Maui Car Rental

[shade]

Just returned from Maui on Friday. Spent a couple of days with daughter and kids in Bay Area and drove back to Scottsdale yesterday. As we are returning to WKORV for Spring Break, I started looking for prices on a minivan. I usually try AutoSlash, but always looked at just about everywhere for a good deal. It was a bit scary as places wanted $2200 + for two weeks. I checked Costco Travel and $1167 for a Chrysler Pacifica through Enterprise popped up for the two weeks. I hardly believed it. Jumped on it and it was real. No cancellation fees, pay at pick-up and extra driver. I'm sure prices may return to some normality in a few months. However, I can live with the price I have now. Check it out.

 

[Luanne]

We are planning a trip back to Maui in March 2022. I have my car reservation already. I made it through Costco and it's with Enterprise. For a midsize SUV the price is $1047.53 for two weeks. I registered this with AutoSlash. For past rentals I have gotten numerous emails from AutoSlash with lower offers. So far this time, nothing. I'm hoping by next March the fleets will have increased and prices will drop.

 

[EnglishmanAbroad]

We were there in March and got a reasonable deal and will be back for the 4th of July week. Knowing of the issues we have been keeping an eye on availability through all rental channels since March and it has primarily been 'None'. Some seems to have suddenly become available in the past week but at $1200+ for a week we'll make do without.

 

[pchung6]

I just booked May 2022 for 7 days pick-up at OGG. It’s $345 for the week and free cancellation, booked via Costco.

 

[PamMo]

I was appalled at booking a mid-size (cheapest) for two weeks in September for $1,200 through Costco. I check regularly and it's gone up to $2,200. I'd love to see it go down, but am not counting on it.

 

[Luanne]

I just booked May 2022 for 7 days pick-up at OGG. It’s $345 for the week and free cancellation, booked via Costco.

What type of vehicle? And which rental company?

 

[pchung6]

What type of vehicle? And which rental company?

I booked compact car with Enterprise. I always book the cheapest rental I can find.

 

[Luanne]

I booked compact car with Enterprise. I always book the cheapest rental I can find.

When we were younger we'd usually rent the smallest and cheapest. Then we had kids and that didn't work anymore. Then we got old and prefer something larger and higher off the ground. Our vehicle of choice is a mid-size SUV.

 

[pchung6]

When we were younger we'd usually rent the smallest and cheapest. Then we had kids and that didn't work anymore. Then we got old and prefer something larger and higher off the ground. Our vehicle of choice is a mid-size SUV.

I just checked mid SUV is around $550 from Costco April and May, 2022. I have kids and Corolla can work fine for us. Agree Corolla might not work for everyone. My life style is to adopt whatever shade throwing at me and just work through it, so I'm happy with this $350 car rental. When car rental situation gets solved, we will get SUV or larger sedan as usual once the price back to reasonable level.

 

[celica7101]

We got a rental minivan for $350 all-in for Presidents Day week 2022 in Maui, but we had reserved it this past February.

 

[Mowogo]

I've found regular rates to be crazy in Hawaii, but corporate negotiated rates are still holding firm. If your company lets you use corporate booking tools and rates for personal travel, that may be the route to go to bring the cost of renting down.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

We are using corporate booking rates and they are better than the consumer rates.

 

[critterchick]

I've had good luck booking through USAA. Found some 2-week rentals in October and December 2021 and February (2022) for $855 (Hertz). Their computer system has gone berserk, so a few weeks ago the price for all three nearly tripled to $2100+, but has since come back down. I'll have copies of my confirmations just in case...

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

I always book the cheapest car available at time of rental. Why? If they run out of the cheap cars they give you a bigger car at the cheap car price. More often than not they are out of the cheap cars when I rent so I get a better ride at a lower price.



.

 

[jmhpsu93]

I've found regular rates to be crazy in Hawaii, but corporate negotiated rates are still holding firm. If your company lets you use corporate booking tools and rates for personal travel, that may be the route to go to bring the cost of renting down.

My recent two-week booking in Orlando with my company code was about 60% off the retail rate. It also benefits your company as it gets their volume numbers up. Just make sure you use your own credit card!

 

[daviator]

I always book the cheapest car available at time of rental. Why? If they run out of the cheap cars they give you a bigger car at the cheap car price. More often than not they are out of the cheap cars when I rent so I get a better ride at a lower price.

