If you want to make the most of your Hawaii vacation, you should choose to rent a car. It is necessary because public transportation is not readily available in several Hawaiian cities (except Honolulu) and taxi service is quite expensive. But before reserving a car in a car rental agency, you should do some homework to avoid inconvenience.

Here are some important tips for renting a car in Hawaii:

All major car rental agencies only accept international credit cards. Some can even accept debit cards. Only a few agencies accept cash car rentals. But you should avoid making cash payments, as reputable car rental agencies only prefer payment via credit cards. Agencies that accept cash may not be reputable.

All over Hawaii you can get around in a normal car. No SUV or 4×4 required (except you are moving to the top of Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii. So renting a 4×4 or SUV is a waste of money and you can save a lot of dollars by renting a regular car.

Car rental agencies are very strict with regard to damages caused to the car. Therefore, you should drive the rented car with great caution. The agencies carefully check the rented cars, for example, even the mirrors located under the car also check when you return it.

You must not drive the car off the road. Technically, if you drive the car off-road, you are violating the rental agreement. And if you have violated the rental agreement, the car insurance is no longer valid. Many tourists had to pay heavy fines for damaging cars or their car was hit somewhere off the road. Remember, you will not be allowed to leave the state until you pay off all your debts. Therefore, to be on the safe side, avoid making costly mistakes, that is, do not damage the car and always drive on the road.

Many agencies offer car reservations online, which is comparatively cheaper, as there is a lot of competition on the Internet. You can save even more if you book your car while you book your plane tickets and / or accommodation.

Reserving a car well in advance will also help you save on your pocketbook. Rental rates vary based on car demand. And once you’ve reserved your car, you’ll gain immunity from these fluctuations.

Always reserve your car for no more than one week in a row. Packages longer than a week generally cost a higher rental.

Always opt for prepayment of fuel at the rental counter. And refuel the car at the airport service station before returning. If you return the car before refueling, the rental agencies charge outrageously once the car is back in their possession.

Before opting for term auto insurance, check with your own insurance company. You may already be covered by rental insurance. If so, you can save money on your term insurance. Some card companies also offer this type of insurance, so you should also check with your credit card company. The car rental agency salesperson usually insists on taking out insurance. But make sure you already covered it or not before you fork out your money.

For tourists under the age of 25, the fee for minors to cover the risk is very high (between $ 25 and $ 75). In addition, in Hawaii, because it is not given for rent to a tourist under 21 years of age.

In the event of a car breakdown, immediately call your car rental agency; otherwise, your expenses will not be covered.

Upon arrival, if the car rental agency shows its inability to provide you with the reserved car model, you must negotiate to provide a higher model at the same rate that was established at the time of booking. Certain car rental agencies make such excuses just to offer you a higher model at much higher rates. You have every right to get the model you have booked with the agency. Or if they still insist, better move to another agency. Remember, there is fierce competition when it comes to car rentals.