So since rental cars have gone Balistic what is everyone doing on Kona?

[aliikai2]

Looking for a car for October and everything I see is in the $1000 range. I know everything has gone up, but for a few days use is it worth it anymore to rent for the entire trip?

 

[Passepartout]

I have no comment about the cars, but I just wanted to say, you've been missed. Welcome Back! Don't be a stranger!

Jim

 

[Mosescan]

Looking for a car for October and everything I see is in the $1000 range. I know everything has gone up, but for a few days use is it worth it anymore to rent for the entire trip?

For that price it better come with a chauffeur! I have an SUV on the big island for a week in April for around $400 iirc.

 

[vacationhopeful]

Uber or Lift?

 

[mauitraveler]

Looking for a car for October and everything I see is in the $1000 range. I know everything has gone up, but for a few days use is it worth it anymore to rent for the entire trip?

Do you have a Costco membership? Even discounthawaiicarrental.com has rates under $500, and if for only a few days, the rates are closer to less than $250 for three days, depending on what type of car you're looking to rent. Depending on the number of folks in your party, Uber or Lyft are good alternatives.

 

[slip]

Yes, good to hear from you again. I’ve noticed the same on Kauai even with Costco. I have an intermediate in May for two weeks for $622. I’m usually under or around $400.

If your in Kona you could probably get away with a rental for a few days.

 

[SmithOp]

I booked through Costco, have an intermediate SUV from Kona Budget for 14 days, $737. This is for end of April, keep searching...


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[Chrispee]

Hawaii car rentals are through the roof! Nine months ago I grabbed a standard SUV for my trip to KOA next week at under $200 per week. The prices doubled shortly thereafter and have stayed there ever since...

 

[slip]

Hawaii car rentals are through the roof! Nine months ago I grabbed a standard SUV for my trip to KOA next week at under $200 per week. The prices doubled shortly thereafter and have stayed there ever since...

This is what I noticed too.

 

[Luanne]

Wr are on Maui right now with a mid size SUV for 15 days $540 all in. It is with Hertz, made with AutoSlash using Priceline. This reservation was made in June, 2017.

 

[slip]

I’ve had mine for about 8 months and have had it in AutoSlash but no luck yet.

 

[dougp26364]

I’ve been renting cars for several years. Over that time I’ve noted how rental agencies change tactics attempting to get the largest fee for their vehicles. This past year or two it’s been start out high, maybe go even higher, then at the last minute drop the prices.

We just completed a rental in Orange County CA. I started with a convertible for $180. Prices went up......and up......and up some more. Then a week before our arrival they fell......and fell.....and fell some more. I received our best price 48 hours prior to arrival. We ended up in a full size car for $133.

As little as 5 years ago I was getting my best price reserving 6 to 9 months in advance. Before that I was getting my best prices thru Hotwire or Priceline.

I think what they’re trying to do is see if they can catch enough of the market at a higher price that they don’t have to lower prices, but if they have a bunch of cars remaining, drop the price last minute and hope most renters hold onto those higher rates. The key is do not panic. Watch for a good price or even reserve at the higher price, then monitor rates and change your reservation when the price takes the plunge.

 

[canesfan]

I’m looking for July and wanted a 4wd. It was way too expensive for our whole trip. I reserved a standard SUV which was reasonable and we’ll just rent the 4WD for the day or 2 we need it. A hassle to switch but it was so expensive!


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[Dean]

We've been following prices on Costco for Maui, Oahu and Kauai for a week each for this summer since about last May. Prices went up when the airlines hit the 330 day mark and while they are up and down somewhat, they haven't come back to the prices from before 330 days out and a couple of vehicle types haven't been available for some time.

 

[canesfan]

I was surprised that for my March Maui trip Costco wasn’t the cheapest. Usually they are one of the lowest but I found the best price going directly with the rental company. I was shocked.


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[oj777]

Booked a mid size car rental through Priceline Express deals on February 19 for 8 days in April, picking up at Maui airport (OGG). Saved at least 50% by going through Priceline versus Costco, Autoslash or anybody else. Paid $192 CDN (roughly $150 USD) taxes, airport fees included (ended up being $10CDN/day +taxes and fees).

