When visiting Hawaii, it might come in handy to know how to rent a car in Honolulu. If you want the visit the Wards Centre, Pearl Harbor Memorial Museum & Visitor Center, and Waikiki Aquarium you will need some form of transportation. Many tourists prefer a rental car because they can go by their own schedule instead of being dependent on bus or train schedules. http://www.rentalcarmomma.com/cities/honolulu.htm

Car rental insurance, car rental rates, Honolulu car rental coupons, car rental fees and expenses and much more will be discussed on this page. If you know how to avoid the many pitfalls that come with renting a car, you can save some money. Companies like Hertz, Avis, Alamo, Enterprise and Budget have competitive rates and various promotional offers such as free car rental upgrades, extra free rental days and discounts on various rates. These can all contribute to getting you a lower car rental rate.

It's not just tourists that use rental cars. Honolulu residents can use a rental car if their own car is being fixed in the shop. Some people use rental cars to transport more people than fit in their own car. A rental car can even be a nice change from the norm during a night out on the town. Whatever your reason for getting a rental car, this page might help save you some money and answer some of your questions.

FEES TO AVOID: Before renting a car, you need to do your home work and do some research on the hidden fees that nobody tells you about. You might see advertisements with low rates, but don't be surprised if you end up paying much more than that. Following are some fees you might run into:

AIRPORT PICKUPS: If possible, don't pick up your rental car from airport car rental facilities. They charge taxes and fees and are more expensive than car rental companies that are away from the airport.

DROP OFF CHARGES: Dropping off a rental car too early or too late can result in fees. Make sure to ask for the exact time and date that the car needs to be back and make sure to return it on time. If you are on a weekly rate and drop the car off before the week is over, you might get charged a more expensive daily rate.

ADD-ONS: Bring your own child safety car seats, GPS devices, roof racks and such. If you rent them from the car rental company, you will have to pay a daily fee that can range from $5 - $25. This adds up quick. http://www.independenttraveler.com/resources/article.cfm?AID=29&category=2&page=2

MILEAGE: Before signing the car rental agreement make sure you have unlimited mileage. Some car rental companies allot you a certain amount of miles per day and if you go over this, you get charged a fee. Try to avoid this.

AGE PENALTIES: Some car rental companies will charge you a penalty if you are younger than 25 years of age. This penalty can get even higher is you are younger than 21 years old. Usually independent car rental companies are more flexible when it comes to regulations and rate negotiations. http://www.independenttraveler.com/resources/article.cfm?AID=29&category=2&page=2

COUPONS: Honolulu car rental coupons can be found on the Internet on websites such as rentalcarmomma.com and retailmenot.com. The coupons come in the form of printable coupons, coupon codes and direct links. Direct links will take you to the website carrying the discount, printable coupons can be printed, clipped and redeemed at the car rental counter and coupon codes are to be used when reserving your car online. Make sure to check that your coupon is valid and also read any small print to see what the restrictions and exclusions are. http://www.rentalcarmomma.com/cities/honolulu.htm http://www.retailmenot.com/coupons/carrentals

MEMBERSHIPS: If you are a frequent car renter, you should try to stick with the same car rental company, because they will give you discounts. You might even want to consider joining one of the car renter clubs of the larger car rental companies. The benefits are that you get to enjoy faster service and various discounted rates. You also don't have to wait in long lines at airports and such because you can use the special member's line. https://www.enterprise.com/car_rental/enterprisePlusPickYourPath.do

EMAIL: You can register your email with the larger car rental companies. Once you do this, they will email you special promotions, hot car rental deals and current car rental discount information. https://www.alamo.com/

THE INTERNET: For information on Honolulu car rental deals and discounts go online. Look on the internet at the different rates and vehicles that are available. There are many benefits of using the internet for car rentals. The internet is 'open' 24/7. A car rental facility has opening and closing hours that might not be convenient for you. On weekends they might even close sooner. Besides this, you will be able to look for different deals without having a salesperson trying to force you into a rental car. Many car rental companies offer discounts when you rent your car online.

BOOKING EARLY: Car rental rates usually depend on how many vehicles are on the lot of the car rental company at the time of your reservation. Booking you car early therefore has its advantages. If you know you are going to visit [[Honolulu] far ahead of time. Try making your car rental reservation as soon as you can.

WEEKEND RATES vs. WEEKLY RATES: If possible try to schedule your Honolulu rental car for a weekend since it might save you some money also. Car rental companies are known to give discounts on weekends. If you are holding onto the rental car for five or more days, make sure to ask about the weekly rates since these are often favorable also. http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/list/top10/116640/article.html

Nationwide car rental companies like Enterprise, Thrifty, Avis, and Hertz have set rates and regulations that they go by. If you are under the age of 25, it might be better to look into renting from an independent company since they have more are more flexible because they make their own in-house rules. It is also said that independent companies provide better service because they really want your business. They know they are up against the big names in the car rental business.

INDEPENDENT CAR RENTAL COMPANIES:

• VIP Car Rental
• 234 Beach Walk
• Honolulu, HI 96815-1918
• Phone: (808) 922-4605

This privately owned car rental company has been in business for 28 years and rents Suzuki Sidekicks, Geo Trackers, air-conditioning economy, compact cars and Mini Vans. http://vipcarrentalhawaii.com/

• Hawaii Luxury Car Rentals
• 2025 Kalakaua Avenue
• Honolulu, HI 96815-5135
• Phone: (808) 942-8725

This car rental company rents Ferraris and other exotic rentals to people 21 years of age and older. http://www.ferrariadventures.com/exotics.html