Yep, that's what I do too. And the harder they try to convince you to upgrade to a bigger car once you get to the counter, the greater the chance that they don't have a small car and are going to have to give you a free upgrade if you don't succumb to the pressure.

This past March in Maui, I'd reserved a compact car at $440 for 10 days (as it turned out, a great price.) I ended up getting a brand-new BMW SUV for that price.

 

[Waterdog45]

Just returned from Maui on Friday. Spent a couple of days with daughter and kids in Bay Area and drove back to Scottsdale yesterday. As we are returning to WKORV for Spring Break, I started looking for prices on a minivan. I usually try AutoSlash, but always looked at just about everywhere for a good deal. It was a bit scary as places wanted $2200 + for two weeks. I checked Costco Travel and $1167 for a Chrysler Pacifica through Enterprise popped up for the two weeks. I hardly believed it. Jumped on it and it was real. No cancellation fees, pay at pick-up and extra driver. I'm sure prices may return to some normality in a few months. However, I can live with the price I have now. Check it out.

In Maui right now. We gave up on the rental and are using Lyft. It's been okay. Waiting for the Lyft car has been bit frustrating (about 10-15 mins avg wait time). So, instead of paying for rental we decided to book some tours and activities. We tried instacart but didn't work and they couldn't find any shoppers. We ended up walking over to Times and came back with groceries from Times on Lyft.

 

[djohn06]

In Maui right now. We gave up on the rental and are using Lyft. It's been okay. Waiting for the Lyft car has been bit frustrating (about 10-15 mins avg wait time). So, instead of paying for rental we decided to book some tours and activities. We tried instacart but didn't work and they couldn't find any shoppers. We ended up walking over to Times and came back with groceries from Times on Lyft.

Maybe throw in a big tip. $40-$50 tip will ensure grocery delivery in a timely manner.

 

[Vagabonder]

WKORV was supposed to give me a car for a week as part of my hard sell vacation package, late last year they changed the terms to a $185 credit. I got in early for Sept. 2021 and got a compact for $650 but didn't pre-pay, now I just hope they have a car for the Friday PM Alaska flight from LAX.

 

[Vagabonder]

Yep, that's what I do too. And the harder they try to convince you to upgrade to a bigger car once you get to the counter, the greater the chance that they don't have a small car and are going to have to give you a free upgrade if you don't succumb to the pressure.

This past March in Maui, I'd reserved a compact car at $440 for 10 days (as it turned out, a great price.) I ended up getting a brand-new BMW SUV for that price.

Unfortunately with the gas prices as they are the big ride can cost you anyway ( not to mention trying to park in Lahaina)

 

[daviator]

Unfortunately with the gas prices as they are the big ride can cost you anyway ( not to mention trying to park in Lahaina)

I live in San Francisco. So by comparison, parking in Lahaina is child's play.

 

[Vagabonder]

I live in San Francisco. So by comparison, parking in Lahaina is child's play.

And Gas prices in HI are lower?

 

[lynne]

And Gas prices in HI are lower?

Our gas prices in Hawaii are lower than the gas prices in California

Price at Kona Costco on 7/9 was $3.75/gallon
The gas station closest to our house (most expensive on the island) is $4.59/gallon

 

[TSKing]

I've found regular rates to be crazy in Hawaii, but corporate negotiated rates are still holding firm. If your company lets you use corporate booking tools and rates for personal travel, that may be the route to go to bring the cost of renting down.

Yes, we stayed a week in Waikoloa (Big Island) at end of May and I found a car for about $1000. But my partner got it with a corporate rate for about $300!! I would hope in the next year rental car companies will have strengthened their inventory and not gouge us on the prices!!

 

[critterchick]

Yes, we stayed a week in Waikoloa (Big Island) at end of May and I found a car for about $1000. But my partner got it with a corporate rate for about $300!! I would hope in the next year rental car companies will have strengthened their inventory and not gouge us on the prices!!

Hertz have been busily repricing corporate rate reservations. I booked through USAA for October (Maui), December and February (both Kauai). It was $885 or so for each booking. About a month ago I read on a FB group that somebody's reservation had tripled in price, so I went and looked at ours and the same thing had happened. Not quite triple, but $2100+. THEN I learned that Hertz doesn't guarantee the price unless they actually say so on the contract, which they don't do for corporate rates. They can raise the price at any time, without notice. Fortunately they decide that they would honor my rates, but I became one of "those" people and double booked Budget for roughly the same price, on a stranger's corporate rate - that makes me nervous, too.