the road for sightseeing are wet, muddy, and steep, so sometimes it is handy to have a Jeep to park in areas where you wouldn't want to park a car.  But it's absolutely not necessary - just fun!


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## slip (Jan 3, 2016)

Denise is right, they aren't needed but can be handy. We got a free upgrade a
Few times. One time we took the soft top Wrangler but we took it back later the
First day figuring if we were away and bought something it wouldn't be safe to
Leave it in the soft top Jeep. 

Another time we got a free upgrade and took a hard top four door Wrangler. 
That's when we made our first trip to Polihale. I'm really glad we had it for that
Trip. Lots of potholes over a few miles. When we got there, there were cars 
Regular cars there but I was glad to have the Jeep and I don't know if I would
Go back there without one. 

The only bad thing about that larger Jeep was parking in some of the small
Parking lots on the island.


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## DeniseM (Jan 3, 2016)

*Good point, Jeff - we prefer the hard top, with the lift-off sun roof.  It's far easier than dealing with a soft top, and more secure.


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## slip (Jan 3, 2016)

I love these threads when I'm close to returning to Kauai. They are tougher to
Read when we have a long wait.

I have to go to Houston again for work at the end of January, after that the 
Countdown will really begin but for right now, 47 days.


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## DaveNV (Jan 3, 2016)

slip said:


> I love these threads when I'm close to returning to Kauai. They are tougher to
> Read when we have a long wait.
> 
> I have to go to Houston again for work at the end of January, after that the
> Countdown will really begin but for right now, 47 days.




Jeff, I'm looking for a "tongue sticking out" icon just for you.   We don't get back to Hawaii till October!! 

Dave


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## slip (Jan 3, 2016)

How about a "yeah but". Yeah but you have the Outer Banks in late spring and
Didn't you just get back from Hawaii?


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## classiclincoln (Jan 3, 2016)

Thanks for all the help.  Discount car rental was about $9 more than using Hotwire through Upromise, but we get an additional driver for free, so it may make sense.

Yes, we're using our week at Kauai Beach Club.

Found a


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## slip (Jan 3, 2016)

Go to Dukes at least once, because your so close you may go a couple times.
Plan on going to Waimea Canyon and using most of the day. That's something
I wouldn't rush. You'll also need a full day to go up north and see the sights. I
Would probably make a couple trips up there. Be watching for whales. If your
Going on a whale watching tour book it early in case the ocean is too rough,
Then you can try to rebook later.


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## DaveNV (Jan 3, 2016)

classiclincoln said:


> Thanks for all the help.  Discount car rental was about $9 more than using Hotwire through Upromise, but we get an additional driver for free, so it may make sense.
> 
> Yes, we're using our week at Kauai Beach Club.
> 
> Found a




Stu, be sure to check Costco car rental rates.  In my experience they're just about always better than DHCR, and you don't have to prepay like with Hotwire.

Dave


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## DaveNV (Jan 3, 2016)

slip said:


> How about a "yeah but". Yeah but you have the Outer Banks in late spring and
> Didn't you just get back from Hawaii?



Outer Banks will be excellent, for sure, but it's not Hawaii.  And we haven't been to Hawaii since last Spring.  That was years ago! 

Dave


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## slip (Jan 3, 2016)

Alright Dave, I'll cut you some slack, it's only been Since May for me.

Daves right about Costco too. I used DHCR on my first trip to Hawaii about a
Decade ago and then I joined Costco and they have beat them every year since.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Jan 4, 2016)

BMWguynw said:


> Stu, be sure to check Costco car rental rates.  In my experience they're just about always better than DHCR, and you don't have to prepay like with Hotwire.
> 
> Dave





slip said:


> Alright Dave, I'll cut you some slack, it's only been Since May for me.
> 
> Daves right about Costco too. I used DHCR on my first trip to Hawaii about a
> Decade ago and then I joined Costco and they have beat them every year since.



We travel to Hawaii every year, and have experience renting on every island except Lana'i.  My experience has been to examine all sources of rentals - DHCR, Costco, Priceline/Hotwire (but use these only if you already have an idea of what is a good price you are not likely to beat), and direct rental.  

I have found none of them consistently is best.  I have had times when DHCR smoked everything else. Other times it has been good, but Costco has been somewhat better.  I have seen both PL and Hotwire beat all of the others by considerable margins (though for the last several years PL and HW have not come through for me).  Occasionally I have come up with the best deals renting direct from one of the rental companies using discount codes. 

