Should I rent a car for Maui?
 

Never been to Maui. Staying for a week, with mainly 5 1/2 days of free time. Not going to any other islands. Staying in LaHaina area. Want to mostly rest and relax. No major plans. Should we rent a car? If so, is a jeep best, or is a car just as good? Also, can you only rent cars at the airport, or could we find one near our hotel if we decide we want a car for one day? Thanks for any help.

You will need a car on Maui. Best bet would be to rent it at the airport.

At which hotel are you staying? I believe there are car rental outlets at some of the hotels in the Lahaina/Kaanapali area. Often hotels can arrange for one day rentals and have the car delivered to the hotel. If you really just want to relax on the beach, probably don't need a car. If you do decide you want one, a jeep is not necessary.

You need a car in Maui, rent at the airport. It would be a shame not to explore the island. Get a compact car

If you would like to be one of those people that visits Maui, spends the whole time at the resort of choice and never leaves their beachchair, and then bitches that Maui is boring and too commercial - well then sure.

If you want to understand your destination rent a car. For just a few hours a day, you will see some amazing things while still chillin/

It all depends on you and your expectations. I hope you're the latter!!!!

No need for jeep, go for convertable if you find a good rate!

I think a rent a car is very important on Maui. I would only get a Jeep if you're going to do major exploring, which it sounds like you wouldn't be doing.

Yes. You need one. You don't need a Jeep. Get a compact. You need a car to go anywhere, and you will feel restricted after hearing about all the neat and relatively nearby places to visit (Honokowai, the Iao needle, maybe even up Haleakala) if you don't have a way to get to them. The public transportation won't do the trick, and most places are easy drives. Have fun!

How are you going to get from the airport to your hotel?

The taxi fare from the airport to Lahaina and back alone will probably cost you more than the car rental for two days. Rent a car and enjoy Maui.

I just checked Speedishuttle. For 1 person round trip it's $46.-. http://www.speedishuttle.com/
You can check the site yourself as I didn't know how many passengers. I still don't advise it, not renting a car, but I thought I'd share anyway.

I checked Kahului airport to Lahaina.

Absolutely! I am in Lahina right now and I had the same question before I came. Don't spend the bucks on the Jeep. If you do, be careful. They have secret charges: $50 to put the top up if you don't do it correctly! We have a PT cruiser which is perfectly fine. It's no German luxury mobile, but it gets here and there. I would also rent at the airport. I found Dollar and Thrifty to be the least expensive. I went with Thrifty and I would say GO WITH DOLLAR! (I'll write more about this in my next installment of my trip report!) Speaking of, take a look. We came for some serious R&R, but ended up doing a lot of driving around and seeing some beautiful scenery. Be wary of the drive to Hana unless you have a lot of Pebto and an iron stomach! Have fun!

yes definately a car in maui. I would rent it at the airport. Most times the cost of transfers on maui will end up costing you the same amount if not more than just getting a car for that amount of time.

Maui is not centralized like oahu (waikiki) is where you can walk to everything. Yeah you can walk to things in kaanpali or lahaina but you don't want to confine yourself to that area the entire time.

rent a car, don't need a jeep, a convertible is great but might not be the cheapest car. but there is something about riding around the island in the converible that is just perfect!

I got a Chrysler Sebring convertible for $20 a day at Thrify through www.kayak.com. I think it was because Thrifty's lot is a little farther off the airport, and I arrived on a Sunday, instead of Saturday, and they were all out of the intermediate sized cars. I often find intermediate-sized cars are cheaper than economy, as the economies are booked up faster. You really need a car to enjoy Maui. How else are you going to get to Mama's Fish House?