Usually I don't like going through Priceline Express deals or Priceline Bidding, but in this case, the savings was too great. After booking, I found out the rental is through Hertz at OGG airport, so I'm a bit relieved.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I have never tried Priceline Express Deals (but will try it). Based on this thread, I just tried discounthawaiicarrental.com for Oahu this summer (PU Waikiki drop off HNL) and it was about $389 for 3 nights (ridiculous!) I booked it and then tracked on AutoSlash. Within 1 hour Autoslash came back with a fully cancellable car in the $100 range (a $200 savings).

Autoslash now relies on Priceline. I wonder if they have a relationship through the Express deals engine because they always seem to get better pricing over time. Perhaps Autoslash works with Priceline engine to say to the rental companys, "We have a car rental customer who is paying x price. Can you beat this to earn this customer's business?"

I believe that Autoslash works harder/best when you make your first reservation elsewhere and then track it instead of booking first through them. We book about 15 car rentals a year and Autoslash has always beaten the prices we found elsewhere, even on Costco and with Alamo Insiders $50 award coupons applied. It could be Priceline's engine that is making the difference. The good news about Autoslash is that you don't have to play roulette with the rental brand because you are allowed to decide on the brand or car category. They simply bring the offers to you.

I also have noticed that price drops occur very close to the reservation. We had notifications from Autoslash for a trip 2 weeks ago that dropped our price to LA for $29 all in for an entire weekend. You can't even Uber for that.

 

[slip]

I have still not had any luck with AutoSlash and enter my rentals in with each trip. I have been doing it for a couple years now and nothing. I’m about ready to quit wasting my time entering my rentals in with them.

 

[Luanne]

Booked a mid size car rental through Priceline Express deals on February 19 for 8 days in April, picking up at Maui airport (OGG). Saved at least 50% by going through Priceline versus Costco, Autoslash or anybody else. Paid $192 CDN (roughly $150 USD) taxes, airport fees included (ended up being $10CDN/day +taxes and fees).

Usually I don't like going through Priceline Express deals or Priceline Bidding, but in this case, the savings was too great. After booking, I found out the rental is through Hertz at OGG airport, so I'm a bit relieved.

Our current rental was made with AutoSlash using Priceline. It's with Hertz, at OGG. We are Hertz members, got an email when we landed giving us the type of car and space number so we could just pick it up. Very smooth.

 

[easyrider]

Looking for a car for October and everything I see is in the $1000 range. I know everything has gone up, but for a few days use is it worth it anymore to rent for the entire trip?

For two weeks in a compact for Maui it looked like just under $300 a week or $600. You must be renting a van ?

Bill

 

[canesfan]

I was trying to rent a Jeep for 5 days at Kona in July it was $900. I think that’s insane!

And my Maui intermediate car next week is $450 for 10 days. That’s after reducing it by $150! There has definitely been an increase in car rentals prices for prime travel times.


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[Ken555]

I couldn’t find a better deal than ~$600 all in for a mid size on Maui for 13 days for this month. Priceline didn’t offer any name your own price for my dates, first time I’ve seen that. Reserved via Costco.


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[slip]

I have still been looking all over for car rentals for my two weeks in May for Kauai. I remembered that RickandCindy23 once mentioned RCI car rentals. I checked yesterday and they were $100 cheaper at $525 all in for an intermediate. I just checked now and it’s at $505 all in for the intermediate. So that’s a $120 less than what I have now but with RCI you have to pay it now.

I can’t decide if I should just grab this or wait a little bit. It’s $100 more than what I have been averaging for my rentals over the years. I may wait until next week, Monday or Tuesday and if it’s the same I’ll grab it.

 

[PamMo]

I searched for months for the cheapest car, any size, in Kauai for last month, and ended up paying just over $700 for 13 days. I kept rebooking (on Costco Travel) as prices went down, and the cheapest car ended up being a full-size SUV about a week out (I can't believe a Hyundai Santa Fe is considered a full-size SUV?).

I must be getting old. Rental car prices seem crazy high to me these days - often due to special taxes on visitors.

 

[slip]

Yeah, that's pretty high. It's kind if strange that the car prices are going up when the flight prices are coming down a bit.