In all cases prices do fluctuate. And the oft-suggested comment that prices often drop in the last few weeks is hardly reliable.  I have seen prices increase by as much as 100% in the last several weeks  before rental.  It all depends on how demand and supply line up.  

The best advice is to start looking early - as soon as you have your flight arrangements - and make a cancellable reservation at the best rate you can find.  Formulate an idea of what is a that seems like a good rate, and use that on PL and HW.  

Be aware that PL has both a regular reservation feature as well as a name your own price feature.  The best deals are on name your own price, but that is pay now, non-cancellable transaction.  So only use that when you have an idea of a rate that would be a good deal - which would be somewhat less than what you think the best rate is that you would expect to be offered elsewhere if you waited.


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## slip (Jan 4, 2016)

TR's right, I still check them all frequently to watch for price changes. Costco
Has been ver consistent for me the last few years but I still check them all. I 
Don't worry about it much once I hit about $150 a week all in. I only have 
Gotten less than that a couple of times. Right now for my two weeks on Kauai,
I'm at $295 all in for a full size. Price hasn't been close to that for months now.


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## TheTimeTraveler (Jan 5, 2016)

I can't speak for Costco, but I rented a car via Priceline for $14 per day.  The car I received was a brand new 2016 Nissan Versa.   Not 4 wheel drive, but great on gas.

Speaking of gas:  Very expensive everywhere on the island EXCEPT at the island Costco.   Everyone else charges at least 40 cents per gallon more.





.


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## Chrispee (Jan 5, 2016)

TheTimeTraveler said:


> I can't speak for Costco, but I rented a car via Priceline for $14 per day.  The car I received was a brand new 2016 Nissan Versa.   Not 4 wheel drive, but great on gas.
> 
> 
> 
> .



Priceline bidding is a bit of a farce as $14 per day sounds great but they have a bunch of extra booking fees that really add to the cost.  Occasionally they are the best though!


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## alohakevin (Jan 5, 2016)

We have had good luck with auto slash .com They beat Hawaii discount and will send you notices when rates change. They even changed our reservation for a cheaper rate and let us know. I like it so I don't have to keep checking for the best rate. Am using them on Maui and Kaui this time.


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## yeereid (Jan 7, 2016)

Yep, I always end up using Costco even though I compare against DHCR. You don't need to provide a credit card with either and I just check rates periodically (even after booking a reservation) as you can always book a new reservation if the price drops and then cancel the other. Costco gives you a second driver free (comes in handy as my second driver is not my spouse and some companies charge for non-spouse second drivers).


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## ekajun1957 (Jan 8, 2016)

*Local rental*

I saw two local companies on Kauai that both have older cars and say much cheaper and Trip Advisor both had good comments. rentacarkauai.com and kauairentacar.com. Anybody ever use of check them out? They put car in lot you pick it up and then park it back in lot when you leave.


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## raygo123 (Jan 8, 2016)

ekajun1957 said:


> I saw two local companies on Kauai that both have older cars and say much cheaper and Trip Advisor both had good comments. rentacarkauai.com and kauairentacar.com. Anybody ever use of check them out? They put car in lot you pick it up and then park it back in lot when you leave.


That reminds me of our first trip to Hawaii.  Stayed in Honolulu, but to a small plane to the big island, to Hilo airport back in late 70's.  We ended up in an early 60's dodge!  Doors didn't close to well, and original shocks.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk


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## ekajun1957 (Jan 8, 2016)

*Got a car*

Just got a Dollar rental through DHCR for total $218/week taxes and everything for a full size. It is odd as it is out of line with all the rest of the quotes but have a confirmation. Includes extra driver too. The one driver rate was higher. Starting March 8th


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## ekajun1957 (Jan 8, 2016)

slip said:


> Go to Dukes at least once, because your so close you may go a couple times.
> Plan on going to Waimea Canyon and using most of the day. That's something
> I wouldn't rush. You'll also need a full day to go up north and see the sights. I
> Would probably make a couple trips up there. Be watching for whales. If your
> ...



And when you come down from Waimea Canyon just as you get back to the Hwy to head east is the Shrimp Shack, best garlic shrimp around. And yes you MUST see the canyon